The Grand Unveiling
Last winter, my friend Jen told me that she was expecting her fifth child -- and first girl.
Her announcement touched off a frenzy of planning. I knew I was going to knit her a sweater, but it had to be extra-special. I rifled through my pattern books, I surfed the Net for hours, and after due consideration decided to make Jen's girl a Trellis cardigan out of plum-colored All Seasons Cotton. Jen's boys are always the Epitome of Prep, so I thought a cabled sweater in a girly color would be just the ticket. I ordered the yarn from one of my favoritedealers vendors, printed the pattern .... and waited.
Because I am slightly superstitious, I almost never start baby presents until the baby in question has been born. The yarn for Trellis was burning a hole in my stash, but I held off knitting until late September, when I received news of Baby A's safe arrival.
I had an inch or so of the back done when I received the first pictures of A.
Now remember, she's the first girl after four boys. The child was wearing a leopard print jacket and had a huge organza bow in her hair. Her mother has been longing for a child who will wear floral prints, and now that the time has come .... well. Let's just say that a dam appears to have burst.
I went back to the drawing board, and decided that what I wanted to knit for A was a swingy sweater with a smocked top. Nothing of the sort appeared in any of my pattern books, so I was about to sit down with pencil and paper and design my own when I made one last trip to my LYS. I pulled out Rowan's Tadpoles and Tiddlers, and there it was .... Busy Lizzy. A bit too busy, to my eye (as written the pattern has intarsia flowers on the hem and collar*), but otherwise perfect.
I have to tell you ... I've made some pretty cute sweaters in my time, but this one? This Not-So-Busy Lizzie?
This one beats them all.
* Apparently in England, impatiens are called "Busy Lizzies". Hence the name.
Her announcement touched off a frenzy of planning. I knew I was going to knit her a sweater, but it had to be extra-special. I rifled through my pattern books, I surfed the Net for hours, and after due consideration decided to make Jen's girl a Trellis cardigan out of plum-colored All Seasons Cotton. Jen's boys are always the Epitome of Prep, so I thought a cabled sweater in a girly color would be just the ticket. I ordered the yarn from one of my favorite
Because I am slightly superstitious, I almost never start baby presents until the baby in question has been born. The yarn for Trellis was burning a hole in my stash, but I held off knitting until late September, when I received news of Baby A's safe arrival.
I had an inch or so of the back done when I received the first pictures of A.
Now remember, she's the first girl after four boys. The child was wearing a leopard print jacket and had a huge organza bow in her hair. Her mother has been longing for a child who will wear floral prints, and now that the time has come .... well. Let's just say that a dam appears to have burst.
I went back to the drawing board, and decided that what I wanted to knit for A was a swingy sweater with a smocked top. Nothing of the sort appeared in any of my pattern books, so I was about to sit down with pencil and paper and design my own when I made one last trip to my LYS. I pulled out Rowan's Tadpoles and Tiddlers, and there it was .... Busy Lizzy. A bit too busy, to my eye (as written the pattern has intarsia flowers on the hem and collar*), but otherwise perfect.
I have to tell you ... I've made some pretty cute sweaters in my time, but this one? This Not-So-Busy Lizzie?
This one beats them all.
-- click the photo for a closer look --
pattern: Busy Lizzy (from Rowan's Tadpoles and Tiddlers)
yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (#07 "Fuchsia")
* Apparently in England, impatiens are called "Busy Lizzies". Hence the name.
posted by Ruth at 7:27 AM
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