Finished!

I finished the Baby Surplice Jacket, last night! :) It is very cute and will probably be the next baby shower gift that I need. The size came out 0-3 months, I’m guessing. However, the garment stretches so much that it may even go up to 6 months! The bottom band had buttonholes all the way around so that it can be buttoned with the ends close together in the back or barely overlapping in the front, allowing for a wide size range. It is very boyish, in its blue and brown. My SIL likes the more muted colors and is expecting within the next month. This little sweater is knit in Elann’s Esprit which is cotton and also contains some elastic to help keep its shape. I’m sure they’ll machine wash it, but I’m hoping she’ll be willing to keep it out of the dryer.
On the whole, I’m pretty easy going, even with hand knits: if a person loses or ruins a piece, it was theirs to do so. I don’t get really upset, when it doesn’t go well and still do knit for the person as long as they at least like what I gave. On the other hand, I always love to hear that an item I made is worn often and cared for lovingly. I expect this one will fall some where in the middle. Yarn choice came into this equation quite well. I do expect the cotton/elastic combination to wear well, even if put into the heat of the clothes drier. The label says to hand wash and lay flat to dry. I know that elastics last longer when taken care of like this, but doubt that I’d go to that much effort for a mostly cotton sweater. I’m sure they’ll get months of use out of it and that it will keep him warm and cozy.

In other news, I ordered the yarn to knit Arietta about a week ago. I received it and cast on immediately. After finishing the ribbing and a bit of the chart, I decided that the colors I had chosen were not quite working. The dark brown and the blue are too dark to go with all the other colors. So, earlier this week, I ordered a lighter blue and another shade of tan that I expected to be between the 2 colors shown. You might be able to tell where this is heading...When I received the new shipment, yesterday, the light brown looks like a different dye lot of the same one shown here! They won't work together because the difference is too slight. Today, I ordered again, but this time chose pink. I was always a little sad that they designer didn't have that color in there with all the other lovelies! :) The second photo is of the colors that I have as of yesterday.

Swing Cardi Progress

I've been knitting oway on this project for Elann. It is the Swing Cardigan from Vogue's Summer 2007 issue. I'm not particuarly in love with the pattern, but it is simple, mostly stockinette stitch and I can easily work on it in the van pool while commuting. At this point, I have the back, both fronts and one sleeve finished. The neck band is knit seperately and then sewn on, and will be the last piece that I knit. Its going well, but I have been taking time to work on other projects as well. I have almost finished a Baby Surplice Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I found the pattern in the same magazine as the cardigan. It has been a fun, quick knit and I just have a few rows left to the cuff of the sleeve. (I have chosen to add the optional extra rows to a turn back cuff so that it can be worn longer.)