Cuties for Cousins

I grew up in what was once a small community in San Diego. You knew your neighbors. Moms volunteered for the PTA and Girl Scouts. Dads commuted to work. Eventually, our community experienced a huge population explosion after the main road was connected to one of the freeways. But many of the families that my parents met in the early years remained. (Who could blame them with $40,000 mortgages instead of $250,000?!) Thanks to the internet, the kids I knew from elementary school are still connected and stay in touch through media network sites like FaceBook and LinkedIn. We laugh and joke about the good old days, though I don't think any of us want to surrender our smart phones and fuel efficient cars.

Just down the street and around the corner, there was a family with two girls. We walked to school together, sang in the talent show together, even did Scouts together. Now both of the sisters are pregnant together (with baby 4 and baby 2 respectively) and I couldn't wait to knit up a few cute items to send to the cousins in Texas and Northern California.

The California baby's gender is still unknown. So I used a pattern my mom had found for me that called for thick yarn and big needles (my favorite!)..."Baby Diamonds Hat & Blankie" from Creative Knitting's January 2005 issue.

The hat was especially quick to knit up and the blanket did not take long either. Just used knits and purls to create the diamond pattern. The hat, however, was definitely not a newborn size. Good thing it fits baby #2's big brother (who makes the cutest model ever!).

The Texas baby is a girl which gave me a chance to pull out my pinkish yarn.

(The purple hat is for another friend who is pregnant. I can't believe how many of my friends are popping out babies!) The top of the pink hat is completed with an I-cord flower and a button. A simple touch but I think it goes a long way. The hat pattern is from "One Skein Wonders" and the bootie pattern is the same that I posted before.

I got so excited by knitting the baby hats that I actually went and bought two new pattern books. Since I usually just find my patterns online, that was an investment but with all of the babies that are due this year, I'm definitely putting them to good use!

Baby Baby Baby Ooooh

I found a simple pattern for baby booties online at TLC.com. I'd already used a baby blanket pattern from their site and the directions for the booties seemed straightforward enough so I gave them a try.

You add increases...can you see the pucker between my space markers? That creates the heel.

Then you continue and finish up at the toe.

There are two seams to sew up. Ideally, I'd like to start using the pattern that my grandma has always knit where you use the kitchner stitch to close so there aren't any seams but in a pinch, this pattern works out just great.

Using baby sport weight self-striping yarn, I whipped up a pair to go with a hat I'd made for a friend's baby shower. (More on baby hats to come!) The pattern does not give an eyelet row but using my darning needle, I threaded some ribbon and weaved it in and out and tied a bow at the front. Viola! Baby bootie and hat bliss ;0)