Category Archives: sweater

Gauge Is A Thing

Posted on by
7

PB’s Gidday Baby sweater has one sleeve. But my sleep deprived noticed one small problem.

Guess what…..gauge is a thing….

I just grabbed the DPNs at the bottom of my project bag and merrily knit away. Well, they are one size smaller than the needles I used for the body. And boy howdy can you tell they are different gauges. I quickly made the executive decision that I don’t get enough knitting time to rip them out and redo them. I’m just going to call this an “unintentional design feature” and move on the second sleeve.

On the upside….I did manage to minimize the laddering between my DPNs, lol. Happy Knitting!!

Gidday Baby Update

Posted on by
8

PB’s Gidday Baby cardigan is done through the body!

I’m so glad the button bands are knit as you go. Not that I mind button bands but I’m absolute rubbish at picking up stitches as I go. I never get the ratio just right. But I’m pleased with this cardigan so far. Berroco vintage is a nice washable workhorse yarn. The sizing is working out decent. I’m not sure this is a 12 month exactly but it’s big enough to fit PB this fall. I still have to work the sleeves and they include some striping.

The only hesitation I have about this garment is the color combo. It’s not horrible but the cream and blue sometimes just catch my eye in an odd way sometimes. But considering PB is gonna spit up and chew on it…..I’m not sure the colors matter all that much, lol. And this is using up some relatively old stash for me so that’s a plus. My hubby keeps saying as long as she warm that’s all that matters!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Gidday Baby Cardigan

Posted on by
6

I can’t help myself…..my tiny PB is coming to work with me and she is gonna need A LOT of sweaters. So after the Sporty Cardigan was complete I did some Ravelry searching and came up with my next sweater for PB.

I picked the Gidday Baby Sweater by Georgie Nicolson because I loved how the garter yoke looked with the stripes and the eyelets. And I adored the simple two button closure at the top while the rest of the sweater is worn open.

The only catch was that I wanted to make 9 or 12 month sized sweater for PB to grow into and this pattern is only written for newborn and 3 months. So I decided to be the boss of my own knitting and used some logic with a sprinkling of math. I took the yarn weight from DK to worsted and the needles to US 7s and 8s. Based on my known gauge with Berroco Vintage and some slight length alterations…I was pretty sure I could make this a larger sweater.

I’m following the 3 month size stitch counts for the pattern instructions but modeling the schematic off of a 12 month sized commercially made baby sweater. Fingers crossed this doesn’t come back to bite me. If so, then it will make a good story for the blog! I’m only 8 rows in and it seems okay so far, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: PB’s Sporty Cardigan

Posted on by
11

Hey look….it’s an adorable baby sweater! The Sporty Cardigan for PB is complete and even washed and blocked….

Pattern: Sporty Cardigan for Boys and Girls by Cecilie Clark

Yarn: Frabjous Fibers Messenger Kit in Color #13. I used 100 grams of the 170 gram set for a six month sized sweater.

Needles: US 4s and US 6s

Mods: Omitted the sleeve shaping for my hulk of a baby. Omitted the bottom button of the button band because Jellybean lost the fifth button before I could sew it on or take it away from him….

Seriously this chunk of a two month old is ALWAYS fussy when it’s overly air conditioned. Pop a sweater on her and shes happy as a clam. But don’t you dare put a hat on her! This six month sized sweater fits just about right for my two month old….insert insane laughter here…. I snapped a quick photo of her in it before I had the buttons sewn on, she didn’t seem to mind.

Happy Knitting!!

 

An Almost Cardigan

Posted on by
7

Well the weekend proved fruitful…sort of. PB received her 2 month vaccinations and required extra snuggles and a TON of nursing to get over the hump. But lots of snuggling meant some easy knitting on PB’s Sporty Cardigan over top of a sleeping baby.

I managed to finish the body, knit on the button bands and *almost* finish the first sleeve. I did have to take Jellybean to the craft store to track down some size 6 metal dpns. I had to settle for Micheals brand store needles. But they worked just fine. I was using my Knit Picks nickle plated interchangeables for the body anyway and I like to use the same needle material when possible to keep gauge consistent.

I’m really hoping to bang out both sleeves this week….fingers crossed! Happy Knitting!!

Sporty Cardigan Update

Posted on by
5

I may have an addiction. My Sporty Cardigan for PB is cruising right along.

I managed to work through the raglan increases, separate for the sleeves and work a good chunk of the body! It’s been a quick minute since I had to do so many purl back rows. So much of my last few projects have been garter or in the round that I haven’t had much occasion to do many purl rows!

I’m really hoping against all hopes that I can get this done before I go back to work or before she out grows it….which ever comes first, lol!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: PB’s Sporty Cardigan

Posted on by
5

The time is drawing near that I have to return to work. My maternity leave has seemed to just fly right by! Well, I have prepped my office with all the items I think I will need. But there is one situation I need to address….my office is freezing and PB is terribly temperature sensitive.

Solution…..cast on a cardigan! I pulled a Frabjous Fibers Messenger Kit in the #13 colorway. I picked this sport weight kit on a deal at a LYS closing. I did some Ravelry sleuthing and found the Sporty Cardigan for Boys and Girls by Cecilie Clark. I wound the yarn and got to work. This yarn kit was perfect because it has two difference coordinating colors in the same base.

After some napping and knitting I am working on the garter stitch yoke. I’m working the 6 month size. But at the exponential rate at which PB is growing…I might need a bigger one. If I manage my yarn carefully (and maybe pull some different sport contrast from my stash)….I may be able to knit a second sweater in the 12 month size for when she grows out of this one. These colors are just going to look so cute on PB!!

Now, shhhhhh I have more knitting to squeeze in during nap!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Baby Vertebrae for PB

Posted on by
5

Okay, this FO has been done for awhile. Truth be told all it needed was a bath but a mild but persistent upper respiratory virus attached itself to this pregnant body and I lost all will to do anything but play with Jellybean while simultaneously laying on the couch and then surf Instagram after he went to bed for like a solid week back in early April.

Nevertheless, here is the Baby Vertebrae for PB!!

Pattern: Baby Vertebrae by Kelly van Niekerk

Yarn: Apothefaery Fabrications Delightful DK in the Glimmer coloway

Needles: US 6 and US 4

Size: 12-18 months

Mods: None (other than I really don’t know if I followed pattern gauge)

Gauge: 5 stitches and 8 rows to 1 inch

I’m super jazzed about this sweater and I hope it fits for fall! Either way I really hope this becomes and heirloom piece for PB to save….

 

 

An Almost Sweater

Posted on by
4

My second skein of sweater yarn showed up this past week and I wasted NO TIME in working on this puppy. I hand wound the ball because I was at my parents’ house and didn’t have access to my swift.

I also forgot to pack the smaller sized needles that the button band called for. Turns out….I don’t care! I started the band just kept on knitting with the sweater body sized needles. I think I’m 6 or 7 rows into a 12 row button band. Then its just a bath and this baby is done!

Happy Knitting!!

Yarn Chicken Fail

Posted on by
10

My Baby Vertebrae for PB officially has two sleeves!

I can’t help but keep thinking the speckles of this yarn paired with this pattern are just so sharp looking! And the fabric has quite the soft hand to it even before washing. It’s 100% merino and a nice plump 4-ply DK. I just love it so hard. I have forbade the husband from even THINKING about washing this in fear of felting it. I might even make a dark red HAND WASH ONLY tag and affix to the inside, lol.

I’m very clearly ready for button bands. But guess what guys…I lost at yarn chicken….

All I have left is this TINY ball of yarn and an entire button band to knit on. I broke down and ordered another skein from Apothefaery Fibers in her Etsy shop in this same color. I know the skeins won’t likely match. But I only have the button band left and I’m okay if that color difference shows. I can totally spin that as intentional! Now I just have to sit and wait for the mailman to bring me my pretty!

Happy Knitting!!