More baby stuff

My new workplace is not the fertility springs that my old workplace was, but I still have plenty of babies to make things for.

In recent weeks, I knitted a jumper (sweater) for a 6-month-old baby. I think the light blue with a hint of purplish-grey is a gender-neutral colour.

I used the ‘Itty Bitty Pretty Sweater’ pattern by Maison Dene to knit this classic baby jumper.

It is worked from the top down in one piece, and I used a stretchy cast-off.

The back is plain: so easy for mindless knitting in front of the telly.

This little jumper is one of the reasons I love Ravelry. I bought two balls of the Rowan wool–cotton yarn from Calico & Ivy’s sale bin when it was being discontinued. They sat in my stash until the day I decided I wanted to make a baby jumper. Using Ravelry’s pattern search function, I was able to narrow down patterns that I could make with the quantity I had. Ravelry allows me to buy yarn – either because I fall in love with it or because I know it is good quality at a great price – and be confident that I will find the perfect pattern for it when the time is right. That was not possible when I learned to knit as a teenager.

I made a pair of bibs in a whale print. The whale-print flannel was bought on the cheap from Spotlight, and it is not the best quality: the print is unevenly dyed. I guess that is okay for something practical that will be covered in all sorts of goop. I only bought it because my stepdaughter was considering a whale-themed baby room at one stage.

This time, I used wider binding than in my earlier bibs, and it bunched a little near the snaps. I will return to narrower binding in future.

I used flannelette on the front and towelling on the back.

When I made this style of bib before, I used a narrower binding, which was fiddly to work with but gave a neater finish. Using the wider binding was worth a try, but I will go back to the narrow binding in future, even if I have to make my own binding to get the colour I want.

The jumper and the bibs have gone to my stepdaughter for her baby. With only one month to wait before her due date, I have also just finished the main gift I have planned for her baby. It is pretty special, if I do say so myself, but I will wait to share it here later.

I knitted a second pair of navy-blue baby socks in a wool–possum blend by Waikiwi. These were given to a work colleague who recently had a baby boy. The lovely Waikiwi yarn was particularly appropriate because she has a connection to New Zealand.

These are the same as an earlier pair: same pattern and same yarn.

I also knitted a pink hat for a newborn.

I used a tubular cast-on for a neat edge.

The eyelet design is a little lost in the variegated yarn.

As all of these items have already been given away or will be handed over shortly. I will have to get to work on the next batch of baby gifts!

Yes, my knitting phase continues, but I picked up a sewing needle yesterday. It was one of those days: it has been raining all week, and I have a cold, and so I pottered about in my sewing room in my PJs all day. When I had a shower, I put on clean PJs instead of clothes. I did not make any real progress on anything, but I tidied away some scraps and cut them into useable sizes. A PJs-in-the-rain day is such a rare luxury.

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