Katrina's baby jacket

Just finished this about half an hour ago today: the baby jacket for my sister in law who is ''due'' 2 weeks from today...!!!!!

So really it could be arriving anytime now and not be a premature baby....WOW!

She's in Delhi right now and we haven't heard for a while but we're hoping everything is going well, I finished early so we have the time to post this and it may get to her and her baby on time!

She chose the colours and we don't know if this latest addition to the ''Koffler '' dynasty will be a boy or a girl....

I made this from the Melody Griffiths book: ''Crochet in no time '', but don't you believe it I think this took at least 15 to 20 hours or so of crochet time as it uses a 3mm hook!!!

I used the prescribed baby cashmerino wool from Debbie Bliss which is divine to work with: so soft and smooth, warm yet cool to work with- it's the cream component in the above.

I substituted for the green: I used Sirdar's new baby bamboo yarn: a DK bamboo and wool mix,

I love the sheen it has that contrasts with the matt cream wool , but to work with was not so nice.

It splits easily, it had 2 knots in both of the entirely new balls purchased, it also had a fluffy bulky spliced bit right in the middle of one ball.......

When I mean knots: I mean the yarn was not continuous: it had ends which were knotted together!ON a NEW ball of yarn that I paid the normal price for!!!

So I had to undo a bit, cut the knotted parts out and work in the ends which should not have been there..!!!

But hey, what a lovely little jacket - I made the 3 months size and you can't see it but it feels very very SOFT.

It can probably be machine washed at 30 degrees...:

Baby cashmerino is 55 % merino wool, 33% microfibre and 12 % Cashmere. and is a fine DK/ almost a 4 ply: 125m to 50 grammes.

Baby Bamboo is 80% bamboo and 20%wool- 85m to 50 g.

As you can see from the photo it's all in dc ( UK) OR s.c for the U.S.A. readers among you and the shaping is very simple, it's sewn up the back seam to minimise bulk for baby's comfort.

I just love the star buttons made from shell linings: abalone I think.I sewed them on really REALLY tightly and thoroughly as I know the new mum -to -be is very worried about buttons and the risk of choking......After all I have two kids of my own and they didn't choke on any buttons.

Let me know what you think? YOU , OUT there in the ether ??!!!!

And here are the matching bootees that have already made it out there to India in the Royal mail!

With the pattern picture of the jacket from the book.

And now for the hat........

HAPPY Hooking!

Baby jacket in pure cotton DK

Hi there , sorry I have been almost 2 months away!!!
Been busy partly work - some amazing competition that included a team challenge event for local government managers , partly busy with family and crochet of course!!!
Here is my latest finished project: a newborn - 3 months baby jacket for a baby boy who is expected on Friday the 13th July at the latest- but his mum is hoping he'll come sooner than that!!!!
I used Patons 100% pure cotton DK in the 100 gramme balls, 2 in pale blue and one in the darkershade.
The jacket only weighs about 160 grammes.
I used a 4mm hook and it's all in double crochet ( UK) or single crochet stitches- USA.
I used the pattern from the book: Crochet in NO time by Melody Griffiths and adapted it as the pattern is for a 4 ply and a 3mm hook......
It's not all that quick to do allthough this version is a lot quicker than doing in in a 4ply cashmerino baby wool and a 3mm hook!!!It's in 2 pieces worked from the cuff and sewn up the back seam.
I am now repeating this in the cashmerino baby wool ( Debbie Bliss)and a babybamboo yarn from Sirdar for my sister in law who is expecting her first in August.
My best friend who is expecting the baby this week is expecting her third and won't want to handwash baby jackets!!!
It's softer,warmer but a lot slower to work this time, I'm also doing it in cream with mint green contrast at the request of my sister in law and will do the buttond for a boy as that's what the family is expecting .... there's 4 female grandchildren already...!!!
It'll be a fun surprise if it turns out to be a girl , and the baby won't mind the way the jacket buttons up will it???!!!
If anyone wants to know the stitches , number of rows, tension etc etc for the DK cotton version , just let me know and I can let you have the details of the adaptation.
There's a lot of pale bue and darker blue left over : enough for several bootees and a hat I should imagine..!!!!


UPDATE : MY FRIEND HAD HER BABY: WELCOME TO BABY BEN born on 12th July at 6 lbs 13 oz....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!