Stripey Milo

For years I’ve been watching people make the adorable pattern, Milo and now that I’ve made one, I wonder what took me so long. It’s one of those gorgeous, reliable, popular knits (probably viral, yes, but that doesn’t bother me – if it’s good, it’s good!).

And when you make the baby version, it’s so fast. This one, admittedly made under the pressure of a looming birthday, took five days.

A friend’s little boy turned one this week and we went to his birthday party yesterday. I jumped at the chance to knit this because the recipient’s mum is also a knitter. When I set out to choose a pattern and yarn, I loved the freedom of knowing I could choose anything at all, that she would know and love the yarn I chose, would probably recognise the pattern as soon as she unwrapped it. It all made for a wonderfully fun knitting experience.

I had a couple of lingering balls of Filatura Di Crosa Zara in the stash. They’ve been there for around five years, I reckon. I always thought the blue and grey would go well together (it’s not like I haven’t done it before! See Baby Surprise Jacket and Steeked Jacket). I swear this is the first year I’ve really looked at small oddments in my stash with a view to finding uses for them! I don’t know why I’ve never seen the opportunities before.

As I’ve come to know and love now with Tikki patterns, it was well written, easy to follow and had clever touches. I love that she provides options for about four different cables down the front. The little XO cable pattern is just so sweet, I think.

Alice was here yesterday when I was taking photos and wrapping it (she came to the party too) and she kept hugging it and saying it was soft and lovely. It’s almost commonplace now that she says ‘you knitted it?’ Yes. I knitted it, Alice.

Giving this to my friend Alys for her son was so nice. I was right. She knew what it was as soon as she opened it. I made it a little longer than needed so that hopefully as her son grows longer, he’ll get more wear out of it.

And I reckon it’ll become a new go-to baby gift that I’ll call on again and again, finally joining the hoards of Milo fans who figured this out years ago.

Bells