Accomplishments

So I accomplished quite a bit this weekend...started a quilt with my new quilting supplies...started sewing them together until the baby woke up. Also finished a hat on Friday night, did another pumpkin one Sat and finished another random one today! Trying to use up some of the yarn I already have before I go crazy and buy a bunch more for Santa hats :) Here is what I finished this weekend...

Done Sat-Will be adding a Pumpkin ribbon...white was all I had at the moment....

Finished Fri night-Pooh was the best I could do :)

Randomly done on Sun...no good head to model on...must find someone with a spare doll head...

Little blue eyelet

So here is the little blue eyelet hat I finished this morning. Super stretchy and cute as can be. The i-cord is missing on this one but it still turned out good IMO.

Here's the pattern link:
http://woolwindings.blogspot.com/2007/11/preemie-hat-pattern.html

Poo and fevers

So between HORRID diaper rash on one child and high recurring fevers on the other, I haven't gotten very far this week on my hat :( What I have gotten done I'm not thrilled with. It's supposed to have eyelets but the eyelets aren't even noticeable...I may start over on this one!

Can't get the idea of trying to do something good for kids and/or NICU babies around Christmas. I think I might ask my knitting group girls if any are willing to commit to making an item or 2 items or more...see if they have any interest in it...

So excited as we're meeting at a knitting store tomorrow in town...I've never been there but have a feeling I'll go there more than once! Thinking tomorrow my purchase might just be square knitting needles! We shall see...

Weekend

So I didn't actually get to make any blankets as planned this weekend. Wound up sick and glued to the couch whenever the boys didn't need me. Have a Tastefully Simple party next weekend but I'm hoping maybe I'll get a chance on Sunday or something...Also am starting a new hat today...not sure if I'll attempt another pumpkin or break out a brand new ball of yarn......decisions, decisions.....

2nd preemie pumpkin

So this is something I just randomly did.

Knit with Peaches 'n Cream yarn (got to love that it's only a $1) using the Magic Loop method. Used size 5 circular needles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBSmxGomPk&p=057092DE55B6981C&playnext=1&index=8

Cast on 48
K6, P2 for 26 rounds
Changing to green
Knit round 27
Purl round 28
Decreases:
K6, K2tog
Knit 1 round
K5, K2tog
Knit 1 round
K4, K2tog
Knit 1 round
K3, K2tog
Knit 1 round
K1, K2tog
Purl 1 round
K2tog all the way around

Then I just made a stem on top and sewed it shut!

Not my favorite but not bad seeing as I totally made it up as I went...

Another pumpkin...

So rather excited by the hat I'm doing right now...So far it looks slightly more like a pumpkin...now i just have to keep it looking like that!! Hopefully be able to finish it by the weekend. Will be busy tomorrow night with a Tastefully Simple party but I shouldn't be late so maybe I'll still get to work on it after that! This weekend I'm breaking out the old sewing machine again to make up some blankets. I've got plenty of fabric to use up!! Make hubby happy too to get some of that fabric used up!!

Leah's Blanket

Made this while my niece Leah was still in the womb. Finished March 2010.

Teeny hat

This I believe was an actual Bernat Softee pattern

Pumpkin Hat

Pattern I found online...see link...just made a couple stems instead!http://www.20hatsproject.blogspot.com/

My goal

Alright...the whole purpose of me even starting this blog is because I feel like this is something I can do to make a difference. A small way I can give back...this uses my imagination and I put a whole lot of love into whatever I'm working on.  I am by no means an expert seamstress or an experienced knitter...but I enjoy doing it and have heard from many that it is terribly appreciated. If anyone is interested I'll share patterns I use and pics of the finished products before I turn them over to the local NICU.

I hope that others will join me in this little quest...I would love to be able to consistently make large, monthly donations to the NICU. To make sure that the NICU NEVER runs out...I would love to be able to raise funds and be able to do holiday themed day where a bunch of us sit down and make gifts like pj's or quilts or hats for the kids who are stuck in the hospital over the holidays...to hopefully brighten their spirits and put them in the holiday mood! I want to make preemie holiday themed hats...who knows, maybe someday I can even come up with some of my very own!

Obviously I'll never meet every baby that I ever knit or sew a blanket/hat for...but it doesn't matter. This is the baby's first blanket or first hat and I can only hope that their mother/father will keep it and cherish the memories that go with it. Alright, enough sappiness!!

April