Tomten Finished.

A Tomten, according to Elizabeth Zimmermann's Kitting Without Tears, is a small Swedish elf who specializes in good deeds. The good deed at the Harris House today is that my Tomten is finished.

All garter, all the time - done! I chose to have what would normally be considered the wrong side of the garter stitch - the one where the bumps of the new colour show through as the right side. I thought it more interesting.

Pocket linings in snazzy red - done!

Pockets flaps in black to match the other borders- done!

Zipper sewn in - done!I rarely put a zipper in my knitted sweaters because - well because it's too hard. Tomten's zipper however was a breeze to sew in. Due to this extra equipment which I was advised to use.

The miracle worker. The zipper stayed perfectly in place while I hand sewed it in. Hand sewn because that's what Elizabeth recommended

The Tomten is a typical EZ creation. Using one pattern and yarns in varying gauges from 5 to 3 sts per inch one can knit Tomtens from baby to adult size. Where else can you find a pattern for an adult that requires no more knitting than a baby sweater except in Elizabeth's books?

The pattern calls for 112 stitches to be cast on. From there everything is measured in garter stitch ridges. The bottom is 40 ridges high before it is split into two fronts, armholes and back. Each front section is 1/8th total stitches, the armholes and back are each 1/4 total stitches. The back and fronts continue for an additional 28 ridges. The sleeves are picked up from the top and knit down for 56 ridges. Are you seeing the relationship? 112...56...28.

Thank goodness for the knitters of the world that Elizabeth turned that brilliant mind of hers towards knitting. Where would we be if she had chosen physics, carpentry, medicine or dentistry? Thank you Elizabeth. Now I think I might try those '2-Needle Garter Stitch Slipper, With Cuff'.

Garter stitch! Did you catch that?