Wild Hope Homestead

Anyone remember that baby cardigan I started knitting for The Little Fulla right before he was born? Well, I finished it! Sort of. The main yarn is a beautiful dark teal, which the photos don’t do justice, and the edges a sage green. This was my first proper knitted clothing project and, as always, I picked something more complicated than I should have, considering the timing. Who starts a high attention-requiring project right before popping out a baby? Me. And if only babies would just pop out. It went a little something like this. The cardigan, not the birth of my child…

First session: Knit two rows. Get distracted by sudden urge to knit egg basket cozy.

Second session: Knit a few more rows while at the birth centre in early labour. Realise I’ve done something wrong and un-knit a couple of rows. Give up with impending arrival of baby.

Third session: A few days after baby has ‘popped out’, re-knit aforementioned rows. Realise that knitting needles are too big as garment looks too loose and stretchy. Frog all knitting and start again on smaller needles.

Some weeks later: Feeling pleased with self for accomplishment of following first pattern chart. Finish chart section and begin seed stitch section. Realise stuff up to seed stitch has been made a few rows back. Realise further stuff up has been made half way through chart section. Too bad. Frog knitting back a few rows to fix seed stitch stuff up. Absentmindedly drop a stitch and unravel more rows. Figure I might as well undo back to first stuff-up. Half of knitting has now been undone. Almost give up but determined to do it.

Do a few more unmentionable things along the way. Very slow progress.

Give self deadline of having it done in time for friend’s wedding so The Little Fulla could wear it.

‘Finish’ it while watching All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup winning game early on morning of wedding.

Two problems. 1) Seven green buttons bought online were not all green. Three were black. Hadn’t checked them all when bought two months earlier. Oops. 2) Buttons were too small to keep cardigan closed properly anyway. Oops.

Attach four green buttons to hold it together enough for wedding. Day turned out so warm that The Little Fulla didn’t even wear it for long.

So, I have now bought seven larger and hopefully all green buttons, which will need to be attached. That is why it is ‘finished’. Despite its many flaws, I like this cardigan.