A Spring Baby Sweater

It's been a long time since I've featured baby clothes.  I've been too focused on the Mitten Project!  Sorry!  It's time to remedy that.  This sweater, Baby Pullover-Cardigan, is by Claudia Olson.  It's about the most joyful baby sweater I've seen in ages!  The combo of the pattern and the colorway combine for a fabulous effect.  And Ms. Olson is generous enough to offer this patten, and several others, free of charge.  (Thank you very much!)

This sweater can be knit as a cardi or as a pullover, and changing the colorway makes it a pretty versatile piece if you're into a more subdued palette. (Seriously, though, it's fun to find a variegated yarn based on the most common colors in your child's wardrobe.  Then they can wear it with everything, and it doesn't have to be a neutral solid.)  Knit side to side, it makes an easy project for even a very new knitter.  If you haven't knit a garment side to side, try it!  It offers very cool design possibilities.

As every mom knows, finding a spring sweater that your child doesn't want to play with or take off is a real coup.  That makes the fact hat this can be a pullover or a cardi a huge benefit.  (Pullovers are much harder to take off!)  If you choose to make it, let Claudia know on Ravelry.  I'm sure she'd enjoy seeing your photos!

Inspiration

I went out to a diner for breakfast the other day.  It was close to a SUNY Buffalo campus well known for its high percentage of foreign students.  I liked people watching, and the international and multicultural scene playing out over coffee and eggs. 

I noticed was that most couples and groups were of mixed nationalities, and each kid was dressed in a unique way. There were sweats of various vintages and styles, and occassionally absurd numbers of layers, but mostly real individuality.  Why don't adults dress this way?

One Asian girl had a sweater that looked handmade, and it was a long-sleeved crew-necked sweater with built-in mittens!  The sleeves had sock style ends, with a hole for your hand to poke out for practical things, and poke back in for the cold.  The colorwork was at unlikely angles in random sizes.  Cute as heck.

A guy with a Slavic accent had one of the widest knitted scarves I've ever seen on a man, in a mix of very deep and vivid greens.  It was very long, and wrapped several times, and worn over a gorgeous grey sweater with deeply carved cables.  It was probably the warmest looking combo I saw.

Maybe the most fun were the knitted hats.  There were Andean caps with earflaps and tassels, slouchy tams, watch caps, stocking caps and newsboys.  There were stripes, solids, cables, lace, pom poms, tassels, and appliques.  There were skull and crossbones, flowers, and nordic designs.  The colors were fabulous.  More was more, and the effect was cool and unique. 

It would have made a great magazine shoot for a knitting mag.  (Where are the camera crews when you need them?)  It was great inspiration to design.  The possibilities are endless!  Leave it to the kids to teach an old dog new looks.

Cozy Sweater Pattern for the Chill in the Air

The weather is wintry, with frost on the grass and the cars every morning.  Coffee and cocoa are replacing iced tea and lemonade.  All the little drafts in the house are evident once again, and the coziest throw in the family room is always in use.  This sweater pattern is cozy and quick, and will make a great addition to your wardrobe or make a great gift.  (Note: pattern is listed in CENTIMETERS.  There is a link to INCHES)

Alpaca is the warmest fiber, and in bulky makes an outer layer like a jacket.  If you want a lighter layer, make it in worsted weight, or in wool or acrylic.  Any of our bulky weight varigated yarns will make this project sing. For a different look, make it in a solid.

Because it's knit on 8's it knits up pretty quickly. Its rated as EASY by the designer/manufacturer.  And if you need a hand, ask a Knit Doctor at Karma.  We'll be happy to give you hand!