Twins!

Last fall we were surprised with the news that our friends were expecting identical twins! It was such exciting news and I just couldn't wait to pick something to knit for this very knit-worthy couple's growing family. Part of my problem with knitting gifts is I put too much pressure on what to make. So I really procrastinated starting and missed the baby shower deadline. However, I wasn't a complete slacker. The sweet little boys made their way into this world just two days before I finished. Now if only I could get to the post office...

The patters are Argyle Pullover [Rav]from Debbie Bliss Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers and a free pattern from Petite Purls called Cirrus [Rav]. I love how one is more preppy and the other is a bit more sporty. The boys are identical and the parents expressed an interest in not dressing them in identical clothes. The yarn in both sweaters is Comfort DK and washed up into a very soft cozy fabric. It can be a bit splitty, but I wanted something soft and easy to care for, as these new parents will certainly have their hands full.
I made some Mods in each pattern. In the Argyle Pullover I excluded the two partial diamonds at each edge of the sweater. I didn't want to fuss with two more strands of yarn and didn't like that the partial diamonds from the front and back wouldn't line up perfectly at the seams. I also used more of a fair isle/intarsia combo on the diamonds, carrying and twisting the white along while I knit the diamonds using intarsia. My tension on the back was a bit snug, but the front was perfect. In Cirrus I didn't include the textured cable pattern and also skipped the tabbed bottom, opting for a continuous garter band. Both sweaters are knit to fit around 9-12 months. Hopefully the boys will fit into them this fall!