Designer Spotlight: Grey Dolman Cardigan by Irina Anikeeva

Irina Anikeeva grew up in Russia with a mom who knit and sewed for a living. Knowing her mom didn’t have much time to make anything else, Irina asked her mom to teach her the basics. She says it was “love at first stitch.”

Now living in California, Irina was looking for a roomy cardigan that could double as outerwear when it’s cold. When she couldn’t find anything she liked, she decided to design her own. Her Grey Dolman Cardigan features Dolman sleeves and large, vertical cables. She added a panel of ribbing down the back center that splits slightly at the bottom. Irina knit her cardigan in Berroco Ultra Alpaca to make it extra cozy. You can get this one-size, free pattern on Ravelry!

How did you decide on the yarn?

I was wandering through the Berroco corner in my LYS and found the ideal yarn for my project – Ultra Alpaca. The blend of superfine alpaca and Peruvian wool satisfied all the criteria I had in mind.

What’s your favorite project you’ve ever made? Why?

All my projects are my favorite in a way because, with every new item, I am trying to use a new technique…a new method…a new yarn, etc. Knitting, for me, is a process of never-ending education.

Any disaster stories?

There was a bad decision to bleach a newly knitted off-white wool sweater. It came out of the sink stiff as plywood and smelled like a gym pool. I was 12 – that is my only excuse.

What’s your favorite thing about knitting?

It is so exciting to see all these possibilities in a single ball of yarn. 
Sometimes it is challenging, but there is no feeling like pulling the thread out of ball and starting to cast on. 
And knitting is so forgiving, just unravel and your mistake is no more.

Do you have a cool design you want to share? Or did you recently finish a project with Berroco yarn? You can email Ashley: apalumbo@berroco.com or post it to the Berroco Lovers forum in Ravelry.