Cute overload

The photographer that I've been knitting for wanted a plain red set (hat and diaper cover).  Plain red.  Oh dear.  I could do plain if the yarn was interesting, but plain red yarn and a basic hat....I put it off for a few days while I stewed about how I could do a plain but not boring hat.  I initially thought of cables, but when I sat down to do that at the machine, and thought about the stitches I'd be converting from purl to knit....I looked for other option.  I remembered the basic square hats I've made, and how a bit of tuck could liven it up!  Bingo!  How cute is this (41gr)?

 I was going to put tassels on initially, but thought they might look a  little ...riske in red?   LOL.  Someone suggested little bells, but I thought that made it too holiday-ish.  So I went with pompoms.  Just as I was finishing up, she emailed me that she'd like a flower for on it too.  I wasn't so sure about that...I felt there was enough going on as it was.  But I obliged and made a red flower.  Then, for a bit of contrast, I made a variegated one.  Then a white and red one....(total, 27gr)

 The diaper covers always get me with their tiny size.  I made the one on the right first 34gr), and the size matches exactly the size chart on the pattern, for a 8-14lb newborn.  However, many newborns are less than that and the original pattern is for over cloth diapers, not disposables.  It looked large, so I made the next size down (or, I think it might have been a half size down).  It looked so TINY (24gr)!  She chose the one on the left, and I let her know that if she does get a bigger baby, just call me :)

 The flowers also would look cute on a little tushie!

 I was smitten with the first hat, but worried about the size being a bit big, or too fussy.  So I handknit a little cable hat.  60st, cast on with 4.5mm, knit in pattern for 5 or so rows, switch to 5mm, work for a bit, then gradually decrease, keeping the pattern intact as much as possible, then a couple rows of decreasing what's left to get the point (22gr).  I hadn't initially wanted the point, but it reminded me of a Hershey Kiss when it was done, and it meant no pompom was needed, which means the flower stands out more.  I might try another one with no point when things slow down.

 See how cute it is with the flower?!

 Just as I was finishing up these items, she sent another email with an adorable baby in an elfish hat.  Done in crochet, it was bold, with a scarlet brim and pompom but soft white and sage green stripes.  I had trouble finding a green.  What I had was too dark, the store had one that was a good intensity but too yellow, and one that was good, I thought.  Once I tried it though, it was too dark.  I dug through my bin and found some wool from Wal-Mart when they were briefly carrying some decent yarns.  It was a little thin though, so I had to pair it with a strand of a fine darker green (which I think did darken it a bit too much).  The white was also a DK and a sock yarn held together, one soft white, one bold white.  I would have liked a bit of texture on the brim, but this red yarn is the same as the diaper covers, so they can do double duty.  Lucy liked this so much she's asked for one too!  (83gr)

 I just want to give two tips with pompoms.  Often, when you pull them out of the pompom maker, they look rather ragged and it's too easy to start trimming.  One tip is to steam them so the fibers open up and they get fluffier.  The second tip is to hold the base of the pompom and swing it around in circles.  This really fluffs it up and makes it round.  My biggest problem with this one was getting into the tip to tie it in.  It was too narrow and I kept ending up with the tie strings loosening up and the pompom dangling.

 Then I got news that a pair of my mittens had sold, and a woman wanted the same mittens, but with fleece inside.  I found some super fleece at the Salvation Army (and a pair of heels that are just what I've been looking for except they need some glue), and whipped up the mittens on the bottom for the custom order (on Tuesday night while Rob took Meg to her skating--normally it's my job, but luckily for me, she wanted him this week!).  While I was at it, I made another pair in the other striped fabric that has been popular (but the mitts that are in the store are too small for most shoppers).  For the inside, I used some beige woven alpaca that my mother-in-law gave me after she trimmed a lovely cape that she felt was too long.  There was no stretch, so I cut the alpaca on the bias.  I wish I had realized this issue with the first batch of mitts--some of the fleece ones don't have stretch :(  They should have arrived at the store today!

And last, but not least, is a simple crochet hat to go with a Baby Surprise Jacket that has been waiting to be sewn up for quite a while.  The pattern said it was for 20 1/2", which I think was around age 4, so I was trying to size it down, but just didn't know how big to make it, and just how big the sweater actually is....then all this custom knitting started and this got sent to the bottom of the drawer.  I decided it needed to be finished!  Less than an hour to finish off!  It's a little loose on my 0-3 month "head" (24gr)

Cannot wait to see babies in these items!  I have gone back to old posts and added photos from the photographer.  Scroll down and have a look.  I really can't believe how awesome my knits look on newborns in photos!  I'm loving this!!

Yarn In:  20 150gr
Yarn Out:  255gr + 15 783 = 16 038gr
Balance:  4112gr more brought IN than out
Costs:  $496.30/347 days = $1.43/day