Sweaterbabe's Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan

Since I have been knitting, I notice knitwear--sort of the same way I never noticed a certain car model around town until we bought one. But when waiting in lines or walking through the mall, my eye catches shapes, styles, and colors in commercial knitted garments, which gives me inspiration for my own hand-knit wardrobe. Lately, I have been noticing especially these great drapy cardigans. They are perfect with the skinny jeans that are so fashionable now, and they just look so effortlessly stylish. Most of the examples I've seen on other women have been plain stockinette, and while the shape itself is beautiful, it's kind of boring to knit. When I saw Sweaterbabe's new pattern, #112 Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan, it hit me that it was EXACTLY the cardigan pattern I was looking for! (Photos are from Sweaterbabe...she was kind enough to give permission to use them).

Those long front panels are right on-trend, and the lace pattern gives me something fun to knit. The back is gorgeous as well--and there is waist shaping, which for my hourglass-ish figure is a must!

I've purchased several Sweaterbabe patterns over the last year, and one thing I really appreciate about all of them, including this latest one, is that she writes the patterns out line by line. What I mean by that is there is no sort of hand waving--"Knit until it feels right!" She tells you exactly how many rows to do. That is relaxing for me, because I don't have to take copious notes as I knit...I can just mark my place in the pattern and I know exactly where to pick it up again then next time I sit down with the project. That is perfect for me because I usually have several projects going at once.

I received the pattern a week or so ago, and it was pure kismet that the pattern called for Knit Picks Swish Worsted (superwash merino) when I had a shipment of single-ply merino on its way to me already! I was so, so, SO tempted to go ahead and order some Swish for the project because that is probably my favorite yarn...it washes so well! But I had ordered a sweater-quantity of Purewool in an apple green color back in the first week of April when they had a sale, so I decided to be good and wait for that--I know it will be a good yarn sub. Since it is hand-dyed to order and shipped from Uruguay it takes over a month to arrive on my doorstep, but it came today! I can't wait to get started...

It's a little *ahem* brighter than I expected it to be, but brights are in this season, right?