Luna Lapin Jumpers, Fettled!

Earlier this year, several felty chums of Mini Archie were worried about how they would keep warm this winter and I was tasked with providing jumpers to keep them toasty. Firstly, to check the fit, I made a test jumper which fitted all of them well, they placed their order, it was added to the Fettling List and Mini Archie put it to the top of my order of works list.

 I started them last month and by the time it came to furtle for September’s progress, I had three jumpers in pieces which had been soaked and blocked, ready for sewing up. 

Penny had already bought some gorgeous metal buttons from Cool Crafting (as used in the jumper on the pattern) and had them sent here so there was nothing stopping me from making a start with the sewing up.  Well, nothing bar my dislike of sewing up knitting, that is. However, Mini Archie gave me a stern talking to and then pulled on my heartstrings with tales of nithered chums. Naturally, I set to. 

At first, I was going to sew up each jumper individually but, after sewing in one pink sleeve and tying in the other, a chat with a friend helped me realise that batch sewing would be better so I changed tack and joined the shoulder seams and then attached the buttons.

Then I tied in all the sleeves:

Tying in means no there’s no pins to stab you as you sew and also means there’s nothing to tangle
the yarn round. It’s really useful, especially on small things, and I’m grateful to a friend for
passing on the tip. 

And, after not very long at all and with far less stress/angst than I’d anticipated, I had three finished jumpers:

Front

Back

As one of the chums hadn’t been able to get her head through the neckhole of the test jumper, I knitted her a wee shawl as a surprise so she wouldn’t feel left out. Trying to work out how long to make that long edge without her to try it on as I went was a little tricky and it could have done with being a little longer, but it’s okay.

Yarn is Hjertegarn merino cotton dk and is beautiful to work with.
Jumpers and shawl were knitted on 3.25mm needles.

The parcel arrived today:

The individual orders were pawed out:

And the donning of jumpers began:

Just before they posed for their group photo, they realised they had them on back to front so paws were removed from sleeves and jumpers were swivelled round necks:

Clemmie was pleased with her shawl. Obviously, since her attempt at trying on the test jumper, she’s been working on squishing her head through spaces which are slightly too small for it as the jumper now fits!

Also in the parcel were training prodding sticks for Pip, Squeak and Cam, the youngest of the mice in that home as Mini Archie decided it was time for them to start their prod training. Heaven help Penny is all I can say, she’s going to be prodded into next week!

Of course, before the jumpers were wrapped and sent, Mini Archie had to try one on to check it wasn’t actually for him:

And he had a go at auditioning to be the new face of Scottish Widows

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Fettling List to update!