I received a small package in the mail the other day. It was unexpected — no purchased goods expected. To my surprise, it was a baby sweater that I had made for my now 24-year old niece when she was just a baby. I did not know what to make of it. Why would my brother return it now, after all these years, after my own two girls were far too old to be able to wear it. My first reaction was one of hurt feelings. Was he mad at me? Ridding himself of all past reminders of his big sister?
Naaaahhhhhhh!
I called him and he said, “You asked me to send this to you if I ever found it.” Oh, yeah! I forgot! I thought it would be nice to have one of my old knitted relics as a keepsake — if they didn’t want it any more. It has meant a lot to me to have the sweaters that my mom made me, and I like looking back on my own first attempts at knitting. The sweater in question was my first blue ribbon at the State Fair. In fact, when I gave the sweater to them, I left the ribbon attached.
It’s fun to look at your old knitting. There are many opportunities for “I would do THAT differently,” and, “What was I thinking when I did THAT?” and “Why did I choose that technique?” The usual answer to these questions for me is, cuz it’s the only way you knew HOW to do it back then!
So, here is the old, old baby sweater, my own design, made in CHEAP acrylic yarn — for the baby, of course! I did use antique buttons (because I had them in my stash!). Be kind…
I think I crocheted the buttonhole bands, which is surprising because I really do not crochet. Doesn’t it look like something someone’s Grannie should be wearing? In those days, baby garments were very traditional.
The back:
And a close up of the back neck detail:
I did a chain embroidery stitch around the back neck to carry the line all the way around.
And the sleeves have the small cable detailing:
So, no new FO’s to share, but instead I am dredging up the past! Now I knit very little seed or moss stitch because it is so slow, and it bothers my elbows (I have tennis elbows from knitting no less!), but I did a lot of it back then.
Hope your holiday was filled with family and fireworks.
PS to kellistar: Unfortunately, I did not write the pattern down — at least that I know of. I do have a lot of old knitting papers around and if I stumble upon the pattern, I will share it. OW, feel free to use it as a creative starting point for your own rendition.
It would be hard to find fault with something so beautiful. It’s so well done and it must be very gratifying to have it back in your hands.
Comment by Joan Hamer — July 4, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
Be kind? Are you kidding — it’s gorgeous!
Comment by Lissa — July 4, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
Cheap acrylic sure looks great after 23 years. Very nice work.
Comment by Eunice — July 4, 2008 @ 11:52 pm
Wow, I’m impressed! I’ve been knitting for years and years, and have never designed anything myself. (I do my part to keep the knitwear designers employed!) I love the tiny cables, and I’m very partial to seed stitch. Since I’m “crochet challenged”, I’m also impressed with your crocheted button bands.
Mary G. in Texas
P.S. It doesn’t look like acrylic yarn in the photos.
Comment by Katie's Granny — July 5, 2008 @ 12:35 am
I agree what what everyone else said – I think it looks fantastic. Definitely a great “early knitting” relic.
Comment by Nicole — July 5, 2008 @ 12:47 am
Very, very cute. I was interested to read that you have tennis elbow from knitting. I get it if I knit long rows in stockinette on a very small needle. Not with socks – just garments. Any tried and true remedies (other than laying off knitting) that you recommend? I can’t really find anything else that works.
Comment by Jocelyn — July 5, 2008 @ 1:32 am
“Something someone’s Grannie should be wearing”? Yes, but everyone should have some version of this in their wardrobe. It’s a classic, timeless piece.
Comment by Marina — July 5, 2008 @ 6:58 am
Please…it’s beautiful just like everything else you knit:)! I am knitting something in acrylic, too, right now. Partially because it is an experiment for me(top down raglan) and, also, because I like the finish of the yarn. It really is looking nice. That really is a beautiful sweater! I love aran.
Ang
Comment by angelarae — July 5, 2008 @ 8:36 am
That sweater looks great…..after all these years…..I love that about baby sweaters, they never go out of style, and the little wearer usually grows out of them so quickly that they don’t get worn out either LOL!!
A friend of mine, an occupational therapist, has warned me never to knit with my elbows on the arms of a chair — to avoid tennis elbow……who knew that knitting and tennis were so strenous?
Comment by Anne — July 5, 2008 @ 9:31 am
It’s a lovely baby garment, much much nicer than what’s shown today. And as much as we hate to admit it, that acrylic held up and mom didn’t have to had wash either.
Comment by ruth — July 5, 2008 @ 10:10 am
Just one word, and though it’s been used before in these comments, it’s the perfect one — GORGEOUS!
I’ll do a post on TwinSet one day to show the sweater I knit for my niece some 30+ years ago…cute, but unlike this one, the obvious work of a loving beginner.
Comment by twinsetjan — July 5, 2008 @ 10:34 am
Now you can save it for one of your grandchildren to wear 🙂
Comment by kmkat — July 5, 2008 @ 11:55 am
I love the classics! You made a very lovely keepsake sweater. Any chance you remember the name of the pattern, or your source, so those of us who are drooling can rush out and make one for some lucky baby we know?
Comment by Debbie — July 5, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
It is totally lovely. Your comments about how we do things differently today than we did 30 years ago hit the mark, though. I was watching an Elizabeth Zimmerman DVD this morning and was amused at her warning against combination knitting and knitting with anything but sheepswool. I wonder what she’d be doing differently today.
Comment by twinsetellen — July 5, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
What a treasure!
Comment by Michelle — July 5, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
Just lovely! You should be proud, not ashamed. It’s still in wonderful shape – how many moth holes would it have if it were made of wool and stuffed in someone’s drawer for all those years? It’s just like a Timex, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Your grandchildren can still wear it. Just wait a few years, it will come in handy!
Comment by Elizabeth Risch — July 5, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
At 25 that sweater is not old,old it’s classic. Maybe a 40 year old sweater is old, old.Beautiful work is timeless anyway. Is that a two row seed stitch or are my old, old eyes playing tricks? For the tennis elbow, the Arthritis Foundation recommends knitting with circular wooden needles. It moves the weight of your knitting to your lap and off your joints. The wood is supposed to be warmer on your hands.
Comment by Becky — July 5, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
What grabbed my attention is the exquisite capped sleeves. Not many would bother on a baby sweater. The care you put into it really shine through. It’s quite lovely.
Comment by LaurieM — July 5, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
It’s absolutely beautiful!
Comment by Maggie — July 5, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
I agree with the person who said the sweater is “classic” rather than “old”. An original design with so much detail deserves to win the ribbon at the fair. Because the knitting appears fine, that sweater could easily fit into a vintage knitting book. My children were born 26 and 24 years ago, so I am partial to that style of sweater, it is so much better than what is out now. If, by some miracle you still have your pattern (you did write it down, right?), why not make the pattern available for sale? I’d buy it!
Comment by kellistarr — July 6, 2008 @ 12:59 am
I sure wish my first attempts were half as gorgeous!
Comment by Carol — July 6, 2008 @ 9:11 am
If it were my size, I’d wear it in a heartbeat! Truly lovely and timeless!
Comment by Ann — July 6, 2008 @ 10:52 am
great design and great craftmanship. It’s timeless.:D
Comment by cici — July 6, 2008 @ 10:06 pm
Susan- Acrylic was okay back in the day. No-one washed wool.
Do you think tennis players get knitter’s elbow?
Comment by Lorraine — July 7, 2008 @ 8:29 am
A lot of work and love went into that sweater – glad your brother found it and sent it back. It is beautiful!
Comment by Gail R — July 7, 2008 @ 9:47 am
Oh, It’s beautiful!!!
Comment by Lori — July 7, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
What a great find. It looks new to me.
Comment by KSee — July 7, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
That’s a gorgeous sweater for any age.
So. What did he do with your Blue Ribbon? I suppose he/the baby just carelessly lost it…… 😉
Comment by Carrie K — July 7, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
Have you honestly been entering your work in the State Fair for over 24 years??? That kind of freaks me out. I’m still struggling with what/how many to enter this year. I just want to defend my one category, so don’t enter anything in the “child’s textured” department, okay? 🙂 Really, though, I love this little classic. I wish I’d kept or could still find some of my early pieces. That could either be delightful or humiliating.
Comment by Peggy — July 9, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
It’s beautiful! I am expecting my first grandchild in a few months, and a version of this sweater is now on the list. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Paddy — July 10, 2008 @ 8:03 pm
It shouldn’t be too hard to reverse engineer it. It looks like about 20 stitches of moss stitch on the sides, with some single-stitch-wide columns that look like EZ’s fake seams with two stitches worked together to look like one stitch two rows tall. There are the standard 2purls next to the braided cables, and some unusual cable combinations: both braided, but the smaller ones are 6 stitches (2x2x2 braid) and the big on down the back is 9 stitches (3x3x3). It looks like eight rows of ribbing. Then there’s the crocheted? button band, and those glorious pearl buttons. It’s beautiful!
Comment by =Tamar — July 20, 2008 @ 6:29 am