Crochet pattern for newborn baby matinee cardigan?

[LittleBells]

I'm looking for a simple matinee jacket/cardigan crochet pattern for my forthcoming little bean . Does anyone know of a fairly simple one? I've got Nicky Trench's book but the cardigans in there are too complicated. I would ideally like just a plain stitch cardigan that does up with a ribbon tie at the neck (no buttonholes or any other fastenings). Any suggestions please? Thanks in advance x

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

have you looked on ravelry you can sign up for free and there's loads of free patterns. Just had a quick look on there and found this that looks like what you might be after.

[LittleBells]

Oh, lovely! Thanks for that. Looks perfect. I haven't looked on Ravelry, but I'll sign up!

[LittleBells]

I bet that's an American pattern, so I should convert to British stitches, would you say?

[PurplePidjin]

petitepurls.com/Fall11/fall2011_c_robyn.html

This one. Ignore the pattern stitch, just work the same number of stitches but plain doubles (uk trebles) :)

[SoupDragon]

Yes, I"d say it's American. Clues for me are 1) it measures in inches 2) it mentions Sport Weight yarn and 3) eventually it mentions single crochet

:)

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

yes, the main stitch used is a uk treble/us double

that's a lovely one pidj

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

ravelry is a really good time waster there's some lovely baby blankets you could try too

[LittleBells]

Gorgeous, thanks PurplePidjin! & Soup Dragon & Ninja.

I will definitely look at the blankets too, a new design is always good to try. I've made a few ripples and granny squares but something a bit different would be good. A friend of a friend had a blanket that was hand-crocheted and it was... hard to describe, but it was covered in like bobbles or pompoms, very round, but each bobble was a crocheted ball around 13mm diameter (although not the sort that are made empty and stuffed, they were solid) also they were part of the blanket not sewn on afterwards. It really looked amazing. (must have been complicated!!)

[Metellaestinhortobibit]

Was the bobble blanket like this?

www.daisycottagedesigns.net/2011/11/polka-dots-frills-free-crochet-blanket.html?m=1

I'm making it at the moment and not finding it too hard, it's all double and treble crochet...

[LittleBells]

Wow, metellae, that's the very one! Thanks so much for the link to the pattern! It's so gorgeous! Is it American or British stitches? (American, I'm guessing?) What colour & yarn are you using? I am definitely putting that on the to-do list (after the matinee jacket. Thanks again

[Metellaestinhortobibit]

Glad to help
I think it's American too but set off doing English and the effect is the same....I should have paid more attention!
I'm using (cheap!) dk wool from Aldi...here's a link to the same on eBay...
item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=400434678767

Good luck with your projects!

[Metellaestinhortobibit]

item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=400434678767

[saycheeeeeese]

Im doing this bobble blanket www.mooglyblog.com/free-pattern-blackberry-salad-striped-baby-blanket/ at the minute, it's mega easy :) though American so you will have to convert it.

[PurplePidjin]

SC in American is DC in UK, their dc is our tc etc. Just size up for British :)

[LittleBells]

Lovely, saycheeeeese! The stripes are fab!

and metellae - I haven't used variated yarn before! What result does it give? is it stripy?

I'm stuck for what yarn to use. I want to make quite a few "everyday" things, so most will be in acrylic for washability, but also seperately want something lovely and "heirloom-y" to make one special blanket and cardigan, but it being for a baby, something that will wash (the cardigan can handwash but the blanket would be useful to be able to stick in the machine! I have some Artesano washable merino which is nice enough but have only made granny squares which I haven't yet joined into a blanket so I don't know how it washes. Also I made an acrylic blanket last year and it washed very well but it stretched massively in the washing machine! I don't know why!!

Does anyone have any recommendations for washable "natural" yarns? I don't mind it being expensive because I know decent yarn isn't cheap and for one "heirloom" blanket & cardigan, it's worth it

[SoupDragon]

I love Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo. It makes a gorgeous blanket with lovely weight and drape.

[Metellaestinhortobibit]

Sort of stripy....perhaps I should post a photo, haven't done that before eek!
For the heirloom items Rowan yarns from John Lewis are nice...and the Bliss cashmerino too.

[LittleBells]

Thanks for both the suggestions re yarn, Metellae and SoupDragon! I will have a good look online tonight and will then see if I can get my local yarn shop to order in, if they don't already have it.

Metellae you should post a pic! Would love to see it!

[LittleBells]

metellae I have started the bobble blanket!! I just dove straight in with the Artesano merino. It's good, but the biggest hook I have is 4.5 (I have bigger but I am now "hooked" on Clover ones as they are sooo comfortable with the handle!) and the weave is just about ok. probably a bigger hook would have been better for drape but hey.

Anyway it is a totally gorgeous pattern, I love it so much! It is UK stitches too. Ripple blankets are usually my fave but I think this is No.1 now! I read the tutorial for making the bobbles different colours - so cute! That's for the next one!

Thanks again for the pattern link, it really is fab (and it's really not that complicated, there's more counting in a ripple I think!)