Here it is. My tea leaves cardigan. It's not the best photo, but I took a bunch and wouldn't you know that this is the best I got? Now it's dark so there is no chance of a re-shoot until tomorrow and I am afraid tomorrow I won't have time.
I like this sweater a lot. The sleeves are a funky length – not 3/4 and not really full – but I'm okay with that since I ran out of yarn. I do wish it were a little smaller. The pattern goes from a 36 to a 40 and of course, I am a 38. I knit the 40 which was definitely the right choice, but a 38 would have been better. I added about an inch of length – maybe a mistake as the sweater grew when I washed it (I'm sure the sleeves did, too). Leslie told me I could throw it in the dryer for 5 minutes at a time to shrink it a bit, but I was too freaked out to have it in there for more than 3 minutes total! I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Park Bench. I originally bought this yarn for the February Lady Sweater, but didn't like it for that knit. I love it for this. I used somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 and a half skeins and size 6 and 7 needles. I liked knitting it too – a lot of mindless stockinette which is perfect for knitting on the go.
I'm excited to share some other fun knitting news tomorrow.
And a small number of camera straps will be in the shop on Wednesday, February 10 at 12:00 noon EST.
Ok, then. See you later.
Looking goood
It’s really beautiful. After seeing yours and Sarah’s and Beki’s, I’m going to have to jump on the bandwagon.
it’s so pretty! love the color!
it fabulous!
Looks great — good job.
Oh this is making me want to knit myself a sweater~!
I love the color too.
I think they used to call that sleeve length “bracelet length,” presumably for showing off one’s jewelry. It looks good.
That is beautiful!….all these tea leaves are making wish I could knit. I love the color.
I love that color! I have the same yarn, and of course now it is discontinued. If you still need some, might have a hank left. Your tea leaves looks great!
Nice job on your Tea Leaves. I just got my yarn in the mail for this sweater. Once I finish the one I’m on I will start my Tea Leaves.
So Beautiful!
I love it!
love it! I am still in the hats&scarves phase of my knitting career (one failed attempt at a legwarmer design is currently haunting me), so I’m so impressed with anyone who makes a sweater–and you look great in it, to boot!
It is gorgeous, I love the colour. What a beautiful job you did.
I love the color and the style. I have a sweater which I’ve made 3 times. Two I gave to my daughter and the third I kept. I have a lovely green similar to yours that I am going to make it in next. I also added length. I think I would love this sweater. I like that it buttons only at the top and then hangs open. It’s really pretty.
oh erin, it’s fantastic!
Beautiful!
thanks dad!
I love love love that cardigan! Beautiful job.
It looks great, Erin.
I’m actually going to finish mine, despite my yarn “crisis”.
Your cardigan is beautiful! The color is just wonderful. 🙂
Awww, was that really your Dad in the first comment? That’s adorable. This sweater is beautiful, and I’m not really a knit sweater girl (socks are another story). I love the buttons at the top then open look and wear all my (store bought) sweaters this way, too. Nice job!
It’s beautiful. Really. Love the color. And the sleeves look good even if they’re a weird length. The dryer does sound scary- I wouldn’t have done it either. Can’t wait to hear what’s next!
looks perfect to me! very pretty…and such a nice green too.
That is one adorable cardigan! I love the gathers at the yoke and the color is beautiful.
looks great!! thanks again for your pillow tutorial. i used it again tonight and it’s so simple!
Great color! really nice and even looking. So flattering!
Looks fab. I’m a 38, too, and think I’ll need to go with the 40 as well, dangit. If I was a more clever type, I’d figure out how to do a 38 myself . . .
you should! it'd be perfect for post-baby. xo.
I think you are right, Becky! Now I just need to get out my baubles…
knittting is not hard! you can totally do it if you have someone to show you how. or you can find good tutorials on you tube – seriously.
thanks for the offer, niki, but i think i am good!
thanks sarah! and thank you for inspiring me to make it. xo.
yay malka! i can't wait to see it (and the tunic – that's on my list of to-do's).
yes, that's really my dad. he's one of my biggest fans!
thanks! and happy birthday!
It looks great!! Someone was just talking about this sweater the other day and now I can see why. Hmmm….. I’ve never knit an adult size sweater. This one is tempting.
go for it, anna! it's top down, with very little finishing – fun to knit!
I think it looks fabulous in every way!!!
Beautiful!
The sweater looks awesome on you!! I found the Tea Leaves pattern on Ravelry several weeks ago and decided on it for my first sweater. I am nearly finished with the yoke, which seems like the most difficult part, so I actually may make a sweater. Your photo has given me added inspiration! I’m curious if you think it would work without knitting the sleeves at all. I am really tall (long arms) and my hand-dyed yarn is kind of itchy. I was thinking of just wearing it as a vest-like cardigan with a long-sleeved tee underneath.
Lovely sweater!
Ooh, so pretty! It looks like a very fine gauge. Was it time-consuming? I’d love to try something like that – I’ve been looking at February Lady, but thinking it might require me to think to hard, LOL!
*Great* color!
It is super cute. I love that ultra alpaca. I’m using it for February Lady, and I’m a little nervous about it, but we shall see.
Oh, it’s just gorgeous! What a beautiful shape, and the color is perfect. Well done!
Its beautiful and the color is spectacular! I really have to learn to do more than knit in long rows!
hi amy – i think that if you like sweaters with cap sleeves, it'd probably work. since you do the sleeves last, you could try it on to see when you finish the body. good luck!
It looks really great on you. I find sizing on knitted sweaters can be so frustrating. I always feel like a lot is left to chance and after so much time spent making it I really don’t like chancing anything.
it was a pretty fast knit, lisa. definitely easier than the february lady, in my opinion.
i'm sure it'll be great!
amen to that!
Oh Erin, I love it! And that color! Nice job!
i love it! especially the boat neck feature. what a perfect color…kelly green is best on {us} red heads.
oh goodness it’s just perfect and I LOVE the color! I need to cast something on.
I really really like your cardigan, (UK term) you did a great job there. Really beautiful. Have a lovely weekend.
Absolutely beautiful and such a lovely color. Must learn to knit this year.
Such a beautiful sweater — well done! I also wanted to take the opportunity to say how much I enjoy your blog. Everything you make — the quilts, the sweaters, the food — is beautiful and a welcome respite during my busy day at work. Thank you for all the inspiration!
love the sweater!! the sleeves are “bracelet length”! very fifties chic! beautiful!
The color is perfect on you.
How long did it take you to do this knit?
Oh, I love it! What a great color and fit. Enjoy!!
okay, erin. i adore the length of the sweater paired with that length of the sleeves!
the sweater is really beautiful… and the color… SO YOU!
That’s beautiful! I love the color. And I think it fits just right 😉
um, love it! especailly in the green. have you used that yarn before? You will love the way it wears. One of my favorites!
I can’t wait to see/hear more knitting news!
beautiful!
Beautiful! I’ll have to add it to my list. Love the color, works great with your hair.
That color is beautiful! The sweater looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Love it! It turned out great!
i love, love, LOVE it!
Oh, my. Swooning, swooning. Still strictly in scarf territory, trying to plug my ears to all this magnificence, but (la la la!) this sweater rocks. Well done!
My sister really, really wants one of your straps, so I am psyched to hear you’ll have more!
That sweater is beautiful, and you look so pretty and thin, too! 🙂
That is a GREAT sweater and I think yours looks so much better. I would love to try it but I have trouble knitting to gauge. Seems I can’t keep my stitches tight enough. I do great with baby sweaters because babies are a little bit shapeless, lol. Good job!
Oooh, lovely. I’m a green girl too. I love stockinette knitting–so comforting. It’s nice when it produces such beautiful results.
I love it! I have been waiting for a finished photo-it looks great. I have the pattern but am working on my Coraline right now. It may have to be next. 🙂
What a gorgeous sweater! I have only just begun knitting and haven’t graduated from scarves yet – I’d love to be able to make something like that someday!
This is really beautiful. And I just love that green. You did an amazing job!
Nicely done! Beautiful fresh color. You have TOTALLY turned me on to green for the first time since I was a teen!
It is so beautiful–well done! I have heard nothing but good things About that Berocco alpaca and this sweater just underscores that. I will have to get my knitty little hands on some.
Erin,
This sweater looks wonderful on you. I love the pattern with the green color. Oh so perfect. You may have just inspired me to take the jump to sweater knitting. Just beautiful!
Oh please don’t make me want to take up knitting! I have my hand in too many other things. This sweater is so fun and inspiring…I would probably wear it everyday possible. Beautiful color! Thanks for sharing.
What a gorgeous colour! I really have to learn how to knit one of these days.
Oh, it looks wonderful – love the green colour. I can feel my Ravelry queue expanding….
i’m *green* with envy. beautiful knit, erin.
you make this sweater seem so accessible having knit it up in cascade 220. i was going to wait to knit it next fall, once i plowed through some stash yarn so as not to feel guilty for buying a sweater’s worth of pricey yarn. the 220 is totally budget-saving though, so i might just jump on this tea leaves bandwagon sooner than later!
duh! i don’t know why i was typing 220 but thinking ultra alpaca in my head! i just finished my own sweater in ultra alpaca, so i know it’s affordable… sorry!
Your color choice was right on. Looks so great with your hair!!
I keep clamoring to jump on the knitting bandwagon….even checked Susan Anderson’s books out from the library and googled yarn shops in my area. I’m a quilt and embroidery addict, so I have to wonder where I’ll find time or $$ to support yet another habit. But then I see sweaters like this one and just know I’m missing out! 🙂
Great job.
This is gorgeous! I love how soft it looks, and that style is beautiful! I really want to knit a sweater one day….
i’m late to the party, but that sweater is gorgeous!
I loooove this sweater! Beautiful 🙂
I puffy heart love redheads in green. Wear green everyday! It is so lovely. Perfect color, perfect sweater.
Erin, I love your sweater. I’m trying to get enough nerve to knit a sweater or vest for myself. I have problems with gauge so my fit is a real issue. But this is sooooo tempting. Great color too!
Your hair and the cardi are ace, lovely colours
This wants me to pick up my knitting needles again. Looks so great! The only thing is that while you’re dealing with snow we’re, relatively speaking, starting to warm up a bit.
warm sounds nice! really, though, the snow isn't bothering me. we didn't get as much as the east coast so it's not so bad!
I love this sweater…I am new to knitting but have been having success with a simple scarf pattern. My MIL, who taught me said I knit well and I have even stitches and good tension…how hard was this to do? I have never used circular needles before, obviously. I have done the seed/stocking stitch and some ribbing…do you think this is something a beginner could attempt?
The style is just what I love for a busy Mom life. I think it would be wonderful in a soft, creamy color.
Thanks for all your inspiration!
Hi Victoria! It's a pretty straightforward knit. You need to know how to increase and decrease. If you don't know how to do that, it might be worth a trip to your local yarn store for a little help. Or check you tube for video tutorials. The sweater is knit back and forth on a circular needle and the sleeves are done in the round on double points. That sounds scary, but it is really easy. Again, your lys or you tube are your friends! Good luck.
I love this cardigan, what ply is it knitted in? Unfortunately, it is tooexpensive to get the wool shipped to Australia & was trying to work out what else I could use.
it's a worsted weight yarn. you should definitely be able to find something suitable!
Can you tell me what ply this was knitted in? I just love this cardigan, and feel the need to dust off my knitting needles as winter is about to approach Australia!!
Hi Merry – It's a worsted weight yarn. I hope that helps! Erin
Great jumper, what ply wool did you use?
Sorry, I just saw the reply when I re-typed my qu. It has been a long week & it is only Wednesday!!
no worries! we all have days like that!