Wednesday 27 November 2013

My Adorable New Granddaughter

Penelope Constance 27.10.13
At the time of my last post Paul and I had just become proud grandparents for a third time. This little bundle of joy was my son and daughter in law's first child and they named her Penelope Constance but to be known as Penny.
My creative time has now to be shared a little more thinly so before her arrival they asked me to help with the preperation of her nursery by stitching some curtains. My son is a keen birdy person so it seemed totally appropriate that they should choose this lovely Cath Kidson print for there.


As they had decided not to find out if they were having a girl or a boy it was a little more tricky to start making clothes but my daughter in law (also called Lynsey)  had spent some time in France, as part of her language studies, and said she really liked the way the french dressed their babies.This signalled the time to start looking through old copies of Phildar and Pinguin knitting patterns that I'd kept from when my own daughter was a baby. She selected a gorgeous pattern for some pantaloons, which at first seemed quite boyish but when knit up in a neutral colour and teamed up with a matching jacket we decided they were definately uni-sex, and when Penny arrived it was time to go in search of a girly viyella top to complete the ensemble.



The Panteloons

Completely Reversible Hooded Jacket
Wonderfully Soft Yarn

Smocked dress from Mamas and Papas

Just before Penny arrived Lynsey, Lynsey's mum, my Lynsey and I went to Yarndale, a truely amazing wool feast at Skipton, and I fell in love with a gorgeous kimono pattern from a small company called OneHandKnits. This pattern was definately girly but didn't go up to a big enough size for my granddaughter Martha who is three. Undeterred I bought the pattern described as challenging and thought I could always enlarge it. It IS challenging but I didn't have to modify it (although, due to its' popularity, sounds like I might have to) and this is my progress so far.


"Secret Garden" pattern from OneHandKnits

Basic stitch

Front band detail

Looking good so far!
Martha has not been neglected as I have reknit one of her favourite jackets in this season's colour for her.

I modified jacket pattern due to shortage of yarn

Martha modelling the finished item