Miss Lydia's Hat and Cocoon

Becky and Kenny received the BEST news . . the baby they were planning on adopting would be born 08 April 2013. The adoption is an open adoption . . . Becky was in the delivery room when Miss Lydia was born and, I believe, she cut the cord.

Becky is the daughter of an acquaintance from high school who became a close friend from the school I taught in. She is also a former student, so I consider her special . . . and, to top it all off, she is just "a good kid!"

I knew I wanted to make something special . . probably a receiving blanket and then look and see what's available.

The hubster and I made a trip to Joanne's to look at soft flannel . . . I found the PERFECT flannel . . . light pink with dark pink ballet slippers shadowed in gray. Since Becky was a ballerina all of the years she was in school, I knew this would be perfect.

I had them cut a square of the material, so it is probably 45" x 45" . . . I know it is larger than a normal blanket, but I wanted a square. I know it is larger than 36' x 36", but I am too lazy at the moment to measure it, so you will have to take my word for it.

I am doing a gray Blanket Stitch round the edging (folding the selvage under to make a hem) and have 3 sides done and will finish the fourth side after I finish what I am doing now. 

When the 4th side is finished, I will have to find an edging I like and who knows how long that will take to put it around this monster receiving blanket.

Here is the photo I fell in love with.

Tulip Cocoon
Tulip Hat 

Here's my finished project.

Adaptations to the hat:

1. I left off the white edging . . why? I have no white yarn and I wanted to finish it.
2. I added two extra rounds to the hat. I wanted to make sure it was long enough to fit over the head. It fits my 15" ball, but just in case . . I'd rather have it longer that sliding up the baby's head.

Adaptations to the blanket: 

1. I made the cocoon "sack" 14" long.
2. I couldn't figure out the Crocodile Stitch pattern for the cocoon. I Googled the stitch and found a GREAT photo tutorial on My Merry Messy Life. (It is a two part tutorial . . foundation row and first row of actual crocodile stitches. Part 2 shows how to add the 2nd and 3rd rows and explains how to continue.) I changed the dc crocodile stitch on the pattern to the hdc crocodile on the tutorial. . . . I liked the smaller look for the blanket.
3. I made three rows of crocodile stitches instead of the two shown on the original cocoon.
4. I'm on my 3rd round of crocodile sts . . I think I will finish the cocoon with a round of sc.

Now, back to work . . . maybe I will get the cocoon finished today. I want to buy some pink ribbon to weave through the ribbing. I think it would soften it up some.

Elizabeth Grace

Hat is designed for a newborn through 6 months of age. It is 15" (+/-) in circumference and 4.5" (+/-) tall, excluding pom poms.

Cocoon designed to fit a newborn through 12 months, possibly beyond. It is 19" (+/-) from the middle of the base to the top of the sack.

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100 % of the purchase price
is donated to one of two no kill pet shelters I support.
One is a maternity shelter in Western New York.
The other is the Humane Society in my hometown in Indiana.

Little Elf Sk Hat

I can't remember
if I have posted this before.

It would make the PERFECT
Christmas Gift
for a child 6 - 12 months.

I like the colors . . .
it is made out of SOCK YARN
(4 ply/fingering yarn.)

This weight yarn makes it so soft
for that young baby's head.

Here is my latest project.

If you would like to have the pattern,

it is available in my Ravelry Store.

Indy LOVES modeling my baby hats. Can't you tell?

Pattern Price $3.00

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Remember, 100% of the purchase price for the pattern goes to
Natalie's 2nd Chance Shelter,
a no-kill dog shelter in my home state of Indiana.
It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.