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Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Belfast Hoodie Finale


Hi, Knitters,
I finished my Belfast Hoodie designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge for Quince & Co. It's so comfortable and cute. I just love it. I took advantage of my son being home and asked if he would take some photos of me wearing my sweater. We started at the kitchen table and then headed out to the woods for some outdoor shots.

Here is some general information for you:

Pattern: Belfast Hoodie by Carrie Bostick Hoge (on Quince and on Ravelry)
Needles: US size 8 needles, Signature Needle Arts, 32-inch circular
Buttons: Oak tree branch buttons from Wooden Treasures on Etsy 
Construction: Bottom-up, raglan-yoke combination, seamless

By the way, the green hat I'm wearing is my new design for a new alpaca yarn company called, Our Back 40 premiering at Vogue Knitting Live in New York on January 18-20th. Find Our Back 40 and my hat called the Ruche Panel Tuque at booths #807, 809, 811, 813 at VK Live. I'll give more details on it all shortly. The hat turned out super cute and the yarn is squishy, warm and soft. The yarn is being touted as cashmere quality alpaca and it is. I really think you'll love this yarn and hat pattern. If you are attending VK Live in NYC please go check out this new yarn company.

Now for the cardigan! After some snowy woodland photos of the cardigan I'll give some more details about the making of it.

Warning: Lots of photos ahead. To enlarge the photos just click on them.








Now for the step-by-step photos of the Belfast Hoodie:


Above the yoke was still on the needles ready to begin the hood. I was thrilled with the fit so far. Since it was bottom-up this was the first time I could try it on.


After the hood was knit I picked up 384 stitches around the fronts and hood to add the ribbed button bands and hood edging. 


This is the last bound off stitch of the front and hood edgings. A funny thing happened when I was binding off those hundreds of stitches. I got impatient and bound off the last 6-inches or so way too tightly. If only I noticed this right when I took this photo. When the cardigan was wet from washing and I went to block it I noticed the bottom front edge on the left side was pulling way up. No matter how hard I pulled it down to be even with the right side, it would not budge. 

One reminder to all, if you bind off too tightly there is no possible way to stretch it out later. It is what it is.

I was impatient once more and while my wet cardigan was laying flat on the blocking boards I pulled out about 6 to 7 inches of the bound off edge. It was interesting and kind of hard because it was wet. I grabbed my needles and was hunched over the blocking boards on the floor loosely re-binding off those inches when my husband walked by. He asked me what I was doing. It looked weird, I know. I tried to explain to him that I had bound off too tightly and therefore the bottom edge was pulling up a couple of inches. 

He shrugged and said, "Huh, rookie mistake." Then he just walked away. That really made me laugh at myself. There was no reason I could not have waited until the yarn was dry to fix it. I just wanted it to be right immediately. I didn't want to look at that pulled up bottom edge while the cardigan was drying. 

Note to self: Work on patience in 2013.


The pockets are picked up and knit on and then the sides are sewn on. I used a crochet hook and went through the center of each of the marked off stitches and picked up the yarn being held on the inside of the cardigan. Then I placed each stitch on the needle. The pockets were the perfect finishing touch.


The button sewing took me a lot longer than I thought it would. For some reason I struggled a bit to get the garter ridges on the yoke to line up. I had to remove and stitch back on a couple of the buttons more than once. In the end it worked out great. Perseverance pays off.


I also added three more buttons for a total of six. The pattern calls for three buttons. I like the option of being able to close this cardigan up. The cut oak branch buttons are the perfect match.


What a sweet cardigan it turned out to be! It is everything I hoped for, versatile and so comfy. The pomegranate colorway of the Lark yarn is so interesting. It looks different in different lighting. It is sort of a raspberry color but not exactly.  I like this color and will use it again. This cardigan just flew off my needles for some reason.  It is a longer length with long sleeves, and a hood, so I don't know how I got it done so fast. I am just happy to have a new handknit garment to wear. Hooray!


The Quince & Co. Lark yarn is 100% American worsted weight wool. It is smooth and fun to work with. The real magic comes in when you wash and block it. The stitches even out, the fabric becomes so soft and squishy. There is no itch to this wool at all. I have worn the cardigan with a short sleeve t-shirt and a sleeveless t-shirt underneath and it feels like butter next to my skin. To block this cardigan I just soaked it in Soak Wash for a bit and then laid it out flat to dry. That's it. 


Look how nice those stitches line up! I did learn a new twist on a buttonhole in this pattern. That's always fun to learn a new technique while you're knitting a project.


Well, I'm off to a good start on my sweater knitting for 2013. I hope I can keep it up. I haven't been doing as well with my sock knitting but something has got to give. 

Coming up still this week I will be posting the prize winners for the Waiting for Winter Mitt-along and the prizes. I have some good stuff lined up. 

Then at the end of the week I will be making the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny and Bunny Hat patterns available in my Ravelry pattern shop

Hold me to it! I hope you are all well and that your knitting is treating you kindly this winter.
best, susie

30 comments:

  1. Your sweater is beautiful and I love your coffee cup.

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  2. I have to make this sweater. You did a fabulous job!!!! Do you have any suggestions for alternate yarn choices? Cascade 220???

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  3. love the pattern, love the yarn, love the buttons!

    And I really love all your instagram photos!

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  4. Beautiful sweater and beautiful on you.

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  5. Just beautiful! You're so cute in the photos too. I'm actually knitting this now; it's such a great pattern. And Quince Lark?-wonderful yarn, as you noted.

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  6. The hat! I must have the hat!!

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  7. The hat! I must have the hat!!

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  8. Susan- you look beautiful (as always) in your new sweater! Those buttons are just amazing :0)
    Jpeled on rav

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  9. I love the comment your husband made! If I said, "I bound off my stitches too tightly" to most anyone in my family, they wouldn't know what I was talking about. :) Love the color, buttons, design. . . Uh. . . Everything! Great job! And your son did a wonderful job with the photography.

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  10. Gorgeous, the color the fit, everything!

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  11. Beautiful!! The color is great & I love the pockets & buttons... I would need a 4x! and a lot more time than it took you!! Haven't quite gotten my "knitting skills" back (it's been 46 yrs since I did my last... how time flies!) Thanks for sharing your crafts!
    ♥Tess

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  12. Beautiful sweater, Susan. You did a great job knitting it up. I think I'll give this one a try.

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  13. Beautiful sweater, Susan. You did a great job knitting it up. I think I'll give this one a try.

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  14. shawna popeJanuary 09, 2013

    So pretty!

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  15. Love your new sweater and hat! Both look great on you! Love the colors! You have the cutest sense of style! Stephanie (indigodogmt on Rav)

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  16. You look beautiful in your Belfast! Love that hat, too. You're so talented. Thanks for knitting this cardigan and posting about your process. I've definitely been there regarding binding off--sometimes too tightly, sometimes too loosely, sometimes, just right (after a few tries).
    :)
    Carrie

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  17. Lovely! You're such an inspiration, Susan. I'm determined to finish my Tea Leaves I'm knitting in Lark. I was worried it would be a little itchy - now I know I just have to "Soak" it when it's finished. Thanks!

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  18. Susan not only do I love your knitting but I LOVE your on your top photo! Would you mind sharing what they are?

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  19. Michelle, not sure what you were asking about but I'm guessing either my shoes or socks in the banner. The clogs are from Dansko and are getting quite old, maybe 6 or 7 years old now, and the socks are my Patchwork socks made from leftover sock yarn knit together, switching yarns every 10 rows.

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  20. Beautiful and practical jumper, I want one now! :)

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  21. You look as young as a teenager! You look great and you did a fantastic job on that sweater. Tanknit

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  22. Okay, you don't look like you have four kids! And gf, you've lost weight. Love, love this hoodie - from the color to the fit and to the look. Tose buttons are sweet.

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  23. I love this sweater. You make it sound so simple...all your 2013 sweater knitting. My goal as well to get some sweaters knit this winter. Are you going to share with us what you learned about making the buttonhole?
    I scan. My email each day to see if you hve shared any of your life with fiber and/or family. When I see a new one, I feel like I have just heard from a dear friend. I am sure we all feel that way. Glad you love it all.
    Sharon imler

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  24. Mel, of SingleHandedKnits,sent me here with her raving about the inspiration she got while reading about your progress knitting this beautiful cardigan. I can see how it would be a tempting project... off to see what I have in stash, or maybe a road trip to Maine and visit to KnitWit to buy the perfect Lark colorway.
    And I agree, you do look mahvelous, and, happy. Does knitting do that to everyone? YES! At least that is my opinion, bliss.
    I am 19vesperstreet on Ravelry and Twitter.

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  25. Hi Susan,
    I'm a huge fan of your blog! Thanks for writing and inspiring. I'm getting ready to embark on my own Belfast Hoodie and have ordered my yarn from Quince in the glacier colorway . So excited! My question to you is if I measure 34 inches at the bust should I follow the 33 1/2 pattern or the 37? This is my first adult sweater, so I'm a bit nervous about getting it right. Thanks for all!
    Robin in Moss Beach CA
    rfoster515@gmail.com

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  26. Hi Susan,
    Sorry if this is a repeat comment! I tried on my phone the first time and not sure it went through. I'm a huge fan of your blog! Thanks for writing and inspiring! I'm planning on embarking on my the Belfast Hoodie and have placed my yarn order with Quince. My question is this: If my measurement is 34, do you suggest following the 33 1/2 numbers in the pattern or the 37 1/4? This is my first adult-sized sweater and I'm super nervous about getting the fit right.
    Thanks for all!
    Robin in Moss Beach CA

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  27. rfoster - i usually make the 36 inch size in sweaters. I went up to the 37 inch size because I wanted a roomy cardigan that I could wear things under and it is quite roomy on me. It really depends on how you want your cardigan to be - fitted or looser.

    I think because there is such a gap for your 34 inch size I would be inclined to go with the 33 inch pattern size but again, it is totally up to you and your preferences.

    good luck, susan

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