DROPS Garter Stitch Baby Sweater

I love this free pattern by Drops Design. It has a Scandinavian feel to it. The dark blue and the variegated sock yarn from Happy Feet turned out to be a good combination. I had purchased the wool to knit Minni, but I wasn't having much success with it. There are a few notes for this Drops Design Cardigan on my Ravelry page.

You cast on in the contrast color (blue) along the left front vertical border. The sweater is knitted from side to side with only a bit of seaming under the arms at the end. The two yarns are alternated in short rows for the striped effect. There isn't a purl stitch in the entire thing. Elizabeth Zimmermann liked garter stitch for its stretchability, among other traits. It is especially charming on babies. I'm sure I will be making this sweater again. Next time I will widen the sleeves just a bit as they look a tad skinny, but on the other hand, I haven't seen a lot of babies with bulging biceps. Although I knit the newborn size, my gauge was off (refused to go down to a smaller needle size) so the result is about 9 mo to one year.

The blue is actually darker than it appears in the photos. The Happy Feet yarn has a lovely bounce to it.

The pattern is similar to one in a knitting pattern book from the 1950's that my grandmother had given me. I used this pattern to knit a gray sweater, bonnet, mitten, and bootie set for our first born son. Of course, back then we didn't know whether we were having a boy or a girl. Gray was gender-friendly and untraditional. Elizabeth Zimmermann suggested gray wool for babies and in the 1970's she was the only knitter I knew, needed, or heeded. So I heeded.

I scanned a few fading photos of our baby in his little gray sweater. Here we are when he was just 6 days old, in the middle of January 1978. We called that his "Cheerio Look" because his little mouth looked like a cheerio cereal bit. He was a bit of a fuss-budget but we were so enamored we barely noticed at the time.

At 8 weeks he was going with me to a folk dance festival weekend. I am wearing my (fake) Swedish costume. As we were poor graduate students I cut our hair to save money. You can tell. It's a good thing I did not decide to become a hair dresser. That is one sweet baby, isn't it?

A Little Baby Cable Raglan

This Knitting Daily free pattern, Cable Baby Raglan Sweater by Rebecca Daniels, will be one of my standard baby knits. Knitted from the top down in fingering weight yarn (I used Knit Picks Bare) it is an easy knit. The uneven cable keeps it interesting. Next time I might modify the arms just a bit, with fewer increases so they aren't quite so full. That little bit dangling off the sleeve is what was left of the yarn at the end of the project. Yes, that is cutting it a bit close. I was using a partial ball of Knit Picks Bare left over from the Carmen Banana project. One full skein of fingering weight would be enough to add a cap and booties.

A vintage button from my button stash completes the gender-friendly theme. There is a snap closure below the button for easy dressing of Baby. I love the vintage look of the design and the garter stitch borders.

It struck me that this is a bit like the baby version of the popular Mondo Cable Cardigan by Bonne Marie Burns.

Off the Needles

I have finished 3 projects in the past 3 days: Summit, Tea Leaves Cardigan, and Baby Sophisticate Cardigan. That's me in the photo using Summit as a bug deflector in the dusky evening woods. It's just a wee teaser as Summit is to be gifted soon. Ravelry notes are up.

We almost always have some wind here but today the winds have been unusually strong. Garbage cans and recycling bins were rolling all over the streets. I tried to corral some of the neighbors' cans and pick up some errant garbage but the attempt was somewhat futile as there was so much blowing around. It will all settle down this evening. This morning I drove across the river to get my new glasses adjusted for about the 10th time. Driving home across the bridge, the wind gusts were a little bit scary. I was gripping the wheel with some force to keep the car steady.

It's so exciting to have all my current knitting projects finished. The only unfinished project is Shalom, which I decided to unravel to the armholes for about the 3rd time. If Shalom doesn't work this time, I'm going to use the Ecological Wool for another project. I am enjoying planning the next project. It won't be long before I have one or two projects going.

I'm off to pipeband practice this evening. We're getting ready for our competition season which begins in the middle of May. I'll need a portable knitting project that doesn't require a lot of brain power to take along to the all-day events.

If you live in our currently gusty area of the U.S., hang onto your hat and the fence post when you go out!

Stripes for Baby G

This little sweater was knitted for George Edward P. since he will surely outgrow his preemie sweater quite soon. The pattern is Super-Natural Stripes by Fawn P. Notes and pattern link are on my Ravelry Projects Page. Thank you FP for a nice little freebie pattern. This is the second time I have used this pattern and I do enjoy playing with the stripes of color in the yoke. The sweater is knitted top down in one piece. The front band is picked up and knitted last but since there are no buttonholes to muck up the works, it is quite easy to do. I had fun playing with the colors and mixed several yarn types--all 100% cotton or cotton blends. Before blocking, this was a pretty sorry sight and I wasn't sure it was going to work. I should by now have more trust in the blocking process.

A crocheted loop suffices for the single button on this little sweater. I enjoyed looking through my jars of vintage buttons for just the right one.

Behold an Angel

Preemie Cardigan by Carol Barenys is a free pattern that came in very handy when my friend, Heather, was expecting her baby a few weeks early. I knit the 4-5 lb size and the baby was 5 lb 4 oz at birth. It is a perfect fit with just a bit of growing room. The wool is Lamb's Pride Superwash. The cotton bunny is from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms by Louisa Harding. The bag fabric is Moda's Hopscotch, a 1920's reproduction line. I used fusible web and plain white fabric to fix the bunny label on the bag. I used a fabric pen to write the the new baby's name.

I've been using embroidery floss (6 strands) to sew on buttons. I want to make sure these buttons don't become loose and become and endangerment to Baby. The blue toothpick is holding the button away from the knitting so there is space to wrap the floss around it to make a shank. I also use small buttons on the reverse side to keep the knitting from pulling.

Button bands are my nemesis. One feature of this sweater that I really like is the painless knit-as-you-go button band. The sweater construction is top down in one piece.

At first I used white button thread (top button) but thought of the idea of using floss to match the buttons a little better. I took the white thread buttons out.

Isn't this the picture of an angel? He is so beautiful!

Cute as a Bug in a Shrug

I had so much fun knitting up this little shrug from Interweave Knits. Notes are on my Ravelry Page. The yarn is Bernat Cottontots Country Red. Since the baby is the first girl in a family of 3 boys, pink HAD to be the color. You can't get enough pink in this situation. I aimed for a 6 month to newborn size. Shrugs seem to be very forgiving for sizing.

The cap was my Christmas Eve car knitting project. I used a basic cap pattern and added holes for threading the I-Cord. Because I love the combination of pink and brown I ran a running stitch of brown through the cap just to give it a little zing.

The gift bag is my first attempt at making a name label using iron-on fabric bonding. I used an extra fine Sharpie marker for writing on the fabric. The tutorial on Rachel Griffith's blog p.s. I quilt gave me the inspiration and know-how. I got a little fancy with the heart shape and making a background with another fabric.

This little gal couldn't be cuter. I hope she and her mama enjoy the shrug and cap--and the menfolk too!

A Little Baby Gift

After two attempts with other patterns I finally finished this little sweater for a baby shower gift on Sunday afternoon for Trisia Marie. I was sewing the button on about an hour before leaving for the shower. (Plenty of time to spare!) The pattern is from Fawn Pea on Ravelry. She calls it Super Natural Stripes. It's a great little pattern, knit from the top down. The yarn, Bernat Cottontot (100% cotton) in Country Red, Country Taupe, and Country Green, is what was on hand that could be washed in the machine--as I'm certain there isn't a lot of garment pampering in the household. The color changes are done on the reverse side in garter stitch, which is an effect I enjoy. I laid the little sweater on a bed of sage and then a bed of thyme for the photos. (I'll be so sad when the frost comes and these fresh herbs are no longer available just outside my doorstep.)

This is a good pattern for a beginning knitter. Don't get overly hung up on numbers in the pattern. If you are a little off at some point, just use common sense (as in some strategic increases or decreases) and it will all work out. I believe this will be a standard pattern for me to use when I need a quick baby gift. Let's see...that would be this Saturday, wouldn't it?

Happy Birthday

Our middle son, Nils, turned 28 yesterday. On the boys' birthdays I like to get out their photo albums and enjoy the good memories. When they were babies I wanted to remember what they smelled like, knowing that would not happen. Still, these photos are as close as I get except in the rare occasions when I am holding a baby. He was a big baby, 9 lb, 9 oz. I say that he was so strong he delivered himself since the whole process only took a few hours. On the chair in the birthing room, in front of that lovely wallpaper, you can see the lace blanket I knit for him.

In the second photo he is sleeping in a walnut crib that has been in my family for over 110 years. Back then we were taught to put babies on their stomachs to sleep. How things change! He's covered with his lace blanket.
I don't think they are supposed to cover babies anymore either.

The blanket he is lying on in this 7

week photo is one of worsted weight wool from Meg Swansen. Someone told me that the American pioneers knit light colored borders on blankets so babies perceived that as an edge and didn't crawl off. I've tested that theory and it didn't work but it is a nice piece of folklore anyway.
It got him used to wool at a young age.

These plastic punkin' seats look like doll toys compared to the sturdy multipurpose seats the young moms have today. This photo of Nils is one of my faves. You can see that his sleeper doesn't snap over his chubby thigh.

At Christmas he was a 4 month old bruiser, but slowed down the growth after than. Thank goodness!

We celebrated his first birthday at my parents' home. That is older brother Torben on the left. The silly things we will do for our kids! Love those hats.

Independence Day Shenanigans

We spent the July 4th holiday in Wisconsin with friends. We had a wonderful time...

We biked along the lake to the golf course.

The guys got stuck on the lake when the boat died.

Then they played gondolier to bring the boat back to the dock.

Carol and Dave had early morning coffee on the lake.

And of course, we knitted by the lake. This little sweater is from one of my favorite patterns: Easy Garter Sweater, from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. The colors of this little sweater remind me of the lake: greens, blues, browns and a creamy off white.

I finished it off with assorted buttons from my Mason jar: alternating and unmatching blues and greens.

Details are on my Ravelry Projects page.

Mostly about My Boys--and some knitting

We had a very special weekend. Our two younger sons came home to be groomsmen in a wedding. Since they both live out of state we only get to see them about twice a year. It is a big event for us to see them, especially together because they are such good friends and we love the interaction. They are friends of both the bride and the groom. Their "ladies" came also and I am fervently praying they will someday be daughter-in-laws. (It's looking pretty good for both at the moment but don't tell anyone!)

I think they are all adorable. The day of the wedding the boys left the girls at the house while they went to the winery to help set things up and have the photo shoot. Being a mother of all boys, it was fun for me to observe the feminine activities, with them painting their nails, doing hair, etc. I had a blast and it was great to get to know them better.

The wedding was held at a local winery, a lovely setting. After the dinner reception the guests moved from the tent to the lawn and patio for dancing. We were first blessed by a gorgeous sunset followed by a clear sky studded with stars.

On the Knitting Front:

Last September my mom, dad and I visited my brother in West Hollywood, home of Knit Cafe. I've been holding off on buying the book, Greetings from Knit Cafe, because I didn't think there was much in there that I would actually make. When my LYS had a 20% off sale I finally broke down and bought it because there was one pattern for a baby sweater that I thought was quite unique. Anyway, after brunch on Saturday the girls were looking at Greetings from Knit Cafe and they both loved the lace skirt that is on the cover. They both said it reminds them of clothing from a store called "anthropologie". (Again, a new world with these young women.) I have since joined a group on Ravelry of people who like that clothing line and there are well over 3,000 of them in the group. The more I thought of it, the more I liked the idea of knitting the skirt. I've since added several more skirt patterns to my Ravelry queue. I'm going to knit one for the more petite of the girls because (1) she was the one who first saw the skirt and commented on it (2) plus she is smaller by at least 5" of skirt length, and (3) she's more likely to be a DIL at this point. Well, that seems to be as good a criteria as any.

This is the little sweater that is knit from side to side. I hope I'm not breaking any copyright laws here. I do recommend buying the book.

Finally Knitting!

Through the family visits this summer my needles have been purring along. Several weeks ago we picked up my mom and dad and drove to Kansas City to visit Son #2. My travel project was a prayer shawl for a dear friend who lost her son two years ago on July 27th when he was in his mid 20's. I wanted to give her a token of comfort at the difficult time of the anniversary of his tragic death. This prayer shawl was different than the others I have made. The notes will be on my Ravelry project page. I began with a lace border and then picked up along the edge. The body of the shawl was simple garter stitch and then I bound off in the lace border. The true color of the shawl is best shown in the photo of it on the chair. It is a beautiful dusty periwinkle.

I also finished this retro baby set to give away. Greenwoman gave me the idea to finish the ties with pompoms. It look me a while to figure out how to attach the pompoms. All the instructions just said, "Attach to string" or "Sew". What I finally did was thread the twisted cord into a blunt sewing needle and then I punched the needle through the pompom, tied a big knot, and then pulled the knot into the core of the pompom. It feels secure and looks very cute! The photo was actually taken before I took them off and started over. The finished product looked much tidier. I found excellent pompom instructions sans cardboard circles (pain in the neck) at Bella Dia.

The booties seem too big for the rest of the set. I used antique buttons, non-matching, for Saartje's booties. I also used a variation of the pattern by Fleegle but found it to be a bit more trouble than it was worth and would rather sew them up next time.

For the pink bonnet, in the delicious Cotsoy, I simply extended the garter border to form ties. It took several tries to get it right and I probably didn't take notes so if I make this bonnet again, I'll have to figure it all over again. Sigh. Why do I do that?

Another Baby Sweater

I finished the baby sweater for Madeline over the weekend and put the finishing touches on the sweater Monday evening. I like the look of the non-matching buttons from my button jar on the border. They are the same size and all are white, but there are slight differences. It is a folksy look. In the button jar there were a lot of very small white buttons that look like the kind used on button-down collars. I used some of these on the back of the border to stabilize the "working button". Sewing on buttons is not my favorite thing to do; however having this little detail helped immensely because I felt proud of the end result.

The booties are from the same book (Simple Knits for Cherished Babies by Erika Knight) and although they look cute, I'm just sure they would not stay on the feet of a moving baby. To be quite frank, I started on this pattern only because I was too tired/lazy to look for another pattern and this one was in the same book as the sweater. After knitting one bootie I looked up the pattern on Ravelry and decided to follow the path of several knitters and add ribbons for securing around the ankle. I don't know yet whether I will knit a bonnet to go with the sweater and booties. While I will not make these booties again I will definitely be making the sweater again. It is an easy, quick, adorable knit.

We're hearing sounds of birds staking out their territories and calling for mates. Spring is coming!

Elfin Hat and another Baby Sweater

I devised this pattern because I wanted a cap to go with several garter stitch baby sweaters. The garter stitch patterns I found were too feminine for my purpose. I’m sure someone has come up with something very similar but I couldn’t find anything. I used the same yarn as the sweater and booties on the garter stitch border. When I ran out of that color, I switched to a lighter shade of the Bernat Cottontots. The sweater in the above photo is the Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono that I knit from Mason Dixon Knitting several months ago.


Size: Newborn to 3 months
Yarn: Bernat Cottontots
Needles: I used #5 16” circular and a set of #5 dpns
Gauge: 4.5 st per inch

Cast on 56 stitches on a 16” circular needle.

Knit back and forth to create 1 ½ inches garter stitch. (I prefer to join into a circle at this point and knit one row purl one row instead of having a seam.)

If you have not already joined your stitches into a circle, do so now. Knit stockinette stitch for 2 inches.

(As you decrease, change to dpns when stitches no long reach around the needle.)

Decrease round: Knit 6, Knit 2 together around.
Rows 2-4 Knit
Decrease round: Knit 5, Knit 2 together around
Rows 6 -8 Knit
Continue decreasing in this way every 4th round. On the last decrease round of K2 tog all around, continue to knit 2 around until you have 3 stitches on needle.

Knit I-cord for about 3 inches and bind off. Weave in all ends and tie a knot in the I-cord to make the top knot.

The cap also went with the Garter Stitch Sweater from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies by Erika Knight. On this one I made a tassle, but I think I prefer the i-cord top knot. I enjoyed knitting this sweater so much. There is very little sewing up to do. You start knitting at the bottom of the back and progress upwards, casting on for each arm and then dividing and knitting your way down each front.