Somewhat oversized baby things

This hat is for my friends' baby who's due at the end of October. It's the Umbilical Cord Hat from Stitch 'n' Bitch. I substitituted the yarn and, since my gauge was slightly different, started with 72 stitches instead of 64 and added an extra decrease row. It was a very quick, easy knit -- just what I needed!

It seems a little big for a newborn, but it's 16" like the pattern says. According to this chart, a newborn's head circumference is 13-14" and this hat would be a better fit for a 6-month-old. (I probably should have checked the chart first!) Maybe with the roll brim it will be sort of adjustable and he'll grow into it. And maybe I'll just knit another smaller one since they're so quick.

Umbilical Cord Hat
Started: Sept. 23, 2006
Finished: Sept. 23, 2006
Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat from Stitch 'n' Bitch
Yarn: RYC CashSoft Aran in Haze, 1 ball
Needles: US 8 circ (Addi Turbos)

I wanted to make roll-top booties with i-cord ties to match the hat. I scoured the internet but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for in worsted weight yarn. This pattern looked pretty close except it had ribbing at the cuff. That seemed like an easy thing to modify. I read the pattern several times but couldn't wrap my brain around the construction, so I decided to just jump in and give it a try. My gauge was a little off, but rather than tamper with numbers I couldn't even comprehend, I wagered that a little big wouldn't be so bad, especially with a drawstring tie.



It came out 1/2 inch too long, which is probably a significant amount of extra length for a baby bootie. But more importantly, I didn't take into consideration that seams will show in a rolled cuff. I've been thinking about it, and I want to try this bootie again but in the round, and starting with slightly fewer stitches. Fortunately a bootie isn't a huge commitment, and I still have enough time to experiment. (I guess I'm in denial that less than 3 months remain for all that holiday knitting I haven't even begun!)


And this of course isn't knitting, nor a baby thing, but here's a little tea cup I painted at a paint-your-own-pottery cafe a couple weeks ago. I gave it to John. Yellow's his favorite color. Tea, however, is one of his least favorite beverages. Fortunately there's nothing to prevent one from using a tea cup to hold something besides tea.