Sunday, January 1, 2012

The LONG of it





clothe:  v.  to put clothes on;  dress;  to provide clothing for.

It's January 1st.  I can't help but wonder why New Year's is depicted by a naked baby.  Maybe it's time to "clothe" this little guy/girl!  Because I'm anticipating the arrival of another grandchild in the next couple weeks, my knitting needles have been busy working on items for the new little one.  Perhaps the New Year's baby would like some of these knitted cozies!!

I've spent the last few weeks working on a new design for knitted baby pants.  I made some knitted pants for my grandson last year year, but they just didn't fit right.  With #4 soon to appear, I knew it was time to tackle another design project:  design some "longies", as many call them, that  cover the back of the diaper, yet are easy and quick to make.  The result:  Oh Baby! Knitted Pants 

Oh Baby! Knitted Pants


I have to credit the iPad JKnit app  in my design process.  It really helps in tracking revisions I make while working through the design process.  No more tiny slips of paper with alterations scribbled on them!!  I've had some time over the last week to complete 3 more sizes, so the pattern is ready to publish!  (See the pattern page of www.knittingdoodle.com )

I also made a sweater to go with these pants.
The sweater pattern comes from Fawn Pea and can be found on her blog ( http://fpea.blogspot.com/ ) The pattern is called "Super Natural Stripes". 



My final comment on "clothing" babies has to do with the question "Why spend time knitting a sweater for someone who will wear it 3 months at the most?"  If you use good quality, washable yarns, knitted baby clothes last a couple of lifetimes!  My grandsons wear sweaters their great-grandmother knitted for their grandfather when he was a baby.  And here is a WHITE sleeper I knitted for my first grandson.  It has already been frequently worn by three little boys.  My daughter just brought it to me to change the buttons since her next child is rumored to be a girl.  So the sleeper is going on child #4 and still looks great.