Crochet: Upsized Version of Baby Announcement Sweater and Bonnet

I loved the baby announcement layette I crocheted for Scarlett before she was born, and found it too sad that she never really got to wear it before she outgrew it. So I decided to make it again, bigger! I was able to find more of the Jaeger Baby Merino yarn I used for the original--in the same dyelot if you can believe it! I was so thrilled because I had a skein and a half left from the original, but thought it wasn't quite enough to finish a sweater.

This is actually the third time I've tried remaking this sweater because I tried increasing the size once with a larger hook and didn't work fast enough and realized Scarlett would be too big for it when I finished. And then I tried again and abandoned the project because the proportions were all skiwampus. Yes, I am a bit nutty. Let's blame it on the postpartum hormones! But I was determined to make this come together! This final version worked a bit better but it's not as pretty as the original sweater. I used a hook 3 sizes bigger and then reduced the number of stitches in my foundation chain, and consequently the number of shells in the body and sleeves, and the fabric is a bit too spongey compared to the original.

All that said, I am still pretty pleased to have this set in a size Scarlett can wear, at least a few times. And I can't say enough about how much I love this ribbon I found to go with it. It is the most amazing shade of pinky brown--cafe au lait perhaps.