Babies Showered

It seems like ever since I had D, pregnant mamas have been popping up everywhere! At school there are two other teachers who both just had their babies this month and yet another due in May. My sister-in-law is expecting in February as is the girlfriend of a good friend of ours. And Sara, a knitting group friend, will be having her baby in January! So of course what do we do? Knit away. 

The Akron Stitch 'n Bitch ladies did a little knitted baby shower for Sara recently. I'm finding it hard to make time for knitting while I'm working but I did whip up this little cutie in just an afternoon naptime.

It's inspired by Susan B. Anderson's Acorn Hat. I used Spud & Chloe Outer in the color Sandbox for the sides, and Berroco Vintage in Chocolate (held triple) for the acorn topper part.  I must make more of these! 

My sister-in-law had her baby shower today and of course as this baby's only auntie and my first niece, she must be showered with the handmade goodies.

I knit the poppy hat out of leftover yarn from the Christmas Sweater and the sweet little flower is from leftover Mal Lace. 

I threw in a pair of little sockies for the baby made from my leftover Anzula from these socks. 

These just kill me with their cuteness. Why have I not been knitting baby socks all along?!

I'll be knitting a few more things for her baby but since she's not due for two more months I haven't quite started. With the rate I've been knitting, she better not show up early!

p.s. I'm still looking for test knitters for the Christmas Sweater. See this page.

Christmas Sweater: Take One

As I mentioned previously, since it was D's first Christmas, I decided my new tradition would be to knit him a Christmas sweater (from now until he's 100, as I told my husband). I think this will be a great tradition. Although he may not think so around the age of 15, which will be the year of the intarsia Rudolph...

Anyway, I knit this little beaut out of Cephalopod Yarns Traveler in the color Arkham. I was aiming for fisherman-style and think I pulled it off pretty well. I knit it a little bigger than what he actually wears, hoping it will fit though the winter. He's almost 4 months old and is already starting to break into the 9month-sized clothes.

I kept pretty good notes while creating this gem and will hopefully be publishing the pattern soon.

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday!

A Christmas Sweater

There will be no parade of knitted Christmas gifts this year. While I generally fancy myself a doer of all things, a new baby and going back to work are about all I can handle right now.  

I have been knitting, though (albeit very slowly). I have one pair of socks on the needles (that WILL be done before 2013!!) and a new little project going on.

With the new family addition this year, I'm all about starting new holiday traditions. We got a live Christmas tree (a must each year we celebrate here in Ohio), I've been baking up a storm, on Christmas Eve we'll read The Night Before Christmas (the same book my dad read to me each year since 1985 when we first started writing the date inside the cover), and now I'm thinking of starting a new one: the Christmas Sweater.

A few months ago I purchased some really lovely Cephalopod Yarns Traveler in a gorgeous, silvery colorway called Arkham.

 

I knew this would be destined to become a sweater for little D. But not just any sweater will do. I've had one in my mind's eye for quite some time now. So I've done some math, swatched and am over halfway done with the beaut. I have no pictures yet, but there are cables and buttons and raglan, oh my!

Hats Galore

I finished a new hat for little D recently and got to thinking about all his handmade goodies. This kid has never had to worry about having a cold head. Since hats for little ones are so quick and easy to whip up, they're the perfect instant gratification project or gift for a little one. 

There's the one I made him for coming home, another made by Meg, the first crochet hat he was gifted by the librarian at my school before she retired, another made by Amy, an owl hat from Mary, then a couple others made by me. I know that most of us equate handmade with love. Each gift is given wholeheartedly, mistakes and all. 

This morning I'm working on some special hats for a couple special friends. Feeling all wrapped up in the Christmas spirit, I was about to head upstairs to look for just the right shade of pink yarn. Lying on our stairs, next to the dog leashes, was my husband's hat. No, I wasn't upset that his hat was lying on the floor or tossed aside with the leashes. Mostly because of this:

sigh

And in a knitter's house too. Shameful, I know. 

Perhaps this is the year he gets a handmade one.