Am I crazy? - Latest knitting project

[sandraregina]

I started knitting in January, and its already an obsession. I've made a stuffed bunny, a shawl, a heavy neck warmer (it started out as a scarf but it was too short, so a couple of buttons transformed it), a pair of socks, a hat, several cat toys, and I'm just about done the tie I knit for my grandfather. I've mastered a variety of increases, decreases, DPNs and circulars, and I feel ready for a challenge.

Now my Oma wants me to knit her a vest. One she can zip up. And I want to try something with cabling. Well, I searched and searched online for a good pattern that a) zipped, and b) had cables, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Well, I realized I could knit a cardigan and just leave off the sleeves. Then I found this:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/PATTsamus.html

I love, love, love the cabled edging on the bottom. I so want to knit this (not in orange, I hate orange and so does my Oma). But, having never done cabling before, am I crazy to start off with something that complex?

Any advice, encouragement, or alternate suggestions for a zippered cabled vest are welcome.

[rachelo]

I think you can totally knit that for your Oma!  I think knitty's tangy is their intermediate (piquante being the difficult).  I think you should totally go for it!  Keep us posted on the results (or traumas!  ).  Good luck!

[MmmKnits]

sandraregina, I made a full Samus this spring--it was my first sweater for myself, and my first project with cables that weren't super-basic (I'd done a couple of cabled hats, but nothing at all complicated).

I think you can certainly do it--just be prepared to go slowly with the cables for the first couple of repeats (until you start to "see" what's supposed to come next in the pattern), and don't be afraid to rip back (and possibly start over) if you make a mistake. Remember, cabling is just knitting the stitches in a different order--all you have to do is pay attention (and maybe cross off or write down each row as you finish it to keep track). Once you finish that cabled band, the rest is stockinette--smooth sailing!

One recommendation: If you're leaving off the sleeves, you'd want to do something to "finish" the armholes, like add the applied i-cord done around all the other edges of the sweater. I thought the applied i-cord added a really nice touch and made it look professional.

Here's mine, just in case you're interested. I also opted not to go with the orange. 

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=89444.0

Good luck!

[sandraregina]

Mmmknits, I love your version!

I was thinking of doing the Applied I-Cord around the armholes, because you're right, they do need to be finished.

[cnp71201]

Your Samus looks GREAT. I always thought it was too boxy, but the shaping you added makes this just beautiful. I also love the color, and I think the little "extra design feature" is actually neat!

To the OP: I say go for it! The best way to learn something new in knitting is to try it.

[knit_north]

that sweater is totally do-able
cables are great fun as well - you'll never want to do just plain stockinette!

[sandraregina]

Well, on Saturday I went out and bought my yarn - no Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride anywhere in town, so I got some 100% Classic Merino wool from Paton's instead, lovely soft stuff in a subtly multicoloured beige called Natural Mix (http://www.patonsyarns.com/product.php?LGC=classicmerinowool)  that will fulfill my Oma's request for a 'neutral colour she can wear with anything'.

And then I did my swatch, cast on, and got the first row ready. Next step: cables!  Can't go back on it now. =)

[rachelo]

You can do it!
Keep us posted -- I can't wait to see the finished result!

[meriellyn]

You can do it! Cables aren't anywhere near as scary as they sound/look.
I'd say you're better off with your substitute yarn anyway. I find that the mohair in the Lambs Pride worsted makes frogging a bit more of a pain. I had no trouble with the bulky but I unraveled a cabled hat I made from the worsted and it put up a heck of a fight.

[trisarahtop]

You'll have so much fun with the cables! They're not that hard and they're so fun to make, and they make the simplest thing look harder and better.