This is a redemption post - woo hoo!
Back in December I had a sewing/knitting/baking
fail weekend of epic proportions. One of my fails was this sad and shapeless knitted cowl.
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| It should have looked like this. |
But the nice thing about knitting, is that you can unravel your yarn and it basically ends up back in it's original form, unlike sewing. I actually knit up this ball of Malabrigo Rasta three times before landing on the right project for it... a cocoon for Raspberry. It looks a little pinkish in these pictures, but the color is really a very rich red.
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| Laurel Love Cocoon with Hearts |
This is patterned after the
Laurel Love Cocoon by Melissa Riley, which is basically a tube sock for your baby to be swaddled in. I'm learning a lot about newborn development these days. Going from the confined quarters of the womb to the great big world is tough, and being swaddled can give a sense of security and comfort to a sensitive baby. Also, with such little motor control, swaddling can help a fussy baby remain more calm. Poor babies! I'd be upset all the time, too, if I hit myself in the face with my own hands on a regular basis.
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| Cosy Cocoon Swaddle |
The original is plain, but I decided that it would be a perfect application for a little bit of lace and cable work. I picked the heart pattern from the center of
these cashmere socks, which have since sprung a hole.
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| With a curious stowaway |
Not only did it add more interest to the cocoon, but it made it a more enjoyable project to knit. You could really knit this up with any lace pattern that fit within the number of stitches. I knit this 17 stitch pattern on one side and left the back plain. Other than that, there isn't much to say about this quick and satisfying project other than the yarn is plush and lovely. It is thicker than the called for yarn, so I knit it up on size 15 needles, reducing the total stitch count to 38.
A knit cocoon did spark some interest among the herd, and Dragon was elected to investigate this new curiosity.
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| Dragon the Hippo |
I think he really does show how we can use the cocoon as Raspberry grows. When Raspberry is too tall to snuggle all the way down, it can be used up to the chest or waist to allow for arm movement.
Anyway, this was a fun and quick project with a double bonus - the use of yarn from my stash that happens to be the perfect color for the holidays.
