Cocoknits Lizzie

This spring I went on up to Stitches West with a couple of my knitter friends. During our explorations we stopped by the Cocoknits booth. Julie Weisenberger had just released a new book called the Cocoknits Sweater Workshop. She had a bunch of her patterns made up for us happy knitters to try on.
I tried one of the cardigans, the Lizzie, and bought the pattern book on the spot. I also bought 2 skeins of a cotton/hemp blend yarn ($28 bucks). I was so excited, I cast on pretty much right after I got home.

And here it is, all finished, blocked and ready to wear! This was a quick knit for me. Most of the patterns in the book would be, I think. I won't say it was super easy though. The patterns use some techniques that were new to me, so I stumbled around in the beginning. Take a look, for example, at this sleeve.

That lump is the Kirsten Kimono Tee that I have on underneath

Looks like a set-in sleeve, don't it? It fits like one too. But it's done seamlessly, from the top down, using a method I've never seen before. The book walks you clearly through the whole process but I found it a little mind-bending.

I was reading a thread on Ravelry about how many times knitters are willing to rip and redo to get something right. The average seemed to be about three; many folks figured that if the third time wasn't the charm it was a sign that the yarn wanted to be something else and you should set it free to find its true destiny.

This Lizzie taught me that I'm willing to rip and re-do 9 times, if I think I'm learning something. Luckily the challenging parts are all right at the beginning, so ripping was hardly heart-wrenching at all.

I'm super glad I persevered, because I love the way these shoulders fit. I think I might have square shoulders? At any rate, top down cardigans always feel like they're slipping off of me backwards. Set in sleeves, on the other hand, feel much better. Well, this is a top-down, seamless knit with sleeves that fit like a seamed, set-in sleeve. And now that I know how to work the magic, I'll never go back.

back view showing cropped length

The Cocoknits aesthetic is what I would call clean and modern; asymmetrical lines, lots of drape, lots of open fabrics. My knitter friend, Jessica, is tall and slim and stylish. She was born to wear these styles. As a short brick, I feel like I have to approach them with some caution.

There's a write-up in the book that helps you choose which styles and which modifications will work best with your frame. Julie points out that the waterfall neckline works well for us shorties by giving a strong, vertical line, and that by ending both the body and the sleeves close to my narrowest point I can emphasize whatever waistline I have.

I would say that I enjoyed the making and I'm enjoying the wearing. I could totally see knitting this one up again, maybe in a light wool for a bit of coziness. Come to think of it, I have some green Mission Falls in stash that has been looking for a project for years.

If you want to give the Cocoknits method a whirl, they have a Youtube channel with videos that will show you the way.

My Revelry notes are here.