When each of our daughters was born, we bought them a special bear. I did the same for our grandsons. Chrisi's son had to have a bear, too. Though this bear came from the store with clothes and a hat, the personal part of this present is the hand-knit sweater that he is now wearing. Chrisi and her husband have very simple taste. They like things that are primitive, homespun, and natural ... and I found the perfect pattern, and wonderful wool yarn, for this sweater.
This sweater of such seemingly-simple design was one of THE most complicated pieces that I have ever knit. The only seams in this are across the shoulders and up the back of the hood ... everything else is knit in pieces, with stitches picked up and directions changed ... and the effect is lovely and homespun and primitive and simple ... just the way Chrisi likes it.
I learned some new techniques while working on this ... thank Heaven for the kind folks who took the time to write tutorials and/or upload YouTube videos that made part of this sweater possible.
(Beautiful baby Fisher was born on August 16. I warned his mother to resist the urge to put this sweater on him ... the wool is really scratchy, and we wouldn't want Fisher to get a rash.)
The pattern for this sweater is HERE. If you decide you want to try to make it, you have been warned about its complexity ... I think it's worth the trouble, to make something that's so beautiful.