Pattern Critique #32: Neckdown Summer Cardigan

Pattern Name: Neckdown Summer Cardigan
Designer: Diane Soucy
Pattern Yarn: Not Stated
Images:

    

Pattern Review:

This is a pattern that I bought last spring, the spring of 2007.  I soon thereafter purchased yarn for two of the cardigans, just knowing that I would love it.  What's not to love about a combination of top down and raglan?

Personal Notes:

Normally, for my pattern critiques, by the time I get to this section, I have gone step by step through the pattern.  I am not doing that for this one.  Why?  Because it was almost a year ago that I began this pattern and then it sat.  I could hardly bear to knit it once I got to the neck band and front bands.  That should have been a clue.

I really do not like the way this cardigan ended out and I think it's due to a combination of things.  First, it may be too big.  It kind of looks it, doesn't it?  I thought it might be the stretching of the cotton (Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton), especially because it hibernated in a bag for many months.  But, I washed it and put it in the dryer long enough to re-shape it.  I ironed it after that, but still, it just sags. 

I then let the pattern sit here by my laptop for the last week+, while I conjured up enough motivation to write my post for the pattern critique.  However, tonight, I sat down and started it for the gazillion-th time and just decided "fuck this."  It's not worth it.  I hate it and I loathe the idea of reliving the agony through the review of the pattern.

What's funny is that I might knit it again, but in a wool or wool blend.  A review of the finished projects on Ravelry shows 20+ of these, though most of them appear to have the same fullness, sagging issues.  So, maybe it is the pattern and not me and not the yarn.  Okay, so there are plenty of other top down raglan cardigan patterns out there to try.  Perhaps I will.

Rating:

One ball for the fact that the pattern is written very completely. I just never got to the point of sharing that with you.  Sorry.  But now that this is behind me I can look forward to posting my next pattern critique that it is in the queue.

            

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Comments

[The Purloined Letter]

Yeah, not the most amazing-looking sweater I've ever seen on you, but it does look both professional enough for work and comfortable for a cool evening in the back yard. Hope to see you soon.