Recently, granddad Pete and I spent the week looking after Manaia, his big brother, Jackson, Rocky the Rottweiler and Piper the cat for a week while their parents enjoyed a short holiday in Fiji.

The week was very busy with child related activities – the school run, soccer, karate practise and swimming. I had forgotten just how quickly the day goes when you have school aged children to care for.

A couple of months ago, Manaia, aged six, asked if I would knit him a short-sleeved, V-necked vest for winter.  I made a start on his vest during the week we looked after him and Jackson but didn’t get as much knitting done as I would have liked but that is okay. I am happy to have spent such quality time with two of my grandchildren.

Manaia was very clear that the vest had to be green (his favourite colour) and I found a lovely dark green Australian superwash merino in my stash that he liked. I decided to use the moss and diamond pattern [evolution of a pattern]– to give it a work out and see how it knitted up as a garment. As you can see, [original pattern] the design has evolved a little with its two panels of the little moss diamonds.

The front of Manaia’s vest will feature the pattern, the back and the short-sleeves will be worked in stocking stitch.

While I am knitting it, I am also thinking how it will work in the woman’s cardigan and what other tweaks I will need to make to it before I am really happy with it. I have already made a note of a couple of changes.

The evolution of a pattern continues.