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A small sweater coat for cool nights and chilly days….. my first knitting pattern is
now available on Ravelry! I tried to keep the pattern straightforward like the kimono and sundress patterns, but it is really a challenge for me to distill knitting into words. Hopefully I was successful and knitters will find the pattern a simple, gratifying knit.
Like my sewing creations, this little coat started as a request from my sister. And as Floria grew, another was requested…. pretty soon the boys each wanted one. And now, the neighbors’ kids want ‘em!
** I updated the pattern size info as well as added a bit more info.
If you are a knitter who would like this pattern, but you’re not on Ravelry, please feel free to email me at afinlarc at yahoo dot com.
I’m making another zip hoodie, this time for a friend. And what would otherwise be a bit of a sad process, will instead be fun and entertaining as I force myself to write down the pattern and share it with you!
I’ve never written a knitting pattern, and I’m not an expert at following them. But, I hope I can write it out clearly enough for you all to decipher and create your own. The sizing will be Youth 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8.
I finished Milo’s sweater Sunday night. Which means everything I’ve been working on for the kids could be bundled and sent off with excitement. I found it hilarious that the day I was walking to the post office to mail the sweaters, it was 95 degrees outside. Thanks to a cool breeze from our northerly neighbor, it’s become a more spring-like 65 today, so maybe they will still have a chance to wear them.
I used the LBY ‘thick and quick’ again – and I am surprised to say I really love this yarn! It doesn’t pill, it’s machine washable (good for my sister – who is only recently off of handknits-probation for shrinking all of my handknit gifts!) and it knits up quickly on my favorite needles.
Once again, the pattern is my own – freestyled from measurements. Fin’s is approximately a size 8, maybe a 10 and used a full 5 skeins plus some extra I had leftover from the wham bam cowls. Milo’s is a size 6 (I think) and used 4-3/4 skeins. I didn’t take any notes, though the pattern is really straight forward. If you’ve knit many cardigans, you could easily replicate it.
Of course, Little Miss could not be left out of all the fun. I had a few little treasures for her too!
I finished Fin’s coat…about a size 8, but he will have plenty of room to grow. Fin’s coat is charcoal gray with ochre trim and a light gray zipper. Milo’s is knitted, but needs assembly and a hood. Both coats need zippers and then I can wrap them up and send them off to the boys just in time for summer. I meant to have them done by Easter, but as always, time has gotten away from me.
I think I’ve been a little too enthusiastic about sewing adult size garments!
Remember this? When we were in North Carolina last month and Floria wore here little coat, the boys were very interested. They kept telling Flo how cute she looked and then……Finny mentioned to my sister, casually, that he might like a coat like that. So my sister mentioned it, casually, to me.
Fin won’t wear any handknits. He is hyper-sensitive to anything he perceives as “scratchy”, and he perceives most hand knits as scratchy. Julie asked him again the next day if he was serious, because “Aunty will freak out and turn into a human loom if she thinks you want her to knit you something” (it’s true). And he picked up Floria’s coat and rubbed it on himself and said he really wanted one. I measured him up just in case. All I needed was the signal from Julie that he was serious and I would get cracking.
We waited another couple of weeks after we returned. I kept asking “was he serious?” and my sister kept checking in and every time he insisted he really did still want a coat of his own. Worried it would be too warm soon, I sprang into action last week and decided on Charcoal gray with dark ochre trim. I figured out a pattern based on Floria’s coat pattern and his diagram and the zipper is ordered. I’m already planning Milo’s! It means the world to me to knit for them. I haven’t knit for either of the boys since they were small. I shower Floria with knits and hand sewing, and I always wish there was more I could make for the boys (besides an on-the-spot Totorro costume). I hope they like the fit of the hoodies, I know they will like the colors. I may even knit one for myself!
The zipper arrived, slightly longer than I intended. I will wing it though, probably stretching the side edges slightly. I hate it when that happens! One side has been sewn in (by hand) and the other started. I should have it done tonight, well ahead of our visit to North Carolina.
A few weeks back there was a great pattern on Ravelry for a cowl that I faved. It’s a very clever, quick pattern and I made a mental note for Christmas presents. The original pattern called for garter stitch, but I’ve also made a few in seed stitch. I like the look of the seed stitch, but the feel of the garter stitch (loose versus thick).
So, if you knit and are looking for any last-minute gift ideas, I recommend this. The only trouble I’m having is deciding who should get which color!
More photos here.
Today we made our weekly trek to the Pond for Lottie’s walk. I intentionally sat the camera near the door because for the last few weeks I’ve forgotten it and missed some great photo ops. For instance, the 1 year old Labrador that came trotting along the trail with a 10 foot long tree limb in his mouth. He pranced around, proud of his ’stick’ and would not let anyone take it, even if it was 6″ around and banging into everything. Today, I missed several opportunities because I forgot the camera yet again. I missed Lottie running and playing in the crunchy leaves, I missed the spectacular golds, rusts and reds on the trees and I missed something I am not likely to see again: a tiny Eastern Screech Owl perched in a hollow in a tree, just sitting and staring at the passersby.
(This is not my photo, but it’s exactly what the little guy looked like)
Speaking of things I don’t want to forget, trying to get back into the swing of things is proving a bit overwhelming. I have to many projects in various states of completion. I also have many ideas fomenting in my head and they are scattered around. In an effort to remember them all and keep them straight – I’m listing them out here.
- finish knitting floria’s stocking
- start and finish milo’s new stocking
- felt milo’s stocking
- felt floria’s
- ship stockings along w/ floria’s coat
- put ears and Totoro faces on the kids’ hats for Christmas
- finish this shirt
- finish 3 new sewing patterns and photograph
- update existing patterns with alternates and more details for etsy shop
- purge fabric stash
- buy another Bertoia chair so MP will stop taking mine
- make up Christmas list
- make presents-to-buy list
- design lap quilt
- buy fabric for lap quilt
- make winter lap quilt
- make floria’s Christmas dress
- mend Lottie’s favorite toys
