Tiniest So Faded

August 12, 2022

 


When is the last time you have knitted a tiny baby sweater? It had been ages for me and I'd forgotten just how tiny they are and how fast they knit up! I kept measuring and rereading the directions, thinking, this can't be the time to bind off already? I just started it! And are humans ever this tiny? This is a 9-12 month size and I think it took two nights to complete. 










Just when I thought I was done knitting baby sweaters I was invited to two baby showers! First up is a little boy who will be born in September. I knit a size 9-12 months and I think it will fit this winter and have some room to grow. I used Koigu Painter's Palette in three graduated colors and used exactly half of the yardage and have enough to make one more tiny sweater. The pattern is So Faded Pint Sized by Andrea Mowry. If you are new to fading then this pattern will be helpful. Also I like the way this pattern fits--it seems to have good proportions which is so important even with babies. The neckline has just enough space for a baby's large noggin without being sloppy. This is my pattern project page.


As for the quilt, years ago I worked at a fine linens shop. We sold bespoke bed, bath and kitchen linens with our cotton fabric sourced from Italy and our linen from Ireland. The samples were quite large and just gorgeous; many of them embroidered and appliquéd. Twice a year when certain fabrics were discontinued the owner handed the samples over to me, sometimes bags at a time! I also got chummy with one of the reps and she gave me more. I made dolly clothes, tea towels, and napkins galore, but then started cutting the fabric into 6" squares. After I had two full shoe boxes of squares I invited my girlfriends over to make baby quilts. At that time many of my friends were about to become first time grandmothers. We met once a week at my house, and over several months we made simple patch quilts, sewing them all by hand and hand quilting them. Every single quilt came out beautiful. You can read about it here. I made three crib sized quilts--a mostly yellow quilt, a mostly pink quilt, and this one, mostly blue. This is the last one I have and I'm so happy to be able to gift it to the sweetest and most excited and most beautiful new mama I know. 


The gift box will have this quilt, the sweater, a pair of the cutest teeny weeny jeans, some bibs and towels that were on her registry, and a dozen gently used picture books that Carter has outgrown. I'm so excited and I think she'll love it!




When I cleaned out my sewing room a few years ago I really tried to be practical and donate half finished crafts and craft supplies that I had lost interest in. I had a large stack of quilting fabric and I didn't see myself ever making complicated quilts again, but maybe I'd made a simple patchwork quilt? I really had enjoyed making those simple quilts with my friends. It was clear I wasn't ready to say goodbye to quilting completely so I took all the fabric and cut them into squares and now I have one shoe box full--perhaps enough to make a full size quilt if I choose. Sometimes I think I will make a quilt and sometimes I think I will donate this box, but I don't have to decide yet. It's there if I want it and it takes up very little space. It's funny, but quilting was such a big part of my life until knitting took over 20 or so years ago. And when that knitting bug bit, I was a goner! I've got one little needlepoint Christmas ornament that year after year I just can't seem to finish. I love needlepoint, but with all my knitting I just never pick up anything else. How about you? Any crafts or textile arts that you've neglected because of knitting? I'l bet there's a lot of us out there!



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11 Comments

  1. The post about abandoned crafts is timely, indeed. I just sent the remainder of my fabric stash, hundreds of buttons, and other sewing “stuff” to our local Thrift Store…yesterday. I took up full time knitting in 2007, and it seems to be the only hobby that keeps my attention. Even though it was hard to part with cherished scraps and partly finished projects, the overall feeling is freedom from knowing that there’s stuff I “should” get to. Not any more. I hope all of my former treasures find good homes.

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    1. Wow, you did a very brave thing and I really admire your strength. I know that freeing feeling so well, but as of now, I've been unable to totally get rid of my fabric stash. You have given me something to think about. I'm really going to give this some thought because I love the idea of someone actually using my fabric. Thank you for the encouragement.

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  2. I save needlepoint for when I cannot knit or crochet. Otherwise I sew, knit and crochet when I'm not taking of the house and family. I'm retired so have more time left over than when I was working. Lucky , grateful me!
    Someone gave me a huge tub with crochet cotton thread. I am thinking of doing a lace tablecloth. But as of now, just thinking.

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    1. I am a lucky and retired lady too! Free time is something to be grateful for. I admire that you have many interests and spread your time between them! Your crochet blanket sounds like it will keep you busy for many years! Thank you so much for your comment.

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  3. Hi Kristen! I have been a knitter since I was a young girl and always loving crafts. I worked in knitting shops for almost 20 years, teaching knitting and crochet. I learned to see when I was a teenager and picked up quilting when my first child was born 32 years ago. Needlepoint was something I said I would never do as I didn’t need any more crafts. In 2020, I started needlepointing and love it. I have many projects and just completed a Christmas stocking. I sometimes think that I wish I could concentrate on just one hobby, but I do enjoy all of them! Knitting is the most portable so that probably gets most of my attention because I travel a lot. I always enjoy reading your blog and what you are up to :)

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    1. Thank you for your comment, and you know, you are right about having many craft outlets to love. That is a lucky thing. Our hands are never still and we are never stuck with nothing to do. Still, I think my crafts could use one more sweep. I'm thinking about giving it one more hard look. It's been a few years since I've done that and things do change.

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  4. I love that sweater!
    I also enjoyed revisiting our quilt party. I still have mine and am going to give it to a granddaughter who is expecting her first child in January. thanks for the memories!

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    1. Thank you Carole. Weren't our quilting parties fun? I have more squares and could have another quilting party but I don't think anyone would want to do it now! All our grandkids are well out of the baby quilt stage! Congratulations on your first great grand. What a beautiful gift!

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  5. I love that sweater too! I love the look of tiny baby things and am also “seduced” by good proportions. The most beautiful knitting in the world can be ruined by a sloppy or awkward fit and I always feel sorry for the knitter who did all that work “for nothing.” Thank you for all your pattern suggestions, Kristen. They always have good proportions.

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    1. Thank you Chloe. I can't tell you how many sloppy necks I've made following a pattern, until I realized, brainstorm, that I could modify the pattern! Still, it's nice when a pattern like this has given thought to all that. Nice to hear from you!

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  6. Meant to add my name to that just now - Chloe

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