Clara for Carolina

One year, one dress.

I'll explain.

Nearly one year ago, on November 12, a parcel arrived.

I was very surprised. Not by the content, it was a knitting kit I had ordered for a dress called "Clara". But by the place it came from:

I had been to this very yarn store in Sante Fe!

(blogged here)

While ordering it was not visible where the kit would come from. If you read this little blog once in a while, you will know the names of my girls and understand why I wanted to knit this dress. The pattern was only available as a kit together with Isager yarn and I had to have it. Not for Clara herself, but because the sizes are only for a 12- or a 18-months-old girl, it would be for Carolina (couldn't find a cute "Carolina dress").

Carolina was only about to turn one about that time last year, so I would have plenty of time to knit her the dress for the coming winter months. Or so I thought.

"Wine" is a lovely colour

In reality the yarn was very thin, my knitting time very limited, the lace pattern needed full concentration and the endless rounds bore the freak out of me. In the hope of getting more of the dress done on vacation than at home, I took it with me to Turkey in the spring, Sri Lanka in the summer and Mallorca in the fall. I was still knitting the version for a 1,5-year-old and added another 1,5 inches of length, because Carolina will turn two very soon. The knitting breakthrough happened in those silent afternoon nap hours on Mallorca. I started to see the light at the end of the yarn ball. I hoped for the best. And finally cast off on a late October Sunday.

... and found some buttons.

What can I say?

The dress still fits.

But don't be fooled by the photos - 

Carolina does't want to wear it (scratchy?).

But you know what, I am still proud of having knitted it.
Joy was not so much in the knitting -
but in the finishing.

My Ravelry notes here.

EDIT: Shortly after publishing this post, Carolina came up to the dress hanging among laundry in the living room and asked me to help her putting it on...