White sweaters are a headache

I love white sweaters. I hate white sweaters. I love white sweaters. I hate white sweaters... Little baby sweaters in white are so lovely. They are so clean and fresh for a new baby - except when they get dirty!!! Yikes. This sweater was going along swimmingly and at last post, I showed it wet and blocking on my ironing board. Unfortunately, I must have blocked one too many times on my ironing board, because when I got up the following morning to check the sweater, it was very definitely dry - and covered with rust stains. I think the rust is seeping up through the iron pad and into the wet fabric. I went on to the internet to try and find a cure for rust stains, and it was very easy - use lemon juice to soak the stain and then launder. I did so, and the sweater came up beautifully clean and fresh - until I finished the sleeves and put them against the sweater. The body of the sweater has turned a yellowish tinge from the lemon juice. What a headache. So now the options are to lemon juice stain the sleeves and border or to try to soak it in a mild bleach solution. But I've already got the pink flowers on - so it would have to be a bleach for unbleachables. Any suggestions are welcome.



Once I got the sweater assembled, I went to choose buttons. There were three possibilities - none of them exactly right. There were some little pink ones that were too shiny, some round ball-shaped pearl white ones, and some little translucent, matte finished white ones. I liked the matte finish of the translucent ones, but I wanted pale pink. So, I bought them, brought them home and coloured them with a pink highlighter. I am really pleased with the effect - and hope that the pink doesn't run in the wash!!! Actually, I don't think it will, because I tested them by running them through some water. I've got some pink ribbon for the bonnet - but the bonnet has yet to be cast on.



Stewart's ribbed sweater is making slow progress. The back is done, and the sleeves are half done. This sweater is really oversized, however I should have read the instructions more carefully, as the yarn used in the pattern has a shrinkage factor - which was built into the measurements. I am thinking I will cut the sleeves down a bit, so that he can actually wear the sweater this year - but not too much because it will be great to have a sweater to last him for a while.