Let's Swing

It's finished! This is my version of the Swing Jacket by Chesley Flotten from my Mum's book, Soft & Simple Knits for Little Ones by Heidi Boyd.

It has a sweet little I-cord tie as a closure...

... fluted sleeves which echo the swing back,

and it's edged in garter stitch round the sides and bottom.

The neckline is edged in what looks like an I-cord bind-off but but it's actually 6 rows of garter stitch.
Knitted top-down, it suited me because as you know I like to make things in one piece, which this is, and it’s unusual to find a pattern like that (usually I convert them all).

Although pleased with the result, I didn’t enjoy this knit as much as I wanted to. And I was knitting in Aran and big needles (usually my favourite). This may partly be because I knitted it far too long and had to frog about 8 inches of the entire jacket!

Despite following the pattern to the letter, the stitch count did not match at the point when you divide the sleeves from the body. I fudged it and went with my count, because the pattern count just didn’t work. Everything else was fine though.

I love the way the back kicks out; this is a style that really suits adults, and I'm sure will look lovely on a little one-year-old. Can you see in the photo below, the way you increase around three stitches in the centre of the back as you work down the garment? It's very neat and looks good.

This was not my favourite knit, but I'm pleased with the outcome, and I think it will look great on (probably in the winter due to the weight of the yarn). By the way, I used Artesano Alpaca in Aran. I have used their alpaca many times before, and like it, but only in finer weight, so I was delighted when I found this while I was in Scotland. It was really the colour that drew me, but the softness, halo and weight were also great.

Can you see the resemblance between the blue yarn and blueberries (something I eat far too much of)?

Now the little jacket is finished I've started working on a white cabled blanket (from Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby - what a useful book!). More news on that soon (or at least when I've made more progress than a garter edge and first cable repeat). In case you're wondering why I've made so many knitted baby items, DH and I are expecting our first baby! It's due in December (so it could be a Christmas baby). It's currently a very exciting place here at Rowanberry HQ.