February Baby Sweater...Check!

It took me all of 3 or 4 hours to finish this adorable little sweater. Now I'm wishing that I had more little people to knit for! I am very happy with the way my baby sweater turned out, all except for one buttonhole that went horrible wrong (no idea how I did this!) I made buttonholes with a simple yarnover and knit two together, just like E.Z. says. Mysteriously - and quite annoyingly - one buttonhole is double the size of all the others! Of course it won't be a problem to stitch it in more tightly, but I just love to complain.
I am yet to find buttons for this little sweater; the ones I had in reserve for it have turned out to be too small...whatever I do better get done quick before she grows out of it!
As my first Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern, I have to say that I really enjoyed all the creative freedoms that she provides in her patterns. I often find myself frustrated by very restrictive patterns, wanting to change certain elements, keep some, and eliminate others all together. This can be tricky with some patterns (as I have learned over and over again after ripping out yet another lumpy cone-head hat). E.Z. leaves room for knitters to be creative with her patterns, yarn and gauge are flexible. Stitch pattern and length are completely up to you. And with the aid of her percentages system, you have more control over your sweater than ever before...unless you write the pattern yourself of course!

My original intention was to knit the Feb. Sweater and then the Baby Surprise Jacket both as gifts for my cousin's children who are 9 months and four years old. I've decided instead to knit my little cousin the River Forest Gansey sweater from Handknit Holidays. This is a great pattern, providing adult and child sizing for a worsted weight sweater with simple cabling and a easy but very pretty stitch pattern. I've chosen to knit this sweater in Cascade 220 Heathers (the yarn specified in the pattern) in a beautiful dark forest green. Aside from some minor confusion with the pattern charts all is well with the sweater, and I think it will be a fairly quick knit; good think I'm making the child version! Apologies for all the Gansey pics being out of focus...the light has been very strange in my apartment today!