toddler t-shirt vest

Oh yes, I'm knitting more vests. And yes, Milo will probably own more vests than any other boy out there.  What can I say?  It's an addiction.

I started out wanting to add a toddler size to my baby t-shirt vest pattern, but instead I found myself drawn to 2x2 ribbing, so I made a few design changes while also removing the button closure. Toddlers are too interested in buttons anyway and it makes the pattern quicker as a bonus. Milo can still wear his baby t-shirt vests even at 13 months, so I think this size will fit most toddlers up until their 2nd birthday. Wool is nice and stretchy, and a form fitting vest is over-the-top cute in my opinion.

What you will need:
Aran weight wool (I used Dream in Color Classy, Grey Tabby colourway)
5.5mm needles (16” circ and DPNs)
9 stitch markers (1 marker for beginning of round, 8 markers for raglan increases)
2 lengths of scrap yarn (for holding stitches)

Gauge 18.5 stitches over 26 rows = 4” square
Size is roughly 12-24 months, finished dimensions are: 10″ wide, 12.5” long (or longer – the body is up to you!) Luckily toddlers don’t grow as fast as babies, so this vest should fit for a whole season.

YOKE
CO 64, join in the round (if you place a marker to mark the beginning of the row, use a different colour than your next markers).
R1-6: [K2, P2] ribbing.
R7: K6, pm, K1, pm, K18, pm, K1, pm, K12, pm, K1, pm, K18, pm, K1, pm, K6
R8: (increase row) *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last raglan marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end.
R9: K all stitches.
Repeat R8 and R9 until you have 112 stitches on your needle.

DIVIDE FOR BODY
K43 then turn work and P30. Turn again and continue in st st for 5 more rows (ending on the right side). Break yarn. Place the next 26 stitches on scrap yarn. Start with vest yarn again and K30, turn work and continue in st st for 6 more rows. DO NOT break yarn, but place the remaining 26 stitches on scrap yarn. With your vest yarn (that you have not broken!) CO16 stitches and continue knitting across the next 30, CO 16, and knit across the next 30. You have now joined the body with a total of 92 stitches. I would suggest removing all your stitch markers except for the one that marks the beginning of the round. Now simply keep knitting in the round until you have the length of the body you want. For Milo, I knit about 6.5” of st st before I started the bottom band.

BOTTOM
[K2, P2] ribbing for 1.5-2” and bind off loosely. I really like the look of a deep band on this vest – it gives the garment a nice balance.

LEFT AND RIGHT ARMHOLE (both are the same, and knit in the round)
Place all 26 stitches from scrap yarn onto 2 DPNs. Determine the bottom center of the armhole and start picking up 13 stitches from this point until you reach the first DPN. Knit across all 26 stitches and then pick up another 13 until you meet up with where you started. PM. [K2, P2] ribbing for 6 rows and bind off loosely.

Weave in your loose ends and place on the nearest toddler you can find!

(Pattern is for personal use only. Please do not use for commercial purposes.)

tasty and blue

Thank goodness for the therapeutic nature of baking. Over the past week we have been a house of poor health: Milo got measles and an ear infection while also getting an allergy test (he is allergic to avocados and bananas), Jay has strep throat and I started the week with two gallstone attacks. Sadie has been spared any sickness - knock on wood - but that is thanks to her grandfather, who whisked her away for a weekend of swimming. Luckily, yesterday was the start of a new week, which we celebrated with a fresh, delicious, heaping mound of Ontario blueberries. Food of the good health gods.

I have been avoiding baking lately for two reasons: it's way too hot and because most baking is loaded with fat. Not that I'm usually concerned, but until I figure out what to do with my gallbladder I am sticking to a pretty low-fat diet. Thankfully my Joy of Cooking has a Reduced Fat Muffin recipe and boy, is it yummy. I added 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries and not only did they smell fantastic in the oven but even Jay devoured them (generally he believes in the rule of all-baking-must-have-chocolate). I even channeled my inner 50's housewife by freezing 6 unbaked muffins for later enjoyment. And by later, I probably mean tomorrow.

Thank you blueberries. 

knit bits

Honestly, I would be happy making a baby gift every week. Quick, small, adorable - and the perfect sense of accomplishment when nothing else is getting done. This little hat is for the expected baby girl of my cousin, and should fit her in time for the colder weather. I used Sublime Organic Merino Wool so it is very soft and squeezable, but as much as I love plain ivory, the hat really called out for a bit of embellishment. I couldn't decide between buttons or applique, so in the end I did both.

In other knitting news, I have finished a toddler version of my Baby T-shirt Vest, but with the steamy weather we're having I am hesitant to force Milo into a photo shoot (or maybe I'm just procrastinating since my quick moving toddler seems like a photography challenge). But I'm really happy with this version - it has a few design tweaks and I loved the wool choice - so I'll have to figure out the photo thing soon. Sweaty, energetic toddler and all.

favourite things part 1

As my making pace slows down, I'm spending a bit more time noticing the things in my home that inspire me. And so begins a tiny little series where I write about these things. It's like Show and Tell for adults, with a heavy focus on handmade goodness.

So for Part 1, two handmade vases by Heydey Design. My inner country self loves old mason jars (I mean, what can't you store in a mason jar?  Could buttons look any better than inside vintage glass?) These vases were cast from old Canadian mason jars in the most perfect, most ivory porcelain. Most of the finish is matte, but the inside and the outer threading has been glazed, giving a wonderful change in surface. I would have fallen in love with these vases at first sight, but what makes them even more special is that they were handcrafted by a childhood friend. Oh, and I don't even consider them vases - they really are sculpture, and they sit proudly on our shelf, not a flower stem in sight. Claire Madill, the artist behind Heydey Design, studied ceramics at Emily Carr in Vancouver and now creates sculpture and jewelry inspired by vintage housewares. It's an ingenious pairing, and I'm still trying to figure out the perfect knit garment to showcase one of her buttons.

The fact that Claire and I share a bunch of embarrassing highschool stories together is simply a bonus. Her work is awesome, and for anyone in Toronto, Heydey is part of Bent Out of Shape: Canadian Design from 1945 to Present at the Design Exchange right now.

secret knitting

When your Mom is the most regular reader of your blog, you really can't post about what you are making her until the gift giving is completely over. Finally the day has come for this shawl.

I loved knitting my own Mara shawl and my Mom liked the pattern so much she tried her hand at knitting it too. But I think I sabotaged her project telepathically so I could have the chance to knit her one. On a cold day in January I took my trusty yarn assistant (Sadie) to Romni and she picked a shimmery silver Debbie Bliss Cathay for Gramma's shawl. It was an excellent pick - easy to knit and the silk content makes the shawl drape just so. Again I loved knitting the shawl and the only modification was knitting stockinette in the main body instead of garter stitch. I used every single inch of the 5 balls I had, making a size that seems suited to summer nights. 

Happy birthday Mom!

quick fix

Thank goodness for baby gifts. Two nights on the sofa and voila, a baby hat for a friend's baby boy. I used Dream in Color Classy, which comes in a 250 yard skein so I have plenty left over to make Milo something (a vest, of course). The colourway is called Gray Tabby and I love how subtle the variations are. It never totally dips to black, and the gray is the perfect charcoal shade. I can imagine knitting lots of garments from this colourway - I mean, how perfect a cardigan would this make? Or a man's rollneck sweater? Or a toddler's hoodie? So many options.

The pattern is a variation of the Simple Hat in Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits for Beginners. It's easy and quick - basically the perfect go-to pattern for baby gifts. I just hope baby Dexter likes this little hat by the time the cool weather comes back.

juggling

It is going to take me a while to figure out this whole being-back-at-work thing. Two weeks in and I only have remnants of energy after the kids are in bed. The sofa calls my name (along with a bowl of popcorn) and I ignore even my knitting needles. But on the weekend I squeezed in a little sewing for Milo because having extra summer clothes for him means less frequent laundry for me. I re-drafted Milo's pants pattern for woven fabrics though I should shorten the rise for the next pair. I had some denim scraps from shortening jeans for myself and I thought they made cute kneepads, plus the colour looked great on the gray linen I had. And the t-shirt is the craziest Father's Day gift out there: Jay found this vintage t-shirt last summer and requested that I make something for Milo out of it. A year later and the request has been filled and being Father's Day today, Milo is going to wear it for his Dad, even though it sort of implies that he is a Dad. That would be the twisted part of the gift, and hopefully we'll get some unusual looks when we venture out in public.

Fingers crossed that my body and mind adjust soon to this new schedule. Time spent making is just way too important to lose.

right now

Right now a shawl is slowly taking shape. This pace is something I will have to get used to.

Right now words are finding their way back in to my days. Whether it's inspiration for work or a novel I've been meaning to read for years, words are always a wonderful way to find perspective.

Right now sewing is a joy. I'm pretty sure I have Kids Week to thank, because suddenly I am having success sewing for myself, which is just in time for a much needed back-to-work wardrobe. I guess I can ditch my army-pants-and-random-t-shirt look once and for all.

And right now I am thankful that a little boy's fever finally broke. After two "transition" visits to daycare, some form of sickness was practically expected, and I doubt this is the last of it. Extra cuddling was all he wanted, and I was more than happy to spend my final days being a doting mom.

Next up, a whole lot of change.

lonely needles

I think my unattended knitting was starting to feel like I was having an affair with my sewing machine. Okay, I was, but I'm pretty sure all that sewing gave me new energy when I picked up my needles again. And that energy finally got me to finish what should have been a very simple project but one that hung around too long, hurting my fingers along the way.

This shrug is Stefanie Japel's Two Tone Shrug from Fitted Knits. It's the second pattern I've tried from this book and I'm happy to report that there were no errors with this one (the first one was a serious lesson in patience). I modified the approach a wee bit by knitting the sleeves in the round instead of flat, because seams would have added unnecessary bulk and it's just plain easier that way. As for the painful fingers, it's entirely my own fault - I used sale bin Cascade Cotton Rich which is bulkier, but I stuck with the pattern's recommended needle size, which meant the ribbing was done on 3.5mm and man, was that a chore. I could only do a couple of rows at a time which is why it took my so long to finish. In the end, it's a cute little sweater but I'm not entirely sure if I'll feel right wearing it. Jay already made fun of my "miniature thing" and it looks very strange lying around (hence the modeled shots). But it's done and my needles are happy again.

Perhaps I'll knit for the kids next. Like sewing, it always works out better.

the last day

The final day and I'm sad to see the challenge end. Staying true to the deal I made with Sadie, here is her new romper/pajamas that are like Milo's. I used white snap tape and just gave extra room around the legs to make it comfortable. Sadie wore them to bed last night and her verdict was quick: this is her favourite garment I made this week (seriously? not even the rainbow leggings?). When I was putting Sadie to bed I started the little pair of pants, and amongst the teeth brushing and book choosing, I had them done 5 minutes after she fell asleep. Funny how you can fit sewing in when you really want to. They are for Milo, but when he's a bit older. I had the sleeves left from the thrifted shirt and didn't want to waste the length on his currently short legs.

I really have to thank Meg of elsie marley for motivating me this week. In all, I sewed 15 garments for Sadie and Milo and I learned SO MUCH about my serger and sewing with knits. I really don't want to stop, but at least I'll slow my pace and move on to something adult size because there are only so many shorts and rompers the kids need. I felt like I was in a sewing rut before this week and this totally cured it. I'm also thankful to have been in the company of so many creative woman, and I now have new blogs to check in with for inspiration. All in all, an awesome challenge and a perfect last sewing "hurrah" before I go back to work.

Oh, and for anyone thinking of trying out knits I really can't recommend Wendy Mullin's Sew U: The Home Stretch enough. It's a fantastic resource that gave me the confidence I needed to tackle an all-knit list of sewing projects.