I started this cap and sweater last year, as Rosie and Deirdre were on the home stretch, waiting for their babies. I had made a cap for Nora (knowing that Rosie was having a girl), and then this pink cap (just because this was the yarn in my stash) in case Deirdre had a girl also.
I was even inspired to go ahead and make a sweater as well. It's not incentivizing to make a sweater for a baby who lives in temps hovering around 100° for months after she's born, but just maybe a New Hampshire baby would need one, eh?
However, the baby was a boy, and I just… stopped. I stopped one inch from the end of the second sleeve of this sweater. Yep, that's how I roll.
I tend to keep things that are in process (even yarn that I'm queuing up) in this basket (the deep stash is in my pantry/craft room). So after Christmas, when I was trying to figure out what was lurking in here, I found the sweater.
And… just finished it, sheesh.
(The sleeves are the same –it's just a trick of the way it's lying on the blanket that makes them look different. The blanket was made by my grandmother. She used one of those little pot-holder weaving things, I think, and just made this cheerful blanket!)
A couple of notes:
- You can find the info on my Ravelry page.
- I had one skein of sock yarn and that is why the sweater is a bit shorter than I would like. But — I didn't run out of yarn! Go me!
- And there isn't a button at the neck for two reasons: 1. Babies' necks are so lacking in room to maneuver that I think buttons there tend to be too fussy and possibly uncomfy for them and 2. I forgot to put in a buttonhole.
I gave it to a dear friend who did just have a baby girl, baby Ciara!
Susanna says
I “need” some baby bonnets, so thank you for pointing me to a lovely (free!) one. Maybe I’ll cast on later today….
Sue says
That is so beautiful!
Laura Jeanne says
So, so sweet! I love the colour.
Gwen M. says
Super cute outfit!
Mrs. B. says
Oh, the loveliness of a matching set done with tone-on-tone yarn! And there is so much cuteness in the baby size! Lucky mother and lucky baby.
It’s a lightweight sweater, so the shorter length is totally fine in my opinion. And how clever of you to forget the buttonhole right where it was not really needed!
Barbara says
I love both the sweet bonnet and sweater and will get the pattern from Ravelry. But what a beautiful blanket made by your grandmother. I remember my mom making squares from a small loom also. What patience and perserverance.
Allison says
Such a very timely post for me because I have knitting questions!! I have wanted to learn to knit for almost 15 years but never moved beyond knitting and purling with large swaths of time coming in between even learning those. This year I am determined to learn more than this! I don’t have any knitting friends to learn from so I ordered a book called “A Learn to Knit Afghan”. The book walks you through making squares of different patterns and then you put it together after all the squares are done. It had great reviews on Amazon, however (I bet you knew that was coming!) it is a book for Continental style knitting and of course the little bit that I know is American style. I spent almost 2 hours casting on and knitting 4 rows last night (40 stitches) and I had brief glimpses of it working more smoothly than American style, but I guess what I want to know is, is it worth it? Do you use Continental or American style? I watched a couple videos on YouTube tonight about it because my biggest problem was with tension. It was helpful to watch but I guess I would really love the input of a veteran knitter.
My other question involves yarn. I am in love with your basket of green and teal up there! There is a part at the beginning that recommends using wool, but since you will eventually use 88oz of yarn for the entire thing I can’t make that kind of investment. Do you think I would be ok using a worsted weight cotton? I think that it is a bit less expensive (and washable, kids you know) and that I could order colors in smaller amounts without worrying about the color batch being off as much. Any sage advice you could offer a newbie knitter would be greatly appreciated!
Leila says
Allison, I do really recommend learning to knit continental style. It’s much more efficient and easier on your hands. You Tube is your friend. Just keep doing it and it will click!
As to the book, it seems like a bit commitment and investment to be all in with the afghan. Yes, learning different patterns is nice, but it seems to me that you want to make some things for yourself and others — caps, mittens, socks, shawls, a baby sweater– and for those things, it’st the shaping more than the pattern that will be an issue.
Once you know how to knit and purl, how about this — get your cotton yarn and make some washcloths/dishcloths, using the patterns in your book. Once your knitting is coming along (that is, you are comfy with the needles), try a cap or mittens — my Pinterest board has some nice things pinned https://www.pinterest.com/_leila/knitting-inspiration/, and Ravelry is great — well worth joining for all the free patterns.
You can save your worsted leftovers from your projects and make your afghan that way!
Allison says
Thank you for the helpful advice! I have looked at your Pinterest board in the past and you have some beautiful patterns. And you are correct that I would like to be able to make things like mittens, caps, and blankets (especially mittens! They are so adorable on the little ones!) I think the biggest hurdle will be transitioning to the continental style. I will persevere though knowing that it is worth it. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
Leila says
Allison, all that said, if you want to knit American style, why not? You can still do all the things in the book and everything else as well. And there are times that the American way comes in handy. I think it’s Elizabeth Zimmerman who says that she thinks the different “styles” are ways of handling different knitting issues, and then people just defaulted to one way or the other. Certainly, although I knit Continental, there are times I need to pull out the other way to get out of a tricky situation…
In other words, do what works for you and feels comfy. Try the different ways (watch lots of different You Tube videos, because even in one method there are little variations) and see what works. The main thing is to get knitting 🙂
Rose says
Your tension (gauge?) is lovely Leila. Re knitting for babies who live in high temperatures: I knit 4ply (fingering weight?) cotton or linen. These makes beautifully soft garments, that breathe in the heat.
PS My reading is going well.
Elizabeth says
very lovely!!!