Voila! A Baby Jacket

Well, if I'll be darned. It actually worked. Like some of you out there, I was highly suspicious of the pattern even after reading post after post of successfully completed surprise jackets. I didn't even get the schematic in the Knitting Workshop book. So while knitting, I had not a clue what part of the jacket I was on. Surprisingly, I got the stripes basically where I wanted them and it worked out just swell!

I used the knitted cast-on method, and when I got to the bottom of the pattern it states how nicely the seams sew up when using the long-tail cast on method. Oh well, next time. I'm still far from being a pro at finishing garments, so I'll have to make an effort in that department.

I also got a chance to practice my Continental style knitting since there wasn't any purling (why oh why is the purling so awkward). But the k2tog's and M1's were challenging enough. Well, I was glad for the practice.

I used La Mode tiny golden buttons since this Jacket is for a boy and I was highly against the huge plastic football buttons. These were the only non-feminine one's I could find that seemed special.

I used almost 3 hanks of Blue Sky Alpaca Sportweight in Lt. Green (maybe it's called Pistachio... can't find the label.) And the stripes are leftover from the first EZ baby jacket I made - Taupe.

Since I couldn't, rather densely I must admit, really picture how the knitted up sea mollusk would actually turn into a jacket, I took some "action" photos of me folding this one up. It may help some of you out there.