sugar, spice & maile

  at the beginning of last week, my sweet husband asked me to knit a baby gift for a work colleague of his who's wife is expecting a baby any day. this man of mine rarely asks me to knit anything... so of course i was very pleased to oblige... and baby gifts are small, right? easy peasy.
i seem to always like to push myself though (lol i blame my stubborn roots) and i chose a fingering weight cardi.



totally the right decision.
 
this is the maile sweater by nikki van de car.  do you remember me talking about it? it was a week ago, and i hadn't even wound the skein! granted, i realise i'm a tiny bit obsessive about knitting... and i have a bit of speed on my side... but i cast on for this on wednesday of last week... and was blocking it on friday!
yes . thank goodness for little babies ;)

the designer only wrote this pattern in one size, but i've seen many different sizes on ravelry. so looks like it wouldn't be too difficult to alter the size.. i used a 3.75mm needle, partly because my 3.5's were busy and also, having a sweater just a tad bigger is always better. these newborns grow fast!


the knit picks stroll tonal in springtime green was so lovely to work with. very soft, and i was pleasantly surprised at how it knit up in stockinette. i also think that it shows off the lace quite well!

the detail on this cardi is just so sweet, and simple.

i love it.
 and i really hope the recipients do too. 

of course, using some of the yarn i knit it up in to wrap it always helps to add a lovely handmade touch. and it's pratical too! if they need any other yarn to help replace a button if it falls off, they've got it! but speaking of buttons.... aren't these little florals so uber cute?

this sweet little sweater only took maybe half a skein of the knit picks stroll tonal sock yarn. i would absolutely recommend the pattern. however when adding the sleeves to the yoke, as most other knitters commented, it becomes very tight and awkward for a few rows.. i simply pushed through it. and sort of mcgyvered the cables around the tight stitches of the underarm. when seaming the sleeves i was able to easily close that hole in the underarm as well.

i would definitely knit this sweater up again....it really is a fairly quick knit. and a good thing too, the hubs has already taken it to work in hopes that the daddy-to-be will be there to recieve it. baby is already past her due date so it's everyone's guess as to whether daddy-to-be will be at work ;)  now let's hope this little baby makes her appearence sooner rather than later.
we're now officially ready ;) (hee hee)

do you have a fave go-to baby knit when you need a last minute gift? do you stick with cardi's, hats, booties? do share! xo