Vacation day 3

So, just a little update on what I got done of my list. I finished the sweater for my boss's baby just in time to present it next week. It's even blocked and dry. Hopefully today when we are out running errands I can drop by the Archivers store and pick up some nice wrapping paper.

Here's the details for those who care about such things:


Pattern: Louise Cardigan from Vintage Baby Knits
Yarn: Baby Bee Sweet Delight Pomp in the Iris Dream colorway
Needles: size 4 Knitpicks circular

This is the second pattern that I've knit from this book and so far I've been very pleased with how easy they are to follow. There was one wonky bit after I rejoined the sleeves that I think the smallest size had a mistake. I recounted my stitches multiple times and had the right count but then the next row called for one less stitch so I just decreased it. I'm guessing there was probably errata out there for it but I was knitting much of this on plane trips to Baltimore so I didn't have internet access at the time to check. I love all the little details on these vintage patterns though. The great stitch pattern on the neckline and the picot edging are just so sweet!



The yarn was definitely nothing to write home about. I got it in a swap so I wanted to use it and I didn't want to add more yarn to the stash even if it was for a planned project. The label said it was bulky weight but it was sport weight at best since knitting it up on a size four needle yielded a very normal looking fabric. If it were truly bulky that sweater would be able to stand up on its own knitted at that gauge. There's also a little sparkly strand plied with the yarn and it is really easy to miss that strand or separate it while knitting. I had no idea what my boss or his wife would want in terms of garment care though so I went with something that could be washed easily and would hold up well.

I found the buttons at JoAnn Fabrics and I think they are just perfect for it. Nice and simple with a good roundness-I think they look a bit antique like little pearls which fits in with the vintage aesthetic. While I made the 0-3 month size I think the A-line shape gives it lots of room so hopefully she'll be able to wear this for a good long while.

I also accomplished getting my two yarn stash shelves a bit more organized and am working through repairing my sock heels. I grafted one of them but I did it too tightly so I have to rip the graft out and redo it loosely. I'm excited that my repair worked though. I basically picked the strongest row that was above the hole, which turned out to be the row where I rejoined for knitting the gusset. I figured it would be just as easy to rip back to the heel flap and reknit the short rows and then graft together. It worked great! Many thanks to the Knitpicks ladies for their wonderful youtube videos on sock repair. While I didn't use their exact techniques, they did give me the confidence to rip back my knitting and repair. Now I will have three pairs of socks back in my drawer as soon as I get through it. Like they said you may as well put in 15-30 minutes repairing when you probably spent at least a week knitting the darn things in the first place! For anyone who is curious, here are the links to the videos.

Introduction
Patching: Part 1
Patching: Part 2
Swiss Darning: Part 1
Swiss Darning: Part 2
The Accidental Hole: Part 1
The Accidental Hole: Part 2

I spent yesterday with Mom and Maegwin doing a stamp camp which I hadn't been to in a while. Maegwin was so well behaved and took a huge nap in the middle so I got all my cards done. All I have is one gift box to assemble. Really I didn't think I would get that much accomplished so I was very happy. We went to dinner after and Maegwin charmed the pants off of everyone. She sat in her high chair and said hi to every person that passed by. Her cheerful sweetness is infectious! She's been doing lots of baby signs for us and I'm trying to capture it on video so as soon as I do I will share it with everyone. She can do more, milk, all done, mommy, daddy, please, and thank you. She gets this huge grin on her face while doing it too. I think she is happy to be able to communicate her needs to us and be understood.

More to come soon! Hopefully tomorrow I will have a new pair of completed socks to share.