Knittn' Yarns

Weekend Knitting

So we spent the weekend in Mankato with the in-laws. Which is always very relaxing, making it the perfect time for knitting. I finally picked up and finished a baby sweater I had started before Christmas. I figure since I am seeing my friend's new baby Emma next weekend I should probably have her gift ready.

Needless to say, I initially did not want to finish the sweater. I guess I was just not ready or experienced enough to knit with small needles and fine thread. It was so difficult to keep my tension even. The sweater is certainly a little bumpy, but it looks alright. Practice makes perfect right.

In fact I made this sweater once before using Rowan 4ply cotton yarn. That was a total mess. I decided to skip the swatch when using this yarn. Big mistake. The cotton yarn stretched and contorted. So in the end the sweater ended up being twice as large as it was suppose to be and the cotton knitted very uneven. Lesson learned.

The second time around the sweater went much smoother. While I still skipped making the swatch the yarn was luckily the correct gauge. Thinking back over the last few months I realize how much I have actually grow as a knitter. I am pretty sure it was this all happened when I made my first sweater. I just learned so much, not to mention I learned the importance of making a gauge swatch. It certainly does not feel like as much of a chore as it did before.

Regardless, the second time I made the sweater I used RY Cashsoft. I love this stuff. It is a merino wool and cashmere blend. Baby's first cashmere sweater, I haven't even received my first one yet. Anyways, while I still need practice with the small needles, it did knit up better and I think the yarn will be soft enough for the new babe's skin. The pattern came from Stitch n' Bitch Nation. This is a quick pattern, that you can certainly make over a weekend. Can't ask for more than a quick gift, great yarn and some relaxation time with the in-laws.

posted by Kelly @ Monday, January 30, 2006