Feb 01 2008
prenatal
When you find out you’re pregnant, you start planning doctor’s visits and taking prenatal vitamins, and you generally brace yourself for the life change that’s coming in less than a year.
Your friends start knitting.
I’d never knit a whole Baby Surprise Jacket before. Started a few, but never finished–sizing always ended up being an issue. See, I’ll letcha in on a little secret: babies continue to grow as you’re knitting, and even if you try to plan in advance, something gets in the way, you get distracted, or something–catching up to an existing child is next to impossible for me. The only way for me to stay ahead of the game is to knit before they’re even born, so that the kid is likely to fit in it at some point.
I really like this yarn but I must admit it’s going to have to go to a baby girl. I love the idea of challenging the conventions of pink = girl, but who am I kidding. This is a sweater for a baby girl. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Baby Surprise Jacket
by Elizabeth Zimmermann, from The Opinionated Knitter
Yarn: Lisa Souza Sport, colorway What a Melon
Skeins: less than 1
Needles: US size 5
Started: Midnight, December 31, on the plane from Chicago to Newark (on the journey back from Singapore).
Finished: Buttons sewn on Thursday, January 31.
Buttons: Bought with Rachel at M&J Trimmings.
Because there was leftover yarn, I couldn’t resist a pair of booties to match.
Saartje’s Booties (pdf)
Yarn, materials, etc: See above
Size: The bigger size
Started: Tuesday, January 29
Finished: Sparkly buttons sewn on Thursday, January 31.
Now all I have to do is wait!
aww baby things are too too cute ;)
I LOVE that color. I think what I love best is that it’s not the cotton candy pink that most baby girl clothes come in.
Very cute —- hope it’s a girl! On the other hand, there is bound to be a girl sooner or later.
Super CUTE!
omg. so cute. i would totally pay good money for a sweater like that! do you take commissions? *hint hint*
Oh, my. How gorgeous. Your photos are wonderful too.
The color is beautiful! I’ve been thinking that the EZ Surprise jacket would be a great first baby knit, and I’ve got plenty of friends in the baby mindset.
that ensemble is so freakin’ cute. and it’s pink, but like dee said, it’s not vomitous pink (well she didn’t say that, i said that, but you know what i mean)
Pink and green, the Episcopalian in me is frothing at the mouth right now…
This is what knitters do for their friends. First I was blown away by the jacket, but then I saw those tiny little shoes and fell off my chair. I know these are for a friend, but you could make thes little ensembles and sell them. Truly.
Great job.
sooooooooooo preciously cute. and i love that last photo / nice use of DoF. ;)
So cute.
I love the way that yarn knitted up into the sweater!
I love the BSJ and booties. A good friend of mine and his wife are currently trying to get pregnant. I think I’m going to start knitting before the bun is even in the oven… that way I am sure to beat the “baby got too big to wear it while I was knitting” blues…
Yay for babies (because babies=cute knits).
My friends are all going through the wedding-phase now. More requests for wedding shawls than I think I can honor in a year. But I’m just waiting for the baby-phase… booties, all around!
What you say about baby knitting is so true. I guess the key is to avoid knitting distractions (an impossible task, of course). Your BSJ is adorable too! I have to admit that when B was born, I tried pretty hard to avoid the pink/purple clothes. A year and a half into parenthood, I’m just kind of sick of correcting people to say that she’s a girl. Pink is great for that. :-)
ADORABLE! I need to make one for Cashew, but sizing is exactly the reason I haven’t yet. These EZ patterns are a crapshoot for me size wise!
oh the cuteness! and for a sec, i thought you were making ‘an announcement’!!
by the way, love the DOF on that last shot - is that the fiddy in all its glory?
Before I even saw the name of the yarn I was like, damn, I want some watermelon!
It looks good enough to eat! I marvel at the construction of this sweater, and have yet to try it - it looks so fun (for knitter and baby!) I should start thinking about one for a friend who’s due this summer! Maybe in a gender neutral color, I don’t want her to think I’m biased in case it’s a boy ;)
What a beautiful set! The photos are lovely as well.
this is so incredibly cute. wow, I need to get working on this baby knit I am doing for a co-worker…
I remember reading an article somewhere (IK? VK?) about how pink used to be a boy color (b/c it was related to red–a strong MAN color) and blue was for girls (soft and peaceful). So you could give it to a boy. maybe. Okay, you can’t.
cute booties!
Aw, those are sweeter than sweet!
When I saw the title of this post in my ravelry queue it scared the hell out of me.
What adelightful set - lucky baby - I will cross my fingers for you too!:) I am so needling to knit me a BSJ, even though I am done having kids - someone has to have one right?!
Squeal-ably cute!
Every time I see a BSJ, my heart kind of warms a little. I think these little sweaters are the cutest baby sweaters. I have started and frogged many because you are so right, the babies grow…and unfortunately, I knit at the rate of molasses pulled from a cold cupboard.
OMG, they turned out so adorably (is that a word?) Want a baby sister? Just kidding :) You won’t be able to wash the cute out of those!
Really cute!
That set is adorable!!! The color is great! Your photographs are perfect!
the booties made my ovaries twinge.
What a cute set!
Oh my! The sweater and booties are soooo cute! And I’m all for the pre-natal knitting…anticipation is part of the fun!
I love the way the pink looks with the little flecks of green! Like watermelon, or something. Very cute!
Oh they both are too sweet to wait for long!
So adorable - something about the site of baby booties is guaranteed to make me go aaaaahhhhh!
Those booties are TOO MUCH. Too much, I tell you. I wonder if I would make some for Bailey?
If I _could_, that should have said. Obviously, I wouldn’t. Or would I?
Such sweet baby gifts. I just love the little booties, they make me feel all mushy inside.
Very cute! I hope there’s a girl you can give them to :)
Love the baby things. The only problem is my friends/relatives tend to go for awhile with no babies in sight and then four or five are pregnant at once….it really messes with the knitting plans. How inconsiderate.
I’ve been wanting to make the EZ baby jacket but haven’t yet. I love yours! Also, I made the booties, but couldn’t get the straps right and couldn’t sew the teeny tiny buttons. Any suggestions?
Wow! That’s adorable. yeah, it says baby girl, you’re right. (from one who has a boy and a girl)
That is a really gorgeous set. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a girl as well. ;)
I completely understand the wanting to break with the pink = girl. The sweater is so adorable.
Those projects are totally sweet and adorable! Beautifully photographed!
They are such a cute pairing! Love the yarn you used. It’s so cheerful.
SO CUTE. and very pepperminty!
So cute! I’m planning this same ensemble for my pregnant friend but it will involve dyeing and spinning because I’m a big dork like that (and perhaps a bit glutton for punishment!). :)
Clearly someone with outstanding taste picked out those sparkly buttons on the booties. She is probably very modest, though, so it’s probably best you didn’t make a big deal about her pivotal contribution to this project.
I have seen these in person, so I can say with authority that they are every bit as cute in person as they are in the photos, if not quite a bit more so. Lucky someday baby!
These are just too cute.
My goodness, they’re darling!
Great color! The set is adorable.
Totally adorable - itsy bitsy teensy feet!
(((hugs)))
Oh my goodness, that’s the most gorgeous BSJ I’ve seen in a long time. Where did you get those buttons?
Ah sorry, should have read the whole post. M&J Trimmings, I will have to remember that. They’re cute!