FO: Stuffed Bear and Baby Bolero
First a hi-there to everyone - I have posted for years in this community under my other journal,
resurgam, but I started this journal,
paperdollygirl about six months ago to be strictly for crafts and hobbies (and public!), so I've been participating since then under this name.
Two recent baby gifts for new moms.
Stuffed Bear
Pattern: Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton
Stuffing: Cotton fleece, wool scraps, and buckwheat hulls
Modifications: I used DPNs instead of two circulars as the pattern suggests because for me it's easier. I am thinking of adding a mouth - maybe he looks a little pensive without it? I also used the recommended needle size, which I got gauge on, but I think I'd like it better a little tighter. The stuffing peaks through just a little bit. The first time I did this pattern, I made the bunny, and the bear was definitely easier. I would recommend both the yarn and the pattern. And it's machine washable!
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Baby Bolero
Pattern: One Skein
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton
Modifications: One - the pattern called for an extremely high number of stitches to be picked up on the edge for the ribbed border. I don't know if it was meant to ruffle or what, but I just picked up the amount of stitches I had. In the future, I would definitely use DPNs for the sleeves and pick them up along the sides. Knitting them flat and seaming (as the pattern suggested) added bulk that I don't think needs to be there. Also, this is supposedly a newborn pattern. You can tell from the little dime I added that it's very large. I also was right on with my gauge swatch, so I'm not sure what the problem was. It was also BARELY one skein. I had to cannibalize my cast on tail to get enough yarn to seam it. I did really like the back eyelet detail though. All in all, I would make it again, with smaller needles and with the DPNs for sleeves.
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Two recent baby gifts for new moms.
Stuffed Bear
Pattern: Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton
Stuffing: Cotton fleece, wool scraps, and buckwheat hulls
Modifications: I used DPNs instead of two circulars as the pattern suggests because for me it's easier. I am thinking of adding a mouth - maybe he looks a little pensive without it? I also used the recommended needle size, which I got gauge on, but I think I'd like it better a little tighter. The stuffing peaks through just a little bit. The first time I did this pattern, I made the bunny, and the bear was definitely easier. I would recommend both the yarn and the pattern. And it's machine washable!
( Collapse )
Baby Bolero
Pattern: One Skein
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton
Modifications: One - the pattern called for an extremely high number of stitches to be picked up on the edge for the ribbed border. I don't know if it was meant to ruffle or what, but I just picked up the amount of stitches I had. In the future, I would definitely use DPNs for the sleeves and pick them up along the sides. Knitting them flat and seaming (as the pattern suggested) added bulk that I don't think needs to be there. Also, this is supposedly a newborn pattern. You can tell from the little dime I added that it's very large. I also was right on with my gauge swatch, so I'm not sure what the problem was. It was also BARELY one skein. I had to cannibalize my cast on tail to get enough yarn to seam it. I did really like the back eyelet detail though. All in all, I would make it again, with smaller needles and with the DPNs for sleeves.
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