How to Make Warmth

 Take some leftover (slightly less than a skein) red acrylic yarn. Start in the center and work outward
 

until you come to the end of the yarn. Frog five rounds, put it back on the needle, try several different edgings, then settle on a round of SSK, YO, a round of knitting, and Jeny's Super-stretchy Bind-off.

Lay out flat and admire, then tuck into the Box of Baby Gifts.

Done and delivered!

I finished and delivered the baby blanket before my friend's due date, so we've avoided the Yarn Harlot's superstition. This was a fun knit, working up steadily despite its size. I was a little worried about the edging's tendency to curl where attached, but it straightened out nicely when blocked.

Pattern: Sofo, a free pattern from Berroco

Yarns:

• Berroco Vintage DK in light green (2162)
• Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash in green (801)
• Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash in natural (817)
• Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash in ginger (828)

 Needles: size 8

 Mods: I used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off, and ran the blocking wires through it, which gave the edge a bit of a crocheted/ruffled look which I like - on this.

I love the way the single row of light green completely disappears between the rows of white and green, subsumed into the gingham check by the magic of slipped stitches. I always love watching yarn become fabric, but this particular trick never got old.



All packed up with the sheepy sweater and hat, and delivered. Over to you, my friend - time to deliver!

Updated to add: There may be something to this superstition... Baby has arrived safely.

Inspiration

Sometimes inspiration for knitting strikes unexpectedly, and from unexpected sources. My daughter and I came across an adorable baby outfit for our friends' expected daughter. Knowing that they had designed their nursery around a jungle theme, how could we resist the giraffe print in pale pink, the adorable elephant, the inexplicable owl balanced on his trunk?

Frankly, we couldn't, and by the time we got it home I knew I was going to knit a little owl toy, suitable for a newborn (washable, easily grasped). The stash came up with acrylic remnants in a pink and grey that matched the outfit (pink soles on the feet!). A Ravelry pattern search did not fail me. A quick store run for white felt and safety eyes, and a frantic search for some beak-colored acrylic, and I was ready. Both needles and stuffing were in arm's reach (they shouldn't have been, they should have been put away, but there they were). Moments later I had an owl.

Pattern: Owl Puffs (I will be making lots more, they are adorable. Besides, I have a whole bag of eyes, and the rest of the felt. Who wants an owl?)

Yarn: Red Heart, probably. The bands were long gone.

Mods: reminded my self to under-stuff to make it easier for little fingers to grab

Then I stared at the leftover pink and grey acrylic yarn for a few minutes. Back to Ravelry, which again did not fail me.

Pattern: Little Shells Carseat Blanket
Yarn: same as above
Mods: I started with one color, switched colors every pattern repeat, carrying the unused yarn up the side, and ended when I had enough of the other color to finish. It didn't work out to start and end with the same color, and I'm determined not to mind (no one else does).

And there you have it. A gift set I had no thought of making when I woke up that morning.

Sometimes, knitting is not the right answer

I realize this is heresy. But I need my crafting to be practical.

My co-worker's daughter is a nurse, and a little over two weeks ago she let it be known that she would like to have some baby blankets on hand as she works in her inner city hospital, just in case the mothers on her floor don't have anything to wrap their babies in as they head home.

Of course I immediately cast on a baby blanket from some leftover yarn. And cast on again. And again. I haven't actually made a baby blanket (that I remember) since my very first knitting project, and I had to work out the proper pattern for the amount of yarn at hand. It took me two weeks, in between other projects, to crank out a lovely little "dishcloth blanket," which I delivered today.


Meanwhile, two weeks ago when I was still casting around for a pattern, I stopped by the fabric counter while I was out running errands, picked up the end of a bolt of pale yellow no-sew polar fleece, had them cut it in half, and delivered two 36x30" baby blankets the following Monday, at the whopping expenditure of $2.22 and 2 minutes apiece. The nurse and her mother were pleased with the idea, and plan to replace them with more of the same as needed.

My knitted blanket is nice. And there's definitely a place for hand knits, from heirlooms to practical workhorses. But in this case, there was a better solution.



Dishcloth baby blanket

Yarn: 1 1/2 skeins Simply Soft in white

Needles: Size 9 circular

Pattern: if you've ever made a cotton dishcloth you don't need this, but just in case:

Cast on 5 sts.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: K3, yo, k to end of row.

Repeat row 2 until desired length (measured on one side of the triangle)

Row 3: K2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, knit to end of row.

Repeat row 3 until 5 sts are left, bind off.