Hello! I’ve knitted the Miette cardigan. This is a free downloadable pattern by Andi Satterlund
This design first caught my eye when I saw Carmela Biscuit‘s utterly perfect LBC (little black cardigan) during me-made May. So perfect! Everyone needs a cardi like this one, I thought. I mentally filed the name away to check it out sometime… and when the Handmakers Factory announced a Miette knit-along, I discovered it was not only cute, but a fabulously free! pattern!
This is a gorgeous little design, subtle lacework around all borders but with plenty of stocking stitch so you can knit happily in front of the telly and not miss anything. I really like how it is knitted top-down and all-in-one so that you can try it on as you go to check for fit. Plus you can keep knitting to add length, using up excess wool should you so desire. I did so desire, and added an extra two pattern repeats ‘cos the original is a tad on the tiny side. As in cropped-tiny, not tight-tiny. More like a bolero than a cardigan really.
Knitting all-in-one-piece also means that once you’ve finished knitting there is not even one single seam to be sewn up. This is Smart knitting; a new-ish concept for me knitting-pattern-wise but one that I am absolutely head-over-heels in love with already. Let’s face it; sewing up the pieces is a bit of a pain and everyone hates that bit, right? Really, a clever designer can easily dispense with all the seams in any knitting pattern, since your garment ends up as a one piece thing then logically there’s no reason why most designs cannot be knitted as one piece as you’re going along.
This should have been a super quick and easy knit, but I still managed to take forever. It was just one of those projects where nothing seemed to go right. Following is the truncated saga of my Miette…
Did tension square. Tension just slightly off but hyper-enthusiastically got going anyway. Three entire balls later had to admit it was going to be too small. Unravelled in entirety. Started again in larger size. Ran out of wool. Wool shop sold out. Wool shop not ever getting it in again. Searched a coupla real life shops. Searched online. Ordered from the UK. Waiting on extra ball. Missed end-date for knit-along. Waiting. Waiting. More waiting. Ball finally shows up, cardigan finished mere hours later, worn and photographed same day, bam!
Phew, mission accomplished!!! (air fist pump)
Note to self: SIX balls of the yarn are needed!!
Details:
Cardigan; Miette in Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, in col.Hunter (360026) … SIX balls!
Skirt; my own design, stretchy layered lace, details here
Tshirt (under); self-drafted, white cotton jersey, details here
I love it. I've been working on my version of this cardigan for months. All I have left to do is a button and neck band, which I've never done before. I love the tweedy look of the yarn. Lovely choice as usual!
It's a lovely cardigan, the colour is beautiful and I'm glad you were able to find the last ball of wool in the universe!!
Excellent dog modelling too!!!
I didn´t know that you were a fantastic knitter!!!! Your cardigan is super cute!!!! I always envy the great knitters around blogosphere, I am a disaster knitter…I have no patience!
I agree on the lack of seaming (especially as I'm particularly useless at it). However, the one advantage of seams is that they apparently give structure / strength to a garment making it better at holding it's shape
It is lovely. The color is great.
Cute sweater! I love how the wool has little rainbow flecks on it. I don't knit but a'm going to have to pass this pattern link on to my mum as she has been knitting for years.
lady of many talents 🙂 love your new cardigan, and i love the fact that you never gave it up, inspite all the problems.. and now i wonder why i've never knitted a cardigan in my life, and i love knitting
OMG I love this! That wool is all kinds of rad. Note to self: finish Miette sleeves. I've only been delaying those for five weeks O.o
Note to self. One day I will learn to knit. Lovely work, but I never expect less from you.
Gorgeous colour and shape – it would break my heart to unravel work and start again (probably one reason why I sew rather than knit). I feel you must have a lot of patience but you do achieve fantastic end results and this is one of them (virtual back pat!).
High 5 Carolyn. The yarn is great from a distance and close up. Cute style.
I need to learn how to knit something other than a basic scarf! This is so beautiful. You are a woman of many talents. 🙂
Well after all that saga, it looks fantastic! Love the heathery yarn with the different colours coming through. I agree about knitting in the round or at least in one piece. I hate the idea of seaming!
Really cute! I love the color and the 3/4 sleeves.
This post really resonated with me: I always manage to run out of wool and have to import more, at vast expense, from a remote collective in Peru or somewhere. I also loathe sewing up and often ask my mother, who had every gadget known to man, why she didn't have a linker, which sews knitted garments together. I have been tempted to buy one, but resist as I seriously don't need another thing in my house.
I'm glad you found the rest of the wool to finish this cardi, it looks beautiful Carolyn. Your cardigan makes me want to start one of my own. It's been a whiiiiiiiile since my last knitting project.
I love your Miette version and I did encounter the "tension-square"-problem more than one, too. I don't even know why I try and make the tension squares when I never "listen" to them and keep knitting the wrong size.
I love it! I've admired the Miette before, but had always thought it was too short for me. Somehow I never thought of just making it longer. Really? What's the point of making your own clothes if you don't understand you get to make all the decision about how they look?
Good for you, you've made a lovely Miette. It's horrible when you just need one more ball of yarn and you cannot find it. I'm glad you did! I've knit this cardigal a couple of months ago and I love it. Ideal to go with your Summer dresses in Spring and at the beginning of Autumn.
Ooh, gorgeous! LOVE the color on you! Or should I write colour? My knitting mojo disappeared two years ago and hasn't returned, but I'm going to have to find some to knit this pattern for myself. I once made a red all-in-one sweater, including the button band, and it was divine! No finishing! Lovely experience.
I must conquer knitting! I love this sweater carloyn…just beautiful!
Miette is one of my favourite cardigan patterns – I've knit 3! I love yours! The wooden buttons and tweedy yarn are perfect 🙂
That is a lovely cardigan. My friend has made it and said it was a great pattern. It looks great on you. Jo x
that is so nice. now you make me want to knit (although that is not going to happen 🙂
Beautiful version of a beautiful design!
You know everything to do with talent! Congratulations. I'm jealous ! 😉
Yay for mission accomplished! It looks lovely, too!
I started one a couple months ago and haven't touched it again, yet. There's a pair of socks on my needles…
I really, really must give knitting a try! I remember saying the very same thing in your last knitting post.
Lovely cardi, and I agree this is a must in everyone´s closet!
That skirt is GORGEOUS! So feminine and pretty.
gorgeous cardigan, it looks so cozy!
I need to check out this pattern. The top down construction sounds great for adding the length I need and I've never knitted something all one piece before.
Yours looks lovely!
Beautiful! I love it, Carolyn.
Lovely cardigan! You have done a good work on knitting. I must give a knitting to try. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out 🙂
Oh no now I have to get my pattern out and make one just like yours as it is a truly gorgeous and cute cardigan!
Beautiful. This pattern is in my Ravelry queue as well. thks for actually saying you lengthened it by two pattern repeats! as I know I will need to do same (instead of saying you lengthened it…). Love the hunter color, so pretty.
I first saw this pattern quite some time ago too. Printed out the pattern but still haven't knitted it up yet. It's beautiful knitted up in the tweed.
Such a lovely Miette! I love it in this gorgeous yarn, it was totally worth the trouble of re-knitting and waiting for the extra ball. And thank you for your kind words!
Looks lovely! Knitting it all in one sounds very good & I am tempted but I have had so many disastrous attempts at knitting I have decided to give up. Your cardigan is a temptation though.
That turned out beautiful! I hate running out of yarn.. Love your choice of yarn, by the way..
What a great transitional weather outfit. The photography is worthy of a Rowan mag!
I love this – just gorgeous! I should bump up the Miette in my queue – it looks perfect for fall/spring weather!
Nicely knit!
I love it!! I saw some version of this cardigan somewhere (sorry, I can not remember where) and I thought it was perfect, especially love that little touch of lacework . Your version is really wonderful, dear Carolyn.
Such a pretty cardigan! I really like the longer length. Maybe someday I'll get up the courage to knit a sweater… until then, cat toys!
whoa you're a knitter too! i love that cardi. am working on my own version too…waiting for smaller cables to arrive…i'm such a newbie a didn't know that!
Really pretty. I love your yarn choice.
Love it . How many balls did you need because the pattern is calculated in skeins, but the yarn is sold in balls (Shameless copycat – I love that tweedy yarn but in heather!).
thanks Anna! I used six balls in the end.
🙂
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