12.03.05
Mini-Sweater Marathon Halfway Point
I’m halfway there! I have been cranking out mini-sweaters at a pretty respectable clip over the past couple weeks. My biggest problem is that I get tired of doing the exact same pattern over and over, or I feel as though I ought to be challenging myself more, or I think of some design element that would be just TOO CUTE if miniaturized, so I keep changing things around. This results in a lot of variety but also some imperfect sweaters. Not all of my experiments were equally successful. Here are the four additions to the collection since last time:
These were designed as something of a complementary set. Sorry that you can’t see the red one very well — it was quite breezy when I took these pictures and I didn’t realize the red one had blown sideways in a gust just as I snapped the picture. I like the idea of the design of the red one, but I really screwed up the stripes in the yoke. I could do it better if I were to do it again, which I might.
The blue and orange striped one is my favorite so far. The cardigan was a figure-it-out-as-you-go brainstorm last night, and it definitely has issues. Not sure if I’ll try another cardigan. The biggest change in my next sweater is that I’m going to stop including shaping in the sleeves — I think it’s making them look wonky. I figure it’s worth seeing how it looks, anyway.
I made the little hangers today with some aluminum wire I picked up at the hardware store. I definitely got the hang of it as I went along (compare the hanger of the blue and orange sweater to the hanger of the red and white “fair isle” sweater, for example). I think they’re maybe the cutest part of the ornaments…which is a little sad given that each sweater takes two hours to make and each hanger takes only two minutes. I’m guessing my gift recipients wouldn’t be too thrilled by stand-alone mini hangers, though.
Mintyfresh said,
December 3, 2005 at 4:36 pm
I kind of love the idea of you giving people mini hangers, and that’s it. :)
They look so very cute!
Amy said,
December 3, 2005 at 4:40 pm
Rachel, they are ADORABLE. I hope you are keeping some for yourself.
Amy
PumpkinMama said,
December 3, 2005 at 4:41 pm
Those are terrific! So cute, and the hangers are perfect.
blossom said,
December 3, 2005 at 5:22 pm
thos are just too cute! i don’t think i’ll have thd patience to knit wee knits like that. so impressed to see when someone does.
Alex said,
December 3, 2005 at 6:33 pm
Those are adorable! I love the red one – I need something like that in my size.
Laura said,
December 4, 2005 at 1:28 pm
I like the red and white one the best. But they are all cute. (Sorry, I have the tendancy to pick out my favorite when shown a bunch of similar things.)
Maybe you could give people a bunch of mini hangers and a Barbie. Then, tell the recipients that the hangers are for all the Barbie clothes they will be buying.
Suzanne said,
December 4, 2005 at 7:42 pm
These are all so cute. How clever (or is it obsessive?) ;) of you to come up with the idea to put them on little hangers!
I think they will make wonderful little gifts.
carole said,
December 7, 2005 at 5:43 pm
oooh those are so cool! great photography, too.
and btw…. TAG!
linda said,
December 8, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Can you tell me what’s the finish size of these cute mini sweaters and what size of the needle & yarn are you using???
linda said,
December 8, 2005 at 4:43 pm
Thank you so much for your reply, your info is very helpful. : )
Rachel said,
December 8, 2005 at 2:59 pm
Thanks, Linda! I am using size 4 DPNs for the ribbing around the cuffs, etc., and size 7 DPNs everywhere else. The yarn is Wool of the Andes. The sweaters are probably 3-3.5 inches tall on average.