6th February 2020
Finished notes: It’s a top down pattern so I kept going to make it bigger. It’s too big now because (ha ha ha, typical) I didn’t count my stitches properly. Never mind. Children grow huh.
I looked at other patterns for dimensions (i.e. sleeves and body length) and it should fit a 3-4 year old (little sweetie pie is just two!). Using the other design mentioned above for the hood, I picked up stitches behind the collar to begin and cut the collar off later, binding it in black. It worked just fine and looks nice. The collar makes it special.
Also, I forgot to keep adding buttonholes (idiot!) so sewed the three I did remember closed, stitched a ribbon on the back (which makes it sturdier anyway) and hammered on metal studs. I dabbed a gloop of Fray Setter over the holes I made in the ribbon just to be sure it didn’t pull apart.
On the hood front I continued knitting the garter stitch band and sewed it back on itself to accomodate a cord. The cord is Knitting Nancy style, with a little hand turned machine I have (not your old nails on a cotton reel style). I-cord would have done but this is good too and quick.
The whole of it is with stash. I delved into my Spindrift for some extra blue (doubled) when the one ball of blue ran out but it was still stash.
OK, I confess, I bought the black! Only because the very old black crepe I had from Grandma (45 years old) seemed a risk after a couple of rows. As in a bit frail.
The colours are quite deep and the blue gives it a fantastic boost. Nice combo of brights and drabs.
He’s a reddish blondey fair brown haired lad so it will suit him well. Little darling!
19th January 2020
I’ve had this pattern waiting so long that now the largest size will only fit for the shortest time, so I’m going to add increase rows before splitting for the sleeves. The beauty of top-down.
This Bendigo 8ply is not the softest wool, but it’s practical for a toddlers needs and the colours are lovely.