A Sweater for Freja!

It's been a while hasn't it? I've been working a lot (which is not an excuse)...only had 1 scheduled day off (last Saturday) over 12 days and more than a couple of those were 12+ hr days. Not complaining mind you, I normally have a ridiculously wonderful schedule. It's just been busy. Finally had a new carpenter come to do the finish work around the house (door and window trim, baseboards etc.) and a heating fellow come to put new covers on our 25 year old gas hot water baseboard heating system. All that's left is paint touchups and hanging the curtains in the dining area and repainting the entryway and hallway...I'm thinking "Marigold" yellow! An Alaskan girl can never have too much warm color going on. The painting and curtain hanging will likely happen over the weekend. I have an overnight L&D call tonight and then will be off until Monday! Hoorah!

I have been knitting, in fact, quite a lot of knitting. One raging success...one abysmal failure. We won't talk about the failur..it's sitting quietly in timeout awaiting its fate (although the decision has been made to send it to the frog pond..sigh..a full bag of yarn invested in that sweater...my own feeble design attempt..but the only failure is the failure to keep trying eh?) Let's move on shall we.

The successfully Finished Object is, of course, another Helena. This one is for dear friend Solveig's sister-in-law. Funny story...about 8 months ago Solveig asked me to teach her to knit as her brother's wife was newly pregnant and she wanted to be superaunt and knit the baby I sweater. A little yarn, a few needles, a book, some hands-on training...and well, a knitter was born....or so I thought. About 2 1/2 weeks ago, a frantic Solveig begged, pleaded, gave me "big eyes", promised me chocolate, pedicures, financial reward etc...if I could "just make a wonderful baby sweater for her before this Saturday..which is coincidentally the day of the baby shower. Loving Solveig dearly (and being a sucker for "big eyes") and having succumbed to the realization that my big sweater was doomed...I gladly complied.(Can you read "Suckah" on my forehead?)

So anyway, a week later, here is the finished Helena in all her glory.



The pattern: Helena from Knitty.com
The yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Superwash 100% merino in a lusciously soft dusty blue/green tone...depends on the light..but it's perfect for a baby of Scandinavian descent.
The needles: KPOs size 6, Addi Lace size 2, and yep, I broke another Brittany size 2 on those dang YO/K2Tog for the adorable picot edge hem. Save yourself the trouble..use metal.
Size: Used the numbers for newborn size but with the gauge of the heavy worsted 1824, it's closer to 6-9 month size.

Altogether a very satisfying knit. This is my go-to sweater for baby girls I think. The only modification was the closure, crochet'd double loop over 2 abolone shell buttons in lieu of the ties.

Solveig was thrilled. She will truly be super-auntie ;0

Until next time. Knit On!