Swatchless

It was a very productive weekend.  Not only did I sing in a choir concert, but somehow time was also dedicated to this little sweater which is now just about completed!  It needs a few ends sewn in, and a good blocking, and it will be good to go.  I love the yarn Life DK; it feels like wool, but is a machine washable blend of 75% acrylic and 25% wool. In case you are wondering, this colour was 2346 “Mixtures Blue Haze”

This little sweater vest will fit a 2-3 year old, but in the mean time, it is long enough to be a sweater dress for a 6-9 month old.  I polled several mothers who agreed with my measurements and my logic.  Can’t you imagine a darling baby girl wearing this over tights?

I might just have to get another colour and test knit my pattern!  The entire sweater vest took less than 100g of yarn, and the pattern is only 90 rows, but each row is different from the last.

The pattern will be available later this spring.  If any patient knitter with an eye for detail would like to test knit the pattern, please contact me!

I’ve been knitting along happily for the past few days, making cables and diamonds and braids.  I’m enjoying the yarn and loving the colour (a shade of dark heathery purpley blue that never seems to look as good on camera as it does in real life).  As usual, I didn’t really make a swatch when I started.  Preliminary research included looking at several baby sweater patterns and looking at how many stitches they started with, and then choosing something similar.  (Note to self:  Next time, pay attention to more than just number of stitches–needle size, yarn size, age of child are also valuable pieces of information)

Today, after two diamonds are almost completed, the sweater is getting long enough to stretch it out and see how big a child it will fit–and my worrying begins.  Is this sweater gigantic?  Is it going to fit a 2 year old?  Will parents of a newborn be excited to get a 2 year old sweater?  If the sweater is gigantic in circumference, how long do I need to make it?  It’s all a question of proportion…How big is a baby anyway?!

pretty cables!

But…does it really matter?  In the end there will be a lovely sweater that will fit someone at some point.  Maybe I’ll just keep knitting, and let it sort itself out.

In the mean time, to calm my worrying, can you tell me how big around a one year old is?

It seems robot knitting is ALL the rage these days!  I got the Knitpicks catalogue in the mail today and saw this on the back cover.

I’m a bit tempted to make something similar….but have to focus on robot hats first.

I have to say that I am very impressed with this month’s catalogue.  There is such variation.  Gorgeous socks…I particularly like the “boyfriend socks” [Ravelink] by Mary Jane Mucklestone found in “The Joy of Sox”

image from Ravelry.com

There are great kilt socks in kit form, and a set of Japanese inspired socks and leggings textured with lace and cables from “Knitted Socks East and West” by Judy Summer.

There are some whimsical purses on a fruit and veggie theme that incorporate beaded knitting, stranded colourwork, and a whole lot of fun.  I’m not sure if I could pull off using one of these, but I bet they would be a hit among some hip teenagers somewhere!

What really got me was the next section of Amigurumi Knits based on the book by Hansi Singh [Ravelink]

Knitted insects (ants, praying mantis, spiders) hermit crabs and even a jackalope!  Check them out if you have an urge to knit something unconventional.

image from Ravelry.com

image from Ravelry.com

And….for those of you with little ones to knit for, the Barnyard Buddies kits look adorable!  It wouldn’t be a far stretch to adapt other bonnet and shorties/longies patterns to create more animals for your baby.

There’s a cute piggy pattern with a curlicue tail…so adorable!

Good job Knitpicks on the great package of inspiration.  Usually I get upset by paper catalogues in my mailbox, but the one this month is not a disappointment!

Meet little Laila, daughter of friends of mine.  At 2.5 weeks old she’s sporting her very own pair of Olympic Mittens, and the matching ensemble I knit over the last few weeks.  She’s such a cute girl, making all sorts of faces and noises as she gets used to the big bright world.

I hope everyone in Ontario has a Happy Family Day weekend!!  I know I’ll enjoy an extra day to relax, and catch up on my sleep (and knitting).

‘Tis the season for babies it seems.  My cousin and his wife just welcomed baby Charlotte, a little early, but all are doing well.  I dove into the stash and found some sweet baby yarn, from back in the day when baby yarn was thinner than sock yarn!

I knit this hat during the super bowl.  The pattern is based on helloyarn’s top down bonnet, but I had to add more stitches and improvise a bit to deal with the super thin yarn.  I based the sizing on the bonnet I knit for Laila earlier this week.  There’s enough yarn left for a matching pair of booties, but I’m still searching for the perfect pattern.

My, I certainly had more of this yarn than I thought!  I have now made a bonnet, a sweater AND the cutest little baby shoes you ever did see.

These are the seamless version of Saartje’s Bootees that was published on Fleegle’s blog.  I have been eyeing this pattern for a while, and was glad of the opportunity to try it.

These darling shoes knit up quickly, and have no seams to sew up, a real plus in my books.  I hope that they will stay securely on little baby feet.

More friends and relatives are expecting babies this spring.  I’m looking forward to knitting lots of tiny baby clothes to send off to everyone!

It’s time to go dive into the stash for a different colour though, I think I’ve just about had it with this blue and yellow!

This sweater started out with the bonnet that I made yesterday.  I had lots of stash left over, and thought a matching striped sweater would be cute.

When knitting sweaters for babies it is important to leave a big neck opening.  This sweater was going to be a cardigan….but changed half way through.

I used Astra yarn and a circular needle, size 4.0mm, to cast on 70 sts.  I separated the stitches  12, 10, 26, 10, 12.

Top down raglan construction is great since you can knit it, increasing on both sides of the markers, until the sweater is big enough to fit around the body and then continue on with the rest of the sweater.

This sweater starts with 6 rows of garter stitch, and then switches to stockinette with an 8 stitch garter stitch border/button band on both edges.

Stripes are worked at will, with button holes placed every 4 ridges in the garter stitch button band.  To make a button hole K3, K2tog, YO.  Making button holes on both sides of the garment will allow you to sew a button in the correct spot by sewing it on top of the redundant button hole.

This sweater spoke to me, wishing to become a pull-over rather than a cardigan.  Perhaps it is just since I don’t like to purl all that much.  After working 3 button holes, and at the end of a purl row, place the 8 knit border stitches on a spare needle.  Begin the knit round by combining both 8 stitch sections together by working a K2tog with one stitch from each edge of the sweater.  This will cause the borders to be one directly above the other.

The sleeve stitches are kept on waste yarn while the body of the sweater is completed.  Cast on 3 stitches under each arm pit.  Knit the body until it is 1/2 an inch from the desired finished length, then work 6 rows of garter stitch.  Note: in the round, garter stitch is knit 1 row, purl 1 row.  Cast off loosely knitwise.

The sleeves stitches are knit, armpit stitches are picked up, and joined in the round.  Decrease 2 stitches every 5th row to narrow the sleeve.  Continue until the sleeve is 1/2 inch from the desired length.  Work 6 rows of garter stitch.  Cast off loosely knitwise.

Work in ends and sew on buttons.

If you like this pattern, check out my others!

This weekend, friends of mine became parents, and I started knitting!  The news of the healthy baby and happy family had me digging through some of the stash to find some old fashioned Astra yarn that I had found at a thrift store a while ago.  When knitting for a baby, machine washable yarns are a definite plus!

My new favourite baby bonnet pattern is the Top Down Bonnet with Anime Character {Ravelink} by Adrian Bizilia.  I have made this bonnet with the ears and face before for a Japanese friend of mine.

This time I made the bonnet without the face and ears.  It’s amazing….a totally new and different hat.

I enjoy how the stripes join up with each other along the line of increases.

This bonnet did not use up ALL of my stash, so I have cast on for a top down raglan sleeve sweater to match (blue with yellow stripes), and there might be enough left for booties too!

The wonderful thing about knitting for a new baby is that projects are small and manageable, and they look SO cute!

What’s your favourite thing to knit for a new baby?

I have joined with many Ravelry knitwear designers to raise money for organizations helping in Haiti. Check out all the ravelry patterns available! Until the end of February, I am pledging 50% of the purchase price of my two hat patterns to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that is saving lives in Haiti and all over the world.

Micah

Knit in bright coloured acrylic yarn, this kid-friendly hat is a great stash-buster. Earflaps and ties keep the hat securely on the head of any little elf, no matter how mischievous they are!  This hat was designed for little Micah by his mommy and me, so he could be a Christmas elf all winter long.

$5.00 CAD

Those Could Be Mountains

A warm hat knit in the round from crown to brim.  You can make it long enough to cover your ears to ward off the winter chill.  Knits up quickly and looks stylish on both men and women.  I showed the finished hat to my brother, and his response was “Oh, Those Could Be Mountains!”  The name stuck.

$4.00 CAD

If you like these patterns, have a look at the others I’ve designed.

Knit in bright coloured acrylic yarn, this kid-friendly hat is a great stash-buster. Earflaps and ties keep the hat securely on the head of any little elf, no matter how mischievous they are!

This hat was designed for little Micah by his mommy and me, so he could be a Christmas elf all winter long.

$5.00 CAD

(Until the end of Feb 2010 50% of proceeds are pledged to Doctors Without Borders)

Materials: 5 colours of aran weight yarn

Needles: 4mm DPNs

Darning needle

Scissors

Skills: Knit, Purl, Decrease (K2tog, ssk), knitting in the round, colour work with two colours per round, chart reading, kitchener stitch.

Hat was designed to fit a 2 year old. If knit with larger needles it would fit a larger child.

Pattern includes written instructions and full colour charts, and instructions to make a great pompom

Micah and his mom showed me around the park today. He likes going on the swings

He’s such a cutie! I think he really loves his hat too. Look at this grin….priceless!

Makes you want to knit one for the little elf in your life!

Download the .pdf pattern with full colour charts for $5.00 CAD