Little Bubbles Baby Kit (Done!)

This sweater set is a gift for my friends Dave and Janessa, who are expecting their first baby, Lukas, very soon.  I’m going home for a visit mid-July so I’m hoping I can get it to them before he arrives (or shortly after!).

Pattern: Little Bubbles Baby Kit (“blue kit”) from KnitPicks
Yarn: KnitPicks Comfy Sport (included in kit)

I started this project on June 10th and wrapped today, June 14th.  I knit the cardigan first, then the hat, and finally the “moon boot” booties.  I didn’t work especially diligently on it, so I think that two weeks is a remarkably short time considering how little I worked on it each day. (Or more like every few days.)  So this kit certainly scores big points for knitting up fast for last-minute gifting!

I’m so pleased with the little turtle-buttons.  They’re so cute!  Plus, I went with a theme: in addition to the sweater set, I also got all the materials and had my mom sew a turtle baby quilt for them.  Come to think of it, I really hope D & J like turtles… hm.

One place I screwed up was the length of the body of the cardigan.  There was errata for the pattern, and I didn’t bother to look it up.  The pattern says to knit 0.5-inches using the main color (that light teal) before beginning the 1-row stripes.  I did just that.  Turns out, I should have knitted for 1.5-inches.  Whoops.  So it’s an inch short.  But it’s not as though the baby won’t have a shirt on underneath, so hopefully it will still be okay.

If were to knit this over (which I probably will, eventually, because I also bought the neutral-colors kit), there’s a couple things I’d change:

(1) I’d make the garter stitch edge on the bottom of the sweater, the cuffs, and the edge of the hat wider.  The sweater and hat wants to curl so badly because the garter edge isn’t wide enough.  I’m sure it will block out flat, but after the first time it’s washed… honestly, who’s going to block baby clothes every time they wash them?

(2) I’m going to figure out how to knit the “moon boots” (too cute) in the round as opposed to flat.  Seaming the back irritated the heck out of me.

… Oh yah, and follow the errata so that the sweater is the right length next time.

Seriously though, for $13.99 (!) it’s a great kit and I think it’s going to be a great gift.