Crochet: Coral Baby Layette

UPDATE: Photo of Scarlett in her little layette...

I have finished my first project for my baby girl: this crocheted coral layette. I saw the pattern in a Moda Dea Babies and Kids Collection 1 pattern booklet I bought for a sweater I crocheted for Audrey and I thought it was cute. I used KnitPicks Cotlin yarn in Island Coral instead of the yarn specified.

I love the way the pattern shapes the sleeves. You construct the bodice with essentially a cap sleeve and then continue the sleeves separately after the bodice. This would be darling as a cap sleeved sweater for my toddler! I'm thinking I could likely size it up by using a heavier gauge yarn and hook. Maybe I'll try it sometime after I finish all my baby projects.

I found these darling rose shaped buttons at Joann in the perfect shade of coral. They look appropriately vintage.

I improvised on the hat by making it shorter, more of a cloche. Who knows how (or when) it will fit my baby girl--hard to guess about head circumference. I improvised on the booties too. I made the cuff shorter and think it looks cute rolled like they are in this photo. They seem like they may be the kind of booties that would stay on. We'll see when she gets here!

Party: Audrey's and Kate's Second Birthday Party

For some reason we couldn't get all the families together on the same day this year to celebrate Audrey's and Kate's birthday. So I ended up doing two parties! A little much for mommy, so I think we'll stick with just one per birthday going forward, but it was fun.

First we celebrated with my sister's and my families. Lots of fun cousins around to play.

My sister had a great idea to fill a room in her home with purple balloons and let the birthday girls play. What could be more fun for a pair of three year olds?

The plan was for the birthday girls to wear matching outfits including the pink sweaters I made them (first one for Audrey and then a matching one for Kate last Christmas). It half worked! ;-) Which was just fine.

Christine made a beautiful cake with purple fondant dots to match the balloons and red velvet inside. Audrey loves red velvet! I wish I had snapped a good picture.

A few days later, party #2, with my husband's family.

Audrey wore a really darling party dress someone gave her when she was born. Because I am a bit crazy I decided I needed to crochet a little sweater for her to wear over it, but she didn't really wear it. One of the last minute projects this year that convinced me the two-party thing was too much!

I made a ruffle cake--lemon cake with almond frosting (love almond frosting!)--inspired by an issue of Martha Stewart Baby. I love the ruffles all down the sides of the cake. It called for Swiss Meringue Buttercream icing, which never works for me (per last year's cake for instance) so I used a friend's recipe for an almond buttercream. It was so fun to do and I think it looks so pretty! This is a six-inch diameter, three-layer cake, so perfect proportions for a little girl. I love the frosting color too...

Again, a bit nutty, but I made this other little outfit for Audrey too, undecided about what exactly she should wear and when, because this beautiful party dress wasn't very practical for partying! So she changed into her birthday kimono to open presents.

Lists: Nesting List for Another Baby Girl!

We found out on April 30th that the baby we are expecting is another girl! Better yet, she looks really healthy. I was so happy--first that she is healthy, but also about the idea of sisters. It just seemed like this baby should be a girl.

And then the wheels started turning! There were so many things I wanted to do for Audrey, which I didn't have time to do, and can perhaps do for this little girl. I have a big long list of things to do to welcome her, and to get things in order in general as that is how the nesting things goes for me.

Within a couple days of learned we're having a girl I had the nursery fabric purchased! I foudn this darling crewel-embroidered fabric in a sturated acqua, green, yellow, and pink. Then I found an acqua/green/pink sort of paisely--a feminized version of a typically male pattern--that looks great with the crewel embroidered fabric, and a gorgeous multi-pink braid to use on the crib bumper and chair. I decided I want to paint this little girls room the same color as Audrey's (Pratt & Lambert's "Clear Acqua"). So I am ready to start sewing, but first i have to make Audrey's "big girl" bedding--I'm going to use the same gold floral I used for her crib.

So here are the lists. A little long now that I look at it all so who knows how much I'll accomplish, but it's worth a shot!

The Nesting List (Knit, Crochet, and Sewing)

• Dusty purple ribbed cardigans (Audrey & Baby) (DONE)
• Dusty purple booties (Baby) (DONE)
• Cream corduroy yoked dresses to match purple sweaters (Audrey and Baby) (DONE)
• Moda Dea Crochet Baby layette in apricot colored yarn (DONE)
• Easy Crochet Lace/shell sweater, hat, booties in off-white (DONE)
• Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino white matinee jacket (Audrey & Baby) (DONE for baby)


• White seed stitch booties in two sizes (DONE)
• Red Zipper cardigan, hooded (Audrey) (DONE)
• Purple crochet poncho (Audrey) (DONE)
• Pink Lace yoked cardigan (Audrey) (DONE)
• Pink lace/popcorn yoked cardigan (baby) (DONE)
• Button Cable placket cotton sweater (Audrey)
• Pink Sunday jacket w/ seed stitch (Baby)
• Lacy Bonnet in pink (Baby) (DONE--in off-white)
• Debbie Bliss Simply Baby smock coat (Audrey)
• Easy Baby Knits double breasted jacket (Audrey)
• Cream knit dress (Baby)
• Audrey kitchen accessories (apron, tablecloth, napkins, dishcloth) (DONE)
• Waldorf doll and doll clothes for Audrey (DONE)
• Pink jumpers to go with cardigans (Audrey and Baby) (DONE)

Nursery:

• Clear out sewing room for baby room (DONE)
• Baby's crib bedding (DONE)
• Baseboards in baby room (DONE)
• Rocker chair for baby room (DONE)
• Side table for baby room (DONE)
• New face plates for baby room (DONE)
• Paint baby room (DONE)
• Light for baby room
• Organize Audrey's baby clothes for new baby (DONE)
• New closet (DONE)

Audrey's Big Girl Room:

• Audrey's "big girl" bedding (DONE)
• Bedside table for Audrey's room (DONE)
• Paint Audrey's headboard (DONE)
• New closet (DONE)
• Fix Audrey's wall (patch and paint) (DONE)
• Audrey's baby book
• Audrey's first year book of photos
• Audrey's second year photo book

Christmas (I feel I should get a jump on it):

• A painting for my in-laws (DONE)
• Nativity costumes?
• Something knit or crochet for my sister/gift exchange (DONE)
• Something hand made for all my sisters (DONE)

Sewing: Birthday Kimono

I found this darling fabric on clearance at my local quilt shop and couldn't resist. I love the cherry blossom motif. And I love kimonos--especially in knits on little babies. This is the second kimono set I've made from New Look pattern 6333. After the corduroy set I learned ribbon wasn't the best tie material, though it looks cute, and switched to seam binding here. Still added a few snaps for security.

I made the top shorter so Audrey will have more freedom of movement. I'm thinking of this as an everyday play outfit though I'm saving it for her to wear to her second birthday party, if she doesn't wear something else...the party planning is a bit complicated this year.