The Sweatshop of Love Blog

Mrs Darcy: Ready for a Night Out!

We are all freaking out about the weather in Chicago right now. As I’m writing this it’s 73 degrees. The windows are open with summer blowing through them.

So looking at these pictures of me wearing layers and layers of clothes is kinda funny.

And, in the interest of full disclosure, I did not keep Mrs Darcy on for long. Even Saturday night, when I rocked this outfit for a night out with friends, it was way too warm in the bar for this wool sweater.

This wool sweater I’ve accepted, warts and all. The warts being how freaking curly the front edges are.

See them? They’ve been haunting me. But, whatevs. They are there. There is no changing it now. There is no fixing it now.

The accentuate my neckline, right?

Kinda?

Boobs

I mean, look at that accentuated neckline. That is all the curled edges of the sweater.

Hey Skinny Lady

The best thing about this sweater is how flattering it is! Between the twisted rib center panels and the deep V-neck, I’m practically see-through when I’m in this sweater. In a good way.

It’s a little cutsey. But I’m a little cutsey, so I don’t fight it.

Sweater: Mrs Darcy Cardigan

Top: H&M, a million years ago, dyed a few times

Tank: Prague

Skirt: Target, pinned up to make shorter

Tights: Target

Shoes: My mommy bought them for me!

Mrs Darcy Cardigan

It could just be because there has been a lot of shit going on lately, but I finished my Mrs Darcy Cardigan without even really realizing it. Which sounds silly, I know. But I write a KNITTING BLOG and I knit this entire sweater so fast that I only mentioned I was knitting it twice. Here it’s a pile of sweater in Portland. And here it’s a pile of sweater in the background of these Dollar and a Half Cardigan pictures.

Ug. Mrs Darcy Has Problems

To say I had issues with this pattern is an understatement. I knew what I was getting into kinda because it’s a free pattern, because everyone on ravelry kept saying there were lots of issues with the pattern, because there is a warning on the pattern itself that says there are lot of issues, and because one of my Sweater Club students, Laura, is also knitting this sweater and was coming across lots of problems.

Mods:

1. I had to add two rows of single crochet to the bottom of the sweater to get it from curling, and it still curls a little. There should have been more garder st at the beginning, or a rib.

2. The fronts are curling in; you can tell in the pictures. I started to add a row of single crochet but it looked weird next to the three garder stitches around the front. Maybe making the garder stitch band five stitches would have helped, but I probably would have left it off and picked up stitches around for a ribbed band later.

3. I knit the sides and body at the same time because there is no way I would have been able to line up the twisted rib sections based on how the counted rows were set up in the pattern. I just went with what I thought the pattern was saying based mostly on the pictures and am glad I didn’t have to duplicate it.

Darcy to the Side

But it’s finished, it’s March 15th so it was a super quick knit, and I’m happy with the results. Besides the front curling, but I’ll probably block it again and hope that takes care of it.

This Paton’s Classic Wool Merino is quickly becoming my go to worsted yarn! It’s cozy and not itchy and beautiful. I knit Caitlin’s Cardi in it, too, and couldn’t have been happier.

Damn You, Curly Fronts!

So, Mrs Darcy, I don’t know you very well since we didn’t spend a lot of time together, but that must be how people feel when they buy sweaters. Not a lot of emotional attachment. Weird.

Pattern: Mrs Darcy Cardigan

Yarn: Paton’s Classic Merino Wool in Red

Needles: Size 9

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