Oh,Baby!

Well, the secret project has finally been revealed to its recipient, my knitting group friend, Paula, so I can now share it here, too. This is my Oh, Baby hat and socks, knit from the Irishgirlieknits Sweet Baby Kate pattern. The yarn is Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in the Aloha colorway, which was part of my first-ever Hazel Knits purchase back in 2009. I can't believe that it took me three years to knit something out of this happy color!

We had a baby shower for Paula on Saturday, and what a fun time it was, with games, great food and wonderful gifts! That little baby girl is going to have the most beautiful wardrobe of knitwear, not to mention two quilts and other assorted hand-crafted accessories.

In addition to the hat and socks, I also gave Paula My First Baby Surprise Jacket.

There is a story behind this gift. Paula and I were both in a Baby Surprise Jacket class at the late, lamented Village Yarn and Tea back in 2008. Several months later Paula joined our knitting class/group, and it took us quite a while to figure out that we had both been in that class. Earlier in her pregnancy, Paula brought her unfinished 2008 BSJ one Tuesday night to work on, and I remembered mine. A baby can never have to many hand knits, so my shower gift was complete!

When I knit the BSJ I wasn't sure whether it was for a boy or a girl, so I put a set of buttonholes on each side. Since Paula is having a girl, last week I closed up the left side buttonholes and sewed on these buttons that I purchased at Churchmouse Yarns & Teas over two years ago. It sure pays to plan ahead! Maybe I should get started on the gift for the next unknown baby now...