Knitting for the Baby

I've got a new niece....well, she's four months old now, but new in terms of being the child of my youngest brother. Before she was born I found out the colors planned for the nursery and made a blanket to match. It was a perfect match. The pinks and browns worked together really well, and it was a pinwheel and the motifs in the room were circles...how much more perfect could you ask for?

Apparently, it wasn't good enough. I dropped the blanket off at my brother's apt., along with all the other gifts, the night before the shower so that they could take them to the party since I didn't think I would be able to get out of class to attend. I was able to get out of class and drove across LA to show my face and watch them open the gifts....and guess what? They left the gifts at home because I didn't tell them to take them with them to the party. WTF??? I also told them to wash the blanket and give it back to me so that I could weave in the ends. They're a bit kooky and I wasn't sure about detergents and such, so it was simpler to say wash and return and I'll finish. I believe it was washed, but I've never seen it since then. I don't really expect to.

I also made booties and a little hat for her as a newborn. I don't think those items every saw any use either. Which brings me to now. I would like to knit for my niece, but what's the point if her mother will never put the items I knit on her? I figured I will just give gift certificates and that way at least I will have given her something that will get some use. What do you think?

Well, I've broken my rule and purchased a kit for a little cardigan. It's sooooooo cute. I've seen it made by Franklin and the Yarn Harlot, and thought, my niece needs one of those. Then the rational part of my mind spoke up and said. What the fuck are you thinking? $37 on a kit for a sweater for a baby and her mother will probably NEVER even let her wear it! So, I didn't order the kit....until Friday....it arrived on Monday. I've been looking at it every day since then.

What was I thinking? Almost $40 on a sweater her mother will probably never put on her. **sigh** I'm an ass. It came so nicely packaged in a ziplock bag...just the way I like it.

And the pattern came in a protective sleeve that can be placed in a binder.

Such a nice presentation. Such nice yarn. Such pretty colors.

Too bad she'll never wear it. I'll start it after I finish the body of my dad's sweater. I finally got the correct measurements. He was off by about six inches on every one I asked him for. Now the sweater will be longer than I anticipated, but still four or five inches shorter than he told me originally.