Funky Grandpa

Sale Pack Drops Alpaca with Grandpa cardigan pattern
​In many ways, I picked the wrong garment to blog about.  This sounds a bit odd but this garment is quite straight forward (so far) so there isn't an enormous amount to comment on  On the other hand, I did think I would have finished this by now as it the back and fronts knitted up really quickly.  I wasn't taking account of my dislike of knitting sleeves though.  Prevarication took over -- I even tidied up the kitchen!  I'm back on track now and about half-way down the first sleeve.  The sleeves are picked up and knitted down from the armhole.  The pattern uses short rows to shape the top of the sleeve so essentially you pick up all of the stitches around the armhole and knit around to the centre shoulder.  The beginning of the round is then moved to the centre of the shoulder.  Knit the first few stitches along the top of the front of the sleeve, turn and knit back across adding a the same number of stitches on the top back of the sleeve,  turn and knit across adding one stitch, turn and repeat until all the stitches of the armhole are in play.  It gives a lovely fitted set in sleeve.   The sleeve is then shaped.  I'm about to start the stripes on the bottom.  I'd probably find it easier if I used dpns instead of magic loop for knitting the sleeve in the round but the circular needle was handy.    My next blog will include 'afterthought' button holes if I'm brave enough -- there may be some weeping and gnashing of teeth if I get them wrong (as well unwanted holes in the button-hole band).
Don't forget that if you fancy knitting a Funky Grandpa we have some packs on our website on special offer.