baby sweater

I think every newborn needs a hand-knit, imperfect sweater, don't you?

(I used the baby sweater pattern in More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts - and it was simple to follow, which was lovely. Dare I say easier to make than Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket? (for me, at least) )

baby surprise jacket, second try

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket is a little better on my second try. Except the buttonholes - and that I didn't check the gauge and therefore what started as a sweet infant sweater fits my two year old. More on that after Melissa receives Margot's present...

The knitting continues... specifically, the quest to finish the perfect present for baby Margot, who hopefully slept really well last night?

The thing I love about knitting is how portable it is. Knit while the kids are playing in a friend's driveway; knit while you're riding in the car talking to the handsome man driving; unwind the huge knotted mass of string you accidentally made while having a meeting. Who knew this was such a great hobby? It's just what I need these days.

a story about my new hobby

I just completed my first knitting project that is not an ill-shaped, hole-ridden rectangle. Instead it's an ill-shaped, hole-ridden baby sweater, made from the Baby Surprise pattern by Elizabeth Zimmerman that I read about over on the Purl Bee. Mine does not quite look like Whit's or the picture on my DVD cover (I had to order the dvd that goes with the pattern - I am too much of a visual learner to have ever figured out anything beyond the basic garter stitch without seeing someone actually do it. Over and over and over. My poor family). I have no idea what happened to the collar on mine, or the three inches on either side of the front where there are supposed to be buttons and button-holes. But who cares!! I'm just excited that me and my sore knitting fingers (see below)



(OK, so you can't actually tell from this picture how sore they are. But at one point I really did get a knitting needle blister) actually finished. And dang it, I'm starting a new one tonight. New babies I know, watch out.