I've spent the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday swatching away. Five swatches, to be exact to get the right gauge for a new pattern that is in the works: the Honeycomb Jacket for Babies and Toddlers.
I've done swatches on size 11's and size 10's with the Stitch 'N Bitch yarn that I originally was going to use on this honeycomb Jacket...but decided that I didn't literally want a "honeycomb" colorway, but a multicolored colorway that was thinner so it was a lighter type of jacket meant for Spring/Fall weather or a chilly house.
Enter: new type of yarn, the Bernat Mosaics that looks like Noro yarn. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for real wool, but I couldn't resist the charms of these yarns. They stripe in several colors when knit up...and it looks like I did all of the work! (Not to mention I got these for a great deal, so I bought more colorways...)
Enter: me knitting up a jacket for the size of an 8 year-old...because the smaller swatches lied. (Frog.)
Lot's of hours later after swatching, math, more swatching, more math...the gauge seems to be near-exact.
Of course I plan on knitting it in what my preemie toddlers fit at 18-24 months as tiny-beanies...which is a standard 12 month old waist! I know! I am going by the standards of the "Craft Yarn Council." When I write up the pattern, I will hopefully hit the standard fits (of normal weighing babies & toddlers) of Newborn, 3 month, 6 month, 12 month and 24 months. That's the plan. Now, let's just hope the cabling pattern obliges all of those!
The shape of this jacket is inspired by Elizabeth Z's "Tomten" jacket, where there is a big cutout in the jacket for the sleeves. And it will be hooded as well. And Zippered (yay!). Everyone loves a zippered jacket.
Oh, and did I forget to mention my favorite part? The cables are done without cable needles. (I'll make a video tutorial later on that if you want.) It's a really nifty trick when you have C3F or C3B all across the row.
I'm currently 6'' in.
