February Baby Sweater ~ Notes

I did start this in February. The long winded result is this seriously Modified pattern. In May. But then I think that is what Elizabeth Zimmerman intends; modification. Her patterns are sketchy and leave lots of room, for um, interpretation. Even though I really did start this in February the patterned body caused confusion and delay. Meaning I needed absolute silence and full concentration to execute it. My life has zero of those sorts of moments. And so fter frogging it about twenty times I decided to change it to something simpler.

And here is what I learned along the way: Remember to include button holes while you knit the yoke. Because the instructions don't mention them until well into the pattern by which time it's kinda late to add them. So bear in mind. The sleeves! My. I gorged myself in Ravelry reading a lot about these sleeves. I laughed (not unkindly, they were just skinnily-funny, and were how mine would surely have looked had I not read of their errors) at some pictures there shown by knitting folk who had not added on the required stitches. Which would be fine if your baby has super skinny arms. Mine does not. What you need to do after completing the yoke is put everything except the first arm on stitch holders. Then cast on seven stitches before you start to knit the arm. At the end of that first row cast on another seven stitches at the end, so the sleeve now has 14 additional stitches, seven at one end, seven at the other. Knit the arm, knit the other arm, then the two front pieces, then the back. The knitting is all in one big piece, with lots of shuffling of bits not being worked on onto other needles.



I used 6.5mm needles (the idea behind sizing with this sweater is that you size up with wool and needles rather than there being different pattern instructions - well hey, there really are NO pattern instructions to start with so you'd kind a have to do the bigger needles and thicker yarn bit). I used local hand dyed wool from Jenny Cook.





Am I pleased with it? Would I knit it again?

Well. At first no. I don't like undoing and starting over. I made the sleeves into 3/4 length ones. But not exactly on purpose. The yarn was even an impulse buy and then I couldn't decide if bubblegum-lavender would suit my red headed child.... which is why it has taken since February to finish. I dithered. I sewed instead. But now. She has worn it for a full day and I LOVE the buttons. Really. Just kidding. I probably won't knit it again, but I loved reading EZ's Almanac book, she has this wonderfully warm, inclusive writing style. And although this little cardigan turned out cutesy and pink I really am starting to like it. But that may just be the Girl wearing it. Who can tell?