Babysuit and Hat

I've been knitting baby clothes, as my niece has had a new baby, and my nephew and his wife are also expecting. I thought I would have a go at knitting an all-in-one babysuit. I've not done this before, and am thinking I might have a go at a pattern. It was really quite a quick knit, and with wool left over I decided I would make a hat to go with it.

But what to do if you don't have a baby model? My first two models were considered a little creepy by my family, especially the doll. And although my cat was very patient, she does look a bit fed up. I did think a grapefruit might be good or even one of the pumpkins in my veg plot might work, but in the fourth picture I just padded out the hat with some tissue paper.

I've worked out this hat in three sizes, so there will be a bit more knitting before I publish the pattern. 

But this morning I got a photo of the perfect model!

 

Windy Day Baby Cardigan

 

I've been hinting for a little while that I've been working on a garment, and I am at last ready to publish my new baby cardigan pattern. For quite a while I had the idea to knit a cardigan in just one piece, really with the idea of minimising the sewing up, which a lot of people seem to really hate.

 

It has taken quite a while to get this pattern done, but it finally written up in 3 sizes (0-3 months, 3-6 months, and 6-9 months). I really wanted to write my pattern this time with the instructions for each size in brackets, but some how I couldn't manage this, so each size is written out separately, so you get a lot of pages in your pattern. The other complication is that the wrap over is different for boy/girl. Instead of writing these out separately, which would have made the pattern even longer, there are instructions for shaping, and at the end of each size instructions on which rows to make your buttonholes for either a boy or girl.

For some of my test knits I was in London, with my button supplies, but for the one above I had the added problem of no buttons available. When you can only go out for essential shopping, it does make you wonder about the definition of essential. So with a bit of help from my husband the buttons you can see above were handmade from some applewood. I am in the process of making some more of these for my shop, and will write about this more in another post.

Knitted in Rico Baby Classic dk Light Grey

 

You could knit this cardigan with any double knit wool, but I would recommend using Rico Baby Classic dk, or James C. Brett Baby Marble. I have almost finished another cardigan in the second wool, and will post a few pictures in a day or so. 

On some of my samples I have added a bit of embroidery on the neckline. This isn't included in the pattern, but there are tips on my blog on how to use some simple embroidery stitches on your knitting.

So the pattern for the Windy Day Baby Cardigan will be available on ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting later today. Fortunately a have had quite a few baby births among my friends and family, so all these cardigans have found homes. 

 

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for February. I would love to see what you have been working on.

 
 

 

Tundra Baby Vest Pattern

At last I have my new pattern ready to publish - Tundra Baby Vest. It has taken a little while, as you will see there are different wrapovers for boy or girl, and two different sizes 0-3 months Newborn, or 3-6 months Older Baby. The pattern contains some pictures to show how the boy/girl versions differ. These samples are knitted from James C. Brett Marble Doubleknit. I love these vibrant colours, but the same wool maker also does a Baby Marble Doubleknit or Baby Marble, if you want something more traditional. (I have put links to LoveKnitting where I see some of these wools are in a sale.)  

The knitting for this vest is not terrible hard, but I think it makes a really cosy and pretty top. I am toying with the idea of larger sizes, or a version with arms, but for the moment I think I need to make something a bit more seasonal.  The main sections are knitted in rib, which make it very warm and stretchy. The neck is finished off with a length of icord. You could leave this off, put it is not hard to do, and I think gives it a neat looking finish. I managed to find cute little toggles, although you could use buttons.

It is getting colder here in the UK; There has been some frost on the window panes in the early morning.  I quite fancy wearing a cosy knitted body warmer myself.
 

Boy Wrapover

Girl Tundra Baby Vest - Newborn and Older Sizes

The pattern is available on Craftsy, ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting at present.

Tundra Baby Vest

What has been going on with my knitting and blogging? I seem to have slowed down, and I am not one of those speedy knitters to begin with. It is a little to do with all the sock knitting that I have been doing. Socks are quite time consuming, but incredibly satisfying. 

Also I have been working quite hard on a new pattern for an baby garment. 

Here is a sneaky peek. I was inspired by once again becoming a great aunt, and also by this gorgeous wool. It is James C. Brett, DK Marble. I originally bought it with the idea that I could make myself a hat. (I'm not quite sure what happened to that idea.) I think it is a really good wool for a baby garment, as it comes in interesting colourways, and is washable. Knitted up this ball reminds me so much of a wintery sky and the northern lights.  

I think babies can look great in bright primaries or more unusual shades, and don't just have to wear white or pastel colours. But if you want to knit it in a paler shade there is also a range of James C. Brett Baby Marble DK.

My baby vest top is simple in structure, and I think it has a slightly Japanese feel. I had the same idea when I designed my Tundra and Wrap Around baby shoes. I hope that the simple shapes mean that the beautiful colours in the wool can spring to the fore. Unlike many knits the main sections are knitted in rib, which I think gives more thickness and some stretchiness as baby grows. The placket for the buttons or toggles is in garter stitch.

The pattern will be out soon, and will come in three different baby sizes. So just a bit more testing to do .... Off out to buy some more wool.

Northern Lights Dress and Intarsia Knitting

The idea for this design came from the beautiful colours in the wool (James Brett), and also that I sort of love Polar Bears. I knitted a polar bear sample square a while ago, with the idea of using it on a garment. I have an idea for a polar bear hat, possibly with smaller bears.

The dress/top pattern is basically the smallest version of my Baby Daisy Dress, and although I love the finished result, I've decided not to publish this polar bear version as a pattern, mainly because it was such a tricky knit. I thought the snowflakes would make it a bit easier, as the white wool is carried across the back on the blue parts, but the blue is not carried behind most of the bear (except on the leg section), as it was such dark wool it would show. 

Here is a photo of the chart that I made to use on this design. As you can see it all gets a bit scrappy. When I make a chart it usually involves a lot of tracing paper and transposing marks. There is also then the problem of how to get a large chart into a pattern document. (I had the same problem with my Tree Cushion, where the chart was absolutely enormous.) 

There must be an easier way to make a chart I thought, and with a bit of surfing around, I have found it. The Knitting Site has software to convert any digital picture into a knitting chart. You can scale the chart up or down, according to the wool you are using and how much detail you want in your design. So although I didn't use it for this bear, and can see myself coming back here for some other intarsia designs.

And here is the little lady wearing it ...

Baby Daisy Dress

My new pattern has taken quite a bit of thought. I love dresses with a yoke, and I also love moss stitch. So to combine the two took a bit of working out. I also love fair isle, but not the really tricky kind. So the fair isle daisies are pretty, but quite easy to follow.

So my Baby Daisy Dress incorporates all of these, but is still a fairly easy knit. The pattern comes in two sizes (0-3 months and 3-6 months) which is why it has taken me so long to produce. It even has a proper tension square.

I like baby clothes not in the traditional blue/pink, which is why I went for this gentle green. (This may be a bit radical, but I also think baby girls can look pretty in blue, and I like babies in dark colours.)

I have photographed it hung on my new willow screen, which hubby put up to hide a rather the neighbour's ugly fence. I thought it made a rather cool backdrop. 

It is knitted in Aran wool, which makes it a fairly quick knit. The front and back are the same. If you don't like the daisy pattern it would be quite easy to knit it plain, or come up with your own pattern. I will be posting about another version of this dress with an interesting intarsia design in a few days.

This dress has gone to its new owner, whose Mum's favourite colour is green!

And here it is knitted in the smaller size, using Rowan Felted Tweed Aran wool.

The pattern for Baby Daisy Dress is available on ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting.