Emily's Aidez Cardigan

Greetings, crafty peeps!

Do you know how much I love making sweaters? I really, really do, and I'm pretty picky about how I like to make them--top down, seamless, try on as you go. Seeing Amber and Angelique's beautiful Aidezes convinced me to try this *bottom up?!?* *seamed?!?* sweater pattern by Cirilia Rose. Being a bit stubborn in my ways, I at least had convert the pattern to seamless...and add some shaping...and stuff.

This gorgeous sweater was made from Cestari 2ply Fine Merino in Blue Pansy, which is a lovely squishy aran weight yarn. It was really lovely to work with, although you could also use Peace Fleece, Cascade Eco or Eco+, Imperial Stock 2ply Mulespun, or our very own Fancy Tiger Heirloom Romney!

As per usual for me, this turned into a make it up as you go along kind of affair. After teaching the My Favorite Sweater class for so long I'm pretty comfortable with knitting away from patterns. It's like cooking, you take an amazing recipe and then close the book and make it. Sometimes awesome things happen, and it's a certainty that you will learn a lot. And Cirilia's pattern is amazing. Those cables are all gorgeous to look at, fun to knit, and surprisingly easy to memorize. It makes me so happy when you don't need a row counter as much as you thought because the tiny cables tell you when to cable the bigger ones. You smarty!

Have you ever tried fixing cabling mistakes? Well, I have now become somewhat good at that. Fixing a trellised cable is pretty intense, but makes you feel like you can do anything! Invincible! Ha ha, you silly trellis, you thought you could foil me?!?! Or, you could just leave them in, like I did above. Five points if you can see it.

Oh, and one sleeve at a time--not a good idea when you are making things up as you go. I knit the sleeves two at a time using the magic loop method. Two at a time forever! It's not just for socks, two at a time is pretty much the only way I will knit something that needs to be identical (If that scares you, take a class! You might swear off one at a time too!).

This is definitely my new go-to favorite sweater. I love it so much!

Better Know A Crafter: Karen Sobel

Cute Aidez attack! Totally crafty Karen has been featured before on our blog for sewing and knitting, and we couldn't resist showing you what she's been up to recently. She just finished a beautiful Aidez cardigan knitted up in Cascade Eco+!

Tell us about what makes you crafty.

I knit and I'm learning to sew. Both give me a little burst of sanity.

Tell us about your lovely cabled cardigan.
It is the Aidez sweater, by Cirilia Rose. Amber knitted it and posted pictures a few months ago and I got inspired. It really was pretty easy, as long as I stayed patient. Plus, I'm a librarian...we love our cardigans!

How did you learn to knit?

My grandmother the basics of this and a lot of other things (canning, embroidery, baking...) as a kid. I put most of them down but am picking them up again in my 30s. Thanks, Grandma!

Is your favorite animal still a giraffe?
Yes!

Thanks Karen! Happy knitting!

Might as Well Face It, We're Addicted To Aidezes

We've been cardigan-crazy around here lately, and the current favorite is the Aidez cardigan by Cirilia Rose. Angelique started the frenzy with her pretty, mustard yellow, cable bedecked cardigan.

Angelique's Aidez

I learned of the Aidez through the Anthropologie Knits group on Ravelry; they were doing a knitalong and after falling in love with those crazy cables, I had to knit one up for myself. Lucky for me there were already a couple dozen finished cardigans, so I was able to modify my sweater to fit perfectly by increasing the sleeve circumference and armhole depth. The knitting only took a couple of days but mustering up the courage to start seaming took about two weeks... however it was well worth it! I've been wearing this sweater non-stop this winter and get compliments on it everywhere I go!

I used Cascade Eco+ in the Straw colorway (I'm obsessed with ochre at the moment) and it took just over two skeins so it was an incredibly affordable knit. Dépêchez-vous et faire une Aidez aujour'hui!

Amber's Aidez

Angelique's amazing Aidez cardigan totally inspired me to make one of my very own. Cirilia Rose's pattern was quick and fun to knit. The cables kept me interested, but they weren't too complicated to keep track of after a repeat or two. Now that I'm finished, I kind of miss knitting it...perhaps I need an oatmeal Aidez too? Aidez moi, I'm addicted!

For my cardigan I used Peace Fleece worsted yarn--my current favorite sweater yarn--in the colorway Kamchatka Sea Moss. It is so durable that you can wear your handknit sweater every day and it holds up beautifully with no pilling. (I've actually been wearing this cardigan almost daily since it came off the needles!) I love the tweedy look and the stitch definition this yarn gives. The company behind Peace Fleece yarn is amazing, too. They began in 1985, working with and bringing together people in countries that were historically enemies, with a mission to create understanding and friendship through trade. You can check out their story here. I ♥ them.

If you want to knit your own Aidez visit the free pattern download!