My dear friend Erin has a brand new niece! I picked up some sweetgeorgia Superwash Merino in Savory (a nice, vibrant colour for a baby, I think) and knit up a cardi and hat set for little Madeline. The cardi is Debbie Bliss‘ Ribbed Baby Jacket and the hat is my go-to pattern for baby hats – the Umbilical Cord Hat from Stitch ‘N Bitch.
Six skeins of Burly Spun made a very fine birthday present indeed! Stealthily purchased at The Knit Cafe and just the thing for the Sweet Pea Coat in the Winter 2008 issue of Twist Collective. I’m racing to finish Melissa LaBarre’s Garter Yoke Cardigan before I start though – one and a half sleeves to go and I’ll be ready to share! I can hardly wait to wear it.
These are some of my more bizarre projects, I admit it. But I was perusing other knit blogs shortly after the New Year, admiring mosaics of 2008 projects, and these puppy knits came to mind. So, for your enjoyment and perhaps, bewilderment, my puppy knits of 2008! Above is Trump, looking very handsome in an alpaca kerchief.
And Donna rather reluctantly posing in a camouflage jacket. Just the thing for a standard poodle living on Vancouver Island! This was my first puppy project – and I think I might be cheating with this one – it was finished in December 2007. The pattern is the howl of the Cowl and Howl set in Stitch ‘N Bitch.
Photo courtesy of K. Mossop
I still have mixed feelings when I look at this one. It was my first attempt at fulling. For a long time I suspected the wool was mislabelled, and that it wasn’t 100% wool but a wily synthetic. It’s taken a long time, but I am now willing to admit that I may have not taken the fulling process far enough. I ended up having to do a bit of a tailoring job when I was too tired to scour any longer. But Mr. Baggins is doing me proud. He looks quite dapper actually.
This is an unbelievably tiny sweater. So tiny I’m having trouble picturing a person small enough to fit in it. A six-12 month old Albertan will be wearing it soon enough though! The pattern is from Debbie Bliss‘ The Baby Knits Book. A straight-forward cardigan knit in moss and stockinette stitches with cabling throughout and inset pockets.
I really love these vintage mother of pearl buttons (courtesy of Etsy). And furthering my crusade to dress babies everywhere in luxurious materials, cashmerino aran was perfect for this little sweater! 55% merino wool, 33% microfibre and 12% cashmere. Yummy!