Finished Objects: Chicchai
Pattern: Chicchai by Jane Field, a Shibuiknits pattern sold by Knit/Purl (currently called “Baby Hat & Bootie Set” on their website). “Chicchai” means “tiny,” “little,” or “wee” in Japanese — at least according to Google.
Size: One size. Hat measures about 12.5 inches around but is stretchy; socks have a 3-inch-long foot with a 4-inch circumference.
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (100 percent merino wool, 175 yds. per 50 g.), P201
Yardage: Nearly the whole 175 yards
Yarn and Pattern Source: Knit/Purl in Portland, Oregon
Needles: Addi Turbo 16-inch circular in US size 3; Knit Picks double-pointed needles in US size 3
Gauge: 7 stitches = 1 inch in seed stitch on size 3 needles
Notes: When my mom purchased this pattern and yarn for me as a gift (Thanks, Mom!), I was a little worried that knitting the hat in seed stitch on tiny needles would prove to be tedious. I am not the world’s biggest fan of seed stitch, since it is so very slow compared to stockinette. Creating the hat turned out to be rather enthralling, however, largely because Koigu looks wonderful in seed stitch. And I am a real sucker for knitting baby socks, since they are quick, involve numerous stages of completion, and are ridiculously cute. So the whole process of creating this set was great fun.
I did modify the pattern for the socks slightly. It gives a gauge of 7 stitches to the inch but does not list a row gauge or specify which needles or stitch pattern are supposed to give this gauge, which is something of a problem given that the pattern calls for you to use size 1, 2, and 3 needles, as well as stockinette, 1 x 1 ribbing, heel stitch, and seed stitch. And there are no finished measurements included. And it includes a stern warning that you have to get gauge lest you risk running out of yarn. !?!
In any event, I knit the first sock on the called-for size 1 and 2 needles, but it seemed impossibly small, so I went ahead and knit the hat and then decided that I had enough yarn left to do larger socks. I ended up ripping out the first sock and then knitting both on the size 3 needles, and I had a comfortable amount of yarn to spare — though not enough to make another sock.
I think the set will fit a newborn for a month or more, and the socks may continue to fit for a bit longer. I didn’t have any specific baby in mind while I was putting this set together, but I do have a friend who is due to have a baby any day now. I figure that there’s a 49 percent chance that I’ve already got a gift for her.
May 21st, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Your FOs are kicking me in the butt! I have a baby coming this year & have not found a sock pattern yet. So now I have no excuse…I do have the Itty Bitty Hats book though so the head is covered! The koigu does do well in that set.