Magic of another sort

When one of my former students, Marleena, announced she and her husband are expecting their first child this summer, I knew I had to make something special for the baby.

I had hundreds of wonderful students during my 36 years in the classroom, but Marleena was one of the most memorable.

Legally blind, Marleena doesn't let that disability get in her way of achieving all she wants in life. She took the most challenging courses, graduating as an honor student, appeared in the school's musicals, developed her exceptional singing talents, devoted countless hours as a volunteer to help others, attended a four-year college and shone there...and never once used the excuse that she couldn't do this or that because. Today Marleena sings professionally and is Children's Choir Director at the Braille Institute of America. Marleena doesn't have the words "but I can't" in her vocabulary.

So something special for Marleena's baby was definitely in order.

I decided on a Baby Surprise Jacket. I've made several of these baby sweaters in the past, and I love the beauty of the finished sweater, created by its clever design.

Elizabeth Zimmermann, the creator of the Baby Surprise Jacket, was the Frank Lloyd Wright of knitting.

What you do as you knit this sweater is, basically, knit a "blob" which, at the last minute When you least expect it, and when you're thoroughly convinced you've made a huge mistake in following the knitting directions, turns into a sweater..

Does that top photo look to you like a sweater? I thought not.

How about this second photo? Still not looking overly "sweaterly"?

Now you perhaps see hints of a sweater emerging.

Voila! A sweater.

In this photo I haven't yet sewn across the tops of the sleeves, but at least the sweater's shape is recognizable.

The seam across the tops of the sleeves is, by the way, the only seam in the entire piece. That fact alone makes the sweater pattern a keeper.

I knew the yarn had to contain some purple and violet, because these are Marleena's favorite colors.

I also knew the sweater had to contain some deep teal, because this color looks so good on Marleena, and I assume it will on her baby, too.

I started the sweater last Friday morning as we drove up to Brunswick for some antiquing at Cabot Mill Antiques.

As I cast on, I wondered to myself what I'd do once I got to the button bands. Which side would I put the button holes on? Should I wait until the baby's birth, in August, then knit the button bands?

As it turned out, I checked my Facebook page when we got home, and there was an announcement from Marleena: It's a girl! At least Marleena's ultrasound tech is 99% certain it's a girl, so we'll assume she's right.

Once I knew it's a girl, I decided a little hat is in order, too. A hat with a girly flower attached.

I'm eager to send this gift to Marleena, but I'm going to try to hold off a few more months.