afternoon tea | Laura Chau

Assam

November 12, 2012

Assam is a cozy cardigan with an interesting construction, and had been on my to-release list for ages! I knit a prototype of this sweater in some tweed several years ago, but the pattern wasn’t really finalized until I knit this current sample. Assam is knit in one big piece, from cuff to cuff, and then the large seed stitch border is picked up and worked at the end. There are a couple of long seams, but in general it’s pretty light on the finishing.

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It’s a nice boxy, relaxed shape, really easy to throw on an go. The Tanis aran weight yarn has a really great weight to it (it’s quite heavy), which I find really comforting. The faux raglan shaping doesn’t actually change the stitch count or anything, but it does provide a bit of interesting knitting to break up the stockinette without being too taxing, and I find it does help keep the sweater on your shoulders.

I even have some photos of me in it!

To purchase the pattern, check out Afternoon Tea Volume Two or Assam on Ravelry.

Dimbala

November 7, 2012

Available in Afternoon Tea Volume Two!

Dimbala was the last sweater that I knit for Volume Two – I was working on it right up till the day before the shoot! I’m glad I got it finished though, and I’m really proud of it. The shape was inspired by jumpers of the 40’s and 50’s – slim, with a tidy waist and cropped length. I had picked up this colour of Cascade 220 awhile ago and was trying to come up with something to knit with it.

I’d had my eye on this stitch pattern for ages, and once I swatched it up, it was a perfect fit! Cascade 220 has great stitch definition and is so easy to work with. I love the heathery-ness of the colour.

I LOVE the little skirt from Freedom Clothing Collective and the polka-dot tights that Jasmine paired with the sweater! The sample was knit for Angela’s size (she’s a bit smaller than me) so I might just have to knit up another one for myself.

To purchase the pattern, check out Afternoon Tea Volume Two or Dimbala on Ravelry.

Nilgiri

November 1, 2012

Available in Afternoon Tea Volume Two!

I knit Nilgiri this summer, both at home and in Halifax!

The sleeves were perfect travel knitting – easy but not boring, and small enough (since I didn’t want to pack the whole sweater!). I picked up this Indigodragonfly MCN Worsted last winter or so at work. It looks like more of a red until you take a closer look and realize it’s more of a saturated, deep hot pick. I love it! It was super squishy to knit with and has awesome stitch definition.

The stitch pattern is one that I made up myself. I do use stitch dictionaries sometimes, at least for inspiration, when starting a new sweater design, but for this one I pretty much started from scratch. I was inspired by some runway and ready-to-wear sweaters and jackets with geometric, square designs in colours and textures. I wanted to figure out a stitch pattern that looked like squares, but a little more interesting to knit than your standard knit and purl basketweave type.

I love knit-in hems and this was a great project to do them on – they don’t distract from the geometric pattern, and create a nice clean edge. The sleeves are knit flat because it was easier to work the cuff hem, as well as making the Lacy Squares pattern the same on the sleeves and body (which is also knit flat). But you still join the sleeves to the body for the yoke as for other bottom-up raglans, so although it isn’t completely seamless, the sleeve seams are easy to do!

I found some cool square wooden buttons in my stash, although (shhh) they’re a little too small for the buttonholes and keep popping out! I’ll have to get some new ones if I want to wear it buttoned up.

Doesn’t Angela look awesome?

To purchase the pattern, check out Afternoon Tea Volume Two or Nilgiri on Ravelry.