Slow Romance

Sometimes it’s love at first sight – a pattern hits you so hard you have to drop everything and cast on. And sometimes it’s a slow romance – you’re sort of intrigued but not really. The pattern woos you over weeks or months and then one day you realize you’re in love.

Joji Locatelli’s Old Romance was the latter for me. I’d initially thought it was a pretty cardigan but not exactly my type. The lace detail on the sleeves was beautiful but the fit was loose and boxy. Then I happened to buy a sweater’s worth of Drops Alpaca from a friend’s destash and went hunting for the right pattern for it. Old Romance kept catching my eye over and over again. I had the perfect contrast color in stash and could modify the pattern to make it my own… Planets aligned.

• On Ravelry: Slow Romance

• Pattern: Old Romance by Joji Locatelli

• Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Alpaca in #7233 Olive Mix (694 m/759 yd) and #501 Light Gray (220 m/240 yd)

• Needles: 3.0 mm for ribbing, 3.5 mm for lace inserts, 3.75 mm for the body

• Mods: Narrowed the body by 10 sts, V-neck increases every 6th row, waist shaping, all ribbing as 1x1 twisted rib, button band (with actual button holes) using contrast color.

And today I’m taking Joji’s sweater-design class! Super excited!

#knitting #cardigan #OldRomance #JojiLocatelli #lace #Garnstudio #DROPS