Christmas Sweater 2014

Last week we met up with my friend Marianne to take our yearly family photo. I managed to finish D's Christmas Sweater just in time (like, that morning). While he won't wear it again "officially" until Christmas, I like him to be able to wear in for the photo as that's what I use for Christmas cards. 

Photo copyright Marianne Barta

This year's sweater (you can see the first two sweaters here) is knit in a sport weight alpaca. The color work  is relatively simple with only a couple rows that use 3 colors. I'm super excited about this design and think he looks just so handsome in it :) The pattern is off with the tech editor and will be available soon!

There's also still time to enter the Eucalan giveaway!

Mustill

I've been meaning to share this new pattern with you but things have just been getting away from me lately. Allow me to introduce a new children's pullover, Mustill. 

I designed this sweater to be D's Christmas Sweater this year. It a couple extra inches of positive ease built in for a relaxed fit that is easy to wear. D is modeling the size 2 which has a finished chest circumference of 24" (61 cm). 

The yarn used was Manos del Uruguay Serena. At my LYS it was listed as a dk weight, which it definitely is not. The gauge on this project is 28 sts = 4" on size 3 (3.25mm) needles. I'd call that more of a fingering weight. But I still love it. It's an alpaca/cotton blend which make the yarn smoother, less alpaca-y tidbits floating up to itch your nose. And the alpaca keeps the yarn soft and easy to work with. 

If you're worried about a crew neck with little ones, fear not. There's a button flap worked into the the last third of the yoke to make getting this gem on and off a breeze. 

The pattern is written for sizes 6 months to 12 so make one for every kiddo in your family! 

 You can get this pattern in my Ravelry store for $5.00.

Happy knitting!

Christmas Sweater: Take One

As I mentioned previously, since it was D's first Christmas, I decided my new tradition would be to knit him a Christmas sweater (from now until he's 100, as I told my husband). I think this will be a great tradition. Although he may not think so around the age of 15, which will be the year of the intarsia Rudolph...

Anyway, I knit this little beaut out of Cephalopod Yarns Traveler in the color Arkham. I was aiming for fisherman-style and think I pulled it off pretty well. I knit it a little bigger than what he actually wears, hoping it will fit though the winter. He's almost 4 months old and is already starting to break into the 9month-sized clothes.

I kept pretty good notes while creating this gem and will hopefully be publishing the pattern soon.

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday!