Friday, November 25, 2005

Diego Vest part one.

When last we met, I had some thoughts on Lucca's sweater. Well, let me tell you about the mind of a three year old. I have already tried to put a store bought sweater on him and he screamed until I took it off of him. Sweaters are really not his thing. So I can imagine knitting this sweater, and he refuses to wear it. Not gonna happen people.
So, being the perceptive mother that I am, I decided to incorporate his "Hero" into the design...and it is a vest, not a sweater.

Meet Diego. He is Dora's cousin. He works at a rescue centre saving animals...using his video watch, field journal, spotting scope, rescue pack and zip cords. He is it right now. Also, there is like little to not a one product you can find that is Diego. We have a movie and this little figure from the Dora house. I have come across a couple things on line...but come on...you create this show for the "male dora watchers" and no product...someone is missing out on a huge market.

My thoughts are this:
The vest he wears, I can knit this. I package up a whole "Diego" type gift. Knit the vest, find a spotting scope...oh yes, there is also a camera...her name is "Click"...field journal, video watch (a must have for every 3yr old), zip cord (yes, I can set that up down the stairs...why take the stairs when you can zip down like Diego!) and the rescue pack...why can't I felt that?

Project one of the Diego gift...the vest. In comes the Cora Handwork and my own little references...




It's simple. A neat hem, no zipper...he wears it open anyway...a collar and a couple patch-flap top pockets.

Now, I did this hem on my hourglass sweater...but I have found another way...a much easier way that I must show you. In the hourglass, you had all of these sts to sew to the garment at the end, very tedious work. Well, how about knitting it as you go...much smarter.

Make your facing ( in a smaller needle that the garment). Knit in stocking stitch for the length of the facing then add a purl row on the right side. Switch to larger needles and continue in stocking stitch for the same length of the facing.



Now, fold the hem in half.



Knit the next row together with the cast on stitches. (I found it very easy to pick up the cast on st with the left needle...



Then knit the two together.



This creates your neat little hem.



Here we are...a front and a back...almost there.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks good so far. I'm sure he'll go for it.. it's the package deal, how could he resist?

Knittypants said...

You are one smart lady. Your son will love his gift.

Unknown said...

Too clever by half - your son is a lucky little boy. I look forward to the finished vest (I love Dora!! I'm sure that Diego is just as cute.)

savannahchik said...

what a great gift! and wow that was some fast knitting.

btw i like your method of knitting in the hem (particularly since i think it's stretchier when you knit it in). i do mine the same way you showed in your pics. i've been thinking next time i do it i might try a provisional cast on. i'm always worried that i might miss a stitch here and there and the provisional would eliminate that.

Anonymous said...

You are such a good mom.

Anonymous said...

I "heart" a knitted hem, and yours looks great.

goodkarma said...

You definitely get the Super Mom award!

Tracy Batchelder said...

Great idea. He'll probably wear the vest all the time, even to bed.

Laura said...

Can't wait to see that vest! It's going to be so cute. I have made hems both ways, sewing and knitting, and I prefer the knitting way too.

Anonymous said...

MUCH easier to knit the hem up as you go. I would never have it any other way now! Acutally the last sweater I knit the hem up I did every other stitch. It worked well and kept the hem a little stretchy. And the sweater is going to look awesome! Can't wait to see it all finished! WTG

Stephanie said...

what a wonderful gift idea!

Nadira said...

That. Is. So. Clever.

I need to print that out for my folder right now.

I'll bet you could do a variation for a top-down too: knit your sweater, knit a hem, and then graft the two together. (I have a soft spot in my heart for grafting.)

Anonymous said...

On the hourglass sweater can I do the knit hem like that? How do I keep going on the rest of the sweater? Can I knit the hem like that in the round? How about when I come to the neck edge? Any help appreciated.