This month my knitting project was a sweet little baby cardigan that I’ve made for my brand new grand-daughter, Rita. It is the first time I’ve knitted anything in pieces and then joined them and I can’t say I’m a convert; it seems much harder and slower than circular knitting. I loved the little scale-like pattern all over this cardigan, it looks so cute!

The pattern is the cover knit from a Panda booklet (which is not on Ravelry) but I’ve used the Bellissimo 4 ply rather than the Panda yarn as that is what was available in my stash. I’m pleased to still be using up stash yarn and not adding to it! I made the smallest size (3 months) and used about 2 of the 50g balls of yarn, approx 340m in total, in the colourway Lila. I used some buttons from the stash I inherited from my Mum and they look just like the ones she used on the dresses she made for my sister and I when we were little.

It has been a while since I knitted on straight needles instead of circulars but I quite enjoyed the change. I did have issues getting the correct gauge though, which is noticeable in the collar where it is wavy because I have picked up more stitches for the collar band than it needed. I did follow the pattern instructions exactly but I think my gauge is the issue as I don’t seem to get the right number of rows even when my stitch counts in the rows are correct. I should look up a few knitting blogs and see if I can work out how to correct this issue as it does happen with almost all my gauge swatches. I always end up with less rows that I ought even though my stitch count across the rows is correct and if I drop a needle size to get the right row could I have too many stitches across the row.