September 8, 2011

And Kelly Is Right

Somewhere, as I show you the pictures of today's baby item, and say "Hey, what do you think this makes?"

Somewhere, my sister-in-law Kelly spotted that, knew instantly what it was, and just fist-pumped into the sky and yelled "YES!"

See, what that weird little zig-zag bit of knitting makes what Kelly believes to be the world's best baby bonnet, and I know that she will admit to having a bit of a fetish for it. It's the hat from the Bouncing Baby Set in Homespun Handknit, and Kelly has knit a lot of them.  A whole lot of them.
It's the simplest little pattern, I've knit it here in BMFA Marine Silk (fingering weight) in a colour called "Buttah" and even though I hadn't knit one in years and years, It took me exactly 32 seconds to memorize the pattern.  It's genius, and creates - with a few tiny seams, a a bonnet that looks extremely odd and ill fitting.  It can even feel a little disappointing when you finish.

Somewhere now, Kelly is yelling "No, put it on a baby! You have to put it on a baby!" and Kelly is now making another excellent point, which is that even though this bonnet looks odd as fish before you put it on the littlest of heads, once you affix it to one, it's compellingly beautiful. 

It is a simple thing, and Kelly, would have you know that it fits like no other bonnet you will ever put on a baby, and holds their wee heads just so, covering just right, and doesn't come off and is warm and lovely and just what you want.  Exactly what you want.  That's what Kelly is saying right now.  I knit this little one at a slightly looser gauge (intentionally - for once) and then fulled it ever so slightly.  The yarn is 51% silk, 20% sea cell rayon, and 29% merino, so the merino pulled in and fuzzed ever so slightly, but it didn't loose the shine and softness of the silk and sea cell.

Kelly would tell you, if you could hear her right now, that it is exactly the way that she thinks things should be for new humans. Simple garter stitch, with no bells, no whistles - just a perfectly fitting cap to keep a newborn warm. I can hear her, sighing, imagining, remembering...and looking at that bonnet and thinking "Oh look, it's just right." 

In fact, somewhere -after looking at these pictures, Kelly probably just cast one on. 

Posted by Stephanie at September 8, 2011 12:45 PM