Yes, it’s a bold statement, but it is so true. The updated ABCSJ (Adult-Baby-Child Surprise Jacket) pattern from Schoolhouse Press earns an A+ from yours truly. Here’s why:

1. It has line by line instructions! This means no more guessing and interpreting, like the old pattern, which was awesome but a tad vague. The new instructions are totally clear and easy to follow.
2. It includes variations for different collars, a hood, and other add-ons.
3. There are instructions to size up the basic baby patter with different yarn sizes (fingering vs sport vs dk vs worsted) or with more stitches to make a child or adult sized jacket.
4. It’s printed on nice, heavy cardstock with lots and lots of lovely glossy color photos and illustrations.
5. It’s only $10, and absolutely positively worth every penny.

Lately I’ve been making these puppies as fast as I can knit them (friends keep making babies). In Blue Moon STR lightweight on a size US 3 or so needle you get a nice 3 month sized sweater and enough extra to make Saartje’s Booties. This free pattern by Saartje de Bruijn is a super easy to follow and quick knit that matches the BSJ perfectly.

I found that a size 0 needle makes a premie size pair (too small) a size 3 makes a 6 month size pair (too big) but a size 2 needle is juuuuuuust right. I also adjusted the pattern just a bit to make ties instead of buttons.

And speaking of the ABCSJ’s inherent awesomenosity, this is a great opportunity to mention we’re also carrying the full line of all of Schoolhouse’s new patterns, including: Butterfly Vest, Arch-Shaped Stockings, Box-the-Compass, Yoke Sweaters, Anna Makarovna’s Secret Stockings (knitting one sock inside the other!!!!!!!), Near Solstice Lace Shawl (in which you KNIT A HAIKU into the shawl!), and others as they’re released. This is really exciting stuff to us knitting nerds, eh?!

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmand is filed under Knitting, Patterns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.