Pop Life Cardigan

Hello everyone! How is the weather treating you in your area? Here in Chicago is…pretty bad recently. Rain or cloudy all day this past couple days. Temperature dropped to 40s and 50s again (even though it’s May now!), but it seems like it’s going to get warm next week! Hooray!

So back in February…it was actually my birthday! It was typical birthday as past years, but this year it was tiny bit special because I requested a gift from my siblings for knitting set! I made knitted scarf long time ago, but ever since then, I didn’t knit. Looking at instagram posts on my feed wanted me to try one!
I was looking through online where would be good place to find a kit and I came across We Are Knitters and WOOL AND THE GANG. I looked through both sites’ kit page and I found the one I liked and I wanted to make: Pop Life Cardigan by WATG. It was perfect piece for upcoming weather!

When I received my kit, I was super excited! At the same time, I was somewhat nervous because I never made a cardigan before, even with crochet too. Written pattern for knitting definitely different from crochet. I looked up how to read written pattern online and it was fairly easy.

A kit came with 6 balls of Billie Jean Yarn (I got Dirty Denim), written pattern, and circular knitting needle (this is an option & extra charge. If you already have required needles, you don’t need to get it. I’m glad I got one because, oh boy, you definitely need one for ribbed collar!) You also need 8mm/US11 knitting needles (this is the main needle!) One thing you have to remember about the yarn is that it is “upcycled denim” Just like any other denim products, color may come off. This is what WATG says:

Bille Jean Yarn is upcycled denim yarn will perform as most blue jeans, which have the possibility to fade a bit during the first wash, and have a small amount of colour transfer.

Yup. It sure did got on my hands and my wooden knitting needles. Below is how the color got on my hands and how water turned blue during my first wash. Color on hand is not that much, but it’s definitely visible. My wooden needles are now half blue and half original!

This pattern is basically made up of 5 parts: 2 body parts (left and right), 2 sleeves, and ribbed collar. I was little worried when I finished body parts and sleeves because it looked small, but when I added collar, it was perfect!

Aren’t they so cute? I love it! It turned out little bit shorter than what I normally wear, but I wanted something like this length.

When I buy a cardigan, I usually choose a cardigan with pockets. This pattern did not have pockets, so I decided to make them! Luckily I had enough leftover yarns to make on both sides! Here is the pattern for pockets!

Notes:

Size – approximately 14cm by 14cm (5.5″ by 5.5″) after assembling. Big enough to put iPhone 6
If you don’t have leftover yarn from the kit, you can either buy another ball or use different yarn.

Instructions:

With 8mm/US11 knitting needles, cast on 22 stitches using long-tail cast on technique.
Work 24 rows in stocking stitch.
Change to 5mm/US8 knitting needles, work 5 rows in 1×1 rib stitch.
Cast off in ribbing.
Weave the ends
Make one more if you want 2 pockets.
Ribbed section being the top, place finished piece(s) on to the cardigan at desired location. Use vertical invisible seam technique to sew the pocket to the cardigan.

I’m going to rest from knitting for now, but I’m going to try more in the near future!

Thank you for reading!