The cardi-connoisseur

So its January and I've been looking at some of the bargains to be had out there that will help me fill out the holes in my wardrobe, which are largely jacket shaped. I have tons of coats and in summer I can throw on a denim jacket but otherwise I really have none that I like wearing. I hate workwear style suit jackets which just feel stiff and immovable on me and most plus size jackets seem designed to invoke a mixture of pity and scorn in the wearer and are best avoided. If anyone can suggest a shape that might work on a larger size or point me in the direction of a good sales source I'd be much obliged.

Instead I live in knitwear; I am a cardi-connoisseur and luckily in 2012 (Happy New Year!) there is plenty of choice out there for me to buy, to drool over and possibly even to make. (Have I mentioned here before that I do that too?)

So in the first category to buy there is plenty o' choice out there in this irony-aware season. My eye was caught by this handsome vintage number which looks hand-knit its available from Cow Vintage online for £48. Had I seen this in December it may have been on my back on Christmas Day

However instead of that I decided to bring sexy back by choosing this gorgeous printed sweater dress from Planet which was reduced from £99 to £79 before the holidays

When it comes to luxe knitwear to drool over I'm a serious cashmere fan. TSE cashmere in particular and for me one of the loveliest sweaters ever was shown on TV over Christmas by Cameron Diaz in top rom-com The Holiday 

So that leads me to one of my possible projects for 2012. This beauty, Opposite Pole by Jojo Locatelli has an echo of Cameron's cardi but also plenty of structure and definition 

But…before I can tackle that I need to finish my current project, based on one of the models from the most iconic sweater wearer of our age. Previously an honour that was held by Val Doonican, Gyles Brandreth or Noel Edmonds…so thank heavens for Detective Sarah Lund and her Gudrun + Gudrun wardrobe which blends classic Faroese designs and craftsmanship with a modern design sensibility.

Blog update, stardate 18th June and I have a Lund-a-like sweater. The sun has just come out and its far too warm but I just love it.  It's made in a sumptuous wool/alpaca blend and was a joy to make, mostly knit whilst watching The Bridge. Roll on Autumn.