knitting in progress

It is only the first week of May, and already eight brand new babies have arrived, born to friends and family. Eight! That means a whole lot of baby caps and sweaters. And busy knitting needles.

As of now, I have three wee projects in the works. The first one is the pattern Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker at knit.so.quaint, a simple sweater designed for new parents to easily dress their newborns in the weeks after birth. Done in stripes of green and white cotton, this little sweater will be a fresh layer for cool spring mornings.

I have been hem-hawing around in my stash, looking for some luscious yarn that would make a few  unique newborn hats. Requirements? Something ultra soft, sturdy, rich, and surprising. Modern. And textured. Move aside, rosy pink and powder blue! Make way for something more rowdy. Maybe that is not exactly the right word. But take a look at what I came up with:

Oh, I love the colors! Next? A pattern hunt! I narrowed it down, and decided to go with Jared Flood's Turn a Square. The pattern has been on my to-do list for ages, and with a few simple alterations to the pattern, will make a lovely little newborn hat.

Using a nice grey in Bamboo Ewe, I cast on 56 stitches to size 7 US needles. Here are my notes:

Knit 2x2 rib for six rows.
Continue in stockinette stitch, knitting until hat measures 4" from cast on edge.
Place stitch markers every 14 stitches.
Work decrease rows and continue pattern as written.

The first hat turned out perfectly. With the next one, I might consider knitting 3 3/4" before beginning the decreases, just to make a slightly smaller, more fitted hat.

Only two more wee gifts to go. For now!