Marsha

How I spent my summer vacation

p8146263.jpgI bought the yarn for a Wonderful Wallaby for Sylvia several months ago. In late spring I started one sleeve but, about a third of the way up, decided I didn’t like how it looked, so I frogged it and turned my attention to other projects. I brought the yarn with me to Vermont and managed to finish the whole thing in just over a week (thanks to Gina, who lent me her size 8 Denise needles after I realized I’d left mine at home). It was done just in time, too: the day after I finished it, cooler weather moved in, so Sylvia got to wear it right away. Fortunately, she loves her new sweater–she’s particularly fond of the kangaroo pocket in the front, which she filled with rocks, leaves, and sticks during this hike.

p8146266.jpgI really enjoyed knitting this sweater. The yarn I used (Rowan All-Seasons Cotton, in Native) is a delight to work with–I want to make something for myself with this stuff!–and the pattern is very well written. The section on picking up stitches to start the pouch wasn’t completely clear to me at first, but luckily for me my friend Beth (who has knit several Wallabies herself) was around to help me figure it out. I made a few changes to the pattern: I increased the below-pocket length by an inch; I eliminated the ribbing on the bottom hem (I don’t like tops that bind at the waist…it’s been years, I think, since I last tucked in a shirt, and that was probably for a job interview) and used a simple rolled stockinette edge instead; and after increasing the hood a few stitches on the second row (as called for), I also increased by several stitches on the third row, creating a fuller hood.

The Wallaby is a nearly seamless sweater. You have to graft (Kitchener stitch) the top of the hood (which is knit flat) and the armpits. I had a little trouble with that, as the last stitch in each of those rows all ended up large and loose. Hmmm. Also, the bottom-center of the placket stretched out a bit (you can see it in the first photo). I suspect this is partly because I knit a size 4T sweater, which is a bit large for Sylvia (who’s just 27 months), so it hangs from her shoulders a bit. But Beth tells me this is a problem she’s seen, too, and isn’t sure if it’s avoidable. I’ll have to do some poking around to find a solution for this before I knit another one.

Yarn: Rowan All-Seasons Cotton, 6.25 skeins
Color: Native
Needles: #6 DPN and 24″ circular, #8 DPN and 24″ circular
Size: 4T
Start: 5 August 2007
Finish: 13 August 2007

5 Responses to “How I spent my summer vacation”

  1. Katie Jon 22 Aug 2007 at 11:45 am

    Looks fantastic! I’m on my second sleeve now, so hopefully with this cool weather our girls will be able to be twinkies in their wallabies.

  2. Ginaon 22 Aug 2007 at 2:50 pm

    You’re welcome! :-)

    Wallaby looks really awesome, too!

  3. jdon 23 Aug 2007 at 12:35 am

    your wallaby is lovely, as is your wallaby wearer! though i’ve seen this pattern before, it’s never really spoken to me. . . until i saw your version with the rolled bottom hem. love that look! well done, friend!

  4. Marshaon 23 Aug 2007 at 3:05 pm

    Thanks, everyone! (JD, the pattern covers child size 2T all the way up to adult XXL, so you could knit one for yourself, if you feel called to it. I am actually thinking of doing one for myself, too!)

  5. MACon 05 Sep 2007 at 9:34 pm

    I have no idea what all that knitting stuff means, but the sweater is uber-cute! Great job, Bean.

    BTW, Maggie decided she was “chilly” today and had to wear her scarf. I got out the purple one you made for her, and she said, “No. I want the green one.” Sorry, kid. The green one’s mine!