Christie C. “I don’t believe in consumerism. I believe in investing in beautiful things, responsibly made, that you’ll love forever.” — Bay Garnett
Patience is a Virtue
I sit here with undone hair, chipped nails, and an aching foot contemplating whether or not to continue working on this forsaken black cardigan initiated in 2022.
It will get finished eventually, but this has been a rough one to knit. Three years in and I am still knitting the Patons C 4612 Classics. It is a vintage 1980s pattern for a ladies classic v-neck cardigan. It contains an option for four different yarn weights: 4 Ply, DK, Chunky, and Aran. I purchased the pattern from Shadows Patterns, the same place where I bought my vintage Littlewoods Aran pattern.
This is not a difficult piece to knit at all—the problem I am facing is my attention span. I chose to knit this using DK weight yarn. The recommended Diploma Gold is no longer available, so I used the Tahki Yarns Superwash Merino in DK weight. Funny enough, I have been knitting this cardigan for so long that even my yarn substitute has been discontinued!
This has been a great mindless knit for lounging casually on the couch with a good audio book or show, but my brain requires interest to stay engaged. I knitted eight other items between knitting this cardigan. Of all of the items in my me-made slow fashion collection, this one is taking the absolute longest. The crazy part is that I expect to love it when the project is done. It’s a just black cardigan. What could go wrong?
(Probably my famous last words)
Black Cardigan: A Light at the End of the Tunnel
I still have some ways to go, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel. The back and the front panels are pretty much finished. I just have the sleeves, pockets, and collar to go. However, as I continue knitting the piece, I can’t help but think that something is missing.
I already own two all black knit cardigans (one long, and one short), so owning another one seems to be a bit overkill. Even though my finished piece is to have show-stopping buttons (more on that later), it feels like just another basic cardigan. It requires some flash.
Lace or Ribbon
For inspiration, I keep thinking about one of my favorite knits that I purchased earlier this year from Disturbia. It is called the Marina Cable Knit Ribbon Lace Sweater. Originally, I was going to knit my own version of it, but the reality is that I cannot realistically knit every single sweater that I want to own (seriously, I have a queue of eight right now). So, I invested in this piece, and I wear it to death during the fall and winter. I am not disappointed.
Nottingham Lace
The suede ribbon details stand out, and I wonder if I should do something similar on my black cardigan. Initially, I was going to use some of the black Nottingham lace I purchased to line the sleeve cuffs and collar, but the lace doesn’t stretch as much as the knit fabric and the black color gets lost within the stockinette stitch. Essentially, it would have been a pointless detail.
Silk Ribbon
However, perhaps I could utilize a hint of grey ribbon detail and weave it down the sleeves, collar, or both. I was thinking a medium to light pewter color to match the buttons that are absolutely going to be used on this piece.
Then, I discovered an Etsy shop called Flower Seed Paper. They have Hand Dyed Silk Ribbon spools and cuts. The color varieties are quite attractive, and could add some unique dimension to my cardigan. I have my eyes set on the three options below. I am leaning toward the woven edge double sided silk ribbon, but the shop is low in stock and may be sold out by the time I can purchase it. The other options, however, can still work. I just have to make a solid decision and stick with it.
Drooling over these buttons…
I can only imagine my joy the moment I wear these skull buttons from Center of the Circle on Etsy. These were purchased in 2022 with the intention of using them on a knit black cardigan, and this is the one. The buttons are giving Skyrim Draugr, and I love it!
Center of the Circle is a fantastic Etsy shop in which the artists make their own buttons, jewelry, and notions by hand. The buttons are incredibly well made with a lot of weight to them. The smooth skull and the design along the edges are visually stunning, and large enough to make an impression.
They are going to pose a challenge when it is time to wash the garment; I did want to originally make a machine washable cardigan, but pewter buttons should not be thrown into the washing machine or dryer (now that I’m perhaps adding silk to the mix, washing tactics will be more complicated).
But, the buttons are worth it.
Sustainability and Creativity
I still have some ways to go in finishing this, however, I do plan to complete it by fall. It would be pleasant wearing it by the time the weather cools down. Despite setbacks and my struggling attention span, seeing this piece come together is surprisingly fulfilling, and a sustainable way to approach fashion.
I’m sure someone will eventually ask me, “Why spend so much time and energy knitting this when you could just buy one?” Sure, I could save time by doing a quick Google search and ordering the first similar thing I find from a retailer.
However, the point is not to just own a black cardigan with skull buttons. The point is the joy of creating and blending my vision with the vision of other artists. There is beauty in crafting from scratch, using carefully curated materials, and lovingly assembling a piece that truly is one of a kind.
The yarn is not just any yarn—it is treated Peruvian wool. The buttons are not just any buttons—they are created by pewter casting artists. The ribbon is not just any ribbon—it is hand dyed silk, dyed in small batches. The beauty is in the combined effort of each party. Sure Shein, Amazon, or Temu, could copy the cardigan’s design, but it will not be the exact same. The feel will differ, the quality will differ, and my esteem wearing it will differ. Most importantly, the human and environmental cost will differ, since the cardigan will not be an amalgamation of human and environmental abuses.
The beauty in this project is creating it from scratch and enjoying the journey along the way. The cardigan will live through stories, memories, and cat loafs.
