Bear and Booties for Blake

I found out in mid-May that one of my cousins was expecting her first baby in mid-August.  I thought for awhile about what to make her, and then it suddenly came to me that I usually make a large teddy bear, either for the birth or 1st Christmas or 1st birthday. 

I didn't remember this though until the start of September, and her shower was on Sept 13.  No problem.  I have a pattern I always use, and a basement full of yarn.

 I LOVE a teddy bear pattern by Jean Greenhowe.  I've used it many, many times over the past 12 years.  I use just about any yarn, with appropriate sized needles.  I've made teeny weeny bears, and giant grizzly bears.  This bear qualifies as a grizzly! 

Made with Paton's Divine, and I think 5mm needles (the yarn calls for 6.5mm because of the mohair, but for this use, it needs to be tight).  It's big, squishy, slightly fuzzy, and SO huggable!

The day before the shower, I saw some baby booties on a blog, and realized I could make some too!  I googled for a while and found a pattern, I think it's at "Starlight Shoes".  I searched through the fabric stash, and found several fabrics I liked.  I selected two, one for the sole, one for the body.  I didn't do the interfacing, and there were some other construction details I wasn't thrilled about (I thought the casing for the elastic on the heel was too bulky; I have some ideas to change that, but I think it would add a few minutes to the construction).  I realized after I cut the first one that there is the letter B on the fabric, so I made sure it was placed well on the second booties.

I definitely have plans to make more, some themed ones for certain.  They'd be something great to keep in the gift box as they can use up small scraps and  don't take long to make, or require special trims or closures.

They do have a left/right distinction, however, I think for newborns, it's probably not necessary.