Make It Purple

Remember Make It Red, the oversized jacket/cardigan I designed for Twentieth-Century Graphic? 

My good friend, expert knitter, and Weaverknits/Neighborhood Fiber Co. "booth babe" Ruth (aka nonstop knits) has created a few modified versions that I think are genius. It's amazing how a few seemingly small changes can transform a design. 

First up: Make It Purple

Ruth knit this cardigan in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted in the color Remington. We brought it to Vogue Knitting Live Chicago and got a great response, so here are the details.

(Michigan winter provides a nice backdrop for this sort of garment, right?)

To Make It Purple, replace the intarsia stripe down the back of the cardigan (the red part) with reverse Stockinette stitch. That is, place the markers as indicated in the Make It Red pattern, but instead of working the stitches between these markers in your contrasting color, work them in reverse Stockinette stitch (purl them on right side rows and knit them on wrong side rows).

That's it! My favorite aspect of this version is the subtle pleat the reverse Stockinette stitch panel creates at the back hem. (Sorry for the butt shot, Ruth, but as you've said of my designs, "All the action is in the back.")

Come see it in person at Vogue Knitting Live NYC this weekend! Look for the lovely lady in the purple sweater!