The Watermelon sweater pattern is finally finished!

I am really really pleased with how this one turned out. The sweater fits my daughter perfectly!

This is such a whimsical little pattern that is simple and fun to knit. I think that this is a perfect little sweater for a beginning knitter because there is no ribbing, picked up stitches, or seaming! The sweater is knit in one piece from the bottom up.

I also included 2 different closure options for the cardigan. Click here to see pictures of the "ribbon-tie closure" version.

Here is some pattern information for those who might be interested in knitting it.

SIZES
3 months [6mos, 9mos, 12mos, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] (shown in size 2)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 18 [19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28] inches

Length: approx 10.5 [11.5, 12, 13, 14, 14.5, 16.5, 17.5, 18] inches after blocking

MATERIALS
[MC] Manos Cotton Stria [100% Peruvian Cotton; 116 yd/106m per 50g skein; color: #204; 2 [2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins[CC] color: #205; 1 skein]Scraps of black yarn (I used Panda Silk sock yarn doubled up in Black)

2# 32-inch US #6/4mm circular needles
1# 24-inch US #5/3.75mm circular needle
1# 24-inch US #4/3.50mm circular needle
1 set of US #6/4mm double pointed needles

4 pieces of scrap yarn to hold underarm stitches
Stitch Holders
Safety pin markers
One medium button for button loop closure or 1.5 yards of ribbon for ribbon tie closure
Tapestry needle
GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch on size 6 needles

The Manos Cotton Stria yarn is super soft and so pretty with the slight color variations. I felt that it complimented this design perfectly!

You don't have to make this pattern into a watermelon. If you'd rather, you could knit it using one color which would give it an entirely different look.

I know that this is going to be such a great springtime sweater for my little one. The colors are vibrant for the season and the cotton is ideal for springtime evenings.

(This pattern has been updated into a beautiful new pattern layout August 2010.)

Shownotes:

Dancing Ewe Yarns

Watermelon

Stuart

Mousie Pattern

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Rowan Kid Silk Haze

Forecast

O-wool Classic

O-wool Website

O-wool Classic projects on Ravelry

Kmclark on Ravelry

NeverNotKnitting Ravelry Group

If you'd like to give the O-wool yarn a try,

Dancing Ewe Yarns

is offering a special discount of 20% on all O-wool Classic and free shipping for all orders that include this yarn.

This offer is only valid for the month of March and is exclusive to the Nevernotknitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

In order to receive your discount, click on the

Dancing Ewe link

and in the checkout process enter in the special code " NNK1 "

Enjoy! :)

Recently my daughter has been obsessed with the story of Stuart Little. A tale of a mouse who has been adopted into a human family. She has been running around the house having all sorts of adventures with an imaginary mouse friend, so I thought it was necessary for me to surprise her with a knitted version of Stuart.



Introducing... "Mousie", a pattern designed by Ysolda Teague.

I found this pattern a while back and fell in love with it right away. I love knitted toys. I also love the knitted toys that arent the everyday typical knit toy, like say a teddy bear.

This pattern was fun and surprisingly fast to knit. Stuart has gone from yarn to knit and blogged in 24 hours time. It also took such a small amount of yarn. It was a perfect way for me to use up a few scraps. Dont you love scrap knitting? Its like making something from nothing...

For the tail, ears, and nose I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Dusty Pink. The body of Stuart is made up of Off White Cashmerino with a strand of Rowan Kid Silk Haze held together.

I love the way the Kid Silk Haze adds some fuzz and halo to his tiny little body.

He has been a big hit around here.

I am so happy to make my daughter things that she loves to play with.

Hand knit toys are so special and fun.

....well in sweater land anyway!

I am now finished with the Watermelon sweater and I love it! 

I am so happy that I made the 2T size for my daughter. It fits perfectly!!!

I will be getting this pattern sized and it will be available for purchase shortly.

My little one has been visiting Grandma and Grandpa all day so I have been feverishly working on the finishing details.

If you notice from the above pictures I've had some difficulty deciding whether to go with a ribbon tie closure or a button and loop closure.

I think that I will offer both options in the pattern. 

If you notice, I show the sweater with a more froo-froo dressed up ribbon and then with a plainer ribbon for a more casual style. I chose the green striped one for the photo because it resembles watermelon rind. How fitting. I especially love the hand dyed silk ribbon. It makes the sweater look so feminine and lovely. I think that the ribbon tie closure option  looks a bit too babyish for the 2T size. But however it would look so precious on the sizes for smaller babies. Since my 3 year old is now a "big kid" Ive decided to go with a button and loop closure and keep the eyelet row as just a nice added detail.

I will be sharing modeled shots of Watermelon soon!

Shownotes:

Dancing Ewe Yarns

Selbu Modern

Sienna Cardigan

Watermelon Sweater

Playful Stripes Cardigan

Manos Cotton Stria

This episodes knitting tip was brought to you by

Kristoemily

KnittingHelp.com

The "Hungry Stitch" Method

Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift

Stitches West

The Magickal Earth Shawl on

Ravelry

and

Photobucket

KnitsWithPenguins

NeverNotKnitting Ravelry Group

If you'd like to give Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift yarn a try, Dancing Ewe Yarns is offering a special discount of 20% on all Jamiesons Spindrift and free shipping for all orders that include the Jamiesons yarn. This offer is only valid for the month of February and is exclusive to the Nevernotknitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

In order to receive your discount, click on the

Dancing Ewe link

and in the checkout process enter in the special code " NNK1 "

Click

here

to download the MP3

There is a new design in the works....

... and it's going to be delicious.

Truth be told.. I have a hat phobia. I love hats on others, but on me. Well. I just feel so silly. I want to get better. I want to get over this. There are too many beautiful hat patterns out there, and too many cold drizzly days where hat wearing would be in order. So I'm starting here.

With Selbu Modern. My new hat love.

This hat was so fun to make. I haven't done stranded colorwork in a really long time, so it was fun to get reacquainted. I was oh so scared that with changing colors my tension would be all over the place, but it wasn't. It was fine. I just followed some really good colorwork tips that I've heard in the past, and that is what I credit to my success.

Helpful Tip #1: I put one one color in my left hand and the other color in my right. I never switched hands. The left hand always held the gold, and the right always held the brown.

When using this method, I knit all of the gold stitches in the continental knitting style and all of the brown stitches in the English style. I am a continental knitter usually so this took a little getting used to.

Helpful Tip#2: Slightly spread out your stitches that you have just knit on the right hand needle before adding another color. This helps the tension not be too tight, which can be a big issue with stranded knitting.

Helpful Tip #3: Keep one ball of yarn on your left side and the other ball on your right. If they are together in your lap there is much more chance of annoying tangledge and twisting of your strands. Not a good thing.

For this pattern I used 1 ball of Jameson's Shetland Spindrift in Grouse and 2 balls of Scotch Broom. I almost got the entire hat out of only 2 balls, but on the last few rounds I had to break into that second ball of Scotch Broom. Dang. I hate that.

I also went up one needle size than the pattern recommended, and I am really happy with the ending hat size.

I am all around very happy with how the Selbu Modern turned out and who knows.. Maybe I'll become a hat girl after all?

I recently fell in love with the Selbu Modern hat pattern and just had to cast on right away.

I think that this colorwork pattern is just soo cute!

I am using Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift for the project. The pattern says that I need 3 skeins 2 of the main color and 1 contrasting color. But I am almost done and still have yarn left. Lets hope it is enough. I would hate to break into that 3rd skein for just a few yards.

The yarn is nice. Its very "au naturale", not processed like a superwash merino which is the wool that you usually find in this weight. It isn't smooth or super soft but rustic and full of texture. I know that when I wash it the hat will soften more, but I am not too worried about it because it hasn't bothered my skin so far.

What I love about this yarn is the beautiful heathered shades. The heathered colors look so pretty in colorwork. I did a complete review of Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift in Episode 12 if you'd like to find out more.

I look forward to blocking this project because the stitches will smooth out and the pattern will look a lot nicer.

Its true what they say, knitting in a colorwork pattern is soo addicting! I cant stop knitting this because its so fun to see the designs form as I work.

I must keep knitting..

Shownotes:

Dancing Ewe Yarns

The Dad Sweater

Playful Stripes Cardigan

Selbu Modern

My Favorite Ravelry Version of Selbu Modern

Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift

Autumn Rose Pullover

Venezia Pullover

Little Birds

Endpaper Mitts

Druid Mittens

Dr. Gemma on Ravelry

Cogknitive Podcast

NeverNotKnitting Ravelry Group

If you'd like to give Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift yarn a try, Dancing Ewe Yarns is offering a special discount of 20% on all Jamiesons Spindrift and free shipping for all orders that include the Jamiesons yarn.

This offer is only valid for the month of February and is exclusive to the Nevernotknitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

In order to receive your discount, click on the Dancing Ewe link and in the checkout process enter in the special code

" NNK1 "

Enjoy! :)

Click here to download the Mp3

I finally finished the Playful Stripes Cardigan for my little one!

I think it turned out really cute!

There is just one thing I'm mad at myself about. I wish that I had made it one size smaller.

I have a tendency to forget just how petite my daughter really is! I thought she was right in between a 2T and 3T, so I chose the 3T. Yea... Should have gone with the 2T.

I want to assure you that this pattern is sized appropriately, I just chose the wrong size to knit for my daughter!

Ahh well... it will fit her correctly next year!

I chose the name "Playful Stripes" for this sweater because I love the way the colors "play" together in the stripes. It's interesting because the color brown can look one way next to pink and take on an entirely new hue and identity paired with green. It was fun to pair up and play with all of the colors as I was striping the yoke. I also like how the reverse side of garter st splits the colors up.

Did you know that 3 year olds make for extremely high maintenance models?

This photo shoot turned quickly from this...

Hi Mommy! I love you and my new sweater!

To this.... in under 5 minutes.

I'm hungry AND I have to go potty!!!

Toddlers...

Here is some pattern information for those of you who might be interested in knitting it.

SIZES AVAILABLE:
3 months [6mos, 9mos, 12mos, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] (shown in size 3)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:
Chest: 18 [19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28] inches

Length: approx 9 [9.5, 10.5, 11.5, 12.5, 13.5, 14.5, 15.5, 16.5] inches after blocking

GAUGE:
24 sts/36 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch on size 4 needles

I chose Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino for my daughter's sweater. I love this yarn because it is very very soft and it contains wool and cashmere making it very very warm. Also it can be machine washed which is such a necessary option to have with children.

But of course any sport weight yarn that gives you the correct gauge will do.

This could be a great opportunity for you to use up scraps, as I did, because you only need small amounts of each color for the striped sections.

To all of you knitters who are morally against finishing work: This sweater is constructed in a way that requires minimal seaming. The only seam that needs to be sewn up in the end is the sleeves. The sleeves could easily be modified to work in the round, but I found for myself it was easiest to knit them flat because of the striped border on the cuff.

The pattern is knit from the bottom up in one piece. You first knit the body, then the sleeves, and then join them all together for the yoke. I really enjoyed this method of construction!

I hope that you will enjoy it too!

Just in case you are wondering where episode 12 of the NeverNotKnitting podcast is.. dont worry! Its coming! Starting in February I will be on a new podcasting schedule. I will be releasing a new episode on the 1st and 15th of each month.

I have been doing so much knitting lately.. work knitting.. so I haven't had much to show for my efforts except swatches.

Not too exciting.

Ok, so actually I finished this sweater a few days ago, and hope to have the pattern available very soon. I dont want to show you the finished product quite yet, but here is another 'work in progress picture' so you can see how it all came together.

I liked this cardigan so much more the more I knit on it. The stripes really brought it all together in my opinion, and it turned out pretty cute!

And dont worry! The armpit holes are not a design feature, but are sewn together later!

Don't be alarmed! You are at the right blog!

I am so excited about my new Never Not Knitting logo! What I had up there before was just..sad.. It was time for a change.

The graphic designer that designed my logo for me is super talented and very nice and easy to work with.

Youll find her blog and design portfolio here.

So I finally gave my Dad the long awaited sweater.

Good news! It fits!

...And he likes it! What a wonderful ending to this project!

I am so very pleased by how the sweater turned out! The design is very nice and very wearable. Its not too "fancy" or "silly looking" as men's sweaters can often be. This pattern, paired with the Kathmandu Tweed yarn, makes for a wonderful rugged looking cardigan.

This was my first time working saddle shoulders. I really like the look of them and I think that this sleeve construction lends itself well to a masculine sweater. Hardly any men like a set in sleeve and this is a nice variation to the classic drop shoulder style.

This pattern ended up using 18.. YES 18.. balls of Kathmandu Aran Tweed. The pattern for this cardigan is a Rowan pattern called Man's Zip-up Jacket. I found it for free online over the Summer, but unfortunately the pattern has since been taken down. :(

I'm so glad that I found it when I did!

I am so happy with this project! And also sooo proud of myself for sticking with it even through the trying times.

It was so worth it!!!

"The Dad Sweater" has returned newly improved with a zipper sewn in.

Time to finally give it to "The Dad" it was intended for!

If you know me personally you already know that I have a slight but ever growing obsession with Jared Flood.

He happens to be one of my most favorite bloggers and a fabulous designer to boot.

So you can see why I was ecstatic when my friend Audrey brought this back for me from a class she attended of his in Portland, Oregon.

No. Its not just a pattern, people. He wrote on it. Ok.

Yes Brooklyn Tweed himself wrote me, Alana, a message.

How cool is that?

Shownotes:

The Dad Sweater

Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran

Stripey Beret

Little Black Beret

Pompom(n) Beret Pattern

Karabella Aurora 8

Sienna Cardigan

Zara Plus

My New Design Project

This episode's knitting tip was brought to you by StephanieSews

"Vestuary" Ravelry Group

"Vestuary" Flickr Group

Abotanicity

The Skinny Girl Sweater

Pam on Ravelry

The NeverNotKnitting Podcast Listeners Group

Click here to download the Mp3

Well. Here it is. My first sweater design. In progress. Truthfully, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

My inspiration for this design was the cute stripey beret I made for my daughter.
I just love how the colors blend together and wanted to mimic the stripes in a matching sweater.

Right now I am working on the yoke, which will be striped, just like the beret, pulling together the border colors on the body and sleeves.

Here it is all laid out with the beret so that you can get an idea of what the finished piece will look like.

Sometimes I think that this little sweater will be adorable once finished. Other times I think it may be the grossest thing I've ever laid eyes on.

It's hard to visualize a garment while it's in production.

Several times I have knitted a sweater for myself and hated it when it was on the needles. Then once it is seamed, blocked with buttons sewn on it transforms into something quite amazing.

I haven't given up hope for this one.

If it turns out well you can expect to see it in completion modeled by a little person and the pattern will be available for purchase.

Hmm...

I can't believe it! Its the beginning of a new year. What would a "January 1st blog post" be without the previous year's knitting recap...?

First there are the gifts. These are the things I made for friends and family members.
It is always nice to give a handmade gift. All of these things were welcomed and appreciated by the recipient.

My father in law wears the slippers I made him constantly.
My husband has washed and worn his "Rustic Cables" cap several several times over the year.. (well I did the washing..) It has held up fantastically by the way.

And the Knitted Babe that I made for my niece is very much loved and she is quite content at her new home.

As for the Dad Sweater... it's still waiting for its zipper which had to be special ordered. Yes, my Dad still hasn't received his sweater, hopefully soon. But the sweater is finished and if he doesn't like it.. well.. there will be problems.

(Modeled shots coming your way soon!)

Speaking of sweaters... I've completed 7 sweaters/knitted tops for myself this year!

My favorites are the Lush and Lacy, Tilted Duster, and Cap Sleeved Eyelet Top. I've worn my Tilted Duster dozens of times now. I'm so glad that I made a sweater that has gotten so much use. I have only worn my Terese Sweater twice. Unfortunately its not a sweater that goes with many outfits.. : ( But it still is pretty.

I have strangely only knit 2 scarves for myself this year... Guess I'm not a scarf knitter..?
But I have worn them a lot and wish that I had made more!

I have however knit many pairs of socks.. and all of them are miiiine!

I wear hand knit socks nearly every day. The worsted weight Basic Socks get the most use, and the Evening Stockings are worn the least. They are just too pretty to wear under pants and they unfortunately get a little saggy with wearing which is annoying. The Rainbow Socks have held up the best, and the Pomatomus although my favorite are currently out of commission.

Only one pair of fingerless mitts this year.. don't know why. I like them a lot, they keep my hands surprisingly warm!

I like all of the projects I have mentioned so far, but I LOVE the projects I have knit for my daughter this year. There is something about knitting for little ones. It's just fun and gratifying to make tiny things. And its so sweet to see the excitement of giving a small child a new knitted surprise.

I love the toys the most. They were the most fun to knit. The hats have turned out to be very practical since she wears them all of the time, and that seed stitch coat is still gorgeous, but sadly too small... All of that work... such little payoff.

The Legwarmies that I designed ended up being a huge hit on Ravelry! There are so many projects!

Well that wraps up 2008.

This year I plan on changing things up a bit. I have big plans for myself and my knitting.

You'll have to keep reading to find out.

Well. It is in serious need of blocking, and well... sleeves. But its getting there!

Oh yea.. and buttons.