Crochet Baby Wrap Sweater

Last week, I finally finished the crochet wrap sweater I had been working on for the baby.  When I say finally, I mean it.  This sweater was a disaster from the first stitch to the last. 

I started the sweater very enthusiastically using a pattern from the book that I used to make the crochet hearts. 

I thought the hearts were pretty easy.  I whipped up all five of them in no time.  I was able to follow the pattern without issue, even being a very novice crotchetier (my spell-check said this was a word.  I don't think I believe it...but I like it...so I'm using it). The blurb before this pattern even said that it was good for beginners .  Hogwash!  The pattern was super hard to read.  It didn't follow the nice row by row format of all the other crochet patterns I've tried.  I had faith that I could figure it out though, so I kept on.  Plus, my mom (a very avid crotchetier) told me that I could ask her for help when I needed to.  I was sure we could figure out the pattern if we put our heads together.

I think I may have ripped out each section of this wrap at least one time.  The right sleeve I know for sure I ripped out three.  I was nearly done stitching it and ripped it out to the beginning.  THREE TIMES!!  Unfortunately, Mom wasn't really any help with the pattern, since she hadn't seen one written so awkwardly either.  She actually told me that I should give up.  I would NOT give up.  The sweater was annoying me so much I couldn't.  I wasn't going to let a baby wrap sweater from a stupid book that claimed it was EASY get the better of me.  No....I would finish.

So, here I am.  Finally, finished, and vowing NEVER, NEVER, NEVER to make this sweater again.  I think it came out okay, but just knowing that half of the stitches I had to make up on the fly because I couldn't figure out how to get the instructed increases and decreases to work out to the right stitch count  is just too frustrating to bear again. I'm glad I finished, but overall, I'm going to have to call this project a fail.   

Also, I'm really skeptical about the sleeves.  Will my newborn's wrists really be that skinny??   I know newborns are small...but this just seems more doll like than anything else. 

Linking this up to a party or two :)