This is such an excellent example of a steeked cardigan sweater. The finishing, button loops, button bands and pewter buttons all come together to make it, well, a blue ribbon winner at the 2007 Minnesota State Fair. Michele Buck, who is a masterful knitter, did an excellent job with color gradation.
Each row uses two colors. One for the background and the other for the pattern. Michele used Kauni Effecktgarn. The background was knit with a blend of light grey to charcoal. The pattern was knit with a rainbow of colors from purples to greens to oranges and reds.
This is a great way to show off multiple colors without messing with twelve different balls of yarn. Kauni’s dye process makes it really easy. But it looks difficult! So, if you like the effect of two color stranded knitting, but would like to simplify it somewhat, give this a try. The color gradation comes from the way the yarn is dyed—each strand of yarn is dyed with multiple colors. The pattern shows traditional Nordic rune symbols but the long, gradual color changes give it a modern feel.