More baby knits and a grown-up hat

I'm finally clicking 'publish' on a handful of posts that I wrote ages ago and failed to put live.

This one is to share a flurry of hat and scarf knits...  (I realise I may have a slight hat problem).

First up - I made this teeny little robin hat.

This was inspired by a lovely lady called Ange Smith on Ravelry, who won a Coats competition to design a Christmas jumper. Her gorgeous robins in the snow design was turned into a free pattern that you can see and download here.


Given that the chances of me knitting a whole jumper anytime soon are close to zero, I asked Ange's permission to make a baby hat inspired by her design - and she told me to go right ahead. So I recreated a down-scaled version of the chart in Excel, with decreases for the crown.

My hat is made from Drops Baby Merino, a sport-weight yarn that's lovely and soft. Knitted on 3mm needles it turned out very cute but - alas - a bit too small for my 5 mth old, so it found its way instead to a newborn who arrived in December.

Lots of people have subsequently asked for a copy of my amended chart, so I contacted Coats and they gave me permission to share it freely, on the condition that I make it clear that this is not a Coats design, but my own adapted work. If anyone wants a copy, you can download it here. (Just bear in mind that it was created for my own use and has not been through a team of pattern testers).


Next up is a little angora baby hat made from a gorgeous, floofy hand-spun angora that's been languishing in my stash for years. 

I held the yarn double to get DK weight and case on 64 stitches and knit in the round. 

The result is lovely and soft, like a fluffy cloud, but not too sneezy.

The ribbing is P2, K2 and the cable pattern is a very simple 6-row repeat of:
 -  Row 1: P2, K6 repeat to end
 -  Rows 2-5: repeat Row 1
 -  Row 6: P2, C6F repeat to end

You could easily upsize the hat by casting on additional stitches in multiples of 8 and knitting until it is as tall as you want.

Finish using 3-needle bind off and add pom poms.

Next up is this stripey baby scarf. 

Another weeny little knit that I couldn't resist making after I discovered a rainbow-hued multi-pack of tiny 10g yarn balls in Tiger.

It’s a fairly naff acrylic but what the hell. I just cast on 20 stitches and striped the colours in a K1, P1 pattern, striping every second row. 

I ended up doing 18 stripes of each colour and used the leftovers to make tiny pom-poms.

It’s being modelled here by my 8 month old but I doubt she’ll use it much until next winter, by which time she’ll be walking (and hopefully less likely to suck it to death or get tangled up in it). I might try to make a little hat to go with it - it would be so cheering on a grey, winter day.

Last, but not least, is this fair isle hat that I made for myself!

I used Drops Merino Extra Fine, which is lovely and not at all itchy (hooray!). The pattern is also based on a Drops one called Fideli, but I took a few liberties with it and amended the fair isle every now and then to show off my colours better.

I am very pleased with it and so far it's had loads of wear through the cold months.

Knitting for Thing 1 and Thing 2

Dear blog, I seem to have gone into total crafty overdrive recently. I'm not sure what's going on but, somewhere between being pregnant again and having a few reclusive days off work, I seem to have rediscovered my creative mojo and have barely restrained myself from compulsive making.

I'm using this post to share a pair of Nordic style mittens that I made for Thing 1, and a couple of little hat designs that I've been working on for Thing 2 (the girlbot who's still cooking in the oven).

First up - here are the mittens.

These were made at speed during such a cold week in January that I really wanted to get them finished and onto my son's fingers as soon as possible. I used a pattern that I found on ravelry that forced me to pay close attention to charts for a few days.

The main challenge was that the pattern is charted for a light background whereas I was working with a dark background, hence I constantly wanted to knit white when I should have been knitting grey and vice versa. In the end I had to print a negative copy of the chart, just for my own sanity!

Also the mitts turned out pretty big, so they're held on with elastic and I reckon they'll do the boylet for a few years if he manages not to lose them (suffice to say they are tied into his coat!)

Moving onto Thing 2, if there is one certainty in this yet-to-be-seen life, it is that she will never be short of hats. Not only will she inherit a stash of hats that I made for Thing 1, but I can't seem to stop making and designing new ones for her.

First up is this simple little fair isle hat, which is a variation on a hat I designed for the boybot when he was in my tum. (His was stripey). At some point I'll put this pattern up on ravelry as a variation of the free pattern that's already there.

Secondly, I have had some fun designing and charting this rather thick and woolly farm-themed hat. This test knit has shown me that there is scope to reduce my charts a bit to make a less tall and floppy hat. So I will probably share the charts and pattern on ravelry once I've perfected them

I've popped back and edited this to show the hat on baby's head!  Still haven't got round to writing up and sharing the chart. Tsk!

New baby quilt

Having a couple of days off work this week was a luxury that enabled me to do something I've been meaning to for ages.  Behold my new baby cot quilt!

This was made using one and a half Moda charm packs and a gorgeous delft patterned cotton fabric on the back.

The wadding is a high loft one called Dream Puff and it is extremely light and floofy. I've also gone so far as to use the wadding doubled up in this quilt, just because I have a real soft spot for puffy, fat quilts. I know it's not to everyone's taste - I just have a nostalgic yen for the big, puffy eiderdowns of my childhood. My sewing machine seemed to cope ok with the extra puffiness on a cot sized quilt, but if I ever want to do a double bed one I think I'll have to try a quilt-as-you-go method.

I've got enough charm squares left to make a couple of little matching quilted pillow cases, which I'm dying to finish but I want to back them with the same blue fabric as the quilt and, alas, I didn't buy enough. So I have to wait for some more to arrive in the post before I can do the pillows. Tsk!

Thing 2 is going to be in a tiny co-sleeper crib for the first 6 months or so, so my plan is to use this as a floor quilt/play quilt until next winter, when she'll be old enough to move into a 'big girl' cot.

But here's how it looks when modelled on Thing 1's bed...

Liberty Tana Lawn Baby Bonnets

I once vowed to myself that, if I ever became pregnant with a girl, I'd make one of these adorable little Purl Bee bonnets using Liberty Tana Lawn.

Well - the time has come, and I am one to stick to my guns! And it's such a lovely pattern. Crisp and fun and spring-link on the outside, but warm and snuggly on the inside.

As it was, I couldn't decide which colour of Liberty lawn fabric to go for, so I ended up making two...

The fleece lining used in the original pattern is an organic sherpa material that's hard to source in the UK, so I substituted mine with a very close match, using an organic hemp fleece from a UK supplier called Eco Earth Fabrics.  As far as I can tell it's almost identical, though possibly a bit more lightweight. It has a smooth side and a fleecy side and has worked really well with the pattern for a spring bonnet. It's also incredibly soft.

Once I have a tiny baby's head to put inside these bonnets I'll update the pics so that you can see what it looks like on.  (For now, my ironing board is doing its best job at modelling!)

Amazingly, I also have some more knitting and quilting to share in my next posts...  suffice to say it's been a mega-crafty month for me.

Little quilts

I've been meaning for some time to mention my latest fad, which is quilting! It started last summer when I made this fun farmyard quilt for my son's toddler bed.

This is what some might call a cheat’s quilt, in that the central panel of the quilt is a printed image, so all I had to do was assemble the quit with wadding and a backing and quilt around the animal shapes. The wadding is a nice high-loft one and the backing is a piece of pinstripe sheeting. I also added a border, to increase the size of the quilt for his toddler bed, and edged it with 2-inch bias binding.

This gave me the bug - so I decided that my second project would be a baby quilt for a friend's nweborn girl. This time I used a Moda charm pack to make up a patchwork quilt from squares.

Once again I added a border for added width and then 'stitched in the ditch' to quilt it. And, again, I used a fairly high loft wadding as I really like a quilt to have some ‘floof factor’. I made my own bias binding this time from some jelly-roll strips.

I’m planning to make a similar baby quilt imminently for my own little ‘Thing 2’ who is currently being baked in my tummy. I might even double up on wadding this time, for extra floof! I will be sure to post when it's done...

I also happen to have enough Liberty squares stashed to make a full size patchwork quilt for my bed, but I'm not yet sure whether my regular sewing machine will be able to cope with the bulk of a big floofy quilt. Hmmm. Maybe a bit ambitious!

Tassel head strikes again

So... when I said that an Englishman can never have too many hats, I wasn't kidding.  This is just a fly-by to show off Microboy's latest, using the same free pattern that I published last week.  I thought he could do with some hot colours this time... and I love the fact that I can have such a thought, and a few hours later the hat is finished.  Instant gratification!  (The sharp-eyed amongst you might spot that his hat matches the cardie that was made for him by my talented knitty friend Maxine).

Anyway you might think of this as a sort of insurance policy for when he becomes a horrible teenager...  lets just say I am building up quite a library of photos. ;-)

(Full details and pattern link here on Ravelry).

New free pattern - Baby Tassels Hat

I've been meaning to publish the pattern for this simple little baby hat for ages.  Well, today is the day that I've finally got round to it!

This hat was the very first thing that I made for my little Microboy while he was still resident in my belly.  It was an improvised project to use up some leftover aran weight yarn and to exercise my yen for tassels.  But  the resulting hat turned out so cute that I decided to write up the pattern in case anybody else fancies having a go.

I used Amy Butler Belle Organic yarn, but you could use any aran/worsted weight yarn in a baby friendly fibre.  The pattern can be downloaded as a PDF file here.  (I've also added a permanent link on the right hand column of my blog)

Knitting for Microboy

The other day I woke up in a state of certainty about one thing...  this baby needs more hats!

This was fuelled largely by the tragedy of Microboy outgrowing his owl hat (boo hoo!) but also by the realisation that my new lifestyle as full time milkmaid does not leave a lot of room for large-scale hobbying.   Thus, in order to get my frustrated creativity out of my system, I predict an influx of teeny-tiny knitwear.

Anyway this little hat was knocked up in a couple of hours in front on the TV.

Iz cute, no?

I made it from Sirdar DK Crofter yarn, using a free pattern found on Ravelry, (As always, full details of the pattern and yarn, etc. are on Ravelry, here.)

9-month craft project

Well - I thought I would pop in and show off my latest FO...
 
This one took 9 months to make and is now 11 days old.  He's called James, and he is keen to model some of his knitwear, so here goes...

Minutes after being born

Three days old, in his owl hat

Five days old, in his jiffy bag

Jiffy bag for a baby

A little while ago I blogged about my love for French knitting patterns...  

This holds especially true when it comes to patterns for children and babies.  I tend to find that French childrenswear combines an element of fun with a great sense of style.  It avoids being overly twee without going to the other extreme of trying to look like miniature adult wear and often takes the form of simple blocky shapes, adorned with pom poms, stripes or tassels, in colour palettes that veer between chic neutrals and quirky brights...   or to put to another way, you don't see many French babies clad in peach acrylic matinee jackets.  

   

Anyway... now that my own little alien is 4 days days overdue, I am pleased to announce that I have finished my small homage to French babywear in the nick of time.  Behold the baby sleep sack...  (or, if you like, the glorified jiffy bag!)

This is made using a pattern called Confortable, which originated in a French magazine and has since been translated into English by a brilliant lady on Ravelry, here.

Having taken advice from others, I made this a few inches longer and wider than the pattern recommends, in the hope that it will fit for longer.  (For now I've delayed blocking it, until I see how well it fits little master   newborn, when he arrives - but I reckon I could probably grow it a fair bit, if need be).  

Anyway I would happily recommend both the pattern and the yarn.  I used Rowan All Seasons Cotton in a silver grey colour.  It has a nice sproingy twist to it that gives it some loft and makes the knitted fabric feel soft and comfortable.  Hopefully boy will agree...

Full details of the pattern, yarn and needle size can be found on Ravelry, here

EDIT:  Since I wrote this post, baby has been born and he fits into the sack with room to spare... pic here:  http://susiefhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/07/9-month-craft-project.html


EDIT:  I have had a lot of requests to share the English translation of this pattern, so I have put it online here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3ibivZ5ex6mMVpBeTVZY1JLLVU/view?usp=sharing  (I assume this is ok, given that the  original pattern is available online for free)

knitted menagerie - Part 2

Some of you may be relieved that I'm not going on about soap and candles today... it's time for a return to knitting!  

This is just a quickie to share Part 2 of my Knitted Menagerie...  or, in other words, three more random knitted creatures that I have been making for the baby that is due next week.  I blogged the first three animals here (Frog, Owl and Bunny)  and now it is time to introduce Pig, Bear and Caterpillar.

These have mainly been a way to keep my mind and fingers busy in the last couple of weeks, on days when my body has been too achey and inflated to move.


The caterpillar and the bear are adapted from a range of excellent little patterns that I found on Ravelry, by  Sarah Gasson, aka Knitables.   She has designed a whole range of small animal patterns which are very nicely priced and easy to follow.  I made a few adaptations of my own, the main change being to knit everything in the round, and to convert the bear from a finger puppet into a stuffed toy - (e.g. I improvised his lower body and gave him arms and legs adapted from a lion pattern by the same designer).

As with the first three animals, the pig was adapted from this book of knitted egg cosies by Susie Johns.  Again I had to improvise the lower body and legs, and also dressed him in a t-shirt, as is my whim.

  

When I started this gang of six critters, I was planning to turn them into a dangly cot mobile.  But I'm now wondering if they may be a little on the large size for a mobile and might actually be nicer as hands-on toys to be played with.  

In fact, a couple of friends have already begun to think up adventure stories for Frog and Owl...  (and I suspect I might add to the menagerie over time, especially now that I've discovered Sarah Gasson's patterns).   

As ever, full project details (yarns, needle sizes, etc) can be found on ravelry, here

Ritual Baby Humiliation

Well I promised myself that I'd knock up an owl hat for my soon-to-be baby, and lo and behold it was not an empty threat.  The best thing about babies (especially unborn ones) is that they don't really get the option to say "no"...

I wonder what it is with knitters and owls?  I've never met a knitter that didn't have a soft spot for these feathered lovelies.  I suppose they are the bird equivalent of cats...  and knitters do tend to be cat people.  In fact, my ever-docile cat, Truffle, does a great owl impersonation when I do this to her ears...

Anyway, back to the hat...

The sharp eyed among you might have noticed that this is not a knitted hat but a crocheted one.

There are many patterns on Ravelry for baby owl hats, both knitted and crocheted, but I chose to use this one by Kristi Simpson partly as an excuse to practice my crochet skills.  I crochet so sporadically that it's a good exercise for me to have to read a proper pattern every now and then.  (And I can vouch that this one is really very simple and easy to follow).  

My main fear now is that the hat might turn out to be too small for a newborn.  I think I will block it a bit just to be on the safe side.  (Though, frankly, if a newborn's head turns out to be too big for this hat, then I have bigger worries to contend with than a day of wasted crochet.... ulp!)

As always, full details of the pattern, yarns and hook size can be found on ravelry, here

knitted menagerie - Part 1

Hello, knitty friends.  I thought I might pop in and mention that the 'craft project' in my belly is due to complete in 3 weeks' time (eek!)  

Since I stopped work I've been hideously busy trying to prepare the house - and myself - for a new baby boy.  But I have managed to find a few hours here and there to make the first few pieces for a knitted menagerie that I plan to dangle over baby’s cot as a mobile.  

Each animal is around 5-6” tall, including the legs.  The patterns are more or less adapted from a book of twenty knitted egg cosies by Susie Johns, which I came across in John Lewis.  The heads are knitted as per the patterns but the lower bodies and legs have been improvised and stuffed.

I have to confess I have a special soft spot for the owl... 

I made the feet using experimental icord and am quite pleased with them.  I'm now thinking of making an owl hat for the poor boy too...  (there shall be no escape for babies!)

The frog is also quite a cute pattern...  the stripey top is my addition, and again, his legs are simply made from icord.

For the rabbit, I again added a stripey t-shirt and adapted the legs from the arm instructions.  You can't see it here, but I also added a pop-pom bunny tail. 

I've yet to decide on the animals that will make up the rest of the menagerie... but I suspect it might include a pig and a bear - and maybe an octopus.

I've mainly used cotton DK yarns from Sirdar's Simply Recycled range and  Freedom Sincere Organic. (But I've also bolstered with a bit of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino here and there where I had a suitable colour available).

Full project details are on Ravelry here. 

Debbie Bliss and Silk slippers

Have you ever asked yourself "what on earth am I going to do with that single skein of Debbie Bliss pure silk yarn that I purchased on a whim?"

Well.... for those of you who (like me) could not resist the allure of the odd skein, the answer is shoes for miniature people!

I first discovered this pattern for baby mary janes about a year ago and immediately made three pairs for an expected baby girl. I found that they work well in cotton, but are truly exceptional when made in silk.

You can also have fun personalising them with decorations (such as rosebuds and pretty buttons.)

I think these make a fabulous gift for a newborn baby girl. I've given more details on my ravelry projects page, here... http://www.ravelry.com/projects/flockhartsl

Anyway I plan to make many more of these using my little stash of Debbie Bliss silks, below... (yes, this is gratuitous yarn porn.)

Burning Eyes and Busy Fingers #2

This week I also banged out a quick lil jumper for baby Helena. It won't fit her for ages though... and I am not sure about the shoulders, it looks too slopey.

Ach well. I love the colour combo anyway.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/flockhartsl/buddy-sweaters-includes-3-variations