Knitty-bitty teeny-weeny

About a month and a half ago I picked up my knitting needles again in a MAJOR WAY. It had been about 5 months since I'd knit anything and prior to that probably almost a year. As most knitters know, it can be difficult to get excited about knitting in the summer - it's too hot to even imagine a knit item not to mention hold one on your lap every evening! So I suppose I blame the last 2 summers for my lack of knitting. Last winter - I have no excuse other than being in Africa for a month...which is a pretty poor excuse. But the perfect thing happened this year - a lot of babies started arriving! Knitting baby items is something I hadn't done yet. But they're the EASIEST knitting since they're so small and fast, and size doesn't have to be exact - just make it a tad bigger and they'll grow into it!!

Handknit "Merry Jane" booties for Lexi and Tali

They'll grow into the booties soon enough

The first babies to receive a hand-knit item from me were Andrea's twin girls, Alexis and Natalia (Lexi and Tali). I had been at Andrea's home 2 days before the girls were born and knew she was low on hats. She was prepared to bring them home from the hospital in poor-fitting and un-matching hats. *OVER MY DEAD KNITTING NEEDLES!* I had already started a previous project for the girls but I pushed it aside and started in on Nona's Newborn Hats [non-Ravelry] instead.

The hats fit perfectly... but they sure won't for long!

Newborn hats in purple and pink

As you can see, I changed the pattern a little. I made the hats a tad smaller (knit 4" before decreasing, instead of 4.5"), did a seed stitch trim instead of the ribbing, and added the stripes. I was really happy with the results and they fit the girls (~6 pounds each) PERFECTLY! It wasn't confirmed to me but I think they wore them home from the hospital. I certainly know they wore them in the hospital.

"We wore our hats in the hospital!"

Now onto that other project I'd put aside to frantically make the hats... a pattern I've had in my Ravelry queue for literally over a year - just waiting for a very close friend to have a baby girl; or two. Bekah Knits' Baby Merry Janes (non-Ravelry). Oh My Goodness these were just about the cutest things I'd ever seen. I started the booties on my flight to Hawaii in early September and that flight was the perfect length to make one bootie minus the sock. I spent my afternoon (quite tired from my early flight) finishing the rest. So 1 bootie perhaps took about 8 hours to complete. And I had 3 more to go...

The strap and button actually work - but it's still easier to
just leave it buttoned and slip the bootie on

CJ modeled them for me before they were gifted

I made sure to differentiate the booties with different colored buttons

I gave the booties to Lexi and Tali when I met them at 1½ weeks old. We couldn't help but play dress up with them and I personally think they're quite the little fashionistas! Hot off the knitting runway: hats and booties!

While they look like clown shoes on the girls, the booties stay on because of the stretchy sock. I love that they will fit for at least a couple months due to the stretchiness! I think Andrea the girls love them too.

"OMG I can't believe I just said that" ~~ "Oh well, let's laugh about it instead" - Lexi

For both the hats and booties I used all Rowan yarns: Cashsoft Baby DK, Cashsoft DK and Cashsoft 4 ply. LOVE these yarns. LOVE. They are {gentle} machine washable and so soft. And there are so many beautiful colors! Stay tuned for more knitting. I had to keep it all under wraps until I finally gave Ali her gifts, but I feel like it's all I've been doing lately!