Baby Knitting: Thinking outside the box

One of the MANY things I like about designing hand-knits is that I can think outside the box, go beyond the traditional, and create new traditions.

Here's a great example: a few years ago a friend came to me and asked me to design something for a couple who were having their first baby. I showed her something things I'd made in the past ... a baby blanket with a lamb on it, the christening set, etc. But nothing seemed to be just right.

Then ... my then-6 yod came running in with a stuffed cow I'd knit for her a few years earlier.

Well Jessie just fell in love with Sassie Cassie the cow and wondered if I could do a "cow theme" as the young couple and their new baby would be moving back to the family farm ... a dairy farm!

Here's what I came up with:

A cozy, cow binky (note the white "picket" fence surrounding the field) and a stuffed cow The blanket (which actually was very straight, but the camera angle makes it look a bit catywampus!) has a calico fabric sewn to the back so that the baby didn't get tangled in the intarsia cow.

This was a pretty untraditional baby gift .. but Jessie and the new mom LOVED the set.

Heirloom Knitting: Christening Set for the Well-Dressed Baby!

As most of you who read this blog know, I LOVE knitting. I love that I can create something from a natural material, something that wasn't there before. I love that I can design an item around a theme and make it all work together because it's MY design! I love that I can make something that's a fad or something that will stand the test of time. I love knitting and I love designing knitting.

When my youngest son's arrival was expected, I knew I wanted to make this baby something special as he was something special -- I was over 40 and in a foreign country and I was expecting my 5th child. Yes, he was going to be something special and he needed something that would set his birth apart from his siblings'.

Bam-bam was due in late November in Austria -- so a cozy Christening Gown seemed the perfect "special" baby item. I poured my love and prayers for a healthy baby into the design and knitting of this set -- that's why I used a heart-lace theme throughout the bonnet, sweater, socks and blanket. The blanket has a cross on it when spread out on the floor.

I used the same yarn but different size needles -- so the bonnet and jacket were knitted on 5s, the socks on 3s and the blanket on 11s. This gave me the loft I needed for a fluffy blanket while giving the delicacy I needed for the socks. The wool is a natural, DK weight wool from Austria.

Here's the back so you can see the heart motif on the bonnet and the back of the sweater.

This is truly an heirloom set and one I'm so proud of I even made a doll to fit the outfit. This doll will wear the outfit until I have either more children or till grandchildren start needing Christening outfits!

Don't you just love knitting?

Design Update: And another pair ...

... of socks come off the needles. These are done in Laines du Nord's Papiro (100% cotton) on #4s. I did them toe-up (of course) with a simple k2p2 rib on top and bottom of the foot and then again round the leg (with a loose BO in rib). The heel is done on the bottom in short-row stockinette and then "heel stitch" on the back of the heel.

Design Update: More Socks!

"Autumn Attitude" just came off the needles! These are done toe-up with a garter-stitch short-row heel then finished with alternating bands of knit and purl.
Knit using Rowan's Cotton Glace (which knits up wonderfully!), the sole of the foot is a 2x2 rib to gain needed elasticity, while the top of the foot is a fun (and easily remembered) slip-stitch pattern.
Once the garter-stitch short-row heel was done, I changed to alternate bands of purl and knit to give the slouchy socks some fun.
These can be worn pulled up mid-calf or pushed down with just a hint of the green showing. Wouldn't these be cute with leggings?

Design Update: Socks, socks, socks

Good morning! I haven't posted any projects in a while (except the one of mom's sweater which seemed to consume MUCH of my time!). But I've been on a sock-knitting binge, trying to "unvent" the best way to do toe-up, short-rowed heel, socks for all times of year. I've been knitting wool socks and cotton socks.

And I'm having a blast!

Here are the two pair I finished this week:

"LACY DAYS OF SUMMER" in Paton's Grace (mercerized cotton)

"GARDEN TRELLIS" in Schaeffer Yarn's Lola (100% Merino Wool Superwash)

Custom Knitting: woman's sweater

I just (finally) finished a sweater for my mom ... it's knit using Knit Picks washable Swish.This yarn feels so nice while knitting and washes marvelously. Using a US7, I got a great "hand" with a gauge of 6.25/inch. It's a standard, drop-shoulder cardigan, but since she wanted it longer than most sweaters (it's about 3 inches longer than a normal sweater) and she likes plain ... it was quite boring to knit. Since it's a cardigan, it was just knitting back and forth, back and forth.

The hipband, knit-in button-band and neck are seed stitch and I added just a hint of color (using a skein of Swish bare) to make it a bit more fun and interesting. The sleeves are knit from the armhole down ... working in the round to avoid seams, and finishing with a k1p1 rib on US2 dpns -- I've found that ribs are heartier when you go down quite a few sizes from the body needles.

She likes it, though and in the final analysis -- that's ALL that matters!

RMCHEC -- come on by and say hi

Please join us down in Colorado Springs on June 6 and 7 for the 9th annual

RMCHEC, this year organized by the Colorado Springs Catholic home-educators, is a wonderful schedule of speakers and events for the two-day conference. Bishop Sheridan will celebrate Mass on Friday morning and a wonderful banquet on Friday evening.

I'll be speaking on "Handcrafts in the Homeschool" on Saturday afternoon as well as running a table selling living books from Hillside Education, Cay Gibson and others (and yes, my book -- Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family -- will be available too!)

Stop on by and say hi!