FO: Clara Dress/ Garter ear flap hat

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Well, it’s off the blocking mats and completed at last! Ravelry project page here.

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I really love the dress now that it has properly blocked out. The stitch definition is clear and the patterns are nice and legible. I love the leaf motifs, especially with the ribbed sections between the points. It adds a layer of visual interest without fighting against the main design elements. The blocked fabric is soft and has a nice drape. It feels so expensive and faaaaancy!

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I chose a little silver button for the keyhole closure in the back. (Non knitters: Yes, this is a different photo than the previous one!) Actually, I think a lot of people did two buttons or something on the back, but I liked having the opening be more like a keyhole. The button came from my inherited button stash, which is full of all sorts of glorious little surprises.

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The only issue I have with this dress– and this is as a girl baby newbie– is what in the world I do to line it. Do I need to find a shell to put under it? Sew something? Just put it on over a onesie and tights? How does this work? It has quite a bit of openwork on the bodice and skirt, which I think would be visually distracting without a lining of some sort…

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Anyway, I love it. I super duper ooper love it. I wish it’d been a faster knit, because thing like it would be my go-to new baby present. Instead, people like my lovely new nephew get this Purl Soho Garter Ear Flap Hat. Rav page here.

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It was made with Yarn Over New York’s Rockaway Tweed, which makes a fantastic fabric. I got the yarn at Rhinebeck this year, and it was part of a great and interesting collection from the dyer. I get the feeling that she dyes yarn according to her whims and interests, which I super love. Her store has really varied stuff that is just aching to be impulse-purchased.

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This pattern is so popular and common, but it’s a cute shape and was an enjoyable tv knit. I hope to knit more things for my nephew as he outgrows the rapid-change phases of infancy… And once I get a really good idea of what kind of style my sister-in-law likes for her kiddo!

I wish the photography was a bit better for these projects. I don’t have a good spot to set up my light tent right now, so the door was the best option. Sadly, the sun wasn’t out, so when I added some supplemental lighting, I got those harsh shadows. I also don’t like that the door is so red, because it really throws off my color balance in addition to being a bit more distracting than I desire for FO photos. I can’t wait until my new house is done, and I get to find all sorts of fun places to photograph my knits!

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