new blog ... charity baby blankets!

Please check out my new blog that I just started yesterday. :)

Since DH & I are in the process of adopting, we've also taken in some foster kids. They often get into the system in an emergency situation, and with very little to start off in their new (albeit temporary) homes. I've gone into a bit more detail on the new blog about the whole situation, but the point is, smaller children (babies, toddlers) often not having their blankies with them. That's why I decided to contribute what I can, and I hope that fellow knitters and crocheters can help out and follow suit.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Baby Items

Well, I didn't use some of the yarn that I said I would to knit these baby items, but I was able to make them anyway. I used a yarn called Robin Aran 400, of which I have a 334 gram skein left. I obtained 2 skeins of it when my MIL came back from Ireland, and I used up all of it to knit DH's aran sweater, but I fell a bit short and was able to find a skein from someone's stash on ravelry. But, I have quite a bit of it left. So, baby items it was.

The soaker pattern is a free ravelry download (I made the small version); the hat is from Stitch & Bitch by Debbie Stoller; and the mittens are available free online (liked via ravelry).

The Great Destash 2010

Ugh, you have no idea how badly I need to destash the yarn that I have. I must have a zillion partial balls of EVERYTHING, and they've just been laying around. And, I feel so bad when going to my LYS to pick up some more to start a new project, when I know I've got so much just laying around.

So, my goal this summer is to not aquire any new yarn until I've knit up at least 1 kg of the yarn I already have. And yes, I'm going to have to use up as much of those partial skeins as I possibly can.

It's quite convenient that I just found out that a friend of mine is pregnant with her second child... so a lot of my stashbusting knitting will go to her. Partial skeins are going to make ideal baby booties and hats. She's not due until January 7th, so hopefully this will be more of a new year's baby than a christmas baby... assuming it doesn't arrive early!

I'm currently working on a pair of baby booties made from Louet Gems yarn - of which I'll make a 3 month old size, and a 6 month old size; I've got a baby sweater in transition (just needs sleeves!) which I'm making out of Yarn Bee Luscious yarn, which will wind up being a 12 month old size.

a new baby is born!

Remember in May when I posted that I knit a baby sweater and a baby blanket for my expectant cousin? Well, she had her baby today!

Her and her husband wanted to keep the sex of the baby a surprise until the birth - which I think is great - and they had a boy named Ryan James! woo hoo!