It was a strange mix of interesting and boring to knit...
- The initial part of plain garter stitch (with a couple of short rows of waste yarn for the armholes to keep me on my toes) was dull, dull, dull.
- The arms were quite fun to pick up and knit, although I managed to have two ridge rows next to each other so the shoulders aren't quite invisible. I think I must have misread the pattern, or else I should just have had the confidence to do what I thought it should be... I don't think it matters though - there's nothing wrong with being able to see where the shoulders are.
- The front portion which was also the front and sides of the hood was a new construction for me (as were the sleeve holes), and I liked the idea of the hood merging into the rest of the jacket.
- I was pleased with my grafting at the back of the hood once that hole was filled; I don't think you can see that join. The seam between the hood and back of the neck is far from invisible though - that's the only real disappointment. But again, no-one else will mind.
- And this was my first time doing a sewn bind off. I liked the effect this gave, with a nearly invisible cast off row which merged nicely into the rest of the fabric.
- The yarn (Sirdar Denim Chunky) was a bit frustrating at times. I like the feel of it and the colour, but it didn't like me unknitting anything - it tended to split quite badly, so the reknitting looked scruffy. It didn't help when I totally underestimated how much yarn I'd need to cast-off the hood and front (twice!) which left me a number of unnecessary ends to sew in...
So, I'm pleased I've finished it, I think my friend will like it, and I do like the squishy softness of the yarn which should suit a baby. I'm not sure I'd make this again though... perhaps with a different yarn, but I'm not sure.
The pattern used a lot of Elizabeth Zimmerman's techniques and was based around her design ideas. I liked it but I think the moral of this story is... I just can't beat the Baby Surprise Jacket!
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