Birthday Newborn pull.

One would say: "What a strange name for a sweater...".

Why did I call my Bailiwick Pullover by Courtney Spainhower this way?

I've started it on the 14 or March, 4 days before my birthday, not planning to celebrate this date for the first time of my life, renouncing any present... Except this one, starting a new winter sweater in blooming spring, 9 days before the expected delivery.

I was choosing between 2 colors of DROPS Alpaca: light grey 0501 and pale blue 7120. Maybe the second one was closer to the original the grey one matches perfectly the skirt I have on my mind… mini skirt! 

I decide to knit the rib with 3,25, making the size shown in the magazine. 

The pattern was easy to follow, in one day I made the rib, saddle shoulders and some repeats of Diamond and garter stitch. Only 1 correction: instead of k2tog at the end of set-up row I decreased 1 st in the middle of the row. Just to do it symmetrical. 

The same with Arrows stitch - changed it to place it exactly in the center of the previous stitch pattern. 

Decided to knit the front and back separately, started the bed jacket stitch part. One skein used for the upper front part shown on this photo.

The next day I decided to change the neckline, as the boatneck with larger needles was too large on the shoulders, open shoulders on winter pullover wasn't exactly what I wanted. With the 3,25 needles, at the contrary, it was too narrow, and not having a long neck, I've abandoned this idea. That way I had a feeling of being choked.
I undid the rib,  made the front part of the neck lower (I’ll reknit the rib after having completed the whole sweater). It was rather intricate, but fortunately I didn’t spoil the whole thing. And the front part became the back part, obviously. Surely, I had to interrupt the whole thing for the weeks,  and it was such a pleasure to came back to knitting for such a long absence.  A woman with a newborn child should have an hour for knitting, it’s the best baby blues therapy. 

02/05 Having gone through the worst days of varicella it’s such a pleasure to knit a bit. Even if my hands need more training.

09/06 Started the sleeves… several times. The sleeve was too narrow on the elbow. I didn't feel very comfortable, after making several decreases every 3rd row, continued for every 4th and 5th. It consumed a bit more yarn, but it's OK.
01/07 What a wonderful sweater! It will be my favorite. A little girlish but feminine.
08/01 Now as I'am updating this post I can say that it is really my favorite sweater so far. I still didn't sew the mini skirt, but it looks perfect with jeans. The color is beautiful, the silhouette is rather boxy but being short this sweater looks great, doesn't add any weight and hide the defects you have... or imagine to have.

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