Ruthless Knitting

I went to a baby shower today and delivered this gift to its recipient, so I can reveal the “secret project” from January at last:

Pattern: Starbelly Baby Sweater modified from Charles pattern in Jaeger JB29 (viewable here if you scroll down to see the white sweater at bottom), with creative input on the charting of the star and the color choice from David; Wee Willie Winkie Baby Hat, my own design; Leftovers Baby Socks pattern by Matthew Hesson-McInnis
Yarn: Henry’s Attic Kona Superwash DK dyed using Jacquard acid dyes
Yardage: about 8 oz., or 560 yards
Yarn Source: Catnip Yarns (best Henry’s Attic prices on the Internet, and great service)
Needles: US4 bamboo straights and dpns; US3 Knit Picks Classic Circular w/24″ cable for small bits
Gauge:
Observations: This is the first time I’ve used the Kona Superwash in DK weight. I tried out the fingering weight for a pair of socks for my father (see them here) and found it pleasantly soft and strong, so I decided to give the heavier weight a try. I was not disappointed. This yarn is wonderful. It’s extremely soft, particularly after the first washing, but it also has nice stitch definition. And of course, it’s superwash. I think the Kona yarns are a great option for baby’s and children’s things, particularly if, like me, you like to use a lot of color in your baby knitting — and not necessarily “traditional” colors — and if you’re willing to take what you get in the dyeing process, which in my hands usually seems to yield unexpected but pleasing results.

I really like the sweater pattern I (more or less) followed from the Jaeger baby knits book, which is full of the most lovely and detailed baby and children’s patterns I’ve yet come across. All the patterns are by Martin Storey, whose work I had never paid much attention to previously. Now I see that he’s a frequent Rowan designer and apparently something of a big deal. The basic construction of this pattern is very elegant. I particularly like the raglan seams, which are purled on either side of the join. They seamed together very smoothly and are satisfyingly tidy up close.

The pattern in the book has an elaborate crown motif across the chest that is actually worked in duplicate stitch. Here, I intended initially for the star motif to be on the chest, but ultimately it was large enough and the sweater small enough that it sort of migrated downward to become a belly star. This makes me think of Dr. Seuss and the Star Bellied Sneetch — thus I call this the “Starbelly baby set.”

After I finished the sweater, I had a lot of the dyed blue and gray yarn left, and I got it into my head that it would be nice to throw in a hat and socks. I had made these Leftovers Baby Socks once before (here), and I liked the pattern — very basic, very sensible — enough to follow it again. The Wee Willie Winkie hat was a sudden inspiration, and the longer it got, the more delighted I became with it. I did learn the hard way, however, that pompoms come apart in the washing machine.

These three items don’t exactly make a “set,” since they are likely to fit the baby at different ages. But maybe this is a good thing, as my mom pointed out. The baby can start with the hat, which is teensy, move up to the sweater next winter, and end with the socks, stretching the gift out over a longer time.