Passing the Time

While I was home last month, I tried to think of some activity or project I could bring back to keep me busy this semester while Ryan is in school. I remembered that I had learned to knit when I was 11 or 12 years old and thought that would be a good portable, time-consuming hobby. So I got to work compiling patterns (mostly free from the internet) and a couple books. My parents loaded me up with yarn and other supplies for my birthday.

I've completed a couple things already, but they are by no means perfect. I'm still learning the techniques and have a long way to go. But here is what I've been working on so far.

My first little project was actually completed while we were at home. I love the little crocheted baby headbands that everyone is wearing right now, and thought I'd try to knit one instead. It's actually a little too wide for a baby (the pattern was for an adult), but I think if it was on a little bigger baby, the headband would stretch and narrow out some. Either way, I'll probably make some adjustments for next time. But here is my first attempt at knitting, modeled by sweet Elliana:


The next item I completed was a little baby beret (pattern taken from Simply Baby by Debbie Bliss). Before I go on, let me say that there is no significance to the category of things I'm knitting. There is no baby on the way for us yet. I just think baby clothes are so adorable, and for the most part they are much easier to make than sweaters or things for adults. So I'm just starting small, and hopefully will progress to full-sized things eventually. My mom already has a sweater pattern picked out that she'd like someday.

Back to the beret . . . The pattern said it would be for a 9-12 month old baby, but it's hard to tell without an actual baby to wear it. It's also hard to take a picture of it without a baby wearing it, but here it is:



It's hard to tell, but there is a little pink stripe at the very bottom to match the little pompom on top. The pattern said to make the typical fluffy pompom, but I actually knit a little piece, stuffed it with scrap yarn, and sewed it together to make it look more like a covered button instead of a huge pompom. I love the colors, and if A.C. Moore still has that yarn in stock in December, I want to make a matching coat as well. Here is a picture from the book, so you can see how much better it looks on a real child:


Next, I made the sweetest little baby bootie (Erika Knight's free pattern found online). But the yarn I used was too stiff and I actually broke the size 2 bamboo needle I was using. In my defense, though, the needle is about the thickness of a toothpick. Given that I used the wrong yarn, and the bootie doesn't have the nice stretch that I would like, I probably won't make a matching one. I'm going to choose a different yarn and try again. But here's the one I made anyway. It needs a little button to hold the strap down.



Currently, I am working on a cream baby blanket with a basket-weave design (free pattern from www.lionbrand.com). I'm about halfway done, and plan on making a newborn-size hat to match as well.


I have so many more great colors of yarn and adorable pattern ideas that I can't wait to try. This has turned out to be a very fun way to pass the time without Ryan here.