Handknit With Love

Remember this hat?

It's for my Grandson-to-be, Oliver, due in September and I posted about making the hat here.

This last weekend I finished up making a jumper to go with the hat.  

 

 It's from this book by Debbie Bliss - design it, knit it babies

Spoilt for choice I decided to make this simple square necked jumper.

I've used Adriafil Knitcol trends, superwash merino wool, colourway 57 - Botticelli Fancy again for the main - you might remember I bought this at Atelier Yarns on my last visit to San Francisco (you can read my post here) and the contrast is a leftover wool from my stash, Patons UK Double Knitting in light cream (no longer available). 

I'm still super in love with how the Adriafil Knitcol works up in a project - the Fair Isle/Jacquard style patterning created by the colour changes in the wool are fab and it's such fun to see how they work into the piece as you're creating the pattern.  I admit to starting both sleeves at the same point in the wool so the patterning is practically the same on each.

I've also given the jumper a go in the washing machine - yep that Merino wool is machine washable at 40 degrees and it came out looking and feeling just perfect, in fact all the pics in this post are taken post washing :D

Here's some pics of the details:

Side seam and my small label.

The back and that small label again.  I like the small details on this knit - the garter rib left unseamed is a great touch.

The square neckline is very easy to work and, as always, Debbie Bliss gives great instructions in a written pattern (I've always worked from written patterns not from charts as seems to be the trend these days).

Square neckline detail, with my large label and monkey buttons (also purchased on my last trip to San Fran at Britex Fabrics, you can read that post here).

I didn't think my pics were doing the jumper justice so, in the absence of yet-to-be Oliver I had to find another model.   Tatty and Watson are exactly the right size and, as you can see below, well up for the task but I thought better of it 

and went in search of another of my nest flown daughter, Flicky's, teddy bears.  

Having used Bedwyn Bear in two previous photo shoots,

here 

and here, 

I needed a much smaller bear this time around.

Step forward ... oh dear, I have to admit to not having a clue what this bear's called, but he performed admirably and I'm sure Flicky will be proud.

I think he looks pretty cute in his oversized jumper!

Some time in the Spring I'll be able to update this post with a pic of Oliver sporting his very own jumper and hat, and the thought of that makes me very happy.

These are for you Oliver, handknit with love by Grandma xxx


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