A quest to make a budget-accessible version…
After our discussions on yarn accessibility I decided I wanted to see some budget ideas for the Radvent Sweater. I asked Jen, who had some excellent suggestions in the discussion and who had participated in some of my test knits, if she would be interested in an experiment with the objective of showing a yarn option for the Radvent Cardigan that is price accessible.
I offered to sponsor the yarn cost of the project and she agreed. We looked at a few options and settled on Knit Picks.
Jen aka hopwala on Ravelry and hopwala on IG, kindly allowed me to copy her project notes to share with you, at the end she gives a breakdown of the total cost of her beautiful project. Thanks also to Jen who allowed me also to share her pictures. See her full project over here on Ravelry.
“This is my VERY FIRST Radvent pattern!
I am so privileged and pleased to be knitting this cardigan completely in Knit Picks Yarn. The designer has generously sponsored this knit in a push toward yarn accessibility.
Yarn can be expensive, and though hand-dyed, indie yarn, in particular, is 110% worth the cost, that value doesn’t change what someone’s budget is. If you don’t have the funds, you don’t have the funds, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options for you!
There is great inclusivity in the knitting community and there are fabulous designers, like Ambah, who want to showcase their patterns in affordable yarn that you can get excited about, and let me tell you– I am excited for this cardigan!
For the cuffs, hem, and borders, I am using Knit Picks Hawthorne Fingering Kettle Dye.
The sleeves and body of the cardigan are worked up in Knit Picks Palette.
A single strand of Knit Picks Aloft is held throughout the entire garment as the “luxe it up” option. Not only does this addition help hide any errors (thank, you, yarn!) but it also makes it tremendously warm and cozy. If you live in a cold climate or just want something extra snuggly, I highly recommend this option.
I will be listing the exact color used as well as yardage and a price breakdown so you know exactly how much the finished garment costs. The Palette is part of a 50 mini skein set with no color repeats. This pattern only calls for 25 mini skeins so that means you could split this set with a friend or complete TWO radvent patterns.
More details forthcoming as I make continued progress on my cardigan and the release date (late November) approaches.
Yarn Colors
MC: Slate (Hawthorne)
CC 1 -13, Right sleeve (in order of use): Larch Heather, Lichen, Serpentine, Tarragon, Caper, Clove Heather, Clover, Ivy, Macaw, Pistachio, Aurora Heather, Grass, Aurora Heather
CC 25 – 13, Left sleeve (in order of use): Tea Heather, Douglas Fir, Celadon Heather, Alfalfa, Shire Heather, Spearmint, Limeade Heather, Teal, Edamame, Forest Heather, Peapod, Verdant Heather, Aurora Heather. (Palette) I totally changed my mind and reordered the colors on this sleeve. This is not correct, I can’t really remember what I did but if anyone is dying to know comment, and I can figure it out!
Luxe option: Plover (Aloft)
Pattern notes
- Started the cuff with size 5 needles to keep them nice and snug just for personal preference. This is really my first time to use DPNs and I was dropping stitches left and right, making for a frustrating experience. I discovered you can use two sets of circulars and after switching to that everything was so much better and more fun.
For the second sleeve I will probably still use the DPNs up to the same point I switched to circulars on the first sleeve, just to ensure the gage on both matches since the DPNS are a different brand and material than my circulars.
- Struggled with Judy’s Magic Cast on, but once I figured it out on the third try it all clicked and made sense. I might upload some photos showing this in case it’s helpful for others. On a roll now and almost done with first half as of 10/10.
Yardage and Cost Details
Pallette: 198 grams of yarn used (leaving 363 grams for another project!).
Price for palette mini box = $100
Only used half of the box (the greens) which means cost for the greens = $50
Cost for 198 grams of the greens I actually used = $18
Aloft: 8.99 per balls x 5 balls = 44.95
AND I have 17 grams leftover.
Hawthorne Fingering: 13.99 per skein x 1 skein AND I have 37 grams leftover.
TOTAL PROJECT COST: 76.94! Keep in mind this includes the 54 grams of leftover yarn I can use for something else. Without the luxe option this could theoretically be made for 31.99 which is nuts (in a good way).
Yeah, baby!”
Thank you Jen, the outcome is stunning and perfectly suits you.
