Small Things

I have a baby shower to attend Saturday so I have been pondering baby knitwear for the last few days.  Pondering baby knitwear is simply one of the most fun occupations ever.

At first I pondered only hats.  A hat is enough of a handmade gift really and I thought I would beef it up with a box of diapers, which are always in demand with a newborn.  But the fact of the matter is that my funds are committed elsewhere this month, and purchasing anything really isn't on the cards.  What I am long on is yarn and time so there might be a sweater in the mix, or something else that can be made with what I have here at home that is appropriate for a wee babe.  

Because I started thinking hat, that is what I was prepared to knit first.  

I looked at several pretty little things (three links!)  but kept coming back to what Scott and Amy felt about the sweet little Aviatrix hat I made for Carter.

Wasn't he just the sweetest little thing?  He still is pretty sweet but my tall little boy isn't so little anymore.  But that is another story.  

His mommy and daddy said that hat just stayed where it was put, that it fit nice and snug and no matter how much he screwed around in the car seat or his chair or whatever, it stayed put.  They loved the wee helmet hat best of all.  So with that in mind, I thought his new baby cousin might like one too.

From its quirky start 

To its ball like middle (I ought to try knitting a ball after knitting this hat), this hat is just a complete delight to knit.  It is a great project if you are learning German short rows which are my go to short row technique, plus, it takes only a very small bit of yarn and the pattern comes with dozens of sizes.

I finished this one with a strap and button, which are still not my preferred closing, but these days, for babies, they do recommend no ties.  A one length strap of the pattern seems to shorten the life of the hat somewhat, so I put three buttonholes on it and made it a little longer.  I've gone through the first and last buttonhole for the picture, just to keep it tidy when she is small.  As she grows, her mommy and daddy will have two other choices for strap length.  Here is hoping that keeps it wearable longer. 

Anyway, big sweaters are paused at the moment and wee things are being knit.  Overloading on cute?  Sure.  Why not!