Knit Spark Cardigan designed by Andrea Mowry

After Amber and I attended the last Rhinebeck together, we agreed to knit our own matching "Rhinebeck Sweaters" for next year.  After seeing everyone flipping out over it at the NY Sheep and Wool Fest, she was intrigued by the Feederbrook Entropy DK yarn that we carry at Atelier.  It's a comparable and slightly more affordable substitute for the Spincycle Dream State yarn called for in the pattern.  Both of us have been dying to steek after taking Julie Farwell Clay's steeking class together at the Webs Retreat years ago, so we agreed that we would both knit Andrea Mowry's Spark Cardigan which is a delightful combination of colorwork and steeking, knit bottom up, in the round.

 

Since I've already posted so many progress shots during my 3.5 month long journey to finish this damn thing, I'm only going to include FO photos and a link to my steek cutting video HERE.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this sweater.  I used the needles called for in the pattern and as I previously mentioned, I subbed Feederbrook Entropy DK in the Radiant Flux Colorway for the CC and I used Ella Rae Superwash Classic Wool Color #104, Dye Lot # 22488 for the MC.

It wouldn't be a photo shoot without a Xena photo bomb...

...or some silly outtakes!  It may not be obvious but it was raining while were trying to take photos and I was wiping raindrops off my face.

My only complaint and I suppose it's more a preference about this pattern is that I think the folded over cuffs are a bit much.  I understand that they're designed this way for extra warmth; it just doesn't get that cold in NorCal to need them.

I wet blocked the cardi was it was still just a tube in the round before I steeked it and I definitely recommend doing this to anyone else knitting this pattern.  It relaxes the stitches and makes it a lot easier to cut and sew.

Although I learned a variety of ways to steek, I decided to go with the sewing machine reinforcement followed by whip stitching with a tapestry needle.  I am extremely satisfied with my results.  I didn't possess a ton of irrational steeking fear prior to trying it and now that I've done it, all I can say is that it's extremely simple and it shouldn't put anyone off trying a new technique.  

I am so excited about how perfectly this sweater fits me that I've already picked out yarn to knit another one.  I actually have a TON of leftover Entropy DK because I bought double the quantity required in an effort to find the color pools/transitions that were most similar between hanks.  When you work at a yarn store, that's the OCD-type of shit you can do!

 

You know I can never resist a great new nails + knitted FO photo op!