Sock Yarn is irresistible.

Every knitter has a skein or two (or 12) of soft, squishy sock yarn in gorgeous colors in their Stash.

My Yarn Stash included 3 skeins of sock yarn rosy-pink with yellow, darker rose and purple highlights.  Never had any idea what to knit with it, but Oh! Those colors!

The yarn found its purpose when news of baby girls came along!

Doubling the yarn produced a gauge that worked for Bellarose, a topdown ruffled cropped cardi/shrug designed by Tiaga Hilliard.

The pattern was designed for 20 sts/in on size 7 needles.  Size 7 needles produced a very loose fabric even with the doubled sock yarn.  Size 5 needles produced a nice fabric at  22 sts per inch.  To accommodate the difference in gauge, a larger size was knit.

Topdown patterns are perfect for babies.  Limited seaming and finishing!  No bulky seams!

The ruffle is just too cute!

The sweater decided it needed a matching bonnet.  The lace stitch of the ruffle edges the bonnet.

Two babies – two sweaters.

The second sweater modified Misty Lily by Gabrielle Dansknit.  It is also a topdown pattern with a lace panel.  Designed for fingering weight yarn, the sock yarn was knit single strand on size 3 needles.

The lace panel was just the right touch of elegance to the sweater.

The body of the sweater was modified to an A-shape below the  underarm seam.

The softness of the yarn, the lace pattern and those gorgeous colors made it perfect for a beautiful baby girl.

The Button Stash contained several small yellow buttons that were sewn onto the sweaters prior to gifting them.