Tjes

Here in the Netherlands, if you add 'tje' or 'je' to the end of a word, or name, it implies it is a diminutive, and can even be a term of endearment.  Pietertje (Peter-che), for example, is Little Peter.  Worteltjes (vortel-chez) are little wortels, or carrots.  If you call someone liefje (leef-ye), you call them your little love.  It's basically a Germanic version of the French 'ette', and rather endearing, linguistically speaking.

Why do I bring this up?  Well, I've been working on a few little things recently - dingetjes (ding-i-chiz) - and thought it about time to introduce them to the world...

Truitjes (trou [as in ouch] chiz) first - little sweaters!  itisalwaysraining (Elin) on Ravelry put out a call for testers for her new baby cardigan (sorry - I'm a pedant traditionalist - the pattern is called 'Circle Line (Iclandic Yoke Sweater)', but it opens at the front and has a button closure - that's a cardigan, dammit!

Anyhoo, it looked so cute that I had to offer my services (click on the link, and you'll understand), and I figured that it would be a perfect gift for my friend M's new little boy, Baby L.  I love it when a plan comes together

The first effort (above) was slightly flawed, however, as I didn't actually read the directions properly (my, what an excellent tester you are, said no-one), and ended up with a purely stockinette cardi (instead of a stockinette cardi with garter stripes) which had a few technical failings on my part.  Although I was pleased with my first ever button band, which actually turned out well, I didn't quite get the stripes on the sleeves to join up properly, nor did I manage to make an invisible 'make 1', but even with these little hiccoughs, on the whole I was enchanted. 

I was so enchanted, in fact, that I decided to start a second effort, in which I'd actually follow the pattern.  So I did.  And it became this darling thing:

Complete with invisible increases, neat and tidy stripe jogs on the sleeves, another neat button band, and a generous sprinkling of cute!

It's simple and lovely and well worth spending a meagre $4 to own the pattern!

The second lot of jes are the laarsjes (lars-yiz), or little boots (the closest I could get to 'bootees'!).

My sister has a friend in the States that has just given birth to a premature baby girl.  She is a much-longed-for little body, and although a preemie, is doing very well indeed.  DS asked if I'd make some booties for the new little human, and who was I to say no, especially as all the patterns seem to be equipped with an added aw-cute factor!

The pattern above is Saartjes Bootees - a very popular pattern on Ravelry, and this two-tone pink pair were one of 12,853 currently registered on the site!  The second pair is very simple indeed, and I beg your indulgence if I don't link the pattern, but it was pretty badly written.  Had I not just completed the other pair beforehand, I wouldn't have had much of a clue.  Never-the-less, here are a pair of Mary-Janes:

 

 

They are currently winging their way over the water to Scotland, then will cross the bigger pond, onto the feet of a precious bundle of new American.  That makes me feel kinda good, I have to say!