Soooo….this may all sound/read like déjà vu, but remember that post I did a couple of months back about a new sweater design for my beautiful niece, Grace? Well, the pattern still hasn’t been released yet (I know, I know, somebody needs to grade/size and edit it….or, you know, write it down….ahem). And now I have the companion sweater for my other gorgeous niece completed and ready to show off as well!
Here is Avery’s sweater, shown in a 6-9 month size, before I shipped it off to her a few weeks ago:
Knit in the deliciousness that is Madelinetosh’s 100% merino Tosh DK, this little garment is a traditional yoke-shaped sweater, just like Grace’s sweater, and is knit from the bottom up. Unlike Grace’s classic cardigan, however, Avery’s sweater is a cozy, casual pullover. The vivid blue yarn has the fabulous name of “Button Jar Blue,” which perfectly suits Avery’s complexion, while the neutral yarn in the yoke is “Paper” (for which you need very little yardage, as you might imagine)!
The body is knit simply in stockinette with garter stitch cuffs for ease and speed of knitting. The bottom hem is split for ease of wearing and movement on a wee body! I also added in a bit of colorwork along the hem just to keep things interesting.
But the majority of the color work is found in the yoke once the sleeves are joined to the body. I tinkered with many motifs before designing this simple, graphic pattern during one particularly fun session with some knitter’s graph paper. Part of my motivation was a unisex motif appropriate for little boys and girls alike, and I was also inspired to sketch something that would echo the mountainous terrain near where Avery lives. I love how it turned out!
As you can also see from the pictures (and as with Grace’s sweater), Avery’s pullover features a nice wide neck for comfort and is generously sized with positive ease to accommodate lots of growing and wear. But the neck has a fun little surprise on the back, too:
A single button placket! I thought this would be a useful feature for parents who are trying to pull a pullover on over a baby’s head, to give just a bit more room for that skull when the neck is unbuttoned 😉 (I also put the button on the back to eliminate any choking hazard. I’d strongly recommend a flat or flat-ish button for this job, so that it’s not irritating for the baby to lie on.) The placket is knit as part of the collar, so there’s no need to sew or tack it down later during the finishing; I love streamlining those steps wherever possible! And you know I don’t even have to say it at this point: of course that button was obtained from the local Joann’s Fabrics with my button partner-in-crime, my mom.
With both nieces’ designs behind me, I can say that I really enjoyed jumping into yoked sweater design over the past six months. I’m toying with the idea of releasing the patterns together as an e-book, but making them available individually as well. Time will tell…..
Happy Knitting and Happy (early) Halloween!
xoxo Danielle
daniellechalson.com 