Ooh Ooh Baby

It's that time of year again when babies are popping out all over. They're born naked and it seems to be my job to clothe them...at least for a day. I really like making baby clothes. I get to try out new techniques and there's not as much commitment as in adult-size clothing. Also, there are lots of ooooohhhss and aaaahhhssss over baby stuff....I like that part too.
First up, my knitting-group friend Kelsey had Emerson Jay on April 2. His daddy is a Cleveland Indians fan so I attemped a Baby Baseball Tee in navy & white. I used Rowan Wool Cotton in antique for the body and doubled-up Rowan 4-ply Cotton in navy for the sleeves. The pattern was seriously easy to follow and I'm seriously pleased with the outcome.
Next up, my brother's college-friend Melody was planning the birth of her daughter Izzy and her friends were planning an apropos party. Joe requested a slighty-girly-but-not-in-a-traditional-way gift. Luckily I'd just had a mini-shopping spree at The Point where I'd purchased a few skeins of variegated cotton. I chose a purple/green colorway and used the Cotton Hat pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. At first I wasn't sure I'd like the hat in a variegated yarn, but now I think it looks delightful and fun. Where there are baby hats, there are bootees. I used the leftover yarn from the hat and added some Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton in white for Saarrtje's Bootees. After a trip to M&J and the purchase of lavender purl buttons, these bootees were ready to boogie.
Most recently, the recipient of the Ole Miss baby ensemble was concerned it would be too big to wear home from the hospital. So, I planned Ole Miss baby ensemble #2. First up, I've wanted to make Blu since I first saw it. I purchased Rowan Denim in nashville at the only place in NYC that carried it - Downtown Yarns. The designer calls for changing yarn color for the cuffs, but I opted for dark denim all the way down and I used red instead of orange for the embroidery to match the school colors. This project challenging - the finishing was especially difficult and there were a few tears along the way.
As you can see, my model was going topless, so I searched out a top. I wanted something with a college sweatshirt vibe and along came Daisy. I like the hooded version and the only change I made to the pattern was adding the "M" on the back. Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton in red worked perfectly. I even got to make another trip to M&J for the navy buttons. Now the bear is stylin' & profilin'. Since Peanut is due to be born naked in just a week and a half, I'm relieved that Ole Miss Baby Emsemble #2 is finished and cute.