FO: Opposite Pole Cardigan

So, this is love...

Project: Opposite Pole 
Pattern: by the brilliant Joji, on ravelry
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease (Color: Natural Heather)
Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm) for the back, US 10.5 (6.5 mm) for the circular part and sleeves.

Since I used LB Wool-Ease, which I love, and it contains so much acrylic (80% acrylic/20% wool) I was concerned about how to block it.

It actually looked pretty good pre-blocking but I wanted it to look great. I just wasn't sure how to block it. Then I found Bead Knitter's Tutorial on how to block acrylic. The key is to steam block.

So, I just laid it out, pinned how I wanted it, then took the steam iron to it. If you do this, remember to NOT touch the fabric with the iron - it could burn it! It was amazing to watch the fabric change before my eyes...it would kind of shift and adjust as it settled. Now, I can machine wash and dry it without it changing.

I decided to use the 10.5 on the sleeves because I really liked the stockinette fabric it created, so I made a size smaller sleeve because my gauge was bigger than the pattern called for, and it turned out perfectly. The short-row top-down sleeve is brilliant! I ended up doing 2 more increases, and associated length, on the sleeve before changing to garter stitch. I disliked the way the garter stitch looked using the 10.5 needles - it was much wider than the st st, and I wanted a tight cuff so I switched to US 8 DPN's for the cuff and then to US 7 DPN's for the last 4 rounds and bind off.

I am so happy with this cardigan! I wore it to church and it was nice and warm. I'm glad I went with the neutral color so i can wear it with everything...and I will.

Ben sure had fun while Troy took these pictures - - He dressed himself in his PJ's and sandal's during nap time.