Baby Aran Sweater

When my niece was little (well, littler), my sister dressed her in a sweet baby Aran sweater. It was densely cabled and handknit by some “local knitting ladies” for the charity shop. At village fetes they had a stall, piled sky-high with sweaters and booties in pastel acrylic.

“Those local knitting ladies are my rivals,” I said.

“Don’t be silly,” said my sister, buying another sweater.

I could never hope to march the output of an entire squad of retirees, but instead decided my niece should have a new sweater annually. In merino, preferably.

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Now I have a new niece and a new nephew too (twins!), bringing my Auntie-loot up to a total of five wee ones to knit for (and those are only the ones I’m directly related to! I have another almost-niece who’s similarly swaddled with wool).

As a practised Auntie I can be a bit more strategic. Right, you Ike a densely cabled baby Aran sweater? Well then you shall have a densely cabled baby Aran sweater. Pure wool, but as washable as acrylic, naturally.

The pattern I settled on is Timberline by Sarah Cooke. The cable pattern was nice and simple – once I’d figured out row 4. I whipped through the body in about a week, and packed up the sleeves and the finishing to take to my sister’s and hang out with the twins.

Thats why I only have a rubbish finished picture. Instead of a careful blocking, I rinised it and hung it over the radiator to dry.

And you know what? It was worth it. Brand-new baby hugs are about the only thing nicer than knitting.