Soft and Sweet

Soft, delicate mohair hats and wraps are very popular with newborn photographers.  Little toes peeking through, a bit of a vintage feel.  I hadn't knit an actual mohair wrap yet, though it's been on my "want to do when I have no orders" list.  I want to offer newborn prop sets--wrap, pod, couple hats, and pants, in co-ordinating colours (girls/boys/neutral).  Well, this hasn't happened yet, LOL.

I did get an order for a hat and wrap.  The photographer sent me a picture of a baby wrapped up and wondered how it was done--we thought maybe there was a slit to pull one end through.  I asked around, and googled, and found the actual original wrap vendor, and there was no slit, it was just a rectangle.  However, she wanted to go ahead with the slit idea and it opens up new wrapping possibilities.

I started with the hat, using a pattern I've used before.  Okay.  How is it possible I never blogged about that grey set?!  That means it didn't get included in last year's totals?  Oh, it's about 100gr at the most, probably, LOL.  Anyway, after knitting a bit, I thought it looked a little too textured/chunky.  I had wanted a bit of texture to contrast with the smoothness of the wrap.  I messaged the client and asked if she had an opinion, and indeed, she wanted a smooth look to the hat as well.  No problem!

Got the hat done, and did the wrap.  I had thought I might use the LK150, but it's kind of buried in my studio.  Took a few attempts with swatching--use 6mm needles (feel more comfortable) and do double wraps and drop the extra wrap off on the next row, or use 12 mm needles (broomsticks!) and do single wraps.  Even though this was less than a month ago...I can't remember for certain, but I think I did the 12mm needles.  I think this because I was at my brother's house for his birthday and working on it, while sitting next to his MIL, who was also crocheting.  Her husband laughed at us, and said he's going to bring me broomsticks next time, to knit with.  I said I felt like I was already using broomsticks!  I had tried to knit in the restaurant while waiting for our (slow) dinner, but it was too awkward.

Once done, I felt it needed a little something.  So, I made my traditional three layer flower.  It was huge!  So I made another smaller one.

Because it was  vintage yarn and kicking around in my tote bag for a while, I washed it.  Unfortunately, it felted a little!!  The hat wasn't too bad, but the wrap?  I soaked it in water with a good squirt of "smoothing" conditioner, then hung it for a bit to stretch under it's own weight, then pinned it out, stretched, and steamed.  It did get back some of it's stretch, though the stitches are still very open even when relaxed--but I think they would have been anyway because of using the 12mm needle.  I must remember next time to actually go a bit smaller since the photographer wraps the baby pretty tightly, which stretches the wrap out.

The wrap used 83gr, and the hat and two flowers used 50gr (there's always a few grams more though, due to trimming tails.  I really should count that since it all adds up!).

Yarn In:   9074gr
Yarn Out:  133gr + 4002gr = 4125gr
Balance:  4949gr MORE brought IN then out
Costs: 457.63 /302 days = $1.52/day