A Frogging We Will Go

This is Elsebeth Lavold's beautiful Martha from her sixth designer's choice book, The Take Five Collection. I purchased the book and yarn the day I announced my second pregnancy at the yarn shop - the one and only time I've EVER spontaneously bought a shop owner's recommendation. (You're pregnant?! That's wonderful! We just got a new Lavold book in with a maternity pattern...)

The irony is that I had once stated that I would never, ever knit a maternity sweater because that was a waste of time. (Never say never, the Green Woman says with a laugh.)

Now, I had not lost any of the weight from my first pregnancy, and was expecting the same type of growth in the second that I had experienced in the first - especially in my problematic chest. SO, after great debate I selected a rather large size and set to work. I wanted this thing to fit during the entire pregnancy!

I believe I finished in about six weeks, discovering along the way that Elsebeth Lavold is a very generous designer who will happily help knitters with her patterns. Seriously. She responded to a question in less than four hours. I was impressed.

True, Martha did turn out to be too big. My chest - thankfully - didn't repeat it's expansion, and so in the end I could have knit the thing a size or even two smaller. No matter, I loved it and wore it proudly, receiving many compliments from friends and family. When the Pixie was born, the sweater was folded up and tucked away.

On May 5th I had a merry frogging party. Two of my favorite knitting friends came over that Sunday afternoon to provide moral support as I began the process of reclaiming 13 skeins of Silky Wool from Martha. I had, in fact, been planning to frog it for well over a year, but sometimes we need a little push to follow through. A party was just the thing I needed. We had treats as we gathered around my kitchen table to work on various projects while our kids played in the next room. It was a magical afternoon.

I was not sad to see the sweater go. It would never have been worn again, and it had made me sad to see it tucked away as it had been. However, Martha held a lot of love and memories, and I admit that it wasn't as easy as I had expected. Martha had been something nice I had done for myself after knitting for everyone else for years. She had made me feel beautiful when I was hugely pregnant during a difficult pregnancy. Besides, the whole thing had been oddly prescient as the Pixie's hair proved to be almost the same shade as the yarn. Martha had been truly special.

I now have this beautiful pile of reclaimed yarn waiting to be knit into two sweaters - one for me, and one for the Pixie. Once again I will be using Elsebeth Lavold patterns, and this time the sweater will be sized to last for years. Spring is the time for renewal, and I can't think of a better way to honor my Martha.