Handmade Baby Gifts :: The Knits ::

There's nothing like bringing a new life into the world to help realise how many wonderfully kind and generous people you have in your life. I cannot tell you how many gifts this little girl (and her big brother) have received, both before she was even born and in the last few weeks.
Not only that but, my do I have some talented friends too. I really wanted to share with you some of the truly gorgeous handmade gifts this little lady has been gifted.

There have been so many I thought I'd do a little series, starting today with the knits.

Obviously I knit a fair amount of items for her myself, but I was so very touched to have received so many hand knits from others. 'Any excuse for some,' Johnny declared, he's quite right of course, but the fact that because knitters love knitting (and let's be honest baby knits are some of the most fun things to knit) only makes the items Effie's been gifted even more precious in my eyes.

One of my lovely neighbours and fellow craft night and knit and natter attendee brought round this gorgeous box of goodies a couple of weeks before Effie's arrival.

She also included a oil blended especially for labour, which was great, I rubbed it on my belly during the early stages and found it super relaxing.
The knits are the gorgeous (Petit) Artichaut by Solenn Couix-Loarer with matching booties in Drops Alpaca ::

And my utter favourite, which has been worn a whole lot by little Effie, is Granny's Favourite by Georgie Hallam also with matching booties knit in Malabrigo Sock ::

You can see the ravely notes on Angie's knits on her page here.

Another lovely and fairly new knitter, though you wouldn't really know it by her incredible knitting skills, Bex of Ampersand Commodoties, knitted this incredibly dress for Effie ::

It was knit from a vintage Paton's pattern and I cannot tell you how many compliments it received on it's first outing last week. My sister has already claimed it as a hand-me-down for her daughter due in February.

Lastly is this lovely little cardigan, knit for Effie by a friend's Mum ::

She is so unbelievably lucky to be wrapped up in all these lovingly created gifts and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful folks around us

WIP wednesday :: Puerperium Cardigan

Inspired by nicsknots, who was in turn inspired by Tami Amis I am going to start sharing with you my wip's (work in progress) on a wednesday and my fo's (finished objects) on a friday, this is an attempt to get me working through all those unfinished items and all that stashed yarn, and trust me there are many of both to share with you!

However today I have a very newly begun project (around about 10pm last night) worked in some newly acquired yarn (purchased yesterday around about lunchtime). As you can see this practice is really going to serve it's purpose!

Also inspired by nicsknots I am knitting the puerperium cardigan by Kelly Brooker. This pattern has been in my favourites on ravelry for quite some time now and as I have a cousin expecting early summertime, I thought it the perfect opportunity to cast it on.

I am loving both the yarn (Debbie Bliss, baby cashmerino) and the patten so far, Kelly's patterns are written out so clearly in a real step by step way, which is great. I knitted (though I then frogged) her vanilla soaker a while back, though the finished item wasn't quite right, I'm not sure that was the fault of the pattern or the knitter, but I do remember the pattern itself being very easy to follow.

I'm thinking this may well be friday's FO at this rate!

my ravelry notes :: here

the pattern is available for free :: here

the yarn is :: here

owls for me ::

I was asked to knit something for a twitter friend.  I've never been asked to knit something for someone before (normally I just inflict my creations on others) so I was hugely flattered.  

The pattern in question was owls by Kate Davies.  I had never heard of Kate Davies and her blog needled before, but my am I glad I now have, she has some beautiful patterns!  I completely adore these gorgeous paper dolls.

So anyways...as I have never knitted anything on request before, I thought it a good idea to make one for myself first (just as a practice run of course!).  Off I went in to town on saturday morning (sans baby, bliss) and headed straight for the yarn shop!

Since my last visit they have had delivery of some utterly delicious new chunky yarns, which I was oh so very nearly tempted by, but having promised the Mr I wouldn't spend too many pennies and after a quick calculation, 14 balls of beautiful teal tweed at £3.10 each just wasn't going to make its way in to my basket on this occasion when compared to 7 balls of the 100% acrylic, fairly soft, a lovely colour and a snip at £1.99 each.

I cast on Saturday afternoon and I knit and knit and knit, quite solidly, breaking only for a little sleep and to occasionally tend to the toddler.  At around midnight on Sunday I was so close to finishing, as I started on the neck ribbing I decided although I was eager to get it completed, I would be furious at myself for making a foolish mistake because I was tired, so I put it aside and headed to bed.  I finished off the neckline and stitched the the underarms, plus weaved all the ends in, whilst watching Milo play on Monday afternoon and put it on straight away!

I don't think the pattern is perfect, there appears to be some flaws in the shaping on the back as I have a bit of a back bulge!  But otherwise I really love it!  The pattern suggests buttons for eyes on the owls them selves, but I have yet to decide whether or not to add these.  I'm thinking I may just put them on one?

I'm afraid the photos of the finished item aren't fabulous, I'm rubbish at trying to take photos of myself! 

• pattern available to download as pdf for £3.50 :: here


• my ravelry notes :: here  

 

another placket neck ::

I made Joelle Hoverson's placket neck sweater for Milo back in the summer and I loved it!  The pattern was so easy and quick to knit (it does come from last minute knitted gifts after all).  It also introduced me to some new techniques, including knitting on circular needles, which is now by far my favourite way to knit.

So at when time was running out for all the holiday handknits I had promised myself I would make, I figured I'd revisit this for my youngest (and only) nephew.

I used sublime organic cotton, as he has fairly sensitive skin, I thought this would be the best bet and added stripes to the pattern.  Adding the stripes meant a whole lot of weaving in at the end, which was fairly painful, but other wise all was well!

I'm afraid, it was so last minute that I didn't have time to photograph it properly, but I did get this one snap of him with my mum, whilst wearing it!

• pattern available to download as a pdf on ravelry for free :: here


• my ravelry notes :: here

loveheart pixie ::

I have been admiring Meg's lovely version of the stella pixie hat on her boy for a while now.  But somehow it didn't seem right for Milo, plus I think that boy has quite enough hand knits for his head for the time being!  But when my step sister went in to labour a little earlier than expected with her baby girl, I knew that this would be the perfect little hat for her.

In retrospect I should have tried to alter the pattern to make it smaller than the 3-12 month size, but at least it will last her a bit (though of course she probably won't fit in to it until the spring!).

I used some beautiful hand-dyed merino from snowberry and lime, I already had.  I love the colours and the way it knitted up, plus I still have some left over.

  

I used one of my own loveheart buttons for the fastener.

• pattern available to download as a pdf on ravelry for free :: here.


• my ravelry notes :: here