the blue blog archives: grandmas make the best handknits

I've got two new baby knits planned for wee one on the way, both inspired by knits from grandmas. The first is a copy of a baby sweater that fellow Knitsmith and baby bumper, Johanna, wore as a baby that was knit for her by her great grandmother.

Isn't it just lovely? The lace pattern is the same as the one from the lace baby sweater in Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac, but I really like the raglan yoke in stockinette and the hemmed edges on this one better than EZ's more rounded garter stitch version. Ooooh, I love this sweater! And best of all, Johanna had the old vintage knitting book that her Großmutter used to knit the pattern!

Isn't Johanna the sweetest to loan me pattern and sweater so I can make one for wee one?!

I picked up some Snuggly DK in "cream" (although it's looking kinda pale yellow to me now), because washable acrylic seemed so right for this sort of grandma sweater. The pattern, which is very well written by the way, calls for sleeves to be knitted first, then the body in one piece up to the armholes and finally the yoke. The sleeves have made for really nice knitting. The lace pattern is simple but oh so pretty and the pieces are so tiny they're going super fast.

While I was getting started on this grandma knit, a package came from my mother-in-law in Germany. She included some new German knitting mags and a pair of tiny baby socks knitted once upon a time by hubby's Oma. She used to knit socks for the whole family (even using that old knitting machine I found one year in the attic!).

These socks have so much charm - the garter stitch flap and green crochet edging are really special. Don't you think I have to make a little sweater and bonnet to match these adorable little socks?

And speaking of grandma knitting and Elizabeth Zimmerman, checking out MamaK's posts over on the baby bumpers blog have got me wanting to make some EZ baby items. Have you seen the adorable Tomten she made for her little one? I dare you to check that out and not start knitting one right away!

posted by alison at 8:24 am | in oma knits

Comments

I love that baby sweater! I actually have some vintage Minerva patterns myself. I went to the estate sale of the house we ended up buying and the previous owner's wife was a knitter. So I snatched up her old patterns. It's nice to keep them in their 'home' and for a new knitter to use them. :)

Posted by: Lynn at November 2, 2006 8:38 AM

You are teasing us with these delightful items that we don't have the pattern for! Somehow that seems so unfair. Lovely, lovely, lovely sweater! :-D

Posted by: Renee at November 2, 2006 9:02 AM

Wow, I can't believe you finished that thing already! After all that worrying about live stitches - having had some disasterous experiences with live ones myself (think: like my blocking/felting screw up but worse), I was keeping my fingers crossed for you. It looks beautiful! Three cheers for the Grossmutter and for the Mutti as well. ~gabriella

Posted by: gabriella at November 2, 2006 9:57 AM

What a lovely sweater. I have some things that my great-grandmother made for me that my baby wears now! They really do make the best things.

And such sweet words from such an accomplished knitter! I'm blushing. Can't wait to share my Baby Surprise Jacket soon! I love how fast those baby things knit up!

Posted by: MamaK at November 2, 2006 10:21 AM

Well, there was never a doubt that you would have one of the best dressed babes around! How fun... and how quick... to be able to make these sweet little items.

I have 2 strikes against me... I live in So Cal so sweaters are not in high demand (especially since my only pregnant friend's son isn't due til late spring) and I personally have all boys. To share/impose some knitting on them I am currently knitting beanies for a few and a Morehouse Farm Rattlesnake scarf for one. But no darling sweaters... I am envious!

Posted by: Tammy at November 2, 2006 11:47 AM

How could I not share the pattern with you? Your wee one, and my Tadpole are going to be best baby friends, it only seems right that they have matching sweaters, and Grosmutter would absolutely love the fact that you are re-creating a sweater she made so many years ago! Happy Knitting!

Posted by: Johanna at November 2, 2006 11:47 AM

Way cool.

Posted by: Mary at November 2, 2006 11:50 AM

Both the sweater & socks are adorable! I'm going to be a first time Grandmother in about 3 weeks. I've already knit a few things for the baby (we know it will be a girl). I wish I had the patterns for these as well. They are beautiful and truely classic designs.

Posted by: Patty at November 2, 2006 12:54 PM

All this babiness is making it hard for me to stick to our newlywed promise of one year wait for a baby. The sweater and booties are just adorable. You are creating so many heirloom pieces, it's amazing to think that the weeone will wear them, and also perhaps her weeones and so on.

Posted by: Tracey at November 2, 2006 1:20 PM

Oh I wouldnt mind wearing a sweater like that myself! Gorgeous.

Posted by: Stephanie at November 2, 2006 2:44 PM

I have that same book and a few others of similar vintage. They came from my grandmother and have some of the best patterns for babies in them. Enjoy!

Posted by: hillary at November 2, 2006 4:49 PM

That sweater is lovely. I love the lace pattern.

Posted by: Staci at November 2, 2006 6:07 PM

Awwwwwwwww cute!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Jen at November 2, 2006 6:12 PM

those booties are priceless. very European and simple/elegant. nice mother-in-law...

Posted by: carolyn at November 2, 2006 6:27 PM

What an incredible sweater! And yes, I, too, am totally charmed by EZ's baby goodies and hope to make the Surprise Jacket sooner than later. You're an inspiration!

Posted by: Luise at November 2, 2006 7:43 PM

Oh, I was really stunned when I saw your post today. I just finished knitting an almost identical sweater as part of a layette for a coworker that is about to become a grandmother. The pattern that I used is from the Vogue Knitting Vintage Collection. It is called the Lacy Stitch Layette and is a reprint from the 1959 Fall/Winter Vogue Knitting issue. The only difference that I can see is that the Vogue pattern continues the lace pattern in the first "column" all the way up to the neckline. The contstruction on your patterns sounds like it is much more clever, though. Well, if you want a bonnet and booties to match, there is a pattern available for them!

Posted by: LoriK at November 2, 2006 8:43 PM

I thought of you when I posted my really intricately made Halloween costumes the other day. I really worked hard on them. /sarcasm.

Posted by: scoutj at November 2, 2006 9:24 PM

There's something very sweet and timeless about the older baby patterns. Except for the leggings. The size of the bottoms they used to put on those things was enormous! Thank goodness the baby's bottom doesn't need so much padding any more.

Posted by: LaurieM at November 2, 2006 10:06 PM

Aww, how sweet! I actually have that pattern book, and you just might inspire me to use that pattern for a present for someone!

Posted by: Amy at November 2, 2006 10:30 PM

That sweater is beautiful! I find that the best babyknits are the vintage ones. They just suit babies precious-ness (not sure that is a word!).
The socks are so sweet - a matching set would be lovely.

Posted by: Miss Scarlett at November 4, 2006 9:59 AM

You have conspired to make me feel very old. I have that pattern book that I bought new years and years ago.

Posted by: Sherry at November 6, 2006 3:57 PM