Outfit Along 2017: Planning

Ah, the Outfit Along. I love participating, but I always go through major indecision before hand, lol. This year the sewing pattern is the Kim Dress from By Hand London (which I am not really interested in) and the knitting pattern is the new Anaheim wrap cardigan by Andi Satterlund (which I am slightly interested in, but still on the fence). So not only will I be starting from scratch with my sewing project, I also will have to base my knitting project to go with it and decide a pattern from there.

Since I live in Florida and this is summer, I need my knitting project to be a cardigan of some sort, preferably with some cotton in the yarn for breath-ability. I also want to work from my stash, which can get complicated with the new design as I have very little DK weight in sweater quantities. I only have one yarn option that fits these criteria - Bernat Cotton-ish Vickie Howell in Jade Jersey. I originally bought this yarn for a different sweater pattern, but my feelings about that style are starting to wane so it's back on the table. I swatched this yarn in the needle size recommended for the gauge, and I'm not really thrilled with the result. My yarn seems to be slightly thinner than the Knit Picks Cotlin Andi used because my swatch is very spaced out. I think for the lace section it would be fine, but I don't love the stockinette look that would be the sleeves. I'm contemplating using a worsted weight yarn (in which case I might use Muench String of Pearls in the Grape colorway, but I used the same yarn in a different colorway last year) or maybe even using smaller needles but knitting a larger size than usual. I'm not sold on either choice though.

The other consideration with Anaheim is that it's cute, but I can't decide if it's "me". Realistically I wear most of my cardigans unbuttoned, which drastically changes the look in this design. I think when it's buttoned up it would look best with a dress, but I wear skirts and knit tops almost exclusively these days (they are way more comfy to me). I love my fun dresses I've made, but I just don't wear them much at all (especially now that it's going to be hot for 6 months - quilting cotton is not the most breathable fabric in summer). Unbuttoned Anaheim could go with anything - it just looks much more contemporary, so I would have to figure out what skirt/top combo would work in my decidedly non-modern wardrobe.

The other pattern I'd really like to make is the Vianne cardigan, also by Andi Satterlund. I've had this pattern for a while and have yet to make it up. This sweater puts me in a similar yarn issue though being that it calls for DK weight yarn. This gauge is smaller than the Anaheim though, so maybe I could use the same Bernat Cotton-ish but with a smaller needle for this design? I could also use some Cascade Heritage I have in hot pink but double it up to get gauge (it's fingering weight yarn). I've never doubled up fingering weight, so I'm not sure if that helps in the overall thickness of the sweater, but if it does make it feel thicker then I have the problem of it being a wool yarn :/ So I'm still on the fence there.

I could also go for the Myrna cardigan - a design which I've made before but never wear due to its color and being completely wool (and there for quite warm). I have some more Cascade 220 in Palm green that would be just enough for this sweater, but I feel like I would have the same problem with wearing it being that it's the same type of wool I made it with the first time. I have some Cascade Sierra as well that is mostly cotton, but it's in a coral colorway and I just made a coral colored cardigan last year for the Outfit Along.

As far as the sewing portion, I'm even less decided, lol. I have a few projects I've been meaning to make, so I may go that route and just pair the sweater with them. I've been meaning to try the Lark Tee pattern by Grainline Studio in a black and white striped knit I have (the stripes are much smaller than it shows here, lol). I would make the boat neck and probably 3/4 sleeves (because I love them). For a skirt I've really wanted to make McCall's 7475 - an a-line jean style skirt with a fly front. I like the slash pocket option and knee length, but I'm completely undecided on the fabric. I have lots of cute floral denims in my stash right now that would look really cute in this pattern. I also have just plain denim in various depths of blue. I think the two blue-er denims look better with the black and white stripes, but I'm open.

I also absolutely LOVE my Melissa skirts by Muse Patterns - I wear them so often that they are getting a bit ratty, so I'd love to make another :) I have this cool swirly blue canvas that might be neat, but I also have some nice solids like this black twill.

I also have some dress options should I decide to go that route (too many to put here). Plus there are other top patterns and other skirts. *sigh* So many things I'd like to sew. Hopefully I get a bit more decisive soon and narrow down my plans!

Are you joining the Outfit Along this year?