249. Comfortable Baby Sweater

Knitting, project 249. Completed 6/8/2010

Cute and comfy

PATTERN
Adapted from instructions by Ranee Mueller (link). Pattern is marked “For Personal Use Only.”

MADE FOR A friend’s baby
SIZE: Newborn to 3 months, about 19 inches in circumference

MATERIALS
Yarn: 4.4 oz / 190 yards chunky yarn
2 balls Berroco Comfort Chunky (50% Super Fine Nylon, 50% Super Fine Acrylic). 3.5 oz / 100 g. 150 yds / 138 m. Color: 5701, Ivory.

Knitting Needles: US Size J-10 (6 mm), 16″ long circular needles and set of 5 double pointed needles (DPNs).

GAUGE: 4 sts per inch

NOTES
The original pattern called for two strands of yarn held together at gauge of 3.5 sts/inch; one of those yarns has been discontinued. I adapted Ranee’s original pattern for chunky yarn and specified the decreases to use (matching SSK and K2Tog decreases).

For a matching hat: try making one for 16-inch head size.

Nanette Top

Pieces on the blocking board

The finished top

Knitting, project 188. Completed 2/28/2009

Yarn: 800 yards lightweight cotton yarn: pattern called for White Lies Designs Treasure Island Cotton (100% cotton, 200 yards ea): 2 (2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins.
Used instead, held double — 9 balls Cascade Yarns Dolly (100% merino wool, made in Italy), extra fine, shrink resistant. 50 g / 1.76 oz, 140 m / 153 yds. Color 82 (red).

Needles: US 10.5 (6.5 mm) needles to get gauge
Pattern called for US 8 (5 mm) and 9 (5.5 mm) needles

Gauge: 3.5 sts and 4 rows = 1 inch in St st
14 sts and 16 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Stockinette st using larger needles

Pattern: By Joan McGowan-Michael, White Lies Designs
© White Lies Designs 2007 All rights reserved worldwide. http://www.whiteliesdesigns.com

Finished size: Size 40″ chest, 25″ length  — Added 1 inch to length

Leftover yarn: 1.7 oz (wound double), about 147 yards total (purchased 9 balls, used 8 for the project). Used 615 yds (of yarn held double)

Approximate cost: $53    $8.39 for pattern plus $7.89 per ball x 8 balls of yarn
Yarn on sale for 30% off ($44.18)

Notes: This was my first attempt at knitting with negative ease. I did end up retyping the pattern to correct a few math errors for my size (plus I prefer line-by-line instructions). The finished top is just great fitting. I really love the results. This is a great design.

Pattern author Joan McGown-Michael says:

This pretty shell top is simple to knit, but gives a lot of sexy bang for little effort! The large gauge yarn gives almost instant gratification and the easy shaping flatters womanly curves with a gathered sweetheart neckline and knit-in cap sleeves…. The garment is knitted with about 4.5″ of negative ease, but will easily stretch to fit the bust sizes [listed in the pattern].

Striped Pink Sweater (Child Size)

Knitting, project 165. Completed 9/30/2008.

For a 28-inch chest (size 4)

Stripes in red and pink

From Shrug to Cardigan

Knitting project, #141. Completed 11/17/2007.

I originally completed this shrug, knit with double-stranded Cascade 220, in the autumn of 2004.

But if it is cold enough to wear double-stranded wool, you really need a whole sweater. I reworked the shrug this fall. After major knitting surgery, it now looks like this…a cardigan:

I preserved 18″ of each sleeve and ripped out the middle. I reknit the yoke using Cathy Carron‘s Dewdrop pattern as a basis with the green yarn. (I found math errors in the pattern that had to be corrected). After knitting the remaining sweater body in brown and blue, I grafted on the sleeves. The next step was to rip back the cuffs so the sleeves were the right length. I re-did th cuffs in offset dot stitch and added a border from Candi Jensen to finish the sweater.

Top-Down Raglan with Waist Shaping

Knitting, project #135. Completed 9/7/2007.

Notes: Two months from start to finish to make a sweater for me, by me. This cotton/Lycra yarn is much more stretchy than wool. When wearing the sweater, the yoke stretched very wide, almost dropping off the shoulders. Adding rows of crochet around the neck fixed this.

Yarn: Breeze by Heirloom Yarns Australia. (30% Wool, 69.6% Cotton and 0.4% Lycra), 50 g, 95 m or 103.8 yds each
1075 yds (from 11 balls) MC: Color 009, Navy blue
52 yds (from 1 ball) CC: Color 007, Lt blue.

Needles and Hook:
US Size 9 (5.5 mm) circulars, 16″ and 32″
US size H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook

Gauge: 18 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches (4.5 sts and 6 rows per inch)

Finished Size: 1X. The sweater is 22″ across chest under the arms. Raglan line is 13″ long: Next time, the raglan line could be made shorter by 3 inches for a shorter armhole drop.

Pattern sources and inspiration

• Neck calculations for 2-stitch raglan lines: My Knitting Island
• Knitting Fool’s Simple Worked-From-The-Top Raglan Pullover Pattern Calculated by the Percentage Method
• Ribbing at waist: Inspired by several designs in Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel
• Waist shaping: Inspired by several sweaters and instructions in Big Girl Knits, particularly the Bombshell T-shirt by Stefanie Japel
• Waist shaping, used Lucia’s Magic Formula Sleeve calculator online
• Sleeve shaping, used Lucia’s Magic Formula Sleeve, Top Down calculator

Top-Down Toddler Raglan Crewneck

Knitting, project 133. Date completed: 6/30/2007

Sweater on a hanger, with the right arm folded up

Yarn: 250 yds bulky yarn. 2 balls Plymouth Yarn, Encore Colorspun Chunky (75% acrylic, 25% wool), 143 yds, 3.5 oz (100 g). Color 7128.

Hook and Needles:
US 8, 24-inch circular for body ribbing; DPN for sleeve ribbing
US 10, 24-inch circular for body; DPN for sleeves
US H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook for cast off

Gauge: 3.5 sts per inch; 4.5 rounds per inch

Pattern: Ann Norling pattern #53, Kid’s Basic: Top Down Raglan, by Gail Tanquary. You can buy it online from One Fine Yarn

Finished size: Size 1, 24-inch chest, 16-inch neck

Leftover yarn: 0.7 oz/19 g, about 28.6 yds

Approximate cost: $6.45 per ball ($12.90 for yarn; $11.60 for sweater)

Notes: I changed pattern to do sleeves in the round and avoid seaming. Lucia’s sleeve calculator was helpful

Newborn Baby Polo Shirt

Crochet, project 125. Date completed: 4/23/2007

A co-worker of mine recently adopted a baby girl. The yarn has pink without being too girly, and the cotton jacket is perfect for late spring and early summer. As a bonus for new parents, the “wooden” buttons are actually plastic, so the whole jacket is machine washable.

Pattern by Beverly A. Qualheim, updated March 12, 2007.

125 yds/2.5 oz worsted weight yarn: 2 balls Elmore-Pisgah brand Peaches & Crème (100% cotton), 2 oz/57 g, 98 yds/90 m. Color 182: Raspberry Swirl