Over the holidays, I was visiting my family, which always seems to re-invigorate my interest in the crafts I learned as a child. My mother is avid in both knitting and crochet, churning out afghans and scarves. Over the years I have made a few items, but since having children have never seemed to find the time. Well, this year I decided to carve out the time, and return to knitting!
My first project: a Toddler Jacket. I had bought the pattern, yarn and needles three years ago when on maternity leave, thinking I would be bored staying home and could knit up a sweater for my older child. No surprise, I never got around to it. I pulled out the materials, happy to see that, according to the pattern, I had enough yarn to make the now required size 6 instead of the originally planned size 2. As the pattern says, the sweater knits up very quickly in bulky Plymouth Italia Fingerpaints yarn and US 17 needles; I finished the jacket in about 12 hours total knitting time. Only problem; I ran out of yarn just as I finished the sleeves! There was nothing left even to start the large collar. My gauge was perfect; I think I left the tails too long every time I started a new piece of yarn. I could not bring myself to rip it apart and remake it as a size 4; I think my daughter prefers it without the collar anyway. Instead, I bought some gorgeous Rowan Big Wool to make a second jacket.
Here it is: Project #1, Pattern S078 c 2002 Plymouth Yarn Company, Designed by Hope Blazer and JoAnne Turcotte, knit from 2 200g skeins of Italia Fingerpaints, color 62.
It’s very confidence building to finish a project so quickly, and I’m eager to take on new challenges. Next up; I was talked into trying to make socks by the owner of the local yarn shop I visited. Can I do it? How on earth can I manipulate all those needles? Stay tuned . . .
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