Hope Macauley Cardigan

[amibeingaknob]

Ive been cooing over these cardigans for years, and I just saw it on Traitors and as Ive done quite well with work recently Im seriously considering buying one as a well done to myself. Am I mad? I want the colourful one, but its over £400!!!! Ive never spent that on anything before. I do know I would wear it to death, and it would make me crazy happy. I have a ratty old brown cardigan that I wear constantly. So should I go for it, or is that totally bonkers? Anyone got one? The fact you cant wash them might be an issue cos I know I would wear it constantly and Im a glumsy git.

Thoughts?

Oh and here is the beauty. I mean its a work of art and so cheery. The Colourful Colossal Knit Cardigan | Hope Macaulay

I also love the browner colours which would go with more Bruna Colossal Knit Cardigan | Hope Macaulay

I also wouldn't know what size to get. Im a size 10/12 tall with big boobs. I really want that oversize look so Im guessing M/L. Id want it a bigger fit than on the model. They are made to order so don't want to fuck it up.

Saw something similar on YT with people doing something called arm knitting. It's a pity how we no longer have these skills . As recently as the 80s so many people could knit , sew . Wish I had paid more attention in domestic class.

Whilst not my style, these are quite magnificent cardigans! You could get a similar one knitted but it wouldn't look anywhere near as good as the two you linked to (though a competent knitted could copy the plainer ones fairly accurately).

The yarn would probably cost close to £100 and it's at least one full days work - so how much you'd pay for say 10 hours labour depends on your own moral compass.

If you can afford one just buy one, you really love it and it'd make you happy every day.

I'm a knitter. I don't want to sound too negative , but I would look up reviews for the cardigans first. You know how some jumpers go bobbly? These cardigans are made of unspun wool so there is almost no strength to it. You would have a cardigan for very occasionally standing around in as it would start coming to pieces, and shedding/pilling. I've knitted a bit with Rowan Big Wool super chunky and even that isn't very durable, but completely unspun wool fibre is another level. Cute for an art project, not exactly practical for clothing.

Gosh really? No one has one do they and can share experiences? Id be fuming if it looked crap after a while. For that price, Id want it to last years.

I saw that on Traitors and thought it looked stunning. But did also think it's be easy to knit of you could knit.
I actually said to my daughter, I bet Tom Daley could.knock on up.in a couple of hours 😂

I would seriously consider asking round as to whether you have any friends or friends of friends who knit.

My friend crocheted me this cardigan:

https://sarahmaker.com/crochet-granny-hexagon-cardigan/

In a chunky wool and she reckoned it took only a couple of evenings.

This is a very chunky wool, and looks like it uses arm knitting but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a fairly quick make for someone experienced in that area - I imagine you could pay them a decent rate per hour and get something at a lower price (and potentially more washable).

https://woollymahoosive.com/product/bargain-mammoth-chunky-yarn-inner-bales-inner-bales-5-kg-bundles/ would be loads of yarn - way more than enough for this project I think.

I’ve never heard of these, but I do think it’s an investment piece and if you love it that much you’d obviously style it right, so buy it and enjoy!

I am a knitter.

For a start, the Hope Macaulay cardis are 100% wool. Not polyester, not acrylic. Wool, sourced responsibly. To buy enough to make that sort of cardigan in the same materials you are looking at spending at least £100, possibly more.

It is not a couple of hours work to knock up that garment. I would estimate 8-10 hours at the very least, from start to a completed garment including seaming, sewing in ends and adding the decorative stitching. Minimum wage, there's another £120.

I think they are lovely and as I am very much of the buy once, buy quality ethos, I don't think £420 is too much to spend on an item you will wear and wear until it falls to bits. My only hesitation would be that this design is very fashionable currently and will not be something you will want to wear for 10 or 20 years so therefore will be discarded after a short period.

I am also obsessing over these - i can not justify (and don’t have) the price tag though. Off to have a nosy on vinted now!

Ok Im gonna go for it.

But now I cant decide between colourful one (cuter, more statement, more cheery - but cant wear with everything and Jade from Traitors has probably made it more a 'fashion' thing so it will date) OR the brown one (which is lovelier I think, more stylish, and I have heaps of brown stuff, and I have red hair and Im pale so the colours are more suitable - less statement though and less WOW factor maybe?) Thoughts everyone?

And to the person who said Im a grown woman who doesnt need the permission of randoms - isnt that what style and beauty is all about? Trying to work out if something is a good by for you or not?

That was me who said that. I'm just curious - if every single response had been no, it's far too expensive and looks horrible, then would you have said, right okay, I'm not going to bother even though I absolutely love it. Because that's just daft!

Well yeah - I do think if everyone had said it was disgusting and they didn't get it it would have made me think twice. To buy something sooooo expensive that is generally thought of as hideous would have been daft I think. But its all a bit deep - I mean we don't really dress completely for ourselves do we? We dress because we want to look nice to others.

Well, we're all different 🤷‍♀️. I hope you're happy with your purchase.

I am ancient and a knitter and I love the look of these jumpers on younger women.
The designs are nothing like the ones others have linked to and the colour choices are great.
I think it would be very difficult to produce one that looked as good without the exact pattern and choice of colours. I would also worry about cleaning off spills and stains and how durable the cardi would be.
But they are fabulous!

Do you think they are a younger woman thing? Am I a bit ancient for it? Im 51. I do wear quite 'young' things though like dungarees and doc martens. I think this would look banging with my style, but I dont want to look daft.
Mmmm...I have never pondered over a purchase so much in my life. Its making my brain hurt. Lol.

To spend that amount of money I’d prefer to see it and feel it before buying. What is their return policy?

I honestly think that if it's a style you love and feel confident to wear then they'll suit you whatever your age. Buy the one you love the most though - if you are committing that much money don't compromise.

I am a knitter and I must caution you about these. If she's knitting these from roving and not spun wool, which it looks like, they will not wear well. Especially if she's using merino, which I believe some of hers do (the sample I just looked at is Corriedale, which will wear slightly better). Spinning and plying the wool makes it much stronger. She doesn't do it because of the look and because pure roving is extremely soft.

I have seen some major rants on HM in knitting communities.

The price is not unfair given the sheer quantity of fibre in those jumpers. it would certainly cost me hundreds to knit one.

she uses spun wool.

According to her FAQ:

"Please take into consideration when you receive your super colossal knitwear piece that pilling may occur when worn. This is totally natural and due to the super thick, luxurious nature of the un-spun wool/yarn. The thicker the knitwear piece, the more likely it is to pill."

How easy would this be for a complete beginner?!

It's going to pill like mad under the arms.

It would be quick and easy to knit one, @amibeingaknob .
A weekend at the most.

Cardigan Video example

CARDIGAN KNITTING KITS - Beginner Friendly + Intermediate – That Crafty Stitch

Sorry where is that on her website? I cant find that anywhere.

It's garter stitch so quite straightforward. The pattern says it's an easy beginner piece.