05.16.06
Finished Object: Baby Bolero
This morning before work I was gathering my things together to take photos of my finished baby bolero from One Skein. I have been holding out on a couple finished object posts for a while now, hoping to get some outdoor photos once the rain stops, but that plan only works if it ever does stop raining. I finally gave up and decided I’d make the best of whatever natural light I could get.
However, I couldn’t find the bolero anywhere. I had left it on the dining room table the evening before, but this morning it was nowhere to be found. A few minutes into my search I checked the spot where I’d intended to take the photos, thinking maybe I’d already transported the sweater there, and lo and behold, what did I find:
A very mopey penguin with his beak pressed against the rain-streaked window pane, staring out into the gloom, wearing the baby bolero. (It fit the rotund little guy somewhat snugly around the middle.)
“What are you doing?” I asked him sharply.
“Nothing,” he sighed, looking forlorn. “It’s just, well, after my first photoshoot a few months ago, I thought for sure you’d contact me again for more modeling work. I mean, I thought it went rather well. Yet you’ve barely looked at me since then. Was it something I said? Something I did?”
I decided this was not the time to tell him that yes, in fact, he’d become an insufferable diva who refused to speak to me except through his agent for some weeks after the shoot. He looked deflated enough as it was. I took pity on him.
“As a matter of fact, I was just coming to find you to ask you if you’d do some modeled shots of this bolero sweater. It fits you exquisitely,” I lied, eyeing the seams and hoping they’d hold. I cringed as he attempted to pull the jacket further around his ample torso.
“Really?” he exlaimed, ecstatic. “I thought you’d never ask!” And he immediately struck a pose, leaning against the windowsill in what I suppose was meant to be a jaunty manner. I snapped a couple shots. He looked delighted.
While the penguin struts his stuff, I’ll tell you that I made this with a single skein of Blue Sky Organic Cotton, exactly the yarn called for in the pattern. (I happened to have a ball that I had received last summer from my secret pal.) I’m fairly pleased with how it knit up, though it didn’t produce the most even stockinette stitch ever. While I know I as a knitter don’t generally produce the most even stockinette stitch, I do notice that my degree of unevenness varies with the yarns I use, so I assume the yarn has to be partially responsible, right. Right??
The pattern is fairly straightforward. I did a three-needle bind-off at the shoulders instead of sewing bound-off shoulder seams. I also thought of picking up the stitches for the sleeves around the armholes and knitting them in the round from shoulder to cuff, but DPNs were not presenting themselves at the critical moment, so I knit flat and seamed, as the pattern instructed.
The one ludicrous thing about the pattern is that it wants you to pick up something like 164 stitches for the ribbed edge. 164!! In case you can’t determine the scale of this garment, the size is for “a newborn, teddy bear, or doll.” It is tiny. There is nowhere to put 164 stitches. Starsky, my giant adult-sized cardigan, approximately 50 times larger than this weensy sweater, only called for 246. Insane. Needless to say, I picked up slightly fewer stitches to no ill effect.
Recognizing the classic warning signs of rapidly expanding ego, I wrapped up the photoshoot once I could hear the penguin starting to hum “I’m Too Sexy” under his breath and pretending to check a fake watch. “Great job,” I said. “Now I’m just going to take a couple photos of the sweater without you in it.” This did not go over well. With a haughty, high-pitched “humph!” he turned his back on me. Out of convenience I snapped a quick picture of the lace motif* on the back of the sweater before wrestling him to the ground to pry the thing off him. He whined and huffed a bit and made a big deal about how I’d injured his wing tip, but two minutes later I caught him urgently texting on his Sidekick with plenty of dexterity, clearly pain free.
I would make this pattern again. I have lots of single skeins that would make adorable baby boleros, and I can’t imagine a baby sweater that would be quicker to knit. So go ahead, friends and acquaintances! Get knocked up with abandon! Baby boleros for you all!
*Lace? Did someone say lace? The Amazing Lace has nearly 300 participants now and has become, I must say, something of a time commitment, sort of like how the Iraq war has become “something of” a liability for the president. That is to say, the hosting duties are all-consuming, so if I’m slower at responding to comments and commenting on your blogs than unsual, it is not that I don’t love you. It’s that I get behind and then become paralyzed with panic when I open my email — never mind my Bloglines.
Shelagh said,
May 16, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Oh that cheeky penguin! Cute bolero.
300 participants – I’ll bow out of you need to decrease your numbers – that’s insane!
Mothhair said,
May 16, 2006 at 2:15 pm
OK, now that the penguin has elbowed me out of the way (I never realized that penguins even HAD elbows, but that fact has now been painfully brought to my attention), I want to step in and thank my superdaughter for her loving Mother’s Day post. It brought the expected tear to this mother’s eye (and I wasn’t even crying over the photos, which reminded me about those 30 pounds I need to pass back to the universe, which so generously glommed them onto my frame one night as I slept unawares). No, I was tearing up at my sheer good luck in having such a daughter. I also thank the readers for all their kind comments, which I shall try my best to deserve. The fact is that a SLUG would feel glamorous in that shawl. Again, I am the luckiest mom, etc., etc. Anyhow, I love that baby bolero, Rachel, and your penguin post cracked me up. I hope to see much more of the obnoxious little fellow. We professional models can’t help it if we’re beautiful. Try not to hate us.
Mintyfresh said,
May 16, 2006 at 2:16 pm
So cute, but what a diva. Those penguins . . .
Peggy said,
May 16, 2006 at 3:05 pm
A Penguin with an attitude. He is quite the clever fellow. Does the pattern have larger sizes for the bolero? I have a pattern for some furry Sirdar yarn Talk about Divaness. It screams attitude, but I just am not enjoying it. I have some of the organic cotton and it might hold my attention.
Paloma said,
May 16, 2006 at 4:12 pm
So cute! I just found out my best friend is pregnant (yes, I feel old) and I want to make this for her!
I hope its a girl. I love knitting girl stuff.
Amy said,
May 16, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Shesh, that is one high maintenance penguin. The bolero is super cute.
Amy
Beverly said,
May 16, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Hysterical post. Purl the Beaver read it over my shoulder and thinks she would make a good model. We’ll see.
Laura said,
May 16, 2006 at 5:23 pm
That penguin has a bigger head than Scout has. But he seems a tad more cooperative.
300 people! Seriously, how am I going win this? Do I have to start sending you yarn as a bribe?
BTW–Amy and I talked about you today in her store. Mostly good things.
Theresa said,
May 16, 2006 at 5:52 pm
I, for one, am happy to see the penguin again. Do you think he would be willing to do some work for me, as well?
Rain said,
May 16, 2006 at 6:49 pm
That’s so cute! I’m not surprised Penguin pinched it.
Chris said,
May 16, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Oh, very cute with the lace motif. It did work quite nicely to pick up and knit the sleeves down. :) And this is SO on my knit it again list for baby gifts. In fact, my niece has already spit up on it. :D
Shelley said,
May 16, 2006 at 9:47 pm
The baby bolero is adorable! I think Mr. Penguin needs a little lesson in humility…lol
Shelley said,
May 16, 2006 at 9:47 pm
Humility? Maybe humbleness…or is that the same…
Agnes said,
May 17, 2006 at 12:08 pm
I understand the feeling of opening email and/or Bloglines and get overwhelmed! Maybe something you should do is like Alison of Sockapaloooza … get some lace sisters to help you. Thanks for the brilliantly fun idea of The Amazing Lace. :)
christine said,
May 17, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Wow, I thought it was amazing that my dachshunds could type, use the internet and post comments. The penguin has them beat………..very cute!
Emily said,
May 17, 2006 at 10:16 pm
That sweater is Precious (or maybe it’s just the penguin)! The Amazing Lace is totally going to be worth all of the effort – I am planning my team photo even now.
Areli said,
May 18, 2006 at 1:38 am
You have such a funny model! The baby bolero is cute, I will have to keep this pattern in mind, I have some blue sky cotton lying around, this might be the perfect match.
Allison said,
May 18, 2006 at 11:01 am
Oh, I love the bolero. The uneven stockinette stitch is undoubtedly the fault of the yarn and not the knitter :)
Boy, someone needs to take that penguin down a peg or two. I’ve had great success with a butternut squash model…Bitsy wasn’t demanding at all.
Isabelle said,
May 18, 2006 at 1:20 pm
What an adorable story with your Diva Pinguin! I love it! LOL
Your Baby Bolero is just darling! Who is the lucky recipient? … unless it is Pinguin of course! ;D
Thank you for making up and hosting the Amazing Lace! :)
Isabelle
Isabelle said,
May 18, 2006 at 1:20 pm
BTW, about the Amazing RACE, I am so glad the “Hippies” won! :)))
NessieNoodle said,
May 18, 2006 at 7:37 pm
one more reason I NEED this book- this looks adorable. nice job.
wow 300 participants? you rock…
emily said,
May 19, 2006 at 3:28 pm
that is just. so. cute. I totally love the penguin (and I did last time too), and you did a great job (knitting the bolero, and of course, taking the pictures).
Leah said,
May 20, 2006 at 1:05 am
Given the attitude your model has developed, I might suggest that you have a back up in the wings.
Seeing another model in the spotlight might just humble that tubby little bugger!
Just sayin’!
Lickety Knit » Finished Object: Swallowtail Shawl said,
December 17, 2006 at 10:31 am
[...] hat my hopes of ever using this shawl for myself were lost. I turned around to see my dear old friend the penguin, standing with his wing outstretched, foot tapping in impatience, eyes on the shawl. Rel [...]