Fast baby cardigan #2.

This little blog has been neglected of late. Real life some how got in the way. The weeks have rolled by, winter has arrived, and somehow it is almost the middle of the year (can you believe it?). I have been very busy at work lately, with my roster a bit all over the place knocking me out of routine. I made an effort this weekend to get back to my sewing machine, and with very pleasing results, but more about that another time.

For now I will show you something that has been a WIP for too long! This is the second Fast Baby Cardigan I have made. You might remember I made one of these some months back? Well this latest version, Cardigan 2.0, is for some dear friends of mine in The Neatherlands who have a baby due to arrive early July. While it will be a summer bub, it won't be too long before the cooler months arrive in the North, and the little one will need a warm woollen cardigan to keep it cozy.

I was really satisfied with Cardigan 2.0, as I managed to knit in button holes! I know, sounds obvious but the first time I knitted this pattern it was my first knitted object ever and I just assumed that button holes would be explicitly included in the pattern (they are not). Snaps covered up this error with the first cardigan, but second time round I was determined to do it properly, and I am very pleased with the result...

 I am trying to improve how I sew up my raglan sleeves, and think this one turned out ok.

 A close-up of the button holes.

If you're on Ravelry, feel free to friend me, I would love to see what you're knitting!

Sam xox

Knitted baby cardigan complete.

It's finished!

My first ever baby knit had the final button stitched on yesterday. This cardigan took me two weeks to make. The pattern is called "Fast Baby Cardigan" and is available on Ravelry here for free (you will need to make a Ravelry account to be able to access the pattern).

I am thrilled with the end result and I think it is the perfect size for a baby 3-6 months of age (I knitted the smallest size). As the parents are not finding out what they are having, I used a gender neutral coloured wool (Patons Dreamtime 8ply).

The only adjustment I made to the pattern was to replace the moss stitching with ribbed stitching as I like this look much better.

Next time I will definitely stitch in button holes, as the snaps were a little tricky to sew on.

I am thrilled with this result and I hope the mum-to-be will be too :-)

I think I can now add 'knitting' to my stitching repertoire!

Sam xox

Baby cardigan progress.

For years I never understood knitting. I know it sounds silly, but I just couldn't get my mind around how two needles and a ball of wool could be woven together to create something. Mill patiently tried to teach me over 6 years ago when we lived together. Full of excitement and enthusiasm I bought some acrylic wool and plastic needles and tried to knit a scarf. A simple stocking stitch scarf. It wasn't too many rows in when it all began to unravel (metaphorically speaking). Somehow I kept getting holes in my knitting. Somehow I managed to knit these holes so they didn't unravel. This was the only thing about my knitting that marvelled Mill. She was a patient teacher, but after a while we both knew it was a hopeless endeavour and we returned to our familiar habits; wool in her hand, and a quilt in mine.

Last weekend I decided to try again. I selected this pattern and gathered supplies. This week, every evening, I have sat quietly after dinner and knitted. And I've enjoyed it. I have learnt a lot from this pattern (with the assistance of a vintage Patons Woolcraft booklet, YouTube and the internet). I now know what PSSO, K2tog, M1and pick up stitch all mean. I have shaped raglan sleeves, used multiple stitch holders, learnt to use a stitch counter, knitted in stockinette stitch and moss stitch. I even did some backwards knitting, after I realised I garter stitched a row I should have been purling... Listen to how 'knitty' I speak now :-)

I ran into a bit of trouble though what I realised I had not stitched in any button holes along the way. The pattern doesn't clearly instruct you to do this, so I had assumed they would be included in the pattern somehow. I made an emergency Skype call to Mill who assured me that it was f'ine, and she suggested I sew on some push studs, and sew the buttons on decoratively instead. Plus, she said we know how wiggly little babies can be, maybe push studs will be easier for the mother?" I hope so, as I don't want to try doing this to get button holes in the cardigan post-knitting!

~ This vintage booklet has been teaching me all the basic stitches ~

Thanks Mill for giving me the trans-continental knitting lesson! Who knows, when we are finally together again we might be knitting fair isle side by side?

Sam xox

Nested bibs.

This week I was lucky enough to meet my friends newborn baby boy. He is super cute and super tiny! I decided to give a handmade baby gift, and settled on making the Nested bib pattern. I really like Nested patterns, I have used them a few times now for baby gifts and they work really well and have a nice finish. This bib pattern is free and can be downloaded as a PDF. The printable size is best suited to a new born baby, but you can enlarge it on a photocopier for a larger bib.

For these bibs I used some blue and white striped fabric that I thrifted from a men's shirt. I like business shirt fabric from the thrift store as it is so much softer that shirt fabric purchased new. I am even making an entire quilt from vintage men's shirts. Click here to check it out.

I decided to sew the front and back fabric wrong sides together. I trimmed the edge to within 1/8" of the stitching line, then sewed some bias tape around the sides (the corners were a touch tricky). I decided to use buttons as a fastening rather than snaps as I think they give a nice touch.

I backed the bib with some plain muslin.

* * * * * * *

Life has finally settled down for us. After six weeks of living in two different cities, and only seeing each other on weekends, I have now finally moved into our new place in Newcastle and begin my new job tomorrow. I interviewed for two positions a couple of weeks ago. One with the organisation I am currently working in, another with a similar community services organisation. My organisations position was the same as what I work now, as a support worker working with people living with mental illness. The other organisation role was as an early intervention worker working with people who are, or are at risk of, homelessness. I was totally shocked when I was offered both jobs and felt really chuffed. It gave me a confidence boost knowing that I am doing well in this field, as it was only this time last year that I jumped into community services work from previously working as a primary school teacher! Although the early intervention role was a tempting one, I decided to stay with my organisation and accept the role within their Hunter Region. I am excited to start tomorrow and meet the new staff and consumers I will be working with.

This weekend has been lovely. We are in the middle of winter here in Australia, but you wouldn't guess it, as it's been so warm lately. Yesterday Jamie and I packed a picnic lunch and headed north to a beautiful secluded beach. We ate lunch on our towels in the sand, and I even managed to have a quick swim (the water was a little cool though!). I think I am going to get use to this beach lifestyle.

Now my sewing machine is (finally) unpacked, I will get back into my regular blogging.

Glad to be back!

Sam xox

Baby shorts part 2.

Remember the pair of baby shorts I made for my manager before she had her baby? Well, little Eva has outgrown them and I received a sweet email from Mum and Bub asking if I could make another (larger) pair. I did not have any Dante fabric left (remember I sent the last pieces to Helene?) so I searched through my collection of 1930's repro's and made two pairs of shorts in 'large'. Again I used the pattern from Nicole's Originals blog.

So cute. So tiny.

I hope little Eva likes them!

Sam xox

Baby shorts.

My manager at work goes on maternity leave this week, so I thought I would have a go at making her a pair of little shorts for her soon-to-arrive baby girl. I found the pattern on Nicolle's Originals blog (has lots of original ideas for kiddies things and patterns) and the shorts pattern was free to download .

I made the shorts from some fabric I bought of eBay a while back, and I think they turned out super cute!

Kudos needs to go out to my dear sister-in-law too as I used her idea of sewing the label on the outside of the shorts instead of the inside.

If you would love a pair of shorts similar to these, but do not have the time to make them yourself, then check out Ally's Etsy shop MavisandFrank and see her cute range of original design baby shorts made from Liberty of London fabrics (psst Ally also does custom orders if you have any special requests!).

Sam xox