warm baby knits

Have I mentioned that my midwife is a knitter too?

"Of course she's a knitter!" Christopher told me, " she's a midwife!" This is the same logic that has me convinced that everyone who is pregnant is also a knitter. Which makes no sense.

Anyway, at one of my appointments a few weeks ago, my midwife asked me what I had knit for Smudge. (She doesn't know that he's called Smudge though. She called him "the baby.") The woman ahead of me had just left with her newborn, and the baby had been bundled in hand knits made and sent from its Irish grandmother.

I felt sad that I hadn't made anything very warm for Smudge. Part of me thinks it's silly to make something for a newborn, when he's bound to outgrow it pretty quickly. But there's also something about a hand knit that connotes love and thought for the child, and I would like Smudge to have the warmth that my wool can give him.

Right about the same time, Mary Jane asked me to test knit her Cabled Chullo, suggesting that I make it in a lighter yarn so Smudge could wear it. I agreed happily, and pulled out some Sublime Angora Merino from my stash and started knitting. Perfect!

(hopefully Smudge will look good in mouse brown)

And when that was done, I had some left over yarn, and made a pair of newborn mitts for him too. The mitts aren't quite the same size, but they will keep him warm. When Christopher saw these, he asked me why I thought his son would be lacking opposable thumbs.

I used a pattern by Louisa Harding, from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms, and I added little cables to each so they'd match the hat. I may still add some sort of string or i-cord to connect them, but I'm not sure yet. Smudge may be warm yet!

Counting down the weeks! Less than 6 weeks until my due date! Yikes!!