Baby Bib - Modified Pattern

I picked up a copy of Easy Baby Knits by Claire Montgomerie at Half Priced Books a couple of years ago.  It is a compilation of patterns for clothing and accessories for babies up to 3 years old.  The designs are lovely, basic, and elegant with a classic/vintage feel.  The only negative comment that I have is that you have to be very aware of gage and double check it against the intended size of the pattern.  Of course, this could just be an issue idiosyncratic to my knitting.  I had the sizing come out a bit funky on the Overalls pattern, even though I have met gauge, and have had to frog back quite a bit to make some adjustments to get it  back on track.  Of course, it could be the yarn I chose too - Caron Simply Soft, which I am beginning to hate.  Once it is used up out of my stash, I'll never buy it again.

The second to the last pattern in this book is Special Baby Gift Bib (page 116).  It is a basic, fast, very easy knit and I love it.  It would be a wonderful first pattern for a beginner knitter.  Most people would not think to knit a bib for a gift so you know that it will be a unique handmade thing to give.  Also, if made with a standard cotton yarn like Sugar'n Cream or Peaches & Creme, this is a nice absorbent dribble catcher that covers most of baby's torso, which is the whole point.  Speaking as a mother of two, I can tell you absorbent is nice, especially during the teething phase when my little ones wore their bibs every waking moment.

Me, being me, I did not like the pattern's original hook & loop closure arrangement.  This is, strictly, a personal preference.  I am tired of having hook & loop items go through the laundry and come out stuck on to sweaters and fleece, regardless of prewash prep.  The pattern as it is looks great and the original design would cover baby's shoulders, but I just can't get past the hook & loop.  I suppose you could use a button or a snap instead but then you might loose some of the "grow-with-me" potential.  A good bib is something baby can use from birth to preschool. So I chose to get rid of the hook & loop by altering the original pattern to include I-cord ties instead.  Below are my alterations. 

I cannot, nor do I want to, reprint those parts of the pattern that I did not modify.  So you have to get your own copy of the original pattern. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hynek's Handmade Alterations for Claire Montgomerie's Special Baby Gift Bib

Work as directed by original pattern until you get to Row 5 of the Shape Front Neck Section.  This is the place where the front neck edge bind off is complete and the stitches for the right and left shoulders are still on the needles.  I work both sides at the same time instead of putting the right side onto stitch holder as directed.  I also used an ombre yarn instead of working stripes. 

Work both sides as follows:

Row 5 - Seed Stitch 4, K7, Seed Stitch 4
Row 6 - Seed Stitch 4, P7, Seed Stitch 4
Row 7 - Seed Stitch 4, Sl-K-psso, K3, K2tog, Seed Stitch 4
Row 8 - Seed Stitch 4, P5, Seed Stitch 4
Row 9 - Seed Stitch 4, Sl-K-psso, K1, K2tog, Seed Stitch 4
Row 10 - Seed Stitch 4, P3, Seed Stitch 4
Row 11 - Seed Stitch 4, K3tog, Seed Stitch 4
Row 12 - Seed Stitch all
Row 13 - K, P, K2tog, P2tog, K, P, K
Row 14 - Seed Stitch all
Row 15 - K, P, K, P2tog, K2tog
Row 16 - Seed Stitch all
Row 17 - K, P2tog, K2tog
Row 18 - Seed Stitch all
Row 19 - Seed Stitch all

Place one side on a stitch holder.  Switch the other side to 2 DPN needles and work a 3 stitch I-cord until it is 15 inches long and bind off.  Then work the other side in a 3-stitch I-cord for 15 inches and bind off.  Weave all ends.

I need to test knit it one more time to be certain of the stitch counts.  However, I think you'll get the general idea once you get it on the needles.  I tried to maintain the integrity of the seed stitch pattern border.  It turned out pretty well I think.

The Ashton Hat

My cousin is pregnant with her second child, a little boy this time.  I am very happy for her. Watching her prepare, via blog, for the new little guy has been fun. She is a very creative and talented woman and I am very proud of her.

My own kids are now past the baby stage so knitting tiny clothes is no longer something I can do for them. I just love knitting baby things though, so I try to do gifts for friends. My cousin's new baby has given me an excuse to test knit my Bottle Cozy pattern; a chance to begin experimenting with knitted bibs; and a reason to design a new baby hat pattern.

I elected to make this one 100% cotton because my cousin lives in Texas and it just doesn't get cold enough for wool there. I used a Peaches & Cream blue ombre that I already had sitting in my stash and I love how the color pooling created a striped effect through the seed stitch portion of the pattern. I will have to make a second hat with this yarn to see if it will pool that way again or if I just got lucky. Regardless, I love how this hat turned out! It's very cute and fast to knit and the textures are great.

Note:  I have not had a second set of eyes or hands review or test knit this pattern yet. So if you find an error or if something is not clear in the instructions, please let me know so that I correct and/or improve the pattern.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ashton Hat                            

You will need:

• 12-in circular needles US #6 (or two sizes smaller than size to obtain gauge)
• 12-inch circular needles US #8 (or size to obtain gauge)
• Set of 4 DPNs US #8 (or size to obtain gauge)
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker
• Worsted weight yarn (I made the one shown here with Peaches & Creme #133 Shaded Denim Ombre by Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc. - 100% cotton)

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch on US#8 needles

Size: 0-6 months (I have yet to pattern test for larger sizes)

Pattern:

Beginning and Rib Cuff:

Cast on 64 stitchs using the small circular needles.

Mark the beginning of the round with the stitch marker and join the ends of the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

For the first 1 1/2 inches, knit using K2, P2 pattern (2X2 Rib).

Seed Stitch Section:

Switch to larger circular needles and begin Seed Stitch pattern as follows:

• Rnd 1 - K2tog, *P1, K1, repeat from * until 1 stitch remains, K1 (63 stitches remain
• Rnd 2 - *P1, K1, repeat from * until 1 stitch remains, P1
• Rnd 3 - *K1, P1, repeat from * until 1 stitch remains, K1

Continue in Seed Stitch pattern by repeating Rnd 1 and Rnd 2 until piece measures 4 1/2 inches from cast on edge.

Stockinette Section:

Begin Stockinette Stitch pattern as follows:

• Rnd 1 - Increase in the first stitch by knitting in front and back of the same stitch, knit to the end of the round (64 stitches)
• Rnd 2 - Knit to end of the round

Continue Stockinette Stitch pattern by repeating PatRnd 2 until the piece measures 5 1/2 inches from cast on edge.

Decrease Sequence:

Begin decreasing as follows:

• Rnd 1- K6, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (56 stitches remaining)
• Rnd 2 - K5, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (48 stitches remaining)
• Rnd 3 - Knit
• Rnd 4 - Switch to DPNs. K4, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (15 stitches on 1st needle, 15 stitches on secnd needle, and 10 stitches on third needle - 40 stitches total remaining)
• Rnd 5 - Knit
• Rnd 6 - K3, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (32 stitches remaining)
• Rnd 7 - Knit
• Rnd 8 - Knit
• Rnd 9 - K2, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (24 stitches remaining)
• Rnd 10 - Knit
• Rnd 11 - K1, K2tog, repeat to end of the round (16 stitches remaining)
• Rnd 12 - K2tog, repeat to end of the round (8 stitches remaining)

Finishing:

Cut the yarn leaving a 5 inch tail. Thread tail onto yarn needle and pull it through the remaining eight stitches. Pull tightly to completely close the ring. Thread tail to inside of hat and weave end. Weave end at cast on edge.

Hat can be worn with ribbed cuff up or down.

Baby Bottle Cozy

I love baby projects. They are small and cute but then everything in miniature is cute. The best thing about baby projects for me personally is the fact that they are fast. I am someone who loves instant gratification and baby projects provide fast, almost instant gratification because their size dictates that they don't take long.

I am always trying to think of something unusual to make for baby gifts to friends (and, to be quite frank, something that might sell well from my Etsy shop). While I love baby hats, everyone makes them; the same goes for baby blankets as well. A knitted baby bottle cozy though, now that's much more unique. It's practical too.

Baby bottles can get a little slimy, what with little hands coated in mother's milk/formula, teething drool, and baby urp-up grabbing the bottle to 'help'. This can make that bottle not so easy to hang on to, especially during those 3AM feedings where mommy is half asleep herself. A nice bottle cozy made of worsted cotton yarn absorbs the moist sliminess and adds traction for mommy's hand. It may also help keep that warm bottle warm just a bit longer for those slow eaters and, I think, it looks pretty darn cute.

To be honest, this wasn't my original idea. I saw a crochet version in a book and thought it was a great idea so I sat down and came up with my own knitted design. It's very easy and, this is the part I like, it's very fast. I can whip a couple of these in an evening. This pattern is sized to fit the standard Gerber-style baby bottles, plastic or glass, with a 2-inch diameter (measured at the bottom, since they kind of taper at the top). You can vary the length as noted to fit the 8-ounce bottle or the shorter, 4-ounce bottle.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Baby Bottle Cozy


You Will Need:

• Worsted weight cotton yarn
• 1 set of 4 double pointed needles, size US7
• 1 16" circular needle, size US7
• 1 stitch marker
• Yarn needle

Gauge: 4 1/2 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Pattern:

Cast On 224 stitches onto Circular needle. Use stitch marker to mark the end of the round.

Join being careful not to twist the stitches and work in the round as follows:

• Round 1 - K2tog to end (112 stitches)
• Round 2 - K2tog to end (56 stitches)
• Round 3 - Switch to DPNS. K2tog to end (28 stitches)
• Round 4 - Knit
• Round 5 - *YO, K2tog, Repeat from * to end (the eyelet row)
• Round 6 - Knit (28 stitches)
• Round 7 - *K2, P2, repeat from * to end

Repeat Round 7 to work piece in 2X2 rib until piece measures 6.5 inches from eyelet row of 8-ounce bottle or 3.5 inches from eyelet row for 4-ounce bottle.

• Next Round - K2tog to end (14 stitches)
• Next Round - Knit
• Next Round - K2tog to end (7 stitches)

Cut a 4 inch tail and thread yarn needle. pass the yarn end through the remaining stitches and take them off the needles. Cinch the hole closed. Secure and weave end on the inside of the piece. Weave the yarn end at starting edge.
Next make an I-Cord drawstring tie as follows:

• Using two DPNs, cast on 2 stitches.
• Knit the stitches but do NOT turn the work.
• Slide the stitches to the other end of the DPN. The yarn now comes from the last stitch.
• Bring the yarn around the back and and knit the stitches. Once again, do NOT turn the work. Simply repeat the process of sliding the piece to the other end of the DPN. You will be essentially working in small tight round using two DPNs.
• Continue until I-cord is 24-inches long.
• Periodically pull down gently on the cord as it forms to help the stitches fall in place and prevent kinking.
• Bind off then cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch to secure it.
• Weave the ends by pulling them back up through the middle of the I cord using a yarn needle.

Weave the I-cord through the eyelet row. Insert baby bottle into cozy and tie I-cord in a bow to secure the cozy to the bottle.