The BSJ is finally done so I'm joining Kat and fellow Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday to celebrate!
I completely appreciate Elizabeth Zimmerman's creativity and ability to look at garments in different ways and translate her ideas into knits, purls, increases, and decreases, and I'm glad I finally knit a BSJ. I was explaining the iconic nature of the pattern to Ryan and he asked if it was some sort of knitting milestone, like socks. Maybe it is, but now that I've made one, I don't think it's the kind of knitting I enjoy. I don't enjoy counting every other row despite using markers so I could make sure that my increases and decreases lined up correctly. I really dislike not knowing what part of the garment I'm working on. The pattern is written to make buttonholes on both sides and then sew up the holes you don't use. I wanted to make buttonholes on the left because we know the baby is a boy, but I ended up not making buttonholes at all because I wasn't sure which side was the left. I opted to use one button and a loop instead. I crocheted around the neck opening with my almost non-existent crochet skills because the neck edge looked a little raw to me.
The sweater seems to be a bit oddly shaped with three-quarter-length sleeves. There are plenty of people who have added ribbing to the cuffs, but I chose not to. I don't have an actual baby to try it on, but if it fits the baby it was knit for this fall and winter that may be the best I can hope for. He won't even be able to say that his wrists are cold because his sleeves are too short! There will be another baby in the family in February of 2023, and I might try another baby sweater for comparison. (Or I might just knit booties and call it good.)
When we re-did our kitchen after we moved in, John got frustrated because I couldn't translate his carefully-drawn plans into how the kitchen would look in real life. This struck me as much the same. I may be a bit spatially challenged but this is not my type of knitting. I knit for relaxation, comfort, and pleasure, and I just didn't like thinking this much while I knit! So I'm back to knitting on a Hitchhiker, and much happier for it.
I think it's terrific and I love that deep rich purple color - clearly this baby is royalty! I think the pattern is fun and rather brilliant but there's no need to try it again if you don't, there are plenty of other patterns to knit for future babies.
ReplyDeleteWhew - it turned out great, Bonny ... and I totally get your "meh, not for me" reaction to the pattern (I've never knitted a BSJ). I much prefer knits that look like what they are - with maybe a cool technique along the way (like the heel on a sock?) Of course the whole point is to wrap a baby in a hand-knit hug, and I guess there are as many different ways to do that as there are knitters! Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteI think it turned out so nicely, Bonny. The baby will be wrapped in love (and a gorgeous color)! I have never felt compelled to knit a BSJ, I think for all the reasons you've pointed out. I like to know what I'm knitting and tend not to like "surprises" in my projects, even when they're planned. ;-) I'm glad you've returned to your Hitchhikers. It's so nice to have some nice, rhythmic, "easy" knitting in your hands. XO
ReplyDeleteabsolutely gorgeous!! I love that the solid color really shows the intricate EZ design, she was brilliant!
ReplyDeleteBravo for finishing it, in spite of the frustrations. You can now cross that off the list. I think knowing what you don't like knitting is just as important as knowing what you do like. I don't think we knew each other yet at the time, but my daughter actually came home from the hospital in a BSJ in December (though she had something on under it, too), and I've always thought of it as a jacket, meaning there's an understanding that the baby will be wearing something else underneath and the shorter sleeves won't matter as much.
ReplyDeleteVery well done! But I'm with you on the BSJ, having knit several in the past. This is now my favorite baby sweater: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/norwegian-fir-top-down-cardigan
ReplyDeleteI did not understand the shorter sleeves, until I watched a baby at play wearing a lovely BSJ... the sleeves don't get in the way of a baby playing. No sleeves over hands, or sleeves in mouth either. And of course, EZ wrote this pattern before there were sonograms and baby sex reveals parties... no advance notice of a boy or a girl, so her idea was genius for the time. I have found that which side buttons are on matters little in baby life. I just put the button holes on one side and call it good! (I have knit many BSJ's and no one has ever said "huh, you put the buttons on the wrong side!")
ReplyDeleteBut, yay for the steady and truly timeless knitting of a Hitchhiker!
I love it! Perhaps you will appreciate it more with time and distance from the process. I understand not wanting to think so much when knitting, and the older I get, the less I want to do this sort of knitting as well. I knit a lot of things in the past that were conundrums to me until almost complete. I have serious spatial issues as well. Just think, though, you created all kinds of new brain cells while knitting this! Learning new things is one way to avoid brain drain as we get older. I do find knitting heels on socks to be challenging at times when I haven't done it in a while. Congratulations on finishing this challenging knit.
ReplyDeleteI think that would drive me crazy as well. I like to KNOW what I'm knitting.
ReplyDeleteWhen Stephen was younger he would got through Southern Living Magazine and look at the house sketches. He'd make comments of how this was good, or this was impractical, or geez that kitchen is laid out poorly. Me? I need to see the actual house and I still don't know what I'm looking at all the time. Thank goodness it worked out that the kitchen in MY house is laid out pretty darn good. I got lucky. LOL
That is a lovely BSJ. You can be proud of it... and never knit another one.
ReplyDeleteIf a pattern's not for you, it's not for you! I have a note on the hat pattern I'm working now that says "never ever work a tubular cast-on again- it's fiddly, time-consuming, and I don't even love the final look." I know what you mean about the ragged neckline and I like your solution. I worked out how to do buttonholes on one side, too (and shifted them a bit because I thought the top button was too close to the neckline) - I also did not care for EZ's instructions to just sew up the ones you don't want. I think this pattern is especially entertaining in a self-striping yarn. And the shorter sleeves are great because they don't get shoved in the baby's mouth and snag on toys and stuff (I always see babies wearing this over a onesie or shirt). But the point is knitting is to make you happy, and if the BSJ isn't doing it for you, that's great to know!
ReplyDeleteDespite it being annoying...or a pain...or frustrating...or whatever, your BSJ turned out so lovely Bonny. I love the deep purple color. And I'm happy that you are back to knitting a Hitchhiker. It's so good to know what you like!
ReplyDeleteYour BSJ looks lovely and I am sure it will be loved!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie! That is a very kind thing to say and I hope for the same thing!
DeleteThe BSJ looks great! I know the sleeves seemed a little short. I can't remember if I did a few garter rows around one that I made or not. I have made a lot of baby sweaters out of Taiga Hilliard patterns. The ones I made are top down and easy to do. I just scrolled through Ravelry and it looks like all the ones I made I just put the buttonholes on the left.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Suzanne! Several people have pointed out to me that the sleeves of the sweaters won't get crammed in the baby's mouth and he will certainly be wearing something underneath. I have a couple of Taiga Hilliard sweaters saved as favorites for my (possible) next baby sweater.
DeleteI agree with Sarah. Knowing what you don't like to knit is important. Despite the headache, it turned out beautifully. I often knit baby sweater sleeves shortly on the short side because babies often chew on sleeves. I've found many top down raglan or yoked sweater patterns for babies on Ravelry. And booties would be just fine too. Or a hat. I often give baby hats as gifts.
ReplyDeleteI love the shorter sleeves for a baby sweater -- and, actually, for me, too!! ;)
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