New knitting; girly cards

I started a new knitting project–for myself! I received an early Mother’s Day gift in the form of a HiyaHIya 9″ circular. I decided to finally wind up the orange sock yarn seen in my header and start knitting some socks. They’ll be a mother’s day gift to myself.

I wanted a simple, yet interesting pattern. My due date is in less than 2 weeks, so I want to be sure I have something easy to put down and pick up. I decided on Twisted Tweed from schrodinger knits. it’s a beautifully easy pattern!

twisted tweed beginnings

Tonight, I took a little break from knitting and made 2 cards for 2 people who are having baby girls. One is having her baby shower this Saturday and the other is having her shower in June. I wanted to make sure I had these done before the newborn arrives. i can certainly knit and nurse, but it would be hard to wield scissors and/or an x-acto knife while nursing.

adore card sweet card

I just need to figure out what sort of envelopements to use. they measure 6″x6″ so I may just have to make something.

it’s been a while

Forgive me for my absence! I had a lot going on. I made 27–27!!– little rice packs as thank yous for the attendees of my baby shower. no, there were not 27 people there, but I made extras, just in case. Those took about 3 separate evenings to make. they were little 3″ x 6″ rectangular packs. I think everyone liked ’em.

Since then, the household has been a little on edge preparing for our new arrival. I’m currently 37 weeks pregnant! full-term! huzzah! I finished the ripple blanket for my baby and a poofy girly blanket for my cousin’s fetus. I also finished preparing the birth announcements (I made a layout in photoshop and just need photo/s and info; I also made the envelopes), but I’m not quite sure they’re done FOR SURE. I’m being really weird about them for some reason. they look fine as is, but something in my brain says “keep working on them!” maybe a stamp or something will bring it all together.

This brings me to today. While the husband went to a meeting with a prospective employer, I put on a movie for the toddler and went to town making a pair of cloth baby shoes using the Stardust shoes pattern. They were a pain in the butt to make (mainly attaching the back to the sole) but I think they’re ADORABLE!

tiny cloth shoes

the blue set

blue set_complete

shorts–
Pattern: basic shorties with a roll-down waist in 1×1 rib
Yarn: Paton’s Classic Wool Merino in “denim marl”
Needles: US 6

booties–
Pattern: Saartje’s booties in the round
Yarn: Paton’s Classic Wool Merino in “worn denim”
Needles: US 4

Hat–
Pattern: spiral striped hat (no pattern. just cast-on half in blue, half in gray and then spiral the colors up)
Yarn: Paton’s classic Wool Merino in “worn denim” and “dark gray”
Needles: US 6

yellow & purple girly set

yellow purple set

Bonnet–
Pattern: Feather & Fan baby bonnet
Yarn: leftover Araucania Nature Wool
Needles: US 6

Slippers–
Pattern: improvised crocheted baby slipper with criss-cross straps
Yarn: leftover Araucania Nature Wool
Hook: H/8 (5.00mm)

yellow bonnet_flat baby slippers2

updated list

here’s my updated list of to-do’s before Andrew gets here:

  1. finish his blanket (90% done–see sidebar!)
  2. make some rice or flax packs for labor (I’ve sewn a few circular ones and even the long skinny one I mentioned in a previous post)
  3. finish the next pair of knit shorties (80-90% done–just need one more leg!)
  4. make a boppy or other nursing pillow. I bought a used, but sanitized “Brest-friend” pillow at the thrift store for $3!
  5. knit the second arm on the gown & i-cord ties.
  6. sew some nursing pads
  7. get my birth announcements ready (so all I have to do is insert a photo/s, info, and print them)
  8. relax.

so, in the past 5 days, I’ve only finished the shorts and made progress on the blanket. However, I’ve also made 2 pairs booties, a hat, and a bonnet (for another baby). that’s 4 things that weren’t even on my list! The offer was made on the house we were looking at, yesterday, so I suspect I’m going to be knitting, crocheting, and sewing a TON this week and next. I am SO nervous.