Expecting...

So.... A dear, dear friend of mine has just told me that she's fallen pregnant and, in this revelation, she has given me two wonderful gifts!

I will, of course, now be the obligitory gay 'Uncle' whose main responsibilities are, as of the last time I checked the job description, to perform a lot of 'ooh's and 'ah's, dress the baby in ridiculously inappropriate (though cute) outfits and take them on exciting days out which culminate in a fever of hyperactivity at just about the moment they are due to be dropped back at home. At least - that's what I intend to do...... This is the gift of involvement, of having a role in that young life.

The second, and most relevant to this blog, gift that she has given me is that of the opportunity to make clothes, quilts, blankets and toys in preparation for Bubba's arrival. I have never before been lucky enough to experience somebody close to me having a baby, so I enter into the 'crafting for baby' arena with both excitement and trepidation. Of course, the fact that knitting for a new baby is a perfect way to help use up all of the odd skeins that I've mentioned previously is a massive boon! I don't believe I have anything in the traditional lemon yellow though, and my friend is adamant that she will not find out the gender in advance! It's probably a good thing that I will be forced to use a more contemporary unisex colour palette.... Come on Mother's Ruin - try to be at least a little creative!

After a little looking around I've come up with a few project ideas. What do you think?

This is the 'Connemara Pony' from Interweave, designed by Kathryn Martin and Evelyn Zlomke.

The Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman (like, who doesn't knit one of these eventually?!)

And finally - the 'Charm Squares Baby Quilt' from 'Oh Fransson'

These are kinda my top three - do you have any 'must-have' baby projects?

More soon

Mother's Ruin xxx