POTD: Puerperium Cardigan

Finally the Sun Shines!!!!! Happy Monday Everyone!!! Hope you are all well, and today because the sun is shining I'm sharing my most favourite pattern for baby clothes, and then we can move on to other things to knit- I promise!! I have knit three of these so far, and I really think there will be another in due course. They are so easy and make the cutest little cardy!!!

Puerperium is designed for little ones, about 8lbs-11lbs. However every time I knit this I get a different size. I have knit it on the recommended 4mm needles twice, one in Mirage DK- a cotton yarn, and in Trentino- an acrylic yarn. The cotton one is bigger because of the yarn, but both are really cute and I guarantee that with 5 siblings between us we are bound to have a little one that will fit each one.

This is the Mirage DK version, with some red buttons from my stash. You use circulars and stitch markers like the other knits and it is so quick and fab. The one below is made from Trentino and again some buttons from my stash.

I've also knit this pattern on 4.5mm needles using pink Bambino, and it has made a bigger cardigan and it is very snuggly too.

I seriously cannot recommend this pattern enough. It is so simple to knit, cute and makes a great little knit for anyone expecting. If you only knit one pattern of all of these baby knits, knit this one.

Come back tomorrow because it will be the start of my competition!!! I have two prizes to win and I am really excited, and I hope you will all come and take a chance at winning!!

POTD: Seamless Yoked Baby Cardigan

Happy Thursday! Well it is blooming miserable here that's for sure!! Today was one of those mornings where you get up and check your shed (and rather rickety fence panel) is still there. It is still raining and blowing a gale out there and who would have thought it was nearly May? Oh well, this is most definitely knitting weather, and that has got to be a good thing!!! So what have I been up to? Well at the moment I am knitting a feather and fan blanket I started last year and I figured I better actually get that finished. Doing these YOTDs are definitely making me fish through all the UFOs in my cupboard (no nothing flying, UFO means UnFinished Object).

So here is pattern of the day. I have featured this cardigan pattern on the last couple of YOTD and I have really loved it. It has made a really sweet little cardigan, which is different to the normal basic cardigans with a patterned yoke. The designer, Carol Barenys, has designed a lot of different baby knits including preemie knits, and also has a variety of different designs on her website, Carol's Baby Knits. This particular pattern is for the Seamless Yoked Baby Cardigan. Here are my two versions of the cardigan, minus buttons. I'm still trying to find the perfect ones, so please excuse their clear non-existence!!

This first one is knit using Sirdar Snuggly DK in white. It is a very soft, very cute little cardigan. I don't really have any babies to size this up against, well we do but he was a preemie and his sizing is a little bit misleading!!! The pattern states it is probably a newborn to 3 month size, and the pattern also makes a 3-6 month size.

This is my second one in Sublime Baby Silk and Bamboo DK in Juicy, or a subtle lime green. The pattern is knit on circular needles like all the other raglan increase cardigans I have been featuring and includes a cute little pattern on the yoke, bottom of the cardigan, and around the wrists on the sleeves. The pattern states you can leave the ones of the bottom if you are making for a little boy. The pattern is quite a girly one, but it is really cute that's for sure. It is well written and if you just follow the pattern row by row, which is how it is written, it is really simple.

Have a lovely day everyone, and I do hope your weather is better than ours!!

POTD: Paxton Cardigan

Happy Sunday Everyone!! We are off up to my In-Laws today to celebrate a birthday, my Sister in Law is 24 on Tuesday so we will be having a nice Roast Dinner to celebrate. Hope you are all going to have a nice relaxing day or if you are at work, then I hope you have a good day too, not too stressful and all that.

Today is another of my new little cardigans, and today's pattern is, unlike most, created for little people as well as newborns. This Paxton Cardigan has an offset front and two buttons. It can be made for preemies, small babies and newborns. Mine I must admit is a bit bigger than newborn, but lets be honest, babies grow so someone is going to wear it.

I really like this cute little cardy, and I've only knit one of these so far. I'm not sure why, but I just havent gone back to this pattern like I have with the eyelet cardys and the Puerperium. I still like it. It is another of the stitch marker jumpers, and makes use of the raglan increases like the hooded cardigans I showed you on Friday. These are great to learn new skills like the raglan increases and using circulars. This is simple too, you can follow the lines on the pattern and it comes out great. I love the fact too you can knit it in three sizes, and it goes down to little babies as well as newborns. You can also knit short sleeves and long sleeves, and it is very customisable. You can make more buttonholes if you want.

This is a perfect cardigan for a new raglan knitter. It is very simple, uses garter and stocking stitches, easy increases and creates a great piece. Give this little one a go, its a rewarding little knit.

Round and Round in Circles

Now, as many of you know, me and knitting in the round are not friends. We are not even aquaintances. Frankly if I saw it out on the streets, I'd go back indoors. However, some of the lovely patterns I see are knit in the round, especially when it comes to toys. Many adore the idea of not sewing up, but not me. My patterns are always designed flat for that purpose.
Now I am getting much better at converting patterns, Ive decided to make a list of rules to follow when converting, so lots of other fellow flat knitters can create fabulous knits. Now my rules are pretty much for toys and smaller things like accessories, rather than seamless jumpers and socks so follow these rules and you should be fine!

1. Remember that when you knit in the round, in order to create stocking stitch you knit all the rows, and to create garter stitch you knit and purl. So when converting to flat knitting, if the end result is stocking stitch, convert every other row to purl. Normally the purl line is the one without the pattern or increase/decrease. If you want to garter stitch then convert the purl rows in the pattern to knit rows.

2. If you want to, add an extra stitch to the beginning or end of the work to allow for seaming. Personally I dont do that but that is up to you. This is something you will learn as you go.

3. You may need to change striping. This is because when you knit in the round, you can do just one row of colour and then start another. With knitting flat, this is more difficult, you will be changing colour all over the place, and adding ends everywhere. Instead, you can change the pattern to even number stripes or use two DPNS as follows:

Yes I did use that awful abbreviation DPN. It means double pointed needle for those who are ignoring their presence (i dont blame you- but stay with me) Use two, and if you want to do one colour stripes, knit in one colour, then slide the work to the other end of the needle and use the other colour. Trust me this works. Remember to knit on the knit sides and purl on the purl sides, even if that means you purl two rows. Dont worry it will work out!!

Here is a practise bit for you to try the technique- in colour A and colour B on 2 dpns, use whatever you got, this is only for practise and can be unraveled later!!
Cast on in colour A
Knit one row in colour B
Slide the work to the other end of the needle, Knit one row in colour A
Purl one row in colour A
Slide the work to the other end of the needle, purl one row in colour B

You should get the idea from this practise here. I owe all this ability on DPNs to Julie at The Byrds Nest, who taught me this technique when I knit the rabbit, the inside of his ears were done this way

4. Do not be afraid of I-Cord. There are plenty of tutorials for I Cord and it makes brilliant legs and antennae!! 2 DPNs are used to create a seamless cord. However if you cant do it on DPNs then there are also tutorials for doing it with your hands too!! Look it up on YouTube or Google, plenty of people are out there to help!!

The only way you are going to learn to convert from round to flat is to do it. Try something little, follow the pattern and sew it up. Here are a few patterns you can give a go, they dont take up much wool and you can give it a go and see. Hamster Beans is one, Pocket Rabbits is a pattern knit in the round and flat so you can see the difference and why not give this little halloween spider a go?