A few weeks back a friend from church asked me if I could replicate a sweater that had been a favourite with her children. It was literally falling apart from being so well loved.
Usually I don't take on requests from those outside the family. With three (yes, three!) new grandbabies due this year, and various family members requesting everything from gloves to socks, I have more than enough projects to keep me busy. And then there was DH's sweater (which is finished and he's happy with it so I'm happy) and some leftovers from that project that I want to turn into a sweater for me. My knitting time was pretty much accounted for.
Then there's been the ongoing hand pain I've been trying to power through over the past few years. However, only a week or so again, I found some exercises online to relieve pain associated with knitting and they have made a huge difference. I can't believe how much of a difference. Unfortunately, I have to actually do them regularly if I want to keep knitting and I'm not very good at that kind of self-care but I'm persevering and it has paid off.
But back to my friend. After telling her I could write up a pattern from the original sweater (thinking that perhaps someone else could knit it for her) I then began thinking of how one would go about making the sweater. Would I be able to find a yarn to match? It was a rather unusual shade (perhaps a little faded from too many times in the washtub) but with a silky feel. What exactly was it that she loved about the sweater? What made this one so special?
I queried her further and learnt that she loved everything about the sweater except the fact it was falling apart: shape, size, colour, feel of the fabric, buttons and pockets. If I was to replicate it, then there were a lot of elements to get right.
On examination I discovered that the length of body and sleeves corresponded to size 2 years but the chest to size 6 years. I questioned her and discovered this was one of the features they loved about the sweater. She could layer it over other clothes for the two-year-old (they live opposite the mountain and it's cold in winter) but it could also fit a six-year-old.
I took the gauge and discovered it was 22 stitches to 10cm / 4". Based on that, I purchased 8 ply / DK wool. As I began knitting I quickly realised that the original had not been knitted from 8 ply / DK. I suspect the original knitter planned to make size 2 years and did the length according to the pattern, but that his/her gauge was out and so the sweater ended up bigger around the chest. I suspect the stitch gauge should have been 26 stitches to 10cm and that it's made from 5 ply / sport yarn. I also suspect the original sweater has a large percentage of acrylic in its mix which probably gave it that lovely feel but may have also partly contributed to the breakdown of its fibres.
However, I had 8 ply / DK yarn in a lovely shade of merino and I was going to have to make it work somehow. After some trial and error, I arrived at a working pattern (with room for modification as I progressed if necessary). Last weekend I had opportunity for some car knitting and was able to churn out the back and sleeves. I had never done pockets before, and couldn't find a similar pattern for pockets, so some experimentation was required. After four attempts I finally came up with something that I hoped would be acceptable. A lovely touch (one agreed to by my friend) was that I was able to reuse the buttons.
I gave it to her this morning and she seemed thrilled - especially that the colour matched so closely (more so than in the photos). I have yet to see one of her little ones wearing it but I'm sure they'll look super cute.
Meanwhile, I have my eye on the extra balls of yarn that my local yarn shop kindly put aside for me since I wasn't sure how many I would need. The colour and feel of this merino yarn is so lovely that I'm thinking a small someone in my family might appreciate a vest this winter.
And then it will be time to get back into the baby knitting. I wonder if I'll manage to get even one pair of socks done this year?
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