Cascade Mountain Cardigan

9/22/25 – I’m basically following the instructions for this sweater, but I’m making quite a few mods to it as I go along.

Because I want it to be a length in between the two lengths offered in the pattern, I began with the center back granny square strip, making four granny squares. After finishing the first one, I realized that I wish I’d have just done the squares the way I usually make my granny squares instead of following the pattern directions. They include doing a ch1 in between the clusters and only one at the corners instead of 2 or 3. This makes for a very open granny square, which I don’t prefer. But I also didn’t want to rip it out and make it again, so I just did the next three that way too. I did really like her joining method though, it looks super nice and is very smooth. I’ll def use that again in the future. The granny square panel looks nice though, even if it is more open than I’d prefer. I also could have done them with an F instead of a G, but that’s a moot point now.

Then I moved on to the sleeves, which is where the pattern actually has you begin. I am doing the crocheted cuffs (with an F hook), which I’ve not done before. I did mod them to be slightly narrower and also not as big in circumference as the pattern had for the XL (which is the size I’m vaguely following). When I started the granny stripes, I did them my way (no ch1 between clusters, and I worked my initial row of clusters into a single stitch rather than three separate stitches, and then skipped two before doing the next cluster. I’m happy with how that looks. I’m doing my own method for granny stripes, and I’m also doing my own version of increases for the sleeves rather than what the pattern calls for. It’s working out fine. Since I’m working the sleeves concurrently, I haven’t really been keeping a record of my increases, but they’d be pretty easy to find if I needed to know which rows I did them in.

The pattern was designed using a color-changing yarn. I’m using six different skeins of yarn for my stripes, which means a lot of ends to weave in, which I’m stopping and doing after every few rows. Cove is a pretty toothy yarn, so I’m not overly worried about the ends working themselves loose.

1/18/26 – I got back to this project a week or so ago. Since I’m pretty off-pattern at this point in a lot of ways, I just needed time to figure out my gauge and how many stitches to chain for the front and back lengths to work out properly. I think it’s going to work out ok.

I’m working on both halves of the sweater concurrently so I can keep track of where I am and how much yarn I have left of each color. I did end up seaming one side together so I could “try it on” and see much further I’ll need to keep going with the stripes before I can stop and join in the back granny square panel. As it turns out, I think I’m going to be verrrrrry close on yarn for the body, and I’m definitely out of the amount of yarn I need to do additional stripes in the one color. So…we’ll see how it goes? I’m just hoping for the best at this point. It’ll either fit or it won’t, and if it doesn’t fit me, it’ll fit someone.

2/2 – I finally bit the bullet and *read the pattern* (LOL) and also *watched the tutorial video* about how to join the granny strip in the back. Apparently I did watch that earlier in this sweater as I did join the squares the same way that she has your join the strip to the backs. Got the first back attached no problem, then I did the second and it looked like hot garbage so I had to rip it out and do it again, pinning the sweater together every 5 clusters so that I wouldn’t get out of sync.

As I was nearing the top of the strip on the first side though, I realized clearly that the strip needed to be one square longer to work with how long I made the body fronts/backs (yes, one could say I made those too long, but like heck I was going to rip all those rows out! hahahaha) So I quickly made up another square, joined it to the top of the strip, and then finished joining the first side. Lather, rinse, repeat, rip, repeat.

Finally I was able to try it on and honestly, it fits nearly perfectly! There is a huge gap in the front, as I knew there would be due to the construction. I was doubtful about being able to make bands wide enough to mitigate that, so I decided what the hell, let’s block this sucker and see if I can get it to grow. My past experience with a crocheted garment is that crochet fabric does not have much stretch. However, since the fronts/backs of this sweater are worked vertically, and crochet fabric def has more stretch in that direction, I was able to block it out so that I really only need to span about 2-ish inches? It also grew a little lengthwise, which was not needed, but I think I’m going to do the option where you just put a final edge on it rather than ribbing, so it won’t pull in like my too-long Coffee Bean Cardi does (still bitter about that). And that will also reserve some yarn for the button bands. I remain cautiously optimistic that this will be a wearable sweater!

I also need to find buttons.

2/6 – I found the perfect buttons in my stash. Yay!

Because the length was perfect as it was, I finished it with a single crochet edge. I followed the video tutorial for that and for how to do the ribbing (which I must have watched that to do the cuffs but forgot, LOL). I modded the ribbing to only be 8 stitches instead of the recommended 10. I did a five two-stitch button holes spaced about every seven ribs (based on the rib distance on the first side of the sweater). I really would have liked it if I could have made the highest button a bit lower, but I didn’t think it would space out right to not be an issue around my bust. As it turned out, it is fine.

Overall, I am COMPLETELY THRILLED with how this sweater turned out! There are a couple little things I could be picky about, but I’m not going to be because I’m the only person who would notice them. I hope to get a lot of wear from this sweater.

Also, I’d like to use the leftover yarn to make a cowl to go with it. That’s my tentative plan, anyway.