Spice Spring Up With a Double Dose of Saffron Sweaters!

Ahh!  See what I did there, with that post title????  I believe we can almost call that alliteration, folks ;)

I'm excited to show you, on such a gorgeous Spring day, not just ONE, but TWO, lovely Saffron sweaters, designed by Elena Nodel (I PROMISE the next sweater I knit is designed by someone else, LOL).  I again chose to invite someone else to knit right along with me, a friend who actually knit Camden her very first Saffron a couple summers ago:

The whole ensemble, including the Modkid Addison dress, was meant for a wedding

The pattern is naturally super easy to read/understand - and doubly so, as it's one of the patterns even I can't trick myself into double-guessing instructions.  I, of course, happen to stress myself out over the stitch pick-up, as it goes alllll the way around the sweater for the ruffle band.  I couldn't stop freaking out over not going down a needle size (you are NOT supposed to, by the way, but I thought maybe I SHOULD, in my case, aha), and did I pick up farrrr to many stitches????  I still have no idea about that one.  Who knows.  I do think, especially after taking photos, that something doesn't seem right about my ruffle band.  It seems loose, but not gathered enough/tight enough, if that makes sense.  So, smaller needle and MORE stitches???  LOL.

Vieve, over at That's What She Crafted, knit another lovely Saffron - this time for HER baby girl.  I love the purple colorway. Vieve used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Blue Violet Tonal (which comes in 220 yard skeins!)  She does still need to add a ribbon to her sweater, she says, but I have to say it's pretty stinkin' cute!

Anyway, I could have easily finished the pattern a couple weeks ago, but the baby is slowing down my knitting.  At least I'll be able to say it's the first sweater I completed literally over his body ;)  (...which makes for sore arms/shoulders, as a side note).  I could have also gone faster, just based on the fact that I had to tear the sweater out...as I was worried, as ALWAYS, that my gauge wasn't right.  I solemnly SWEAR I will do a blocked gauge swatch when I make a sweater for ME, aha!

Can't leave out the Bee skirt!

Used the leaf finish, as on the Silversage sweater by Elena Nodel

I used Colour Adventures (seems I often DO!) in Pirate's Treasure, which is an IT colorway right now, LOL!  I used Sweet Merino DK, which is a more slippery base.  I feel the pictures capture the color well, which is a gold-type color, a lovely rich yellow, almost seeming orange in a way...but NOT.

Below, she featured different "faces" - LOL

Weirdo face

Silly face

Sad face

Surprised face

Tea Party Sundress....Minus the Tea, Add the Sunshine!

Ahhhh...'tis a gorgeous day outside!  Yesterday was gorgeous, too, and I guess we're headed into a lovely week of sunny skies, which is awesome - yet I find I don't get to enjoy those skies AS much with a wee one.  We attempted outdoor time twice yesterday, after my daughter's birthday party, but this wee boy wasn't having it....and in the photo below, he wasn't having the SUPERFAST photo shoot from today (his poor big sister needed a little attention, eh???).

Saddddd baby

So, as with a few Oliver and S patterns, this wasn't my first go-round with the Tea Party Sundress.  Camden happens to super love this pattern, and I believe this is my third version.  If there is another, I can't at all recall it!

I did try to jazz this one up with applique, which I haven't done in MANY moons - and which I've only done once or twice, anyway.  (This is to say you shouldn't look toooo closely, aha!)

I love me some shot cotton, as many people know, as it has a depth, albeit a thinness (stick that size 70 needle in yo' machines!), that quilting cotton does NOT have.  I used it for the bodice and for the flat piping, which may be a smidge wide, but eh - who cares???  And as with the last pattern I blogged about, this one was sewn in the same few days before Tiberius was born....I haven't been able to sew since; he's a hostile baby and only likes his mom :O  Tough times, people, tough times.  But I digress....

This pattern is honestly a pretty quick sew!  I like to quickly get the flat piping attached with a long stitch, sew together all those skirt pieces, then do up the bodice.  It does mention in the pattern that attaching the bodice to the skirt portion may be tricky, because of the curve, but I didn't find it an issue this time...and if it was an issue the first and/or second time, it could be because I used flat piping there, also.  I opted not to this time.

I will say that even though I believe I lengthened this one, I wish I had lengthened it more - both in bodice and in skirt, but whatevs.  It'll work for now, and it's super fun and summery!  I hear Summer doesn't start in Bend until July, but hey - again....NICE outside today!

Camden wanted to include tomatoes in this photo shoot - and hey, if she chooses to eat anything healthy, I'm allll for it!

She was very into these photos today....THANKS, Camden!  (It made my life easier!)

And....a couple more....including the wee guy and his dad - similar grumpy faces, eh???

A rare moment when he RESTED QUIETLY with his dad...LOL