The "Tulips: A Colorful Cardigan for Baby", designed by the highly lovely and talented, Lindsay Pekny.....is a Dream in Color Design...and it is FANTASTIC!
Jackie and I decided, once we saw this sweater, that we HAD to make it. Jackie made hers first....and after hearing her rave reviews on the patterns' "Cheez-It" quality (can't stop eating/knitting it), I started my own on Sunday afternoon.
I finished it today. Only 2 days total of knitting and weaving in all the ends. If you love color, love knitting baby items and love something quick for instant gratification, YOU MUST KNIT THIS SWEATER!
No wonder the Yarn Harlot made 3 or 4 of them! I can easily make another one!
Now, Jackie thought that she had enough yarn left over after knitting this sweet cardigan to knit one more...I don't have a digital scale, so I can't tell how much, but I think I will buy one, just so I can see. I'm sure Jackie is right...though I have a history of running out of yarn. I used Knit Picks Swish Superwash for the yarn. At $3.29 a skein, the whole sweater (and possibly 2) is only around $26...plus the cost of the pattern. Jackie and I are thinking of swapping yarns around a bit so that we can each make another sweater out of the yarn, but in a different color sequence. Won't that be fun?? And economical. I'm sure that the Dream in Color yarn is fantastic, though....and the names of the colorways are sooo cute! (Like Happy Forest, Blue Lagoon, Spring Tickle, Giant Peach and Strange Harvest...I'm very curious about those yarns....!)
Okay, enough rambling....wanna see some pics of the sweater as it was knit???
Starting on the first three colors and the neck area..
Most of the back done...and colorwork
Tulip Sans Arms...
And, want to see something even MORE interesting???
Here is the whole cardigan INSIDE OUT!!!
Ian liked the sweater even more inside out...and the cool thing is that you could definitely use it that way, too. If you're pretty careful in sewing in the ends, anyway. The icord bind off and seed stitch make the sweater reversible (edging wise) and the reverse stockinette has a great texture. When you make your own, you can decide which you like the best.
Now, since you are my knitting buddies, I will share some little tips that I used while knitting this sweater that might help you:
-Use an open basket for holding all your yarns and arrange them in the order you want to use them.
(This one was inspired by Jackie)
-Use a row "clicker" around your neck to keep track of the color row changes and pen/paper for inc/decreases.
-When changing colors, leave a tail of at least 4 inches and make a slightly loose overhand tie with old and new yarn tails. After a few rows or rounds of knitting, you can go back and weave both ends in....making sure the end goes in the opposite direction (to avoid a hole) and you are weaving into the SAME COLOR!
-Keep your scissors and yarn needle out at all times, in easy reach...you'll need them pretty frequently
-I knit the icord/seed stitch edging BEFORE the sleeves. That is the opposite of the directions, but I found it to be the most helpful and didn't seem to make any difference in the pattern, except that the sleeves are the least pleasurable part of the whole sweater, so when I was done with those, I was completely done with the sweater.
-Take pics as you go along. It's wonderful to see the how one color can make the sweater look completely different.
Here is what I was going for with the colors that I chose:
Capri, Baby Blue and Deep Ocean-the sky above a beautiful garden.
Sunshine-the sun shining on the garden.
Ballerina, Bubblegum-the inside and outer petals of the tulip.
Dublin, Aloe-the leaves and stem.
Black-the wrought iron bench in the garden where you sit to look at the pretty tulips.
And, one more thing before I go....here are two pics of the photographs I had taken of the kids on Saturday...they are so fantastic framed! (Did I mention that the photographer had me sign release so that he could use these framed prints on the wall of Picture People????!!!! Isn't that fantastic!!)
and this one, which I love....
Hope you're having a great week.....tomorrow...Knitting Pool Party at my house! I can't wait!!! : )
12 comments:
That sweater is adorable! I think I might have to knit one, even though I don't have a baby to knit for right now.
Knitting pool party!?! I am so jealous. That sweater is super cute but I must get back to the lace. It is calling...very loudly!
Hey, Gina! Great sweater, you really did a nice job on it.
The pics of the boys are beautiful. What a treasure.
Wonderful sweater. Love the colors! Very clever to use some KnitPicks to be cheaper, but you need to try the Dream in Color. The colors are gorgeous and it's nice and soft.
Great sweater! We find out if Samm's having a boy or girl on the 11th - maybe I'll be starting one on the 12th :)
Tomorrow's going to be a great day for a knitting pool party! Have a great time; I know you will.
The framed photos are beautiful. I'm not surprised the photographer wants to use them. Did he at least give you one free?
What an ADORABLE sweater!!!!!!
Love the sweater!
The photos came out AWESOME! That's awesome that they'll use them in the store too! Did they offer you any "freebies" for using your photos in the store? My friend took her daughter in and they had her sign up to be a model (to use when they have new staff and such) and I think they give her a free framed pic whenever she goes in.
I love how your sweater came out! The colors you chose are so perfect together. Have fun tonight, I'll miss you guys.
those baby sweaters kill me, all of my nieces, nephews, and 2nd cousins are too grown up for those now! it also kind of looks cute as a vest-y idea without the sleeves...
the photos of your sons look fantastic, no wonder the photographer wanted to show them off, too.
The sweater is so cute. I've been dying for that pattern but I can't find anyone that has it available. Where did you get it????
The photos of the family are sweet.
OH GINA That sweater is precious! BUT the pictures of your boys is even better!! Such handsome guys!
I just ordered a kit for that baby sweater! I can't wait until it arrives & I can cast on. Yours looks so lovely.
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