Knitting for the NICU

Shades of Summer Dress for Niece Myia's Easter Dress

What have I been up to the last several weeks?  Knitting up this adorable Easter dress for Niece Myia.

I really love this pattern:  Shades of Summer Dress designed by Elena Nodel, a free download on Ravelry for sizes 3 months to 6 years and worked in sport weight yarn.  It's an adorably light little spring or summer dress.  However, since we live in southwest Missouri where Mother Nature is Bipolar....we added a little turtle neck top underneath for some warmth on this very cool spring day.

I'm pretty sure Myia likes it too, from this face  which tickles me pink (or aqua):

WIP: Anyone Knitting Halloween Costumes This Year?

Halloween is only 11 weeks away (which puts Christmas only 19 weeks away)!  Yes, I know it's really 6ish months but the number of weeks divided by  the number of people I'd like to knit for each year gets scary by the time school starts each year!

Anyone else knitting Halloween costume(s) this year?  Would love to hear about your WIP!

 I have one little kiddo, our niece Myia, this little cutie pie--

--who loves loves loves Doc McStuffins--

 

I've already cast on for the Purple and White Striped Sweater. Really, it's purple and white even though the photo looks like royal blue and white.

Using this pattern from Lion Brand:  Striped Raglan Baby Pullover 

When it's done I'll post pics and give notes for the changes I make to accommodate my theme.

Two years ago, Myia went as Star Trek's Lt. Uhura, and yes, I have to say it: She was out of this world! LOL

 

 

 

 

Estera Butterfly Stitch Women's Head Kerchief Scarf

Summery head kerchief, inspired by my friend, Estera, whose hair always looks so pulled together in kerchiefs and scarves without the severity of a pony tail or bun. One size fits school-aged girls, teens, and adult women.

Knitted in butterfly stitch lace, using two colors of Be Sweet Bambino 70% cotton/30% bamboo, hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn. Requires 1 ball “dark peach” and less than half one ball of “lime” color. Techniques used are knit, purl, K2tog, YO, PSSO, slip stitch, K1P1 ribbing on band, and knitted on two straight needles.

Pattern available for $2.95 as a instant download on Ravelry  and  Etsy.

Free Patterns: Ballet Leg Warmers for Girls

 

  How cute is this Sweet Pea?!  Yup, THAT cute!  This is Lauren, sister to Chef Samuel I featured on the food blog for his Taco Dogs lunch at the R Family Cafe.  Lauren provided the entertainment that day for her family by showing off her ballet skills.  A dancer this cute and talented needs the perfect hand-knitted leg warmers to keep her pink tootsies pink, warm, and cozy, and this was one set I created for her. 

 This pattern is also available as a free Ravelry download.

Lauren's Ballet Princess Pink Leg Warmers

Copyright 2015 by Glenna Anderson Muse

 

Easy care, hard-working ballet pink leg warmers for girls, sized 4-8, knitted in worsted weight Berroco Comfort "Ballet Pink" yarn that can be machine washed and dried.  One stretchy size for girls' sized 4-8. Pattern worked from the bottom to top.

 

Size:

One stretchy size fits most girls sized 4-8

 

Abbreviations:

BO = bind off

CO = cast on

K = knit

KFB = knit both in the front and back of the stitch to increase.

 

 

Materials:

 1 skein Berroco Comfort #9710 "Ballet Pink"

Size 8 double pointed needles or needles needed to accomplish gauge

Optional: Size 10 double pointed needles or  two sizes larger than needles used to work the piece

Yarn Needle

Optional embellishment:  18" of  coordinating 1/4" coordinating fabric ribbon

1 sewing needle

Sewing thread matching the ribbon for bows (sewn to leg warmers)           

           

Gauge:

18 stitches x 24 rows = 4 inches

 

Pattern notes:

Using the larger set of needles to CO  and BO creates stretchier, more comfortable openings for the leg warmers.

                       

Directions:

 

With larger needles, CO 28 stitches. Place marker between last stitch of first row and first stitch of second row.  Join to knit in the round.

Change to smaller needles.

Row A:  *K1, P1*.  Repeat from * to * around row.

Repeat row 1 until piece measures 2 inches from CO edge.

Change to stockinette (knitting every stitch) and knit until total length is 4 inches.

Increase:

Row 1:  KFB, K13, KFB, K13 (30) stitches .

Rows 2-6:  Knit all stitches

Row 7:  KFB, K14, KFB, K14  (32) stitches

Rows 8-12:  Knit all stitches

Row 13:  KFB, K15, KFB, K15  (34) stitches

Knit all stitches until length measures 9 inches.

Row A:  *K1, P1*.  Repeat from * to * around row.

Repeat row A until piece measures11 inches from CO edge. (Two inches of ribbing.)

BO in stitch (knitting the "v"'s and purling the "bars" as you BO).  Cut tail.  With yarn needle, draw tail through last stitch. Secure tightly and weave in all loose ends.

 

To accent.  Tie two equal sized bows (double knotted).  Sew one to top of each leg warmer as shown in photo above.

 

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Family Knitting: Summer Romper & Headband for Hat Baby

"Hat Baby", as in that's her name... no, really, that's what we call her, has been our constant living room companion for the almost seven years I've been knitting for the NICU, is my model for Medium-sized Preemies. Although her legs and arms are much chunkier than our skinnier little Littles, her head measures exactly 12" and her length just under 14", making her the perfect dressmaker doll to sub in for Preemie fashions.  For years now, she's either worn the latest in Preemie wear, or the plain Jane little sleeper she came in.  Hat Baby deserves designer outfit love too, so this summer I knitted her  a sunsuit and headband of her very own to dress up in. 

While technically both the headband and sunsuit would fit a 3-5 lb preemie, it probably wouldn't be something to actually dress a real baby in since they need multiple layers to hold in their body heat, but it's fun to think about for photos and definitely cute for other dolls of the same size.

"Preemie" Summer Romper  and Floral Headband for 12" Height Doll

Doll: 12-14" tall;  10 1/2" chest; 12" head circumference

Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Pattern copyrighted 2013 by Glenna Anderson Muse. Please do not place pattern on the web or make any use of pattern other than for personal use or knitting for charity.

Summer Romper

Materials:

2 oz Baby weight yarn in any color

Size 5 dpns

Size 8 dpns

yarn needle

1 foot of 1/4-1/2" silk ribbon

Directions:

CO:  60, loosely, over 3-4 needles and join in the round, placing marker between last stitch of cast on row and first stitch of new row.

Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2...repeat) until  total length measures 2 1/2"

Change to size 8 needles.

Knit one row

Purl one row.

K+1, K3 around row. (Don't worry about exact counts on stitches, the important part is to keep increasing every few rows to create the flared skirt--it's for a doll. For a real baby, we might need to be more particular about counts and such.)

Knit x 4 rows.

Repeat increase and knitted rows until skirt measures 5"

Purl one row

Knit one row.

BO all stitches.  Cut tail and pull through last stitch. Secure.  Weave in all loose threads.

Optional:  To form "shorts" rather than skirt of romper, lay romper flat and find middle of front and back.  With same thread stitch a 1" seam, starting from hem, to form a simple seam between legs.  Secure and weave in loose threads.

Thread ribbon onto yarn needle and weave across front of romper to create halter ties.  Leave both ends dangling equal amounts on each side.  When dressing doll, bring ribbon around back of doll's neck and tie into a bow.  Trim ribbon as needed.

 

Baby Doll Headband with Flower

Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Pattern copyrighted 2013 by Glenna Anderson Muse. Please do not place pattern on the web or make any use of pattern other than for personal use or knitting for charity.

Materials:

1/4 oz Baby weight yarn

1/4 oz Baby weight in contrasting color (leaves)

Size 8 straight needles

yarn needle

1 1"-2" silk flower mounted on an alligator clip (easily found at hobby stores or women's accessory stores like Claire's)

Directions:

With main yarn, CO 40 stitches very loosely.

Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2, repeat) across x 6 rows.

BO loosely in stitch. Cut tail and pull through last stitch to secure.  Sew headband ends together and secure. Weave in loose threads.

To make "leaves", with contrasting yarn, CO 20 sts.

BO all stitches, cut tail and pull through last stitch. Secure. Allow piece to curl around itself.

Sew ends together. Secure. Use remaining tails to sew onto headband approx 1" apart, at sewn place only. Allow rest of "leaf" to remain unattached from headband.

Make 2 and sew both onto headband.

Clip flower onto headband between the two open leaves

 

 

 

 

 

"Slippers for Her" Knitted Ballet Slippers for Women

Since the last pair of house slippers I knitted for myself (about 2 years ago) now look like this:

                                      

I think I deserve some new slippers.  This time, instead of getting the ultimately warm but a little clunky and sometimes too hot Aunt Maggie's slippers, not that there's anything wrong with them,  I simply chose to knit something a little lighter, a little prettier, a little more dainty.

("Slippers for Her" from the Red Heart web site)

This sweet ballet slipper is from Red Heart, although I knitted it in Michael's worsted weight Loops & Threads "Ruby". Don't tell.  I also skipped the roses for me and added a simple pre-made satin ribbon bow but as a gift I would have knitted the pretty roses and leaf.

They're beautiful on the beautiful, thin, rested feet of the model so I included this photo from the web site. I can say that they feel sweet, tender, and heavenly only my tired, swollen, post 12 hour nightshift footies above.  The only reservation I have about reccommending this pattern is that because my feet, like the rest of my body are adorably chubby, I had a little problem keeping the heels of the slippers on until I tied a satin ribbon (simple double knot) onto each side of each slipper so I could tie a bow to make them into Mary Janes.  I don't even have to retie them every time, I just slip my feet out of them and back into them with the ribbons still tied. Problem solved.  Eventually I may adapt the pattern but for now, the ribbons work well.

For the pattern, skip to:  "Slippers for Her" from Red Heart yarn company.

Knitted in one flat piece with "Make 1" increases, folded in half, finished with a flat bottom and back seam.

Use a flat stitch of sewing from the outside edge of each bottom stitch and mattress stitch up the back.  Looks and feels great.

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