Storm sweater junior for Cooper, finished

It was due time for me to knit another sweater for Cooper! He is a very enthusiastic recipient of handmade things, in general. And so, with his approval, I settled on the Storm Sweater Junior pattern by PetiteKnit. I wanted to knit a sweater with this construction, especially at a smaller scale: drop shoulder, but with additional shaping around the neck and shoulders for a good fit. I knew that the bands of texture would keep me engaged, and I was right.

The yarn is a British wool that I bought this past summer when my local yarn store had their closing sale. It's beautiful and soft, but it feels like it will wear well. I really enjoyed working with this non-superwash yarn.

The pattern was well-written and helped me produce a sweater that (I think) has a very polished look. And at the the end of the day, what really matters is if Cooper likes it, and he does! He said he loves it. When it was finished, he immediately wanted to wear it. After blocking a few days later, he promptly put it on and suggested, "Mommy, we could take some pictures of my new sweater on the deck, if you want," which melted my heart. So we had a little photo shoot, my sunshine boy in his new sweater. He looks so little and so grown up to me, simultaneously.

Details

For all the details, please see my Ravelry project page.

• Yarn: Erika Knight Yarns British Blue Wool 100: 100% Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) in the color 600 Clarissa
• Pattern: Storm Sweater Junior by PetiteKnit. The kid's version of her adult Storm Sweater
• Size: Based on Cooper's measurements, I chose the size 4-5 year. After blocking, it fits him with a bit more ease, and I'm hoping he can wear it through the remaining cold weather and into next fall/winter
• Needles: This is one of very few patterns where I actually met gauge with the recommended needle sizes (US 6 for the body, US 4 for all ribbing). I am a very loose knitter, so this is rare. I did size up needles to a US 7 for the sleeves, since my small circumference knitting is actually tighter, and I did not want the sleeves to be comparatively tight. This worked great.
• Specifics/modifications: I knit the sweater body and sleeve length to fit Cooper (with a little extra length in both), and I opted for an Italian bind off for the sleeves and hem, rather than the specified tubular BO. Just my preference.

Later that day, after we took photos and he had worn it for a few hours, he said, "Mama, when I'm a big boy and this sweater is too small, will you make me another sweater that is a big boy size?" Absolutely, I will, buddy.