The Money Shot

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Little Lou’s sweater was dry and done this morning, and so I packed off to deliver it to him. 

I know everyone will want to know what pattern it is, and I can’t help you there. This whole sweater was built on a wing and a prayer, with just a few measurements from his mum.  I really did just do a quick sketch and then launch. This did lead to a few troubles (like that may only look like two button bands, but it’s really four because I had to re-knit the first one a few times to get the rate right) but mostly, it worked beautifully. I decreased the sleeves at a rate that simply seemed right, and it was.  I decreased for the cuffs so that they looked like proper wee cuffs, and they were.

The whole thing fits him beautifully too.  It’s a little big, which is spectacular, since he’s growing so fast it would take your breath away.  The sleeves need to be rolled up now, but that will mean they can be unrolled in the autumn.  I think he likes it too…

Although he does have one question, which might be related to the fact that I packed him into a sweater on a hot day.

"It’s summer.  Why the heck did you make me an Aran?" 

I don’t know Lou.  I don’t know.  The ways of knitters are a mystery some days, and our passions are odd.
Enjoy the sweater.

138 thoughts on “The Money Shot”

  3. Awesome facial bewilderment! Does he know he has a lifetime ahead of being photographed in knitted garments?

  8. Some day I hope to be able to make an Aran as amazing as this one simply by feel. Some day is likely a very far way off. My hat’s off to you!

  10. A-dorable! See, a perfectly spontaneous project like this proves your true knitting mastery despite occasional lapses. The next time you klutz up a pattern and you feel bad, remember that you, my dear, can create from nothing!

  11. Stephanie, you have some mad skills! I can’t think of too many things more charming than knitting for babies. I know it’s not really correct to call a boy beautiful, but Luis is truly beautiful. Thanks for posting pictures of the finished sweater where it looks best.

  12. He is adorable. The sweater looks pretty darn good, too. Lots of love oozing out of those photos!

  16. I’m so impressed with the sweater. Then, I saw the second picture. The baby is way more impressive. He is so sweet and adorable!

  18. The sweater fits him perfectly and even though it is a tiny bit hot right now to have him wear it, fashion models always wear furs when it’s hot and swimming suits when it’s cold… So Lou, you’d better get used to it right now, because I have a feeling this isn’t your last fashion shoot, you’re too cute! 🙂

  19. Oh my! Those big brown eyes remind me of when my kids were wee! (they both did the cross eyed stare, too)

  22. Awwwwwww, he is so stinkin’ cute. Adorable incarnate!
    Oh & the sweater is lovely as well.

  23. I love the build-up of pictures from ooooohhh, to aaaaahhhhh, to the last one- a laugh out loud and a snort! I didn’t see that coming. Thanks for the good laugh today. Great sweater, great baby.

  25. Oh. My. Gosh. What a very nice sweater! I strongly suggest you look through your notes and design a pattern.
    After you are done with your other things, of course. No rush. 😉

  30. This sweater is so pretty and the arms fit w/just a roll of the cuff which is so nice; many sweaters I have seen for babies tend to have a very square look and short sleeves. Am I missing something?
    But this is so very pretty! Good job!

  31. oh my, isn’t he adorable? And I love the bravery of just winging it, and how wonderful it is that you can just unknit and redo. I have years to go before grandkids will arrive so maybe I should practice!

  32. Just darling. Makes my 54 year old, shrivelled pea sized ovaries ache.

  37. What a lovely sweater! And what a handsome gorgeous boy Lou is. 🙂 Thanks for an updated photo of him. He’s grown a lot!

  38. Aw, thanks Steph, for showing us the beautiful sweater on the even more beautiful baby.

  39. Ok, that last picture just made me laugh loudly and smile! Gorgeous sweater ans Lou is one BEAUTIFUL baby!

  42. That is one beautiful baby. I thought Hank was my favorite tangentially-related-person-to-my-favorite-blog – but this little one might give Hank a run for his money!
    He wears an aran well – quite handsome.

  43. What a handsome young man! And the sweater looks great on him!
    At the rate he is growing, won’t he need a new sweater when the snowflakes fly?

  45. Steph he is simply adorable. Your sweater is a testament t your skill and your love…..
    Now about that yellow skein… taps foot impatiently

  46. Holy cow, that’s a cute baby. Totally, totally adorable. Thank heavens the sweater is up to the standards set by that face!

  47. You know that sweater is not meant to be repeated. Seriously. Its his own special one of a kind auntie sweater. Both baby and sweater are a perfect. Weird as this may sound. I hope NOT to see that pattern on Ravelry.

  48. The perfect sweater for the cutest baby ever (okay, I think that all babies are the cutest ever, but they are!). I can almost smell that wonderful baby smell…..

  49. My, don’t Aran’s and gansey’s look soooo similar. I bet Joe would look just as cute in his if it were finished.

  52. That is an absolutely beautiful sweater! I wish I had a smidgen of your knitting talent.

  54. gosh he’s cute!!!!! the baby!!!!!! Ok , the sweater is cute too…. 😉

  58. He is completely stunning in that sweater. I love it. The second photo with Lou in the sweater would look like a wonderful old fashioned photo with a little bit of sepia tone.

  60. Hey, if Lou is ever in the DC area, I have a 7-month old baby girl who would love to meet a handsome fellow like that who is also destined for a life in handknits!
    He’s so gorgeous, and so is that sweater!

  61. Of course he loves it! He’s wrapped in hand-knit love from his Auntie!

  66. That’s gorgeous.
    And I find your post title hysterical….. it’s baby and sweater porn rolled into one!

  67. Cryin’ out loud, Lou, it’s Canada! Even in Michigan there isn’t a month of a year without at least one sweater day.

  69. Lou definitely pegs the cute meter!
    And what a gorgeous little sweater.

  70. omg i love it! you have looked at a lot of babies in your time, and a lot of sweaters, and you can just wing it, and it works! that is expertise, my dear. can’t be bottled and sold, more’s the pity!

  71. Sally @ 4:29 NAILED it — the sweater is fabulous, even more so for winging it…but that last pic of Lou made me LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!!

  74. how adorable – what a sweetie! yes, I agree with his question but come autumn – he will be one extra happy boy! Beautiful sweater

  75. It’s the perfect miniature human fisherman’s sweater.
    I’m not surprised that you were able to do it with a wing and a prayer. Did you notice how the cable comes right out of the ribbing? And only four buttons. Ever notice how babies want you to only button one less than you have? It’s perfect.

  77. Ohmygawsh. Next to mine he is the cutest little thing EVER. The sweater’s very nice too.

  79. In wool’s name, that is one heck of a gorgeous baby and a gorgeous sweater!
    I bought a full bag of Northampton bulky at Webs this weekend. I want to make a jacket. It’s the end of May. No, I can’t explain it.

  82. Great sweater for a beautiful baby. Your comments about sizing are spot on. Just for the record, baby clothes come in 4 sizes: too big, too small, way too big and fits just right. “Too small” is obviously useless, and “way too big” is mostly useless, since you have to wait a long time until they grow into them. “Fits just right” lasts a moment and if you blink it’s gone, so the only useful size really is “too big.” It’s the only size that you can get any wear out of! Clearly you know this fact too!

  85. Glad to see Luis likes the sweater, even if it’s not all that appropriate for the weather now. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it even more if he gets taken to an over-air-conditioned mall, theater, or other public building!
    And I swear that boy is going to be both a heartbreaker and the life of the party when he’s older . . .;-)!

  88. I bet I could reverse engineer that sweater if I had the swatch numbers. I know I could if I had the sweater for 5 minutes. If I only had enough spare time, I’d knit it, too.

  91. Oh, that darling little Lou! He looks so cute in the beautiful sweater. I love how you can just sit down and knit from the heart. What a gift!

  92. He’s sooooo cute, and that sweater is to die for. I like sweaters and things that are a wee bit too big when you put them on at first, because then the baby might get to wear it more than once! (Ask me how many outfits my 8 month old has gotten to wear once that were “perfect” the first time I put her in them.)
    Babies and knitwear were made for each other, don’t you think? Beautiful work. <3 it. 🙂

  94. He is so scrumptiously gorgeous – I think I’m a tiny bit more in love with him than I am with Hank! (though the Hankster is looking pretty darned cool these days…)
    Great work, you über Auntie, you!

  96. Incredible sweater. Incredible baby. Too bad you don’t love that little boy, huh? :-). Thanks for pics. You made my day!

  97. HOW cute!!!! I know you’ve said you’re partial to girl babies (understandably so, since you had three of them), and I have to say that I find myself partial to boy babies (I had two of them). This is some of the cutest baby sweetness I have seen in a LONG time!

  100. You are so lucky to have a handy beautiful baby for modeling! He is just gorgeous.

  105. What a beautiful baby! Your sweater is gorgeous and I’m sure he will appreciate it more during the cooler weather. 🙂

  106. Do you knit both sleeves at the same time or write down when you decrease … sometimes even following a pattern my sleeves are not the same !!!

  107. Love that sweater. Just found out I have a new baby to knit for that will make his or her debut in early December. Great month for handknits but they’re in California so I’ll have to give it some thought.

  108. All of this is too adorable for words. The sweater is rockin’, the baby is cute and the garden is inviting……

  109. That sweater is adorable! And so is it’s owner.
    Thank you for encouraging many of to trust ourselves and simply go for it on simple patterns.

  110. You are so stinking talented! I wish I had the amount of talent you have in just your pinky finger! Amazing sweater, and GORGEOUS baby!!

  111. Isn’t that just about the cutest face you’ve ever seen? Love the sweater, of course – but really now! How could you resist those eyes?

  115. A handsome sweater for a handsome young man! Too bad baby sweaters only seem to fit for about a week. I hope he’ll still be able to wear it in the fall.

  116. That is a gorgeous little sweater! Perfect for a fast-growing young gentleman 🙂

  117. Kudos! I really <3 the lovely sweater, and I really <3 the amazing photos of a wonderful boychild. BTW, I really <3 Rams, too…

  118. What a sweetie is Lou, and he looks so handsome in his Aran. The facial expression is priceless.

  120. I have never posted before but I have a question. I need 1 skein of a particular dye lot of a particular yarn. Is there some where, like on Ravelry, where you can send out a request?
    BTW…I love all your books. When are you coming back to Oklahoma City?

  121. He is the most beautiful baby! And I love that Aran, even if summer is an inopportune time to wear one 🙂

  122. The sweater looks a bit like the Must Have Cardigan by Patons. Lou, looks a bit like an angel.

  125. Well, you’re in Canada after all. Summer’s almost over there, right? 😉 That is just one beautiful baby, by the way.

  126. WOW. I always have a hard time remembering what I’ve done and then invariable things (esp sleeves) don’t match. Do you keep careful notes or knit both at the same time or just wing it. Just curious.

  128. I love the sweater! And Little Lou is a doll. An adorable pairing. Thanks for sharing.

  129. I think the last picture of him is adorable, although I think he is saying please “Auntie” make me a cotton sweater next time for the summer’)

  130. Awesome sweater. I’m going to the Aran Islands, we will see what wooly things I find. Lou is quite handsome.

  131. This little guy is so stinkin’ cute! He definitely has a future as a knit-wear model. The sweater is perfection!

  133. You made some respectable factors there. I seemed on the internet for the difficulty and found most people will go along with with your website.

  136. That is one stinkin’ cute kid! And I love the sweater. And him in it. 🙂

  138. Oh my gosh! I was blissfully admiring the sweater when I got to the last picture of little Lou, and totally cracked up! He is so funny in that picture! What a great baby!

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