Baby Sweater Boot Camp

Every Monday evening, I go to a boot camp at my gym. I consider boot camp to be like a sampling of all things fitness. Jump squats, bicep curls, push ups, crunches... You leave having had a small taste of every exercise you ever needed to know in order to get fit- or for some of you, stay fit!

Mondays are also the day that I get through the bulk of my knitting for the week. The shop is closed that day, and while the rest of the world is at work, I have the chance to get through my errands, clean up my messy house and knit until my needles wear out, all while being uninterrupted.

This Monday, my knitting time included this little baby sweater that I cast on last week (the tiger stripe colours were calling my name and I just couldn't ignore them for a second longer!). By Monday morning, I was all ready to piece this little project together.

As I was sitting at my kitchen table sewing in ends, matching up stripes, picking up stitches, setting in sleeves and sewing on buttons, it occurred to me how similar boot camp is to putting together this little sweater.

Both act as a really good 'refresher'. In the case of boot camp of course, a refresher in all things fitness, and in the baby sweater's case- all things 'finishing'.

I needed both boot camp, and that baby sweater on Monday. I hadn't been to the gym in a while, and I hadn't finished a sweater in a while (Vonica is knit in one piece, so it hardly counts). Both activities served as the nice big 'kick in the pants' I needed, reminding me that there is always room for improvement. If you get lazy and don't do either one for some time, both can be pretty painful when you decide to get back to them (as my quads reminded me when I tried to leap out of bed yesterday morning).

Interesting Facts About this Baby Sweater

Yarn- Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (I had never knit much more than baby booties out of this stuff- what the heck is my problem!?!??! If you knit with this, you'd be through a baby sweater in less than a week too! So beautiful!)

2 balls each in shades 52 and 58

Needles- 3.25mm and 3.5mm (I went up a size for my needles since I'm one of the world's tightest knitters)

Pattern- Baby Striped Cardigan by Debbie Bliss, found in Baby Cashmerino Book 2

Size- 6-9 months

Now, I must confess to you that as hard as I push myself in boot camp each week, I always cut corners just a little bit. When the instructor isn't looking I often lie flat on my back rather than do every single last crunch that is being asked of me. The thing is though... she always notices (damned mirrored walls!)- and I end up paying for it.

In my 'baby sweater boot camp' on Monday... I admittedly might have done much the same.

I cut a corner and I skipped the blocking... (see the how those armholes are puffing up like some kind of proud bird???)

And you noticed...

Didn't you?

Daffodils in bloom at Mary's Yarns

I just can't seem to get away with anything anymore.