Fernwood Cardigan / Sleeves

March 23, 2023

I've finished knitting the sleeves of my Fernwood Cardigan for our knit-along! I tend to knit more tightly in the round so I decided to switch to a larger needle to work the sleeves and I'm really happy with the fit and length (I worked the body on a 10mm and the sleeves on a size 12mm).

I've uploaded a video on how to resume knitting the sleeves and pick up along the underarm without creating big holes at each end. This is also a great visual tool if you've never worked a garment from the top down before and need help visualizing how to transition back to the sleeves.

Now all that's left are pockets and buttons and this cardigan will be complete!! Below I've shared a little hack that I use when trying to decide on buttons. Without removing the buttons from their paper backing, I'll slip one through each buttonhole to see how they look. This way I can still return them if they don't work, it's a really great low-commitment way to test-drive options without having to sew them on to see how they look.

I mentioned in my last post that the cardigan, although knit to the same length as the original, feels shorter because it doesn't have the same weight and drape. I've been considering taking out the buttonband and hem to add a little extra length to make up for this however now, with both sleeves finished, I'm reconsidering as it's looking much more proportional.

Are you knitting a Fernwood?

If you haven't reached the sleeves yet and want to read some of the earlier posts from the knit-along, find them here. I've also made a video on how to pick up and knit the buttonband, you can watch it here.
Looking for the pattern? Find it here.