Baby Knitting

Aren't these the cutest? One of the people I work with at the hospital brought them to my office yesterday! It always amazes me who turns out to be a knitter. At least, I'm guessing she made them herself.


While Elli was in the hospital, I did get some knitting done on Luke's little "all-in-one." I've learned that having a 7-year-old in the hospital is a very different experience than having an infant in the hospital. You spend a lot more time trying to entertain an older child, and they tend to get a bit upset with an adult who dares to find something to do other than entertain them!


This is the back, and I'm almost ready to start the straps that come up over the shoulders and fasten to the front.

We had a third fetal echo today, and learned that Luke's heart is looking much better than originally thought. It looks like, if the cardiac catheterization they do after he's born verifies the echo findings, he may only stay in the hospital for a couple of days! He'll still need corrective surgery/ies down the road, but things are looking up.

This also means it's a darn good thing I started his outfit early. If I want him to actually wear it, I do need to finish it before he's born since I won't have those days and days of doing nothing but sit at his bedside in the CICU. What a great problem to have!

Three Cheers for Summer Knitting

I've been itching to start something new, something for the baby, something that would be a tangible demonstration of optimism about his condition. I got a gift certificate to my favorite yarn store for my birthday this year.

I took a quilting class with part of it (and finished Sam's birthday quilt - his birthday was in September and mine in February). I used more of it to buy some really summery, boyish mercerized cotton yarn that I just love. It has been calling to me from my knitting bag for weeks now.

I have forced myself to ignore those calls. Instead, I made myself finish the Christmas stocking I have been making for my niece Millie.

(Yes, this 5-6 months late thing is becoming a pattern. Let's not even mention the baby gift I still haven't finished because I totally screwed up the armpits for a sweet little girl who is 7 months old this month.)

I finally finished the knitting last week. It was May.

I still need to do some light blocking to keep the edge from rolling up. I also need to add the essential bell to the toe -- all Christmas stockings in my family have to have at least one jingle bell.

(Any bets as to how long it will take me to actually get this to a mailable state?)

The second, and I do mean the second, that I finished weaving in my yarn ends on the stocking, I began my swatch. (Brooke, aren't you impressed? That's an actual swatch! I'm determined to make this fit.)

Friday, I cast on for my baby all-in-one for Luke, the little boy we're expecting mid-July this year. I've been knitting every chance I get, so my progress is stunning... for me.

(This is just a few days of dedicated knitting. I can't hardly believe it. But stockinette does move quickly, even when striping.)

I actually considered saving this to work on in the hospital (we're expecting at least a 1-week stay in the cardiac care unit after he's born -- longer if he needs surgery right away), but the folly of that thinking quickly smacked me across the mouth. He might outgrow it before I completed it if I waited that long! Wisdom dictated that I cast on months in advance so that he will have a chance of still fitting it when I actually finish.

I love the way the colors are working together. I love the blues and greens after working with Christmas red. I love the feel of mercerized cotton and the smooth textured fabric this is creating. Variety is a beautiful thing!