Milk Infant Top

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Pattern: Milk Infant Top by Pixiepurls.

Yarn: TFA PureWash Fingering in Luna Peach (ooak) and Pink Grapefruit.

Ravelry Project page here.

This sweater is so adorable and wee and precious and makes me smile. As the name would suggest, this sweater is meant for tiny *infant* babies. It's only available in a few very wee sizes and according to most Ravelry comments runs on the small side as well. My baby girl is due at the end of February, my first winter baby! A baby that will have a true and legitimate use of sweaters from day 1 - as opposed to Micah who was born at the end of May who really didn't experience true sweater weather until the fall yet was still forced to wear knit sweaters even though it was questionable because his mother has a sweater problem. Anyways... so I wanted to knit a tiny sweater that the baby will wear for a week as a winter newborn before she immediately outgrows it. I think this will work! Knowing that the pattern runs small and also that my gauge was probably going to be a bit tighter than that called for in the pattern I chose to knit the size 6 months and I think it'll fit a very small baby. I'm estimating that this will fit an 8-9 pound baby. 

I plan on sewing in 2 little snaps to the inside of the sweater so it will stay fastened closed (the pattern includes instructions for a hidden button, but I think that a clear snap will lay flatter and be easier - if I ever get around to doing it that is...

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I posted the above photo on Instagram and Facebook earlier this week asking for feedback on what colourway to use for the trim. The voting was pretty unanimously in favour of Rose Grey (about 200 votes for Rose Grey and less than 60 votes for Pink Grapefruit) so, naturally, I went with Pink Grapefruit! This is the thing, I think that both are beautiful compliments to Luna Peach, and I totally see the argument for the soft and gentle Rose Grey that would have been more harmonious with the soft and gentle speckles in the main colour, but Pink Grapefruit was speaking to me. I'm a big believer in the power of colour and in this case I think that the design of the sweater is sweet and precious enough all on it's own and in order for it to fit my style it needed a punch of something. And that something was Pink Grapefruit. Had I done the crocheted edging in Rose Grey I probably would have found it just as lovely, but it would have been a bit too classic to be really me, it would be missing that modern edge that I gravitate towards. 

I've had this pattern in my favourites for years, like 6 years. I'm really happy to have finally knit it! I would knit it again, but probably not for a little while, because it is a total miracle that the crocheted edging looks as good as it does. I was painfully slow at it. The first row of picked up stitches was so tight that the second row was near impossible to crochet into. It took me all day, but, miracle of miracles, it worked! I was expecting/fearing gaps, bunching, puckering and basically just a real amateur finished look, but I'm thrilled with how flat it lays and how tidy it looks. I looks like I actually know how to crochet! I'm quite proud of it. 

Other than the pretty edging, I also really like the little fold over cuff on the sleeves! I'm not sure how much I'll use them but it's a really cute little detail that mimics ready-to-wear baby clothes and I think it's a sweet little touch. 

My very first FO for baby #3! She'll have loads of hand-me-downs from her brothers so I don't intend to go crazy knitting baby stuff in the coming months, but I couldn't resist one sweet little sweater made especially for her.