FO: Nursing cover

Dear Baby J,

My sincere and humble apologies for getting this to you so late (I can hardly believe you are already 3 1/2 months old!).  As it turns out, I underestimated not so much my skill at sewing (although don't scrutinize so closely; I know you are the granddaughter of a professional) but rather embroidery. I hope that you find much use for this piece during the remainder of your breast-feeding days -- and perhaps thereafter, your parents are a resourceful pair.  Please know that each stitch was made with much

Love,

Aunty J

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From top left, First row: 1. starting out supplies 2. box of embroidery floss 3. flosses chosen; second row: 4. chalked lines 5. bled transfer lines 6. hexagon pattern in progress; third row: 7. ironed 8. the entire nursing cover 9. scraps

I followed this tutorial using organic cotton fabric purchased at JoAnn's.  Sashiko patterns were from an old library book.

I've wanted to try sashiko for a long time now, and I'm glad I finally sat down and did it.  Such a large-scale project did wear me out, but I think I'll come back to it one of these days as it's quite soothing to do and simply stunning to look at -- especially for someone who likes geometrics like I do.  Maybe accent strips on place mats or coasters.  For now though, I have my Summer Project list to wind up... and start on.

FO: Baby hat

I don't even remember how long ago I started this hat.  The only documentation is this shot, taken for Project 365 on March 9!  A quick series of emails with the mama -- an old and estranged-utnil-recently elementary school friend -- and we had a meeting set up.  I couldn't show up empty-handed.

There was actually just the crochet edging and ties that had to get done, as well as blocking.  So I put the hat on a metal mixing bowl, sprayed it down with water, and let it sit overnight.  In the morning, I braided.  Seriously, why did it take me so long?!

It took some fiddling with the numbers because I knit it in fingering weight yarn for a baby (as opposed to heavy worsted weight for an adult, as the pattern is written).  The earflaps are a bit far back, but in the end, it fits BabyC with a little room to grow. He'll get a bit more wear out of it in the cooler SF Bay area where he lives, which makes me happy.

[baby Thorpe (pdf)]

Now on to knitting for the three other babes and two more that are on the way!