knits, notes, etc.

At long last, I begin the project notes series for the string of cat sweaters I've been working on since the beginning of the year. I want to keep them short, with some description of the actual construction. Mostly, I just want to get this done and out of the way because I have so many more projects notes to write! How exciting!

Kitty Couture™ Angora cat sweater.

Pattern Kitty Couture™ Angora cat sweater.
Yarn Prism Yarns 100% Angora.
Needles Size 9 (5.5 mm) and Size 7 (4.5).

Pattern Description

All of my cat sweaters have the same shape and general construction. For the most part, I didn't have an excessive amount of yarn to play with (well, I think I am still pretty bad at judging how much I can get out of a skein of yarn). I was very concerned that this sweater would not be long enough for the cat, especially since my previous sweaters were very short. Deb had asked that I add a flared skirt to fit Piglet's chubbier hind-quarters.

Angora cat sweater, picot edging and 3×1 ribbing.

This sweater/dress was knit from the bottom-up on Size 9 needles. I casted-on multiple of 4 stitches (I believe 88 sts) and began with a picot cast-on, separating the picots with three knit stitches. I knitted the 3×1 ribbing (the purl stitches fell on the picots) for about 8 inches. On the next row, I decreased every two stitches (k2, k2tog; repeat to end; leaving 66 sts); thus, removing the purl columns and creating a skirt. I knitted the body for about 1.5 inches before separating for the front (23 sts) and back (45 sts).

I knitted the front and back parts separately, tapering the front and knitting the back straight. To shape the front I decreased by two stitches every 4th row 3 times (the armholes) and then every other row until three stitches remained. I knitted the back straight to match the row count and then changed to Size 7 needles and knitted in 1×1 ribbing for 7 rows, decreasing at each end on alternate (RS) rows to shape the collar.

Angora cat sweater, body and collar shaping.

Really, I tried to knit everything in-the-round just so finishing would be easier. I only needed to seam the chest part of this sweater (above the armhole shaping and below the collar ribbing).

The yarn

This yarn is a cloud of luxury--extremely warm and soft. But also, very difficult to get good pictures! And, the fibers ended up everywhere!

When Deb picked out this yarn in Luxury Yarns (I think that's what the shop was called) while we were Christmas shopping in Newbury Street, Boston, the store owner actually did not want to sell it to us. She was saving it for a frequent customer who would use it in a shawl. Obviously, Deb prevailed, and we left with this yarn and many others.