It's (Going to Be) a Boy!

 

It's been a long time since I have posted...9 months in fact! After struggling with fertility issues for a year, we were overjoyed to find out we were going to have another baby. I like to think about that day when first the home test and then the blood tests came back positive. It's been a long road since then.

My first pregnancy was a relative breeze. This one has been a challenge. I won't go into all the gory details, but the first trimester was by far the easiest. Yes, three-ish months of constant nausea and exhaustion would be preferred to the past 6 months of pre-term labor scares, bed rest and chronic pain.

I'm in the home stretch now, four weeks from my EDD and out of the early preemie danger zone. Now the big joke going around my friends and family is that I will end up going past due and need an induction.

 Despite everything, I have managed to knit a hat for Little Bug (big brother came up with that one) to wear home from the hospital and with the left over yarn I crocheted a matching cowl for myself.
They are both made from Alpaca Lace by Cascade. I held it double for the hat and quadrupled for the cowl.

The hat pattern is from the Purl Bee - Heirloom Hats for Newborns. I can't say I recommend it. It's really fiddly and no matter what I did, I ended up with some laddering. Overall it's cute and I am probably the only person who will notice or care about the flaws.

The cowl is just double crochet. I made a long chain, twisted it when I joined it into a circle, and then double crocheted around until I ran out of yarn. I love this yarn, it's super soft and the colors are beautiful.

And here is a gratuitous belly shot! 36 weeks down!

Baby Benji Beanie

Pattern: Baby Beanie (ravelry link)
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock
Needles: size 2

This was a cute, easy pattern, just right for full term preggo/new mommy brain. I really wanted to finish it before he was born, but he came 4 days earlier than predicted. A friend and fellow knitter was coming to meet him so I HAD to finish it.

How is that more motivation than the birth of my first child? Re: Ben can't yet discuss the pros and cons of various sock yarns.

But he looks so cute wearing them that this will not be the last knitted hat he is subjected to wear!

Baby Earflap Hat

Pattern: Baby / Kid's Earflap Hat (infant size)
Yarn: Jo-Ann Sensations Soles and More
Needles: size 2
Made for: baby - to - be, modeled by the ever adorable Baby Chris

I made this for my little one due in November, but I made it infant size since baby sizing seems to be all over the place and they grow so quickly. But, it fits my 6 month old nephew (who is in size 9-12 month clothing). There's no way my kiddo will be that big by February, which is the last month cold enough for a hat in Texas.

Luckily, the pattern is a fun, quick knit and I have plenty of yarn leftover. I did increase the stitch count by 50% because I didn't get gauge. Why bother knitting a bunch of swatches when you can do math? And then have your sweet and patient husband correct it?

Miles and Miles of Squares

Pattern: Sheep and Wool Hat
Needles: size 7 and 8
Yarns: GGH Campano (multi) and Plymouth Yarn Suri Merino (cream)

Modifications:
For the crown, I used the decrease style from Brooklyn Tweed’s Turn a Square Hat. I did double the decreases to make it more shallow. The only thing I wish I had done differently was pick 2 yarns closer in weight. Alas.

I really enjoyed knitting this. I've never done stranded knitting before, and I was surprised how easy it was. I don't think I'm ready to tackle some crazy 6 color sweater of a Nativity scene or anything, but I would like to make the Ode to Eames socks one day.

I've also never done a knitted hem before, but that went well also. It makes the hat very warm.

*mmm...hat guts*

I made this for my sister at her request and she says she likes it and that it matches her snowboarding jacket, hooray! I made two different sizes of optional pompoms to accommodate her level of whimsy at the moment.

*ignore the bizarre look of my shoulders. it's hard taking a picture of the top of your own head*

I have one more project I finished this 2008, but it's going to have to wait until '09 to be posted. Oh well, so it goes.

Happy New Year! My your 2009 be full of good cheer and fun projects!

Turning a Square

Pattern: Turn a Square
O-wool Balance in graphite and peridot
size 6 and 7 needles

*The only thing I love more than the hat in this picture is the man wearing it*

With the weather down to a mere 90 degrees these days, I thought I'd knit a winter at for Mr. W. You know, because it's weird to not be suffering from low degree heat stroke.

This is the happiest I've been with a knit project in a long, long time. It was quick, fun and I loved the yarn. It's 50/50 cotton and wool, wonderfully tweedy and reasonably priced. If I had the gumption, I'd knit a sweater out of it.

It's a nice update on your run-of the-mill striped beanie and would be a good gift knit. Also, you have a good amount of yarn left over to make a baby toy. (Watch out nicephew, your crazy aunt is already making you weird knitted things)