More baby stuff

I finished the Anouk pinafore dress. I'm really pleased with how it came out. Its color scheme is very different from the original, but I was working from the stash and this is what I had. I had been intending this for a friend's expected baby girl, but I am tempted to keep it for myself if I have a girl. The friend isn't a knitter so I feel that justifies my actions somewhat.


Pattern: Anouk, size 12 months
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
Needles: Size 7
Mods: Just colors


I also made a pair of Stay-on Booties for my baby. I made a pair of these for a friend's baby last January and I was very gratified to see the little guy wearing them whenever I happened to see them. The lighting is a bit weird in this photo -- the green isn't quite so vibrant.

Pattern: Stay-on Booties from Knitting for Baby by Falick and Nicholas
Yarn: Valley Yarn Longmeadow
Needles: Size 3

Baby sack

I made a baby sack, aka Pompom papoose, for the new baby. I'm hoping it will be just the thing to keep the baby snuggly warm in air conditioning this summer. Although it was extremely boring to knit a huge stockinette rectangle, some days I found it was all I could handle. This past week, as I enter my ninth month, I started feeling some Braxton-Hicks contractions and was very motivated to finish this project.

Here is Owen's baby modeling the sack:

Pattern: Pompom Papoose from Erika Knight's Knitting for Two
Yarn: Valley Yarn Longmeadow in Linen and Lettuce
Needles: US 5 and 3
Mods: Nothing too drastic: I didn't bind off the hood end, but chose to graft it together instead of seaming. I also didn't add the pompom.
Thoughts: The yarn is nice and soft though it did pull a gauge trick on me even though I knit a gauge swatch. The result is that it is about an inch and a half wider than it ought to be (I just couldn't face starting over once I realized). I don't think it will make that much of a difference.
I'll let you know how it works!

And here is Owen showing what a great big brother he is going to be (and that's a hedgehog doll he is holding in the other hand, not a hairball). Owen is convinced that he is going to have a baby brother. I have no feelings whatsoever in regard to the baby's sex. I just hope Owen won't be too disappointed if it does turn out to be a girl!

Secret project revealed

My friend Bia, who taught me to knit, announced she was pregnant last Fall. I knew I had to make something extra special for her baby boy, who arrived a couple weeks ago. I met the little guy this past week and gave him his Pea Pod sweater. It's big now, but should be perfect next Winter!


Pattern: Pea Pod Baby Set, a free pattern from Interweave Knits, though sadly no longer available, size 12 months
Yarn: Knitpicks Swish DK in asparagus
Needles: size 5
Thoughts: Great pattern!

Socks for Mom

My mom, a May baby, also gets to celebrate Mother's Day this month. Coincidently, her favorite flower and scent is May's Lily of the Valley. When Knitpicks recently offered a Susan Lawrence pattern for Lily of the Valley socks, mom dropped a few hints that she would like them. I immediately ordered the pattern and yarn. I finished them last weekend and got them in the mail in time to arrive for Mother's Day. Here are Mom's happy feet!


Pattern: Lily of the Valley Socks by Susan Lawrence, available on knitpicks.com
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare - Merino Wool/Silk Fingering Weight
Needles: Size 2
Thoughts: This was certainly a fiddly pattern, but well worth all the effort. For those familiar with the pattern, the 5-nupp defeated me. I didn't have the patience or dexterity. I substituted the 3-nupp for the entire sock, which worked fine.


Here are a few shots of me modeling them (don't worry Mom, I did wash them afterwards!).