Tuesday 9 October 2012

Cardigan, Cupcakes and Christmas!!

Three little things to share with you this evening before I pick up the needles.

Cardigan

First up is a cardigan that I knitted for the beautiful daughter of a very good friend of mine.  I actually knitted it in April and have wanted to post about it but, like so many things, just hadn't got round to it, until now! 


It is the first baby garment I have ever knitted.  Despite having 2 girls of my own, I'm ashamed to admit that I never knitted them anything when they were tiny.  I didn't actually learn to knit until I was expecting my second daughter, 5 years ago, and I just never got round to making them anything, which I really regret now.

For this one, I didn't use baby wool because I wanted a more subtle, vintage pink and instead opted for Stylecraft 4 ply in pale rose.  It's a really sort yarn and lovely to work with.

The pattern is very easy, it honestly is.  The main body of the cardigan is knitted in "feather and fan" stitch, which I've used lots of times before.  The pattern is based on 4 rows.  1 is a pattern row of simple increasing and decreasing, the rest are stocking stitch.  It's the increasing and decreasing on that first row that gives it the scalloped effect at the bottom.  It has raglan sleeves which made putting it together very easy - no extra sleeve fullness to fit in! 

As you would expect, I went for a vintage pattern which is either from the 1940's or 1950's.  Sorry to be vague but baby patterns are very hard to date!  If you can enlighten me further as to the correct date, or have any tips on how to date these patterns, please let me know :o)


The only thing I found a bit tricky was the section for the ribbon to thread through.  I didn't read the pattern properly so they weren't evenly spaced but I got there on the second attempt and think it looks very sweet. 


Although it's not that clear from the photographs, the cardigan was meant to have a ribbon tie at the chest and the neck but I changed the neck one so it was fastened with a popper, very, very securely stitched on.  Personally, I felt that the double bow was a little too fussy.

I haven't worked out how to link the pattern so you can print it, but if you have a special little person to knit for and would like a copy, just send me an email and I will get it over to you :o)

Cupcakes

After a busy morning of work, I let the girls join me in a spot of baking!  They really love to bake and today made vanilla cupcakes. 

When it comes to cake decorating, I must confess that I'm a bit of a control freak.  I like things to be "just so", icing to be smooth and perfect and so on.  When the girls get involved, I try and close my ears to the hundreds and thousands hitting the floor and resist the urge to limit them to say, 10 decorations per cake!  To them, less is most definitely not more.  They are at the wonderful, innocent age where a bit (or a lot in some cases) of everything on the cake makes it very personally theirs.  

Today, I handed over the decorations, stepped away from the table and gave them free reign to do as they wanted.  They certainly took me at my word and created these sugary mountains! 


I think they consumed as many sweets as they used, although littlest Y swears she only had "5, or maybe 6 Mummy" !!! 

My Y, having done the fatherly duty of eating a cake made by each of them, is currently suffering from a little too much sugar! 

Last up..........

Christmas

Is it too early to say the word?  Well, when you consider that many of the shops have been sneakily stocking up on cards and wrapping paper since late August I think it's safe to give it a little mention :o)

I've signed up to the festive swap which is being organised by Lakota over at Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping.  I'm also linking this post into her Ta-Dah Tuesday post :o)


I took part in the Jubilee swap which Lakota organised and it was really good fun which is why I've signed up to this one too.  If you fancy spreading some festive cheer, why not pop on over to Lakota's post and take a little look at what it's all about :o)

6 comments:

  1. Wow, that dress is beautiful, what a lovely gift for a friend. I know we were given some incredible hand knitted stuff when the boys were born (and some terrifying acrylic dungarees, but it's the thought that counts) and I really treasure the tiny cardigans made out of the softest yarn.

    At least your girls' cakes are white iced, last time I let the boys do food colouring as well...oh dear! They look pretty tasty though.

    Thanks for the swap plug, I always need the word spreading so I get plenty of people in all areas. Glad you're taking part again.

    Faith Hope and Charity Christmas Swap - Sign up now open!

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  2. You can link the pattern by uploading to google drive :) You have to 'share' the pattern there so anyone with the link can see it though :)
    I am waiting for my brother's baby to be born. They have decided not to find out what it is, so I am waiting to find out if it is a girl or boy... but I am dying to make something from a vintage pattern for it! Your one looks lovely!

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  3. Love that baby pattern :) I am sure I wore something like that in the 70's - my Grandma knitted all my clothes at one point and am sure they were from patterns she'd used for my Mum & Aunties too!

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  4. What a beautiful cardigan, I love vintage children's patterns :) x

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  5. Gorgeous cardigan - and that colour is beautiful. I know the colour because I worked in a craft shop that sold the Stylecraft yarns - very vintage! I didn't make things for my boys when they were babies, no excuse for me I can knit!!
    I think the patterns could be fifties.
    The cakes look yummy - may I come to tea..?
    Julie xxxxxxxxxxx

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  6. The cardigan is beautiful, you must be very proud. I think you're right about the pattern being 1940s, but that's just a guess based on looking at my Mum's old knitting patterns over the years.She knits still (at 92) but I never have, though I love to crochet and have used the same patterns for my granddaughter as I used for my daughter. There's a few examples on my blog.

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