considering EZ's Baby Surprise Jacket

I just ordered this book the other day off of Amazon. I know a couple of couples who are expecting this fall and thought the baby surprise jacket would be a great addition to my usual baby sets (little booties, and a hat) after seeing it on the Panopticon.

I'm patiently awaiting the book's arrival via Super Saver Shipping..... and wanted to consider my yarn selection in the mean time. I posted this question on the knitlist:
"What weight, what kind, and how much yarn do I need???"

And here are some of the responses:

- The cool thing about this pattern is that you can use almost any size
yarn and needles, and that will determine the size jacket you get. Smaller yarn and needles for a newborn size, larger for toddlers, etc.
I made one with worsted weight yarn on size 6 needles and it came out about a 12-month size.
Jenny www.newtonsknitting.blogspot.com

- I have a friend who just made it out of Koigu and I am not sure if she used two or three skeins. Ruby

- I am on my fourth BSJ, goodness they are like peanuts- once you start you can't stop ! It totally depends on the size you want to make. A group of us in Boston made them for a charity, and they were sizrd from infant o toddler. The bulkier the yarn, the bigger the sweater, A Dk weight yarn will give you an infant size sweater I Ithink, I believe I used 450 to 500 yards on a size 7 needle. There may be a picture of some of them on my blog.
Judy www.jscothammerquist.blogspot.com

- It calls for 3 ounces of Shetland wool, gauge 6 stitches to the inch or 2 skeins of Canadien Regal.
Mich

- I love making this sweater! I find that between 300-400 yards with most weights will do. In general, a baby weight yarn will make a newborn size, worsted will usually fit about 1-2 years and bulky can make a toddler size. I say "in general" because this can vary with the needle size you choose as well. I used a heavy worsted weight yarn and size 10 1/2 needles to make a sweater for my slim 4 year old.
Denise in Iowa http://www.denisesn eedleworks. blogspot. com/

- I am knitting it right now in Cascade Fixation, which I think is a light worsted weight yarn. It is knitting up at 6 stiches per inch, which is the gauge called for in the pattern, and it looks like it will be TINY! Good thing it is for a newborn. :-) It is also using MUCH less yarn than I expected - I bought 6, 100 yard balls and am 3/4 of the way done and just started my second ball!
Tara

-I've knit them in everything from fingering weight (came out preemie) to worsted (came out about 18-24 months size), including the last batch which were made of two strands of sock yarn held together. When I used worsted, it took a bit more than one three ounce skein, so I'm guessing about 4 ounces of worsted. The sock yarn was leftovers, multiple small balls.
Check out the crafts pix folder at www.picturetrail.com ID = lisadinpa
Lisa D in PA

- It is a great sweater. The first one is the hardest. My favorite one so far was done on 16 inch circular size 3 needles and fingering yarn. I used the Claudia handpainted yarn. It took one skein and a little more. In shetland wool I used about 3 oz on size 4 16 inch circular needles. The larger the yarn and needles, the larger the sweater. The fingering yarn made a newborn size while the wool version is probably made a three month size. This pattern was so much fun to do but took concentration initially.
Dotti in NC

- (When it was asked whether you could buy the pattern w/out buying the whole book) You can purchase just the pattern for $3, directly from Schoolhouse Press:
http://www.schoolho usepress. com/spunout. htm
Anne Gainesville, FL

- Originally the pattern, by Elizabeth Zimmermann, was available as a single leaflet. You might check with her company, , now owned by her daughter Meg Swansen, to see if it's still available that way.
OTOH, the book, OPINIONATED KNITTER which has it now, includes most
of the other leaflets produced between '58 and the mid 70s which are
likewise, very ingeneous EZ patts. I got the book, EVEN THOUGH I had
all the original newsletters as some of the latter were getting
tattered from all the use.
Joan in Eugene, OR schrouderknits@ clearwire. net




I'm usually a very frugal yarn and knitting book shopper.... you have no choice when you are poor.... but I think this book is a classic and I know I will get a lot of use out of it. Plus, it was a gift from Steve!!!!!! Thanks, honey. :)

More to come after I receive the book.