I've only been knitting for a short while, but I really have been wanting to try to make a sweater. I must admit, while I really wanted to make one I was rather intimidated. Nancy, who can be found at Of Wool and Loveliness, suggested that I start with The Baby Boy 5 Hour Sweater. After looking the pattern over I decided to take the plunge!
Before I even cast on a single stitch I read through all of the comments on the Ravelry page, which I would highly recommend to any beginner. This really helped me to understand what was going on in the few places where the pattern was a little unclear. I also looked through a lot of the completed projects and blog posts.
This sweater pattern does not include instructions for buttonholes. I did know that before I started, but since it was my first sweater I did not want to try adding anything to the pattern. There are quite a few people who made this sweater and left notes on how they added buttons, so if I make this sweater again I will add buttonholes.
This is probably more a critique of my knitting than of the pattern, although other knitters had the same issue, but the pattern claims to be size 0 - 3 months and my sweater is clearly larger than the other little baby clothes I've been washing lately.
Other notes: This sweater is worked from the top down in one piece. (Very clever construction, if you ask me!) I was able to use only one set of circular needles. Also, another critique of my knitting, it certainly took me longer than five hours to complete. I'm a newbie knitter though, so I can't hold that against the pattern!
I have to say, I'm a little bit proud of my first sweater! It looks like a sweater, it should be able to function as a sweater, and I made it!
(Of course, Catherine has now requested that I make her a purple sweater. If you have any little girl size 4/5 sweater pattern recommendations, I'd love to hear them!)
Tell me about the first sweater you knitted! Was it for you? Or for someone else? Did you (or the recipient) like wearing it?
As always, I love sharing my projects around the web at places like these and Hookin on Hump Day and Fine Craft Guild!
