Yippee!!!! Congratulations, SheilaJoyce! My only grandchild had his 7th birthday yesterday, and I cannot tell you how enriched my life is because he is here. You are going to be a wonderful grandma, I'm sure. Please let me know if you want any patterns. I have some adorable crocheted dress patterns, and some cute boy things as well.

Thanks, Donna. I will let you know when we get the news. I am going yarn shopping with my friend later this week.

Congratulations - I've been told I will have granddogs! Red Heart's New Mint Twinkle is very nice. They have a yellow also but I don't know the name of it. I also have a bunch of patterns so let us know what you what - coveralls, sweaters, buntings, etc.

Good idea, Susan--I could make a bunting. Had not thought of that. Since she lives in the city, she will do lots of walking with a stroller. Buntings do not work well for car seats, but just for taking a stroll they would be great.

I am mostly looking for darling sweaters, cute hats and booties and afghans. If we find it will be a little girl, I may attempt a little dress and matching diaper cover type panties.

I would like to crochet edges on some flannel receiving blankets, but I have a devil of a time getting that first row --actually the hook--into the flannel itself. So if any of you have a secret for that, do let me know.

Sheila, I know it is a bit of extra work, but I find that you won't have any puckering and it makes crocheting that first row much easier if you use the same thread that you will be crocheting with and make a row of button-hole stitch all the way around the blanket, spacing the stitches about as far apart as you would put the sc, then just crochet into the top of those stitches.

I will try that. I like that your suggestion also seems to take care of puckering too. All the edging patterns I have use huge numbers of stitches per inch. I wonder if I could make two base sc stitches into each buttonhole stitch. I almost feel like I am cutting the edge of the blanket off with the hook when I make the base row because those stitches are so close.

Do you have any favorite ways to join two squares of flannel,front and back? I have tried tying a yarn knot every so many inches, but I am afraid that they could work loose in the laundry and be lost. Any method that seems more secure to you?

Thank you for all your help!

I have no suggestions, just saying congratulations.

~ Kit

Big congrats to you!!! I'm also looking for baby things to knit and crochet up. I'm waiting for great grans, 2 of them during the same month, YIKES!!! My needles are smokin these days. I'm new here today so bare with me if I don't get these messages right on. Is'nt there a panel here that only discusses baby things knitted/crochet. I thought I saw and so I made myself a member but now can't find it. Well Sheila I just fined the 'Jamie blanket' using Bernat softee baby in blue and using the white one with the dots on it to add in one line about 1-1/2" wide 3" up from the bottom and also 3" up from the top. This pattern makes it's own scallops on the edges and on the last row at top. You do have to turn it around and only do one edge when done. Also cross stitched a bib which reads " Im in Charge" I'm going to start the 5 hour baby boy sweater this week. Babies are due in Dec. so I have some time. Nice to meet you Sheila. Again I'm happy for you and now have 11 grands. Take care.

We welcome you, Rose. No, I know of no baby needlework forum here. Since this child may be the only one to give me grandkids, I am going whole hog on the knitting and crocheting. (My sons show no interest in commitment. I guess that is good because I have not been impressed by their "friends" myself. Besides, who knows if any daughter-in-law may like my needlework as much as my DD--and her friends, I might add.)

I love to make booties (they stay on so well when they are homemade), sweaters (here in California, if someone makes a nice warm baby sweater, momma won't have to buy a coat for the baby.) hats and afghans. But I am now thinking of Prof Susan's suggestion of a bunting too. Just need to know if it is a boy or girl. If they stay up north, maybe I will make a cute fingering yarn dress for late summer next year or the following year.

I looked for baby mint sport yarn the other day, but the stores were sold out. Will try another store this week that is further away. I did find a mint, but it was not that really pretty soft mint, a little to bright.

one year (many, many years ago - these babies are now 31) I made 4 buntings - one yellow, one mint green, one light blue and one pink. This was before all the options we have not - I think we only had the traditional baby ombre then. There were four babies due and as it turned it there were two of each. The pattern I used had a geometric desgin with some pretty ugly colors so I just made it solid and sewed in a zipper. I can dig up this pattern if you are interested. There are also some great bib patterns I found on the web - two duck ones, an elephant, and the Coats & Clark Little Bits bibs are great also.

I would be interested in the bunting pattern. I do think I have to agree with you that this big city child needs a bunting. I was even wondering about using that Baby Clouds, I think it is called, and just making a very plain bunting. It is rather thick yarn and so fuffy that a design does not show up through all the fluff. Has anyone had much excperience with Baby Clouds? I made one blanket, but was not real fond of working with it. However, DD likes it, so you know what that means. I must make something with it. I am not into making bibs or cross stitching. Strange how sometimes we pick the type of needlework we like and ignore the others, isn't it. I used to do needlepoint and some embroidery, but no more.

Sheila, I think I have a bunting you will like. It has a hood, zips, and is all done in hdc. It also includes a pattern for a doll bunting so that when you make it for future grandbabies you can make one for the older sibling's doll as well. I've made lots of these and they go very quickly. As you suggested, it is a very simple pattern and it lets the yarn make the presentation.

If you'll send me an email I'll get the pattern to you this evening. I don't know how to send attachments through email sent through the forum.

And later, when you find out whether it's a boy or a girl I'd be happy to send you patterns for Annie's Baby Bootie Boutique if you don't already have them.

I'll find my pattern on Thursday when I have some free time. I'll scan it and then send it to you so send me an e-mail also so I have your direct address. Mine also has a hood. I think I have others and I know that Crochet Pattern Central has a few but I like the hooded one and the zipper makes it unisex.

I haven't worked with Baby Clouds but did work with Bernat Baby Boucle - similar in texture. I used it for the new hooded bobble baby blanket from Lion Brand. Their pattern calls for Jiffy - I made one in Jiffy and then another in the boucle.

OK, I know I have it.........just need to keep looking. In the meantime here's a link to eBay so you can see it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baby Bunting

Susan, I have that one, too. If you can't find it, let me know and I can scan and send to Sheila.

Congratulations. I am mostly a lurker hear but do post once in a while. We are expecting our 13 GGD in Sept. I have made a lot of things. I just finished my 2nd Turtle neck sweater with a Lamb on the front. Lamb is our family name. First one i did like that is 37 years old. [for our 1st GD and she still has it]. I still have my knit and chrochet books from when our boys were born and the fisrt one will be 60 in Sept. Thanks for letting this old lady ramble on.

Wow, Velleen,13 great grandchildren and how many grandchildren? What a special way to memorialize the family name.

Donna,

Please send the pattern to SheliaJoyce - mine is not downstairs so that means it is tucked away in the attic and it's too hot up there to do a search right now. Thanks.

Susan

Done.

Yes, I have worked with Baby Clouds by Red Heart (color: cotton candy), using a J-hook and it was difficult to find where to insert the hook with each and every stitch. The stitches are hard to find due to the boucle/chenille texture of the yarn. This slows one down considerably! So I made a square receiving blanket using sc, ch-1, sc, ch-1 and still had diffiulty finding where to insert the hook making each row stitches. Once the square was made, I did a simple scalloped edge using 5 dc in ch-1 sp, sl st in ch-1 sp, but it was a relief when done. To make it look better than it was, I put a tassle at each corner. This project took 4 skeins, as the yarn works up very quickly, disappearing rapidly. I had enough left to make a small hat with ears and ties. Email me for more info.

I think I would use at least a K (or even L) hook with Baby Clouds. As I explained earlier, I used Bernat Baby Boucle and that has a similar texture - the blanket is the Lion Brand hooded and it uses a K hook with sc - easier to see where the stitches are. I've attached a photo

So cute, Susan. I do love that popcorn stitch!

found a pattern for a ribbed baby blanket from Red Heart using Baby Clouds - it called for using a P hook

I made one baby blanket with the Baby Clouds yarn. I think I crocheted it. You have to find the next stitch by feeling for the hole with the pads of your fingers sometimes. I suspect that knitting with it would be easiest.

Congratulations!!!! Isn't it so much fun? Being able to plan everything you wan to make out along with planning out what to make. I have alot of patterns for toys. One is a train pattern toy that is so soft. So many things to think of making and so many thing of buying. I jsut went ot a baby shower afew weeks ago and made a Diaper Casket out of 112 infant diapers. I then filled it will all kinds of things but wrapped everything I bought in diapers. It turned out to be a big hit. I knitted a hat for a new born baby and in cross stitch I put WT: for weight and on the second row I put Born: / / and on the third row I put HT: for height. On the other side of the hat, people can put the babies name. What a fun keepsake it will be for someone.

Here is a link to a Free Pattern. It's a Panda Bear Bib.
http://crochet.about.com/npbbib.htm

me too! I'm looking for a tumbling blocks baby afghan pattern
there is one on lionbrand but it is the adult version.