S is for Shedir

First, I guess I should start with my newly mandatory disclaimer: I'm not having a baby! Well not yet, anyway ;0) Everytime I call Stephen at work, I can hear the anticipation in his voice and have to reassure him that it's okay, I'm not in labour yet and he can resume breathing! LOL!!! But still, I can't wait...really! I'm soooo ready to have this baby ;0)

In the meantime though, between all the daytime naps to make up for lemon's all night kicking festivals, there's still knitting to pass the time, relax and enjoy. This weekend, between the residual nesting and lots and lots of naps with poor little feverish Julian who's cutting not one but four big teeth, it was a baby shedir.

Actually, I should say my first baby shedir because I enjoyed knitting it so much that I immediately cast on for another. A smaller one. For a newborn. I knit the first one from less than a ball of Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere (DK weight) on a size 3 circ using something from nothing's mods and ended up with a 14 inch circumference which I figure should suit a 3-6 month old but would be too big for a newborn.

The hat is surprisingly stretchy...so much so that it fits around Julian's almost 2 year old noggin! Though if you plan to knit it for an 18-24 month old like my Jujube, you should add another cable repeat before the crown shaping so that it covers the ears well but otherwise you don't need to make any other adjustments to the baby adaptation of the pattern.

Check out the crown shaping. As Grover would say, "is it not beautiful?" And this is pre-blocking too so it'll presumably look even better after a little bath ;0) Love it!

I knit it magic loop style and am totally coverted. I'm already wondering what to do with all those DPNs now that all I need are my trusty circs! That's how much I love magic looping. I had tried it before a long long time ago and it was a disaster so I decied it wasn't for me. I think the instructions I was following at the time must have been needlessly complicated because I was able to master the technique in no time flat following purlwise's magic loop tutorial. So simple really. And the best part? No ladders!

Finally, a pic of Julian and his baby in our brand new twin stroller. Now all we need is a little brother and for the snow to melt a little and we're ready for neighbourhood strolls and trips to the park. After being cooped up this long, a neighbourhood stroll sounds real good! Plus, I can't wait to see who else was pregnant all winter!

We live in a very young neighbourhood and there's always a new crop of babies coming...Stephen ran into our backyard neighbours at the donut shop this week and it turns out they're expecting too and are due in May! Yay! Plus, it's a boy too so there you have it, lolo already has a little friend near by ;0)