Like many parents, it seems as though I spend a fair amount of time explaining to my kids the importance of taking turns: on the swing, who picks out a movie next or who gets in the shower first. The ONE thing that has not (yet) been an issue of whose turn it is, has been: "whose turn is it for Mom to knit something for them?"
Maybe it is easier for them (or all of us) to keep track of their knitted 'turn'. A knitted project from Mom tends to be a collaboration. I may ask them what they want... a toy, a sweater, a shirt, anything. The girls have a major role in the design process and/or color planning. I may (from time to time) gently persuade them away from or closer to a certain color scheme, but mostly it is up to them.
Their project will be a part of us for as long as it takes me to knit it. It will come with us to gymnastics, school pick up, in the car, out to lunch & usually it makes an appearance during cartoon time.
As I tend to only work on one or two projects at a time, my knitting time is then saturated with the progress of their one special project... making it easier to keep track.
My latest project was for my oldest daughter. I asked her if she wanted a sweater. She said yes. I showed her a photo of the pattern that I was secretly dying to knit. She said that she loved it! I then let her have control of the colors & we were very pleased with the results.
This turn, my gentle persuasion was with the choice of pattern.
The pattern is called Spring Picnic, by Helen Rose.
I used various colors of Cascade 220 Superwash.
A few modifications were made:
- 3x3 ribbing instead of the hems on the edging, as well as on the button band.
- the clouds were knit in garter stitch instead of the cloud stitch given in the pattern.
- both the sleeve length & the overall lengths were altered.
Lastly, I leave with a preview of what I have started today.
