Preparing for Baby

My baby has been busy getting ready for her baby.  You can see the new baby's room here.  We had her baby shower on Saturday and she's finishing her shopping for the last few things that she didn't get.  She'll be all set very soon. 
I'll make another post detailing the shower, but for now I thought I'd let you see the gifts I made her.  When she was preparing to get married I had an overwhelming desire to make gifts for her; to somehow extend my love for her into her new home.  A cross stitched towel in the bathroom, a quilt in the bedroom, hanging towels and knitted washcloths in the kitchen and a cross stitched breadcloth in the dining room.   Little touches that I hoped would help it seem more like home for her.  Once she let us know she was expecting a baby, I was again moved to make gifts.  Little bits of grandma's love to wrap around the baby.  I'm not quite sure why it's been so important to me, but it has, and making it all was very therapeutic.  You'll just have to trust me on that.

The very first thing I made for her was this knitted blanket.  I really liked the pale green, which will be fine if she has a little girl later on, and the yarn was so soft.

This was a quilt kit she saw one day when we were in Joann's.  She thought it was so cute, so I picked it up and made it for her.  She loved the elephant (she likes those anyway), and she thought the turtle was adorable.

I made this two sided, fleece blanket based on a pattern that can be found on the Martha Stewart website.  Instead of using one of the applique patterns (for ducks, or hearts) offered with the blanket instructions, I traced the turtle from her quilt kit, then used my printer to reduce the size.

I found some variegated yarn at Michael's that went along with the color scheme so well I couldn't resist knitting her another blanket.  I know, I know - lots of blankets.  But their house is on the cool side, and you never know how often a baby will spit up and need a clean blanket. 

I found the pattern for this online for free.  There are several sites that offer up free baby afgan patterns.  Though you can't see it well from the photo, there are knitted lines running the length of this blanket.  I thought the pattern needed to be simple given the variegation in the yarn.

The same manufacturer of the quilt kit had a kit for a shopping buggy cover,

and offered laminated fabric that I was able to make into a wet bag.  Now she'll have a place for any soiled clothes or spit cloths so they won't dirty other things in the diaper bag.

I also cross stitched a bib,

and a hooded baby towel.  I had a knitted washcloth that happened to be in a blue varigated yarn so I decided to give that to her, and I used a little of the extra toweling material to make a couple more washcloths.

And finally, I made her a diaper bag.  This is actually a pattern for a picnic tote, but it's the one she liked.  It has a draw-string top that will allow for a lot of stuff to be put inside if needed.  There are plenty of pockets around the outside and a few inside as well.  I took her shopping to pick out the fabric, and though you can't see it well from this shot, the uppermost fabric is a nursery print that has elephants on it.  It's really cute.

 

So you see?  I have been very busy - hence the neglect of my blog.  I'll try to be better now that all that work is out of the way. :)