This is just a quick post to share details about Kim Hargreaeves' Fair in
case anyone is interested. This is a pure alpaca cardigan, so I used a
size3 needle to really compact the yarn and attempt to avoid too
much drape or loose fabric. I just couldn't resist the color,
which is perfect to wear over a little black dress on date night!
This garment is knit in pieces which is very important because of the
loose structure of Alpaca yarn. Clara Parkes, the yarn fiber expert,
describes alpaca as a slippery fiber with "exceptional elasticity." For
this reason, I would never knit a pure alpaca yarn in the round but
instead choose to seam it to create a more structured garment. For
The same reason, I reinforced my buttonhole and button bands with
ribbon. While this step required a great deal of handwork and time,
I have learned from experience that a droopy button band can ruin
the look of an entire handknitted cardigan.
As you can see, I am terrible at embroidering buttonhole edgings, but
I alone will have to see that, and it is worth it to create a snug fit at the
button bands, holding them in place so that the fabric does not gap and
wiggle. Even worse is the look of a cardigan front sagging under the
weight of metal buttons that are too heavy. I chose lightweight plastic
buttons for this reason.
Kim Hargreaves designed this garment as a boxy, shapeless cardigan,
relying on the drape of the alpaca yarn. However, I decided to add in
waist shaping and subtracted about 18 stitches from front and 20 stitches
from the bag to create a more flattering silhouette for my figure. I was the
last person in my KAL group to finish my alpaca cardigan as my friends c
chose a looser gauge and Petite Knit pattern which is similar. However, I
will always stand by Kim as the best designer I know!