Boy, am I tired of knitting baby tops! But Monica is finished, and she’s a keeper.

Monica - blue

Monica - window

Pattern: Monica by Christine Schwender, Spring 2007 Knitty
Size: Children’s 2 (21-inch chest)
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport in blush, grass, orchid, and green apple
Yardage: An unknown quantity of leftovers
Yarn Source: Knit Picks
Needles: US size 8 circular
Gauge: 20 sts and 26 rows = 4 inches in St st
Notes: I enjoyed this pattern a great deal. It was quick, and it came out well. I recognize that the colors I used for the stripes are a little . . . unorthodox. At first, I wasn’t sure they were really going to work together, and David was even less sure. But I persevered, and I’m happy with them.

I only made a few modifications to the pattern: First, I did the body in stripes, since this project was designed to use up leftovers, and I didn’t have enough of any color to do a solid body. Second, I joined the straps together with a three-needle bind-off, because I thought binding each three-stitch strap off and then seaming them together sounded insane. (And when I tried it, it looked awful.) And third, I added a couple extra rows of garter stitch at the bottom hem, because I didn’t trust that two ridges would be sufficient to keep it from curling. This worked, but I should have done the same thing on the ruffle, which curls more than I’d like. Ah well, it’s a ruffle. Who says it has to look perfect?

Now I can send the two little tops off to the little megatwins, ensuring that they will be properly outfitted for summer garden parties, and I can turn my attention to other projects. Like, say, the Tedium Bathmat, which I have been ignoring for a few days. I’m in the home stretch, but I haven’t been able to bear looking at it of late.

I have made a pact with Mr. Bathmat that he will be finished before May is out, and I must, therefore, get to work.