The pattern is called "Hand Knit Kiddie Sweater" and is free at Fias Co Farm website. I've made some modifications to suit my stripy color pattern, and so far I'm pretty happy with it.
As the post title says, these mark my third set of baby goat coats. My first baby goat coat was for a March-born kid. I was worried about dipping night temperatures, so I made a kid coat out of an old sweatshirt sleeve.
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| Alphie in his sweatshirt sleeve baby goat coat |
This added warmth for sure, but the problem was that baby boy goat anatomy is such that it got wet every time he peed. Good thing a sweat shirt has two sleeves.
Last year I found a pattern for a dog coat and made several of those.
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| Helen and Woody in his doggie pattern baby goat coat |
Again, it added a layer of warmth, but as you can see, it didn't fit well. Plus, I had the same problem with the bucklings that I'd had before, so that the coats were always getting wet and needing to be changed. This year I hope for a better coat!
I'm planning to do four or five little goat sweaters, just to be prepared. It isn't uncommon for Kinders to have quads and occasionally quints. They knit up fairly quickly (the sweaters, not the goats), and the only problem I had was when I couldn't find my collection of double-pointed needles. I have almost every size imaginable, but with my studio being used for storage while we work on the house, I could not remember where they were. I ended buying a new set.
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| Working a short sleeve. |
The new ones are acrylic. I like the swirl pattern in them, but I don't like how they knit. I'm using acrylic yarn, and it catches on these needles so that the stitches don't slip smoothly from one needle to the other. Also I don't like the sound they make! They don't make the customary "tink tink" of steel needles; they creak. I don't like that. Creaking is not a comforting sound.
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| Looks like there are quite a few kids in there. |
With Daphne due in about three weeks I'm working diligently on these. It's a nice indoor project on a cold or rainy day.
Baby Goat Coats Take 3 © February 2016 by
little baby goats - soooo cute! i want to come down and take the whole load home with me! safe in the knowledge that their parents have been raised and fed right! i love the little sweaters! you are very good grandmother Leigh!
ReplyDeletesending love. your friend,
kymber
Kymber, you and Jam need some goats! Both with and without cute baby goat coats. :)
DeleteThose are certainly fun colorful goat coats! I have an old KwikSew dog coat pattern that I like the way it goes on and the construction Pattern 3260 view B. This can be made to wrap nicely, the band can be trimmed to accommodate male anatomy and the back can be extended and elastic leg loops put on like they do horse blankets. They stay better when you cross them, so give a little extra length should you go there.
ReplyDeleteSo adorable, another well done, Leigh! :)))
DeleteTheresa, thank you for mentioning that pattern! Sewers will certainly appreciate it. Leg loops for back legs may indeed make it work better. I'll let you know after mine get actual use on bouncing baby goats. :)
DeletePam, thanks!
Will the back end have leg loops like sheep covers? I can't wait to see the gang all suited up like children going out for recess!
ReplyDeleteNo, but that might be something to add in the future, depending on how well these stay put. They've been kid tested, so I'm assuming they'll be okay as is, but we'll get a real test soon (assuming the weather turns cold enough again.)
DeleteWhat a parade of colorful little baby goats you will have when these coats are done and the kids arrive. I love that you're making them so colorful. When you first learned to knit, did you ever imagine you'd be creating coats for goat kids? ;o]
ReplyDeleteNo! I didn't, LOL. When I first learned to knit it was to do something with all my handspun yarns. I always hoped to have goats, but at the time it was only part of an unfulfilled dream. :)
DeleteI just saw the piece of siding to keep the nosy other goats out of her feed! No easy task!
ReplyDeleteYou caught that! It would take another goat keeper to get it. :) They used to make Daphne so made trying to get at her feed. With that unaesthetic piece of siding there, she can eat in peace.
Deleteyou'll have the most stylish goats on the block! ;) Those goat coats are really cute!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were shoveling the other day we noticed Lilly getting cold so I sent her into the house...she was pretty upset that I didn't stay in with her. silly dog
Doesn't Lilly have a doggie coat? My mother-in-law used to have a miniature poodle who loved her doggie coat in cold weather. When MIL would wash the coat, Missy would wait right there by the dryer until it was dry, shivering the entire time. (which we suspected was somewhat put-on, because it wasn't really that cold in the house!)
DeleteHurray! I can finally comment! I use a pattern for little dogs that fit lambs and kids. I know what you mean about the anatomy being a challenge. Can't wait to see those kinder babies in their little sweaters!
ReplyDeleteSusan, hurray! I wonder what happened. I have another reader who still can't comment.
DeleteI'll have to have a baby goat fashion show, LOL
Cute! Funny that for all my knitting I have never had the urge to knit kid koats. Over the years I've "perfected" my quickie polarfleece kid jackets - nothing fancy, but they are one-piece and will fit a range of sizes and both genders. Been using the last two jackets for three years now, but no kids coming in 2016 :(
ReplyDeleteNo kids this year! Quinn, that is so sad. They really make it spring.
DeleteI know. It's going to be extremely quiet out there :(
DeleteHow exciting to await the birth of the babies!! It must be lovely to have such a talent...I'm not at all good with fabric or knitting...such a shame as I'd love to be able to make some of the things I see you talented folks whip up!!
ReplyDeleteLike everything else, we all start at the beginning and it takes practice, practice, practice. :)
DeleteLove baby goats and your sweaters are darling! Hope you will post pictures of the babies with them on. I agree creaking is not good!! In more ways than one! Nancy
ReplyDeleteLOL - very true about creaking! And I'll plan on a fashion show post, :)
DeleteLeigh,
ReplyDeleteYour little goats are adorable, and will looks so cute in their new hand made sweaters. I noticed the spring colors, there gorgeous.
Sandy, I am a color lover! Nothing more fun that going to a yard department and mixing, matching, and coordinating yarns. :)
DeleteI was hoping you would say that you found your needles as soon as you bought the acrylic ones… no? The sweaters are cute - looking forward to seeing them in use. Please note - you can NEVER post too many pictures of baby goats!
ReplyDeleteActually, I did find them! But not until I was on the third coat and broke one of those stupid acrylic needles. In an unrelated search for my sock yarns (buried under a pile of storage boxes), I discovered that my dbl points were all in the box with the sock yarn. Happy find!
DeleteWow is Daphne huge!
ReplyDeleteShe looks bigger than last year, and last year she had twins. OTOH, Helen was didn't look that big but had quads! It's always a surprise. :)
DeleteCongrats! Looking forward to baby pics!
ReplyDeleteSoon!
Delete