Here’s the second part of the big reveal where I can share some secret knitting now that Younger Soknitsome Daughter’s daughter has arrived.
Planning ahead I knitted a cardigan for a 12-month old child. Since a baby/toddler of that age is moving around and not lying still I thought that it would be more practical to have buttons all the way down. This avoids having cardigan fronts that can flap and get in the way. The pattern is a freebie from Ravelry: Little Avery by Taiga Hilliard Designs and it’s a seamless top-down knit. Like the little red jumper in the previous post, this is knitted in Australian machine washable wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills: Luxury 8-ply.
The biggest item I knitted was a baby blanket. This is Twinkle Twinkle Baby Blanket by Helen Stewart. I thought Younger Soknitsome Daughter might appreciate something she could use and wash with abandon rather than a more traditional lacy shawl or blanket that would need space and time for blocking after each wash.
Younger Soknitsome Daughter likes purple and as I wanted a unisex colour this yarn looked perfect. It’s another yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills – a blend of wool and bamboo – and has a lovely sheen to it. I struggled slightly with the pattern as there was no way my swatches were blocking out to the size and tension of the pattern. (A common remark on projects is that this blanket turns out smaller than the original). I even knitted squares with various needle sizes and left them out for pondering while I knitted something else. In the end, I went with the recommended needle size since I preferred the finished fabric.
To replicate Younger Soknitsome’s laundry practice, I just hung the blanket over a drying rack and was very happy to see the final size after washing. It grew but without becoming loose and floppy. There are photos of the little one wrapped up in her blanket but these are my daughter’s pictures.
(Images link to Ravelry project pages)
Thanks for the info re the buttons. I love the blanket.
LikeLike
Thank you! There are many patterns for cardigans with just buttons at the top and although they look lovely, I’m not convinced it’s what little kiddies need!
LikeLike
Lovely to see the blanket spread out. I had the privilege of seeing a photo of the little one wrapped up, but here I can really see the pattern. It’s beautiful! A really nice choice for a winter baby. Lucky baby with her knitting granny! ❤
(Another thing about those lacy ones: tiny fingers and toes tend to get tangled up easily!)
LikeLike
Thank you! Yes, you see the texture better when the blanket’s spread out. And being part bamboo, it’s not suffocatingly hot either.
LikeLike
Beautiful, also the last lot you posted. You have been very busy and both mum and baby should be very happy.
LikeLike
Thanks. This was all done before the end of last year. The knitting’s slowed down a bit now.
LikeLike
Well done! Love the colors you’ve chosen!
LikeLike
Thank you. I was keen to stay away from pastels.
LikeLike
What lovely items. I am sure they will be used and cherished.
LikeLike
Thanks. The blanket has already been used a lot so that’s good 🙂
LikeLike
Oh lovely knits! I love the cardigan! It looks so comfy..
LikeLike
Thank you. The cardigan should be great for next winter.
LikeLike
The little baby cardigan is just adorable, and the blanket is gorgeous – and a very pretty colour too.
LikeLike
Thank you very much!
LikeLike