Monday, September 25, 2006

A Most Egregious Oversight

It was recently pointed out that I had forgotten to bore you to tears show off the end result of the Debbie Bliss “beaded” Fair Isle baby sweater.

I put “beaded” in quotes because…though directed to by DB…I did not add beads to the sweater. This was because I could not find beads that looked good with the yarns I was using.

So, without further ado…here is the sweater, modeled by the lovely Ms. Baby:

Ms. Baby Strikes A Pose

And with the assistance of Danger Mouse (and her muffin), here is the back of the sweater:

Danger Mouse Threatens Sweater with Muffin – film at 11!

Notes on the sweater:

It knit up (relatively) quickly. I had to go down a few needle sizes to get gauge with my substituted yarn, which has made it a bit less drape-y than I think it would have been in the original cashmerino.

The yoke part felt really, really, really weird at first. Basically, you do all the sweater shaping below the colored parts, then pick up and knit the yoke. I’m sure people who do these all the time are going, “Duh”, but it felt just kinda wrong to me. I had to just follow the instructions and have faith until I had all the stitches picked up. Then I went, “Oooooooh, I seeeeeeee” and it all made sense.

There is a wee little line beneath the yoke, all the way around. It looks a little bit like a seam. I’ve done more than a bit of picking up stitches, so I think it looks pretty neat; I suspect that a couple years ago, when I hadn’t done so many necklines and heel gussets, it might have been somewhat, um, ugly.

Notes on the child:

Yes. She is very cute. Also, she was told at least twelve times to keep that muffin at the table. Note that she has not. Also, she did her ‘sight words’ homework rather well today, and we are very proud. That she was bribed with the treat basket to do them is beside the point. She did them. And also? ‘Write’ is a very tricky word. Tricky, tricky, tricky.

Notes on Ms. Baby:

She is older than Danger Mouse. She is also very patient – Eldest did not pick her as ‘special-est’. Nor did Danger Mouse. No. Ms. Baby had to wait for Boo Bug to turn two before she finally achieved status of ‘never in danger of going into the Goodwill sack’.

She has put up with being dressed up in the darndest things, including, yes, baby sweaters that are miles too big for her. She is roughly half the size of an actual newborn, and has modeled everything from preemie sets to things that were supposed to be for a six month old. She takes this with a grain of salt and never makes rude faces at the camera.

She’s a very easy star to work with. Unlike the Denizens, who will immediately dissolve into the giggles or grit their teeth or otherwise ensure their pictures make them look like demented little weasels.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My own children have that same selective hearing ability. I tell them five thousand times to do something and they don't hear me; but let me once agree to some outrageous request, and I will hear forever, "But on August 1, 1996, you PROMISED...."

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this!!!
The sweater tured out just beautiful! You must have been pleased. :)
I am really excited to make this pattern now...although I am a bit nervous now about picking up stiches....I think I will have to practice!