And what makes this auntie squeal with delight this Christmas Eve?

Seeing Baby V bedecked in the knit cardi I made her before she was born!

The smile means she loves it!

…and that is the best Christmas present this year!

~~ Merry Christmas dear friends ~~

My sister’s due date is still a few months away – early October – but I am doing my part to make sure that Baby V is well-outfitted after her arrival!

“Fleecy Niecey” cardigan
Pattern: Baby Raglan (free pattern)
Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL Aran, “Cosmic Dawn”
Needles: Size US 8

I bought this lovely variegated yarn in Nova Scotia last summer - Fleece Artist is made in Nova Scotia, so what better way to think about my trip than to knit with the yarn I bought there?  Now the little cardi will be boxed up and sent to California for Baby V.   I was hoping to have longer sleeves on this, but I simply ran out of yarn – I didn’t want to make it any shorter, so it is a short-sleeved wool cardigan… yeah, I know…  My plan is to find a jewel-toned onesie for her to wear underneath – my little niece will be quite hip with the layered look.  I modified the pattern a bit here using seed stitch in place of ribbing and also turned down the collar.  I may add a button or pick up a cute pin or snap to match this… still deciding.

Using the same pattern, I made this slightly more summery version of the cardigan – little bit longer sleeves too!  I picked up the adorable watermelon button to match the marled pink yarn – RYC Cotton Jeans in “Sierra”.  I did use ribbing, as the pattern calls for, on the neckline, the sleeves, and the hemline. 

The pattern, like all top-down raglans, is so easy to knit and to modify.  Of course the small size of these make them such quick knits, and a great way to bust through some skeins of yarn from the stash.  Planning to make many more like these – perhaps a whole rainbow of them!

Knitting for baby is definitely fun – but I also enjoy knitting for sisters… and I  thought that Mimi deserved a nice garment too!  Her birthday was last week – and I am typically behind in my good intentions – but I started a beautiful Kim Hargreaves pattern for her:  the “Ruby” cardigan from the Breeze collection.  The wide open neck line is definitely the eye-catching factor in this piece.  When I picked up the pattern book a few months back, this (and the corresponding pullover “Rose”) was among my favorites in the book – one of the reasons I bought it in the first place.  When Mimi and I were discussing it recently, I sent her the link for the pattern and she liked this one the most too.  I love the chance to make something for her that she loves as much as I do!  We decided that a belted cardigan would be a good idea right now during pregnancy and after the baby is born - lots of options and easy to remove.  Plus, it is flowy, drapey, and has a nice shape.  I particularly love the frills of picot stitches on the edges. 

I cast on with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed and immediately started the front left panel of the cardigan.  More progress since this initial shot too.  Garter stitches and simple stockinette – simple and beautiful