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

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.

Wrap1K or (How to Prevent Holes in Your Knitting When Turning Mid-Row)

This is a method that I use in a lot of my patterns. (Looking through I really do use it a lot. You can find it in Spiral Shell, Conker, Cricket, Henrietta 2CV, Lizard, Minnow, Sand Dollar, Stanley Spider, and Vintage Tractor.) I guess I like this method! So I thought that a photo tutorial might be helpful for those who haven't come across it before. 

Looking on YouTube I see there are other ways of turning mid-row. To me they seem more complicated, so this is the way I recommend if you are knitting any of my patterns. It is fairly straightforward, and once you have done a few turns you should not need the tutorial any more.

Knitting just part way across a row, and then turning back, is one way to add shaping to a knit. If you looks at my Spiral Shell you will see what a good method this can be, as all the shaping here is done by this method. 

If you use this wrap method when turning to knit back you will not get any holes in your work.  I have used this method in my new pattern Tundra Baby Shoes, and although I explain it in the notes, I thought some photos might make it clearer. In this pattern I am knitting (garter stitch), but this method works when you are doing stocking stitch as well.

The bright wool and needles seemed the best way for the photos to be fairly clear.

Here I am having knit part way across a row.

I bring the wool to the front of the knitting.

I slip a stitch from the left to right needle as if purling.

Then I move the wool to the back of the work.

The same stitch is slipped back to the left needle.

Hard to photograph, but here the work has been turned over so I am about to knit back the way I have just come. You can see that the wool has gone half way round the stitch.

I move the wool to the back to the knitting, ready to knit back the way I have come. Now the wool has wrapped the whole way around the wrap stitch. I knit back to the edge.

You can see hear that I have knitted just part way across the row and back.