The Baby Sweater of Doom, Part 2: The Epic Conclusion

The computer is fixed, and now I can deal with the backlog of chores that are so much more difficult on a phone!  

First off, an update on the Baby Sweater of Doom:

As you can see, the left sleeve was sewn on inside out. The yarn is KnitPicks Shine Sport in Green Apple.

The color is much brighter than it appears on the website; it really is almost the color of a granny smith. In the photo above, the sweater is very washed-out; the green embroidery floss is a much truer representation of the sweater's actual color.

This is my third project from Weekend Knitting, and, so far, I've had trouble following all of the patterns. (I did make a fourth project while the sweater was sitting in purgatory, waiting for my anger to cool, but it deserves its own post.) I like the idea behind the book, but I've been disappointed in the pattern instructions. More on that later.

Over last weekend, I made myself sit down, rip out the sleeve, and sew it back on, correctly. Here it is, with buttons and correctly-sewn sleeves:

The button placket instructions are a little confusing; this is a common theme in Weekend Knitting. I think I added the buttons correctly. There is a fourth buttonhole on the neck trim, and the notions list does call for four buttons, but it looks odd to me. While the photography in the book is very aesthetically pleasing, I think a few more photos might help elucidate some of the trickier parts of the instructions.

 

The neckline trim isn't quite as neat as I would have liked, but considering I had to rip it out and start it again, I'm content to let it be.

I am very pleased with how my interior seams came out. This picture, incidentally, has the truest color, I think.

Anyway, I do like the finished product, even if the instructions left me confused. The yarn is still rather bright, but I think the wooden buttons brought the whole effect from "garish" to "cheerful."

I plan to drop it off at its new home as soon as I possibly can, so I can stop thinking about it. I'm very happy with the finished result, but the sheer amount of annoyance and stress it put me through was too much. While baby clothes are, in theory at least, quick little projects, the fact that the intended wearers grow so fast is a source of great stress to me. When I knit for myself, I can shelve a project for six months or so if I get angry at it or tired of it, but the luxury of time is not present with a baby.

Knitting in a slightly larger size does help, and it allowed me some precious breathing room with this one. But I'll be glad when it's safely out of my hands!

On a totally different note, I haven't forgotten the tea cozy! Here's the muslin.

As you can see, the side pieces are a bit short (or, more accurately, the drawstring casing is a bit wide). The flannel doesn't have much give, either, and the base isn't sewn on particularly neatly. I think all of these issues should be solved with a change of fabric and more conscientious stitching.

I still cut the wool side pieces slightly larger than I had originally planned.