I have been talking about knitting Sibella for well over a year now. When Carrie Bostick Hoge released Madder Anthology 1, the Sibella Cardigan immediately jumped out at me. It has a fairly simple construction and style, with an interest yoke detail, making it a lot like Grace, which I wear all the time.
What a lovely grey! This is Jill Draper Makes Stuff Esopus in Graphite, which I picked up during her studio sale last year.
Since I first mentioned my desire to knit Sibella, I have knit four other sweaters! And every time, I seem to reaffirm my plan to knit Sibella next… I think part of what has been holding me back is that it’s fingering weight, which is eminently practical but slow to knit. And, I couldn’t quite decide on a colour: I needed and wanted a grey cardigan (having lamented numerous times about not having a go-to neutral), but it always seems like it would be so much more fun to knit this in a colour.
But, my desire to have this cardigan in my closet, and the increasing sense that If I just had Sibella done, I’d have the right thing to wear finally pushed me over the edge. Spring is almost here, making this the perfect time to knit a lightweight sweater, and not such a bad time to knit a grey one. That I had the perfect grey yarn in my stash definitely helped.
I triumphantly cast on last weekend and having been knitting away fairly contentedly since. The gauge is quite loose (and I’m knitting slightly tight, as usual), so I have had to fix a few little blips (I keep purling into the row below, for example), but I can already tell that the fabric will have a nice drape and be comfortable to wear. I’ve just started the waist shaping, which means I’m about a third of the way through the body.
I have a little goal to finish this in time to wear it during Me Made May. May is a nice month, to be sure, but it definitely requires layering, and it became very clear last year that if I want to create an everyday-wearable hand-made wardrobe, I need neutral pieces. Part of the reason I participated in MMM last year (and intend to again this year) was so I could see where the hole in my handmade wardrobe were and then do something about them. I am very pleased that Sibella will do both, though I should probably stop typing and get back to knitting — those long rows of grey stockinette aren’t going to knit themselves.
Pans & Needles 
I like how grey goes with everything and a cardigan is always handy.
that is a nice color, and the sweater looks great so far! I think I might have to start a new month, all about accessories, as it seems I wear something I made most every day, but never the whole wardrobe. 🙂 Maybe Accessories in August? But no, who needs wool socks and shawls and mittens and hats then? Hmmm, I will work on it, and continue to avoid May. 🙂 Good for you, planning ahead!
You are making great progress, and a great cardigan in a wearable grey like that is sure to be worn all the time! Smart thinking, and it’s going to look so good on you!
That looks like a lovely grey. I think as knitters, we feel like we should be knitting All The Colors. But really, having neutral pieces make more sense.
I am knitting Grace now! It is in a lovely mustard color, but I also feel like a need a neutral sweater for my wardrobe. I wear a grey store bought cardigan all the time, I need to make one for myself!