Sit down and I'll tell you a dale (of Norway)

Once upon a time, waaaaaay back in early June, I started a sweater for a Baby yet to be born.  I got off to a great start; learning how to knit with yarn in both hands, and how to follow a pattern that was pure chart.  It seemed like the sweater would knit itself, I wooshed through the body watching marathons of DVR'd television.  Then something happened, the mojo started to drain away.  Just three weeks into the sweater I went  into a stall, and nearly crashed and burned.  It was hard work (just ask the prez) to keep battling away at the top of the body.  I ran into trouble with the arms (needed dpns, and I hadn't ever tried Fair Isle on dpns).  I had to set goals, and finally demands just to move it closer to done.
At the end of August, the baby was born.  Sweet little Noah, a berry of a boy.  The sweater, however, continued to gestate.  I completed the body and the arms, tossed them in a ziplock bag and went on to other things.  I think it was the steeking that had me flummoxed.  Baby Ull is superwash, it wouldn't hold together unless I really stitched down the sides of the steeks well.  My hand sewing isn't anything to be proud of, but my sewing machine skills are even worse and I was afraid to accidentally bunch-up the fabric and ruin it. 
Noah turned one month old at the end of September.  He aged another month in October, and dang it if he didn't keep right on growing through November.  It was the imminent holiday visit to my Mother's (who lives near Noah) that made me fish it out and contemplate the end.  I think I picked it up and put it down for two days before finally calling in sick to work (cough, cough) and finishing the sweater.  I sewed steeks and carefully cut them.  sewed arms to body and stitched down the seam facings. I picked up stitches for the neck and front opening, and I knit them like a pro.  I found the little frog closures that I had bought with hope back in July, and fastened them on with the last little bit of blue yarn.  I gently steamed the sweater, showed it off proudly to Leslie, and wrapped it in yellow and green tissue paper, then packed it for the trip to Mom's.

My gauge was off, it will fit Noah when he's two or three.  Keep growing little man.

Comments

[Ryan]

To PinkPurlGrrl's other readers: If you think this looks good here, you should see it live and in person. Smashing!

[Sparkles]

SO beautiful! Love the front and the closures...

[Julie]

OMG! That is GORGEOUS!

[Elaine]

Thank you for the nice compliments. I am terribly proud of this sweater, it held a lot of firsts for me. :)

[Rabbitch]

It's gorgeous. And welcome back, sweetie.

[Dorothy]

Not only is it something to be proud of, the size is so much more practical and fun. Babies will just spit up on and grow out of clothing in no time. A toddling two year old could get a whole winter out of this, perhaps even two, since it can be worn big. Sure, they will still be messy with clothing, but way less so than an infant. I would have been much happier to receive such a present, such a labor of love, in a two year old size than a newborn size.

[Ginger]

Your sweater is beautiful. The great thing about kids is they do keep growing, it will fit before you know it.

[moiraeknittoo]

OH wow. *is wide eyed!*