Garnstudio Baby Jacket and Saartje’s Booties
I have declared this the Summer of Finishing. I have a number of teeny little projects that have been sitting around, taunting me at the top of my Ravelry project list, and they need to go! First on the list:
Pattern: Jacket in Alpaca, from Drops Design
Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft 4 ply in Forest and Fennel
This sweater has been ABB (all but buttons) for a couple of months now. I had dreams of finding the perfect kicky light-light turquoise buttons for it, but my dreams were crushed by my local button sources. I definitely should have searched for buttons while in NYC, but alas. I purchased a number of contenders (including these adorable flounders, but they weren’t high-contrast enough) and wound up going with some traditional shell buttons. So much for kicky.
The pattern had all the potential to be boring garter stitch, but I quite enjoyed it. The short rows added some interest, and the sweater really flew by.
I made two modifications to the pattern:
1. Wrapped my turns. The pattern says to just turn and tug the yarn tightly, but that still left me with holes. The wraps aren’t noticeable.
2. I didn’t bind off the arm stitches as called for - I instead placed them on waste yarn, and later cast on provisionally. At the end, I flipped the sleeves inside out and kitchenered the live stitches together, which created a line of bumps that does not disrupt the patterning. I am planning on redoing the grafting before I send this off, because my sloppy finishing is pretty obvious (so much for blocking out the wonkiness).
This is the first time I’ve used Rowan Cashsoft yarns, and they are extremely soft. Better yet, they’re machine washable, so they’re perfect (albeit a bit pricey) for baby wear. Unfortunately, the yarn is a bit splitty - I can see a couple of blips in the pattern where I only knit with one ply and the contrast color shows through. The sweater calls for two balls of each color - I used almost all of the dark green and about 1.5 balls of the light green.
I love the shape and construction of this sweater - such a simple idea, and the result is so cute. I was pondering making an adult-sized version of it, and ran into this version at Anthropologie. It’s the same exact construction in stockinette stitch with some garter eyelet rows in the blue yarn.
I had some leftovers from the sweater, so I decided to make some Saartje’s Booties:
These are teeny tiny. So, so wee! Baby-in-law won’t be wearing these with the 6-month sized sweater, since I made the newborn size. Do babies wear booties in August? Regardless, this is a cute-as-pie pattern.
I’d like to send a couple of other things to baby-in-law - my sister-in-law’s due date has indeed spurred my Summer of Finishing. I finally started sewing the Big Footed Bunny, after cutting out the pattern pieces months ago.
I am endlessly amused by bunny pants. These pants were hard, people, definitely out of my newbie sewing skills league. Easing in the ass of these pants is easily the hardest sewing I’ve ever done, followed closely by hemming the teeniest leg holes around.
Good thing that Blackie’s on hand to help.
RSS
So awesome! That sweater is cute, and I like your idea of the adult one. That Anthropologie…that store is great. I’ve seen several of those bootees lately, and I’m thinking I need to knit it! Even if I don’t have a particular recipient in mind.
beautiful! that sweater is awesome! and those booties are so cute!
I’m loving all the Saartje’s bootie’s I’ve seen around lately. Your’s are very cute. I’m going to have to add them to my to do list for sure. The baby sweater is fab too.
Oo, that sweater is really cute! Love the colors and the neat stripes. And I love your ironing board cat! (oh, and also the teeny booties…I have to knit a pair, they’re so popular right now and one of the cutest bootie patterns out there).
Blackie looks like a lot of help!!! The jacket is lovely, and the little booties.
It’s so beautiful, that baby cardi. The pattern actually calls for Garnstudio’s alpaca which is a much thinner. Is it perhaps why the turning caused holes I’m thinking? I find Rowans Cashsoft so much softer and more beautiful. Also the alpaca yarn can only be washed by hand, and with babies that can be teadious. So I think you made a good choice.
Everywhere I look lately I see those booties. They’re too cute! Love the little sweater. But the bunny pants! hee!
So much fabulous baby crafting! I love, love, love that sweater!!!! So cute! And those bootie? Pricless!! The tail hole for the bunny pants is killing me. So worth the effort. I love the big footed bunny pattern. I’m looking forward to seeing your completed version.
Such meticulous modifications–the sweater is so precious! Those booties are adorable, I love all of Saartje’s patterns.
What a beautiful sweater! I’ve just recently seen that pattern everywhere - I might cast on for one myself. And FYI, my baby wore booties in August because even if it was 100 degrees outside, in an air-conditioned house, it was 70 degrees.
Ok…baby sweater + baby booties = cutest thing I’ve seen all day! I’m sure they’ll be well loved!
she shoots, she scores! Well done on everything. Love the idea of an adult size for the sweater, hmmm.
the jacket came out beautiful - love the stripes. cute booties too….
those bunny pants! oh my gosh! I’m a sewer too (novice!) and both the hole for the tail as well as the tiny leg seams - oh my gosh! props to you!!!!
Oh my! That photo of blackie is PRICELESS!!! It reminds me of a cat I used to be owned by. I’ll have to show you that photo sometime.
Those are gorgeous! What a lucky little baby. And yes, newborns often wear booties all the time, even in August–they have a really tough time regulating their temperature.
So very cute!
Kelly, aren’t those adorable! both of them. I love making baby things in non-baby colors. And don’t you love Drops (Garn Studio) putting all their patterns online for free? You have been very busy, knitting, finishing, sewing, ironing the cat.
I love your little sweater! I saw that same one at Anthropologie too and was like, hey…
And your kitty? too freaking adorable
So. Much. Cuteness. Lovely job on those baby projects - they all look fabulous. I think the sweater’s plenty kicky even without turquoise buttons.
I love the baby jacket– the construction looks interesting. I think it would make a neat adult garmet, too!
Those booties are too cute. I need to make some :)
The sweater turned out beautifully. The shell buttons are sweet, but maybe someday you’ll find a better source for kicky buttons.
How cute! Love the jacket and booties. As an expecting mother I can appreciate FOs like this.
The sweater and booties put me into cute overload.
Hi Kelly, it was great to meet you all last night. I will try and come more often.
Kenny
PS: GREAT knitting!!!!
Everything is just so lovely! Great job. Though I’m not too clear on what “bunny pants” are…
I love the jacket–I think it would work well in an adult version too! Sort of the same construction as that Mermaid jacket that I made, actually.
Those booties and bunny pants are entirely too much cuteness in one post. The sweater is beautiful. I honestly thought it was a full-sized sweater when I first saw the picture. And adult version would definitely work.
I’ve seen this sweater so many times both live and online and every version is just as cute and adorable. Definetly on top of my list next time I need a baby gift, love the colours you’ve been putting together!
Cats. That cannot be comfortable and yet it looks so effortless!
That sweater and the booties are just adorable.
Oh, I love that sweater! And the little pants? SO freaking precious.
WooHoo! Let’s hear it for the Summer of Finishing! (and am I allowed to vicariously enjoy it through you - since I don’t seem to be starting, much less finishing anything these days???)
Those booties are the cutest damn things. Makes me I wish I had teeny tiny feet….
[…] that Saartje (yes, her again…I know, but I adore her work!) And check out the gorgeous one Kelp knit as well! Genius. But when I printed out the pattern, it asked for sports weight–not aran […]
i freaking love the colors here. greens my fave but the one’s you chose are again, perfect. that’s going to be a super stylin’ babe.
Quite frankly, it seems to me that s Booties has more to do with Free Newborn Baby Gift Friday than yesterday. The Free Newborn Baby Gift is just not as relevant to s Booties as I had originally thought….