All Through the Winter - Part Two

 
I know we've seen this pattern on the blog before, but it really is my favourite baby cardi to knit.  In fact, it's the third time; first for little Leo back in 2012, then in January of this year for Zachary (that's yesterdays post), and also in April of this year for little Leona - isn't it odd that Leo and Leona have such similar names?!  The world can be a strange small place sometimes.

Leona is the first grandchild of my Aunt Jean who lives in far away Norway, and I thought a long time about what sort of small something I'd like to knit for this little one, before I decided on the Scottie pattern.  I opted to add a smattering of subtle symbolism into this cardi through my yarn choices.  The main body of the cardigan is knit with a cream-coloured yarn, Rowan Wool Cotton 4Ply.  That's an English yarn and it represents Jean, Leona's English grandmother.  The red and black yarns are Viking Baby Ull, my favourite of all the baby yarns I've tested over the years (also, it has the best shade of red I've ever seen in a yarn - EVER!).  It's a Norwegian yarn, like the rest of wee Leona's family.  The Scottie dog pattern is a nod to Scotland, because if you go back through the family tree just a little bit further, brand-new, little Norwegian Leona and middle-aged Canadian I would find a common ancestor who came from Scotland.  It is a strange, small world isn't it?

Though the scottie pattern is the same on all three cardis I've made, there are two differences that separate this cardi from the others; both are revealed in the buttons.  This cardi was made for a little girl instead of a little boy, so the button plackets are reversed, jacket and cardigan buttonholes are on the right side for females, on the left for males.  Did everyone know this?  It's true, check out the jacket/shirt/cardi you're wearing right know if you're unsure whether you're wearing menswear or women's wear, your clothes will tell all.  Also, the boys cardis had black buttons, whereas little Leona got red ones with fancy scroll work patterns on them.  See:

Oooo...pretty!

Welcome to the world, Leona!