The first project I finished was from the book What To Knit When You’re Expecting by Nikki Van de Car – a book I sought out to get as soon as we knew a baby was on the way. It turns out, however, that most of the patterns I adore are available for free via her blog. Anyway, having picked up some yarn whilst away with friends over New Years, (who, not only were expecting – they now have their baby in their arms – but another knitter-mumma-to-be!) I worked up the sweet hooded Hannah Jacket in Cascade 220 Superwash. The worsted weight yarn and larger guage made it a really quick knit and the icord trimming just perfects this sweet number. Instead of a crocheted button loops I knitted three small lenghts of icord instead, which allowed me to select some heftier leather buttons which have a shank. Quite the vintage look!
Next up was the ever popular Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker, and for this I dove into my stash and found some long forgotten handpainted superwash merino. I wasn’t super in love with the colourway, but I like how it knitted up. Scared of running out of yarn I decided to knit the short sleeved version which I think will look great over a long sleeved onesie. I’m a little dubious of all those buttons though… I feel like it will take 20 minutes to get that sweater on a wriggly baby!
With plenty of green left over from the hooded jacket, I took fancy to the Organic Guernsey pattern by Fawn Pea. My guage was a little off – the Cascacde 220 Superwash coming in a little ligther than the suggested Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton. I didn’t do anything to adjust the pattern and so I have a long skinny jumper, oh well, I’m sure it will fit at some point.

You might think, looking at these projects, that we are expecting a boy. Actually, we don’t know, it will be a surprise, yet my attempts of keeping things ‘unisex’ had gravitated towards being a little masculine. I had to rectify that and whipped up something a little more girly… in a colour way I’m still swooning over! More soon.

One week in and I’ve made some progress on my Brock cardigan for luvinthemommyhood’s Spring Tops, Tanks, and Tees KAL (try say that quickly!). Once I finally remembered that I had also received the PDF version of the book along with the print version, I printed out the pages required for the pattern and set about dividing the project into 4 week chunks. I rarely do this, but I’d love to finish this cardigan within the casual deadline of the knit a long, and what with a few other projects on the needles I want this knit to be a fun and ‘non thinky’ project. Setting myself weekly goals should keep this guy moving along…. in theory.
The beginning yoke actually required a bit more brain power than I had ready to give, but with the help of stitch markers at every pattern repeat I was able to get into a bit of a flow and it satisfied my love of chart knitting. I was worried in the first inch or so that the loose gauge of this skinny fingering would blur the chevron stitch pattern and get lost in the halo of the alpaca. I even considered pausing and working up a swatch with a size smaller needles and tried to ignore how much math I would have to do to adjust the pattern accordingly. However, like it always seems to be with any stitch pattern or colourwork, another inch in and the full effect of the awesomeness of a simple pattern created of just ‘knit’ and ‘purl’ stitches came through, and I was happy that I had stuck to my guns and continued on.
Chart work is over and I have almost made it, but not quite, to my ‘week 1′ goal of working up until the point of separating for the sleeves. I’m working raglan increases until that point and with around 300 stitches a row, which increase every other, it’s a little slow going. I find most yokes are though, and you feel like it will never end. But, what I also know, is that once I have separated for the sleeves and am rid of their stitches, the stitches left for the body seem so few, and fly along!!
My ‘week 2′ goal is to be done with the body and so I’m hoping my speedy expectations will come true. Whats more is that this pattern is a cropped cardigan, a style I usual steer clear of and have never actually knit. I hoping the 9 3/4″ body will feel like a cheat!
So on I go, knitting along with everyone else in the luvinthemommyhood community. I’ve also decided to use the momentum of this KAL to cast on another spring top, the idea of which began with this swatch….

Pattern : Divided Basket Pattern, by Noodlehead
Fabric : Pashmina by Sentimental Studios for Moda Fabrics
Notes : These baskest are amazing. As soon as I saw the pattern I knew I wanted to make a set. Like my knitting, I like to sew practical items – and whats better than cute storage?
For every step I had a little factory line going, as I knew I wanted to make more than one, and, as always, in sewing them up, I wanted to be as efficient as I could be. Like last time, these baskets were a first for a few things. I am no stranger to interfacing, and fusible at it’s best, but this was the first time I had used fusible fleece for extra support. Although sturdy, they are still squishy and I can already think of many uses for these guys around the house. I will definitely be making more. I love the coordinating exterior fabric and how the lining is simple – cheap calico – and that it matches perfectly with the rustic woven cotton handles.
Noodlehead‘s pattern is great – clear and instructive – and I’m excited to be slowly learning that there are just as many indie sewing designers out there as there are knitting designers! Who knew?! I’ll happily support them!
For now, these baskets find themselves on the shelves of an awaiting changing table, looking pretty – their ultimate use soon to be discovered.

Last spring I took part in my first ever KAL over at luvinthemommyhood. Rather than talk about how I didn’t actually finish my project, I want go on about how much fun I had cruising alongside the great bunch of people in the luvinthemommyhood community! Shannon hosts a handful of KALs spread over the year and the Spring Tops, Tanks and Tees KAL kicks off today! For weeks already the ravelry group has been brimming with ideas and cast on plans, so much so that I’ve changed my mind on which project I’ll work on about eight gazillion times!

I’ve settled with a pattern from the inspiring book by Gudrun Johnston and Quince & Co – Knit with Me. I didn’t think twice when I saw the patterns contained in this sweet collection, I had to have it on my shelf. Whilst I adore the chunky cable jacket on the front cover, Ambrosia, it is not a summer knit, and so it is my second favourite pattern in the book I will work on these next few weeks. Brock is a light little cardigan with a delicate chevron pattern wrapping around the yoke. The cropped body has a curved hem, and the sleeves – oh the sleeves – 3/4 length, slightly belled and then gathered at the cuff. My most local yarn store sadly closed at the end of last month, and in the final days I managed to pick up some of the softest Alpaca Wool Fingering from Frog Tree. It’s not my usual colour, but I’m up for something new.

So today we get to cast on – in fact I haven’t even swatched yet – and hopefully have it finished in the next few weeks, ready for summer evenings. I have work to do. Want to join us?

Within minutes of my Dad walking in through his own front door, finally home, I received the news I had been crossing every single finger for – IT FITS!
So to avoid my depressing previous post lingering around for too long I thought I should quickly share the good news, and the evidence that a) my mum is super speedy at weaving in ends and b) it fits. Oh so perfectly.*

*thanks to a few mods

Dad leaves the country tonight, but he left our house on Monday.
With him went the knitted sweater. Yes. I made it. Kinda of.
There are ends. Ends a plenty. I hope Mum doesn’t mind too much. She’ll probably do a better job at weaving them in anyway.
She’s smaller than me. Doesn’t have the wide shoulders, and not as tall. But she can’t be as small as this jacket. There is no way it is going to fit, especially at the arm holes, and certainly not over something. You know, like a jacket should.
I swatched. I got gauge. I finished in time (ish).

I copied the pattern to go over it again when I feel up to realising the mistake I made. The only thing I’m thinking is that I missed a repeat in the armhole shaping. But on all 5 pieces?

As you can see, I don’t really want to talk about it.

…and I’m still waiting for the miracle that it will fit and she loves it.