The school cardie

I swear I just blinked and it's suddenly March!

Ever so slowly I'm getting used to this school gig thing. It's now like, what four or five weeks in? maybe more, perhaps?

To be honest, I am really really enjoying the walk to school in the morning when the sun is still soft and the grass often damp. We give ourselves 30 minutes to get to school and this allows a bit of amble, time to stop and look for curly eucalyptus leaves, investigate any possible fairy sightings and talk about the necessities of life with a five year old.





It's been a big change for all of us, and I'm feeling somewhat ambiguous about Lily going for the full week of school in a few weeks time instead of having Wednesday off. I really do love our Wednesdays together. I do so love having one day of the week where I don't have to get up early.





The big challenge for us this year has been, and will be the school uniform. The school dress was always going to be a sure fire winner as it's so symbolic of a school girl. and just like most preschoolers, Lily was desperate to be a school girl.

The shoes, however, were always going to be an issue. This is a girl who has refused to wear socks for the past year or so. Apparently they annoyed her, the seam across the top of the socks was just too annoying to deal with. Do your kids have that issue with socks? It seems it's not that uncommon! I thought she'd refuse point blank on the school shoes too; with them being black and all, so she started the year in her Saltwater Sandals. But then it got wet, and the shoes were essential...and she so loves them!!





The other challenge was really mine. Just quietly, I'm not particularly fond of the saggy blue windcheaters that inevitably fade so quickly. Not when there is lovely wool that can be worn.





Using the 70s fondness for ribbed knits as my inspiration, I decided to knit Lily a school cardigan. Apart from it needing to be navy blue, I wanted something comfortable yet not baggy and daggy; something that would move with her and give her some growing room. And of course, it needed to look good.




I'm pretty pleased with the way this came out. Even more important, Lily loves and happily wears it. Personally, I think it's much nicer than a faded windcheater, and it will probably work out cheaper as well. I knit this in a superwash DK weight yarn, Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury. It used a bit less than 300 grams, so at a cost of about $24 I think that's pretty good. Being wool it doesn't need to be washed as often as a windcheater, and when it does I can throw it in the washing machine. And she'll get two years at least out of it.




I think it would be a pretty cool cardigan in any colour, and definitely not just for school. The pattern will be heading off to testers probably early next month.




Next up we've got to tackle the lack of a winter dress or skirt option as part of the school uniform. Yep, this is a girl that ain't gonna wear pants!! Not a chance.


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