Baby Cardigans are Complete!

I really liked the Maile cardigan from the What To Knit When You're Expecting blog but I didn't like that it was written from the bottom up. I used the Sunnyside Cardigan as a template and figured out how to do it top down.

The lace panel is incorporated into the raglan increases on the front. The centre stitch of the 13 stitch lace pattern is the 'raglan' line. I incorporated the increases on each side of the lace panel. (pardon the dark spots - some dust has gotten inside my camera - grrr) I did a m1R on the right side of the stitch markers and m1L on the left side of the stitch markers.

Unlike the Sunnyside cardigan, I decided not to do the lace on the back. Instead, I designated a 'raglan stitch' as a knit stitch that I increased on either side on every right side row.

I had to decide how big to make the sweater so after swatching, I determined there were 7 stitches per inch using 3.25mm needles and the Lanett Superwash BabyUll yarn. I then multiplied 7 x the number of inches appropriate for the chest size of a 3 month old. Using Elizabeth Zimmermann's Percentage System (EPS) I determined how many stitches I needed for the arms (33% of chest diameter).

It took some fiddling and experimenting but by process of elimination I figured out how many stitches I needed for the back and each of the fronts.

When I got down to the flower lace chart near the bottom of the sweater, I realized the pattern didn't work for top down. Instead, I decided to not bother with any lace around the bottom of the sweater and just finished it off with the garter stitch border.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I also decided to only include 3 buttons rather than make them all the way down the front. I wrote up my modifications and included them on my Ravelry page. I welcome any and all suggestions for a lacy trim around the bottom of the sweater that will work for top-down knitting.

 I like the raglan lace pattern better knit top-down better than bottom up (shown below). To me, it makes more sense having the 'leaves' growing upward.

Maile Sweater - original pattern knit from bottom up

I got the buttons sewn on this most recent Provence Baby Cardigan

and on this eyelet Modified Drops Eyelet Baby Cardigan,

and the Sunnyside Cardigan.

I didn't have enough yarn left over to knit a hat but knit a little eyelet headband and attached a crocheted flower.

I'm knitting another top-down Maile as I have enough yarn to do so.