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T_Rex 
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 Topic: knitting, knitting and more knitting...
Posted: 18 July 2009 at 11:37am |
This baby is going to be the first grandchild on either side, as well as the first in many other circles. As a result, there are many many people knitting for it. My question is, how much knitting does a baby need? According to my mother (who is producing at least an item a week, and has been since I was 7 weeks pg), a baby can never have too many snuggly woolies. I've tried pointing out that I'm due in December, and realistically, its going to be pretty hot for dressing the poor child in wool. Plus, I'd like it to have some other clothes too - I don't want it thinking its a sheep 
But anyway, it seems I don't get a choice in reigning in the frantic knitting (I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I do appreciate it, but I think my mother in particular is going a little overboard). So, what knitted items were useful for you? Especially for summer babies. How many booties, cardies and bonnets do you really need?
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kakapo
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 11:59am |
Hi T-Rex. I have a Dec bubba and found longies the most useful items (we use MCNs during the day and disposables at night). DS started wearing them from about April onwards. Jerseys are great for winter too - perhaps try to persuade your Mum to think ahead a little to when bubs is 4 or 5 months old?
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minik8e
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 12:01pm |
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We have HUGE amounts of knitting - both mothers and also DH's Grandma have been knitting since 7w, and it turns out some of the great aunts have as well!!! The way we have got around having too many things all for newborn, is asking them if they can also knit 6 month plus stuff as well (the girls will be around 10 months old next winter). We have merino things, full layettes, bootees out of our ears (which it looks like they won't even fit as newborns anyway LOL), heaps of hats - some of these are quite cool as they're all different types and will fit various ages...things like berets etc. There's also socks, singlets, overnaps....ok I think I'll stop there!!!
What I'm saying in all my rambling...is maybe ask if they can make some bigger sized things for winter which will be far more practical.
ETA: These are the first grandchildren and great-grandchildren on DH's side as well...plus the fact they're twins....it means people automatically think "bulk" rather than "practicality".
Edited by minik8e
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Chickoin
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:03pm |
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lol, my darling MIL supplied me with 62 cardies as well as a large large sack of other knitted things.
We used 2 hats. One cardy (once).
I know it may be lazy but who wants to do special woollen washes when you're already doing a load of nappies and a load of normal baby clothes a day. Luckily MIL didn't live close to us so it was fine to donate it to wool-loving pregnant friends and the Sallies.
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LeahandJoel
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:15pm |
We found little knitted vests were good...just like a little cardy but with no sleeves, used these the most out of everything. But then only had 2 or 3 anyway.
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BeLoved
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:24pm |
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My DD was born in Dec and it was so hot she lived in singlets and AIO's, so many clothes and knitted things went unworn as it was just too hot. But now she wears something woolen everyday almost especially cardis and she has one knitted vest which I use alot. I wish we had more knitted vests and some knitted hats/beanies that cover her ears. I would definitely request that you ask for things in a bigger size. My 18 months old nephew wears knitted jumpers almost everyday at the moment.
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freckle
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:37pm |
My daughter was born in Jan and I can't think of one of the newborn woollen things she wore apart from bootties... it was just too hot! But she wears lots of woollen cardy's, hats and those woollen slipper things now... I would get them knitting bigger sizes if you can  I always found it a bit stressful when I had all the gorgeous new clothes and I wanted her to wear them but didn't have any opportunities cos she was growing tooo fast... just seemed such a waste...
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mum to 3 lovely girls :D
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minik8e
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:45pm |
Chickoin - a lot of wool nowadays is actually machine washable. I made it clear that if it wasn't machine washable it would be useless to us, because I am not going to have the time or inclination to hand wash clothes. The only exception I made was for some gorgeous pure merino things, which I can chuck in the bath water and that's sufficient Mind you, it also helped that it doesn't look like I'm going to have an actual laundry when the girls arrive LOL
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noodle
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 2:50pm |
My DS was a december baby aswell and like Heidi lived in just a nappy or a onsie, there were a few colder days (acutally it was cold xmas day he was 6 days old and wore a stretch n grow and a woolen cardy and booties for most of the day) when he was little between summer/autum/winter that he wore knitted cardies and that but not all that much so 1 or 2 smaller items would come in handy (especially for the summer BBQ's when it gets a bit cooler at night ) oh and he wore booties alot when he was new. but pretty much wears a knitted jumper/jacket each day now so i would definatly ask them to knit the bigger sizes for winter. I  babies in knitted stuff!!!
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mrsturtle
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 4:00pm |
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I agree see if your knitting circle can do bigger sizes for around the 4-8 month age. We have tons of knitting too Emily always wears a wollen singlet and booties quite a bit too. some of the cardis would be ok if she was a summer baby because they are fancy looking knitting with little holes iykwim
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T_Rex
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 5:41pm |
Hehe Chickoin... I might just quietly save a lot of my mum's stuff up for whoever produces her next grandchild... (doesn't help that my gran used to knit awful scratchy woollens for us as kids that my mum loved but we hated (think raindeer patterns etc) so I'm not the biggest fan of woolly stuff). Mum's baby stuff is much nicer though.
I'll see if I can get her to work on some bigger singlets and some longies I guess. My sister did suggest she knitted some jerseys for next winter, to which she replied "oh, but I've got plenty of time to make it lovely jumpers for winter". I think the knitting won't stop till the second grandchild is on the way and thats probably going to a few years away yet. Ah well, one of them might have winter baby and it will be well provided for 
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KitKat
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 8:11pm |
Ask for some knits made from cotton there are some lovely threads out there that arent wool
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peachy
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Posted: 18 July 2009 at 8:19pm |
I am loving knitted jumpers for Lauren this Winter and beanies too, especially with all the funky/cute colours available! They are great for Playcentre and cold, wet soccer weekends as they keep her so toasty and warm!
I would ask for bigger sizes too, like size 1 plus
....and as for seperate hand washing of the knitted items, they get shoved in a lingerie bag and put in with the rest of her clothes...no special treatment in this house and they look as good as the day I received them!
as for items for a newborn, I think Lauren wore one knitted cardy once and thats it!!
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Disco
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Posted: 19 July 2009 at 12:48am |
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My mum and MIL are both knitting and I've asked for some larger things for next winter but also a nice merino blanket for the cot and a smaller one for the buggy.
disco
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KitKat
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Posted: 19 July 2009 at 9:37am |
Our Locky is such a hot little boy he has hardly worn any of his knits- and we are in the depth of winter.... amazing. He just overheats! sorry grandma!!
I second the vests suggestion though
You can never have too many vests, wool or otherwise.... esp Tshirt type vests as they go over the shoulder for a bit of extra warmth.... good for night time when the sheet/blankie doesnt quite go up and snuggle round their wee neck + shoulders. (I get paranoid that all the warmth escapes- but only cos thats how I feel when I tuck myself up like that in bed- I dont like any gaps)
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Chickoin
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Posted: 19 July 2009 at 2:11pm |
 minik8e wrote:
Chickoin - a lot of wool nowadays is actually machine washable. |
Hmm, I was unaware I kinda tested a few of MIL's knitted things in the washing machine and they didn't survive lol, mind you, she would have started knitting about 30 years ago, she's kind of a knitting maniac lol
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palomino
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Posted: 19 July 2009 at 2:52pm |
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Also had a dec baby who only got to wear one or two of his lovely knitted gears. Definatly agree for knitting 6mth plus sizes. Now its winter the lovely knitted little jerseys dont fit him :(
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nikkitheknitter
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Posted: 21 July 2009 at 1:38pm |
Start giving them patterns of stuff you actually like.
And ask for stuff for next Winter when it'll actually be useful!
Sometime knitters need a little guidance
Here are some cute patterns (some are gender specific - but seriously gorgeous!):
http://knittingpureandsimple.com/babycardi.html
http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/WebLetter/33/Issue33.php
http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/sartjees-fleeglized-bootie.html
http://thecompletefabrication.blogspot.com/2008/09/felix.html
http://fiddlestix.typepad.com/fiddlestix/2008/08/impatient.html
http://yarnmom.blogspot.com/2008/03/free-crochet-pattern-summer-shells.html
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer08/PATThelena.html
http://sites.google.com/site/garterstitchbabykimono/
http://stitchdcblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/free-pattern-easy-baby-yoke-sweater.html
http://gailbable.tripod.com/id41.html
http://www.knitonthenet.com/issue1/patterns/littleangeltop/
http://virescentknits.blogspot.com/2008/03/baby-hoodie.html
http://thriftyknitter.com/?p=223
http://tikkifabricaddict.blogspot.com/2008/08/rainbow-dress-smaller-sizes-test.html
That may do as a start plenty more where they came from!!
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angel4
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Posted: 21 July 2009 at 2:51pm |
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what about asking her to knit a shawl??? My MIL knitted henry a gorgous shawl - took her the whole pregnancy. Its single blanket size and she spun the wool herself. It is gorgeous and he has it on his bed at night and when he was newborn i would wrap it round my shoulders and him when i fed him at night (given it was august then though) But i love the practicality of it - its on his bed now and it will be even when hes in a single bed as its big enough. Ours is cream and quite traditional and is beautiful. I could ask her for the pattern if you want. It probably wont take your mother as long to do it but should take a bit of time lol.
The other thing that i find really usefull is knitted singlets (there is an old old old pattern out there for real basic ones) henry wears one everyday between his singlet and top in spring, autum and winter. In winter he also has another layer of wool.
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T_Rex
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Posted: 21 July 2009 at 6:51pm |
Angel, my MIL has promised me the shawl she used for DH when he was a baby, so one will be enough I think. Thanks though, and I'll see if I can get her to knit some singlets.
Nikki you star! Thanks! I'll have a browse through those and flick some in the relevant directions
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knitting, knitting and more knitting...
