The Year of the Baby

                                                     
While last year was the year of THE baby for us, I have officially deemed 2009 "The Year of the Baby."  Several of our friends and family members are expecting babies in 2009, and this has me knitting, sewing and cooking up a storm, especially for my sister and brother-in-law as we all anticipate the arrival of baby Zoe.

Since Jack's birth, I have become a rabid knitter.  I taught myself through a few books and articles torn from Martha Stewart's Living, and since Jack's arrival, I have found knitting to be very therapeutic during his naptimes.  My favorite source (and resource), for both knitting and sewing, is a little shop in Manhattan called Purl.  I can't remember where I discovered their website, but I visit www.purlsoho.com, and their online newsletter the purl bee so often, it is bookmarked at the top of my web browser.

Anyway, the owner of Purl is a lady named Joelle Hoverson and she has written two excellent books:  Last Minute Knitted Gifts and Last Minute Patchwork Gifts.  In Last Minute Knitted Gifts, she provides instructions for crafting toy rabbits, bears and elephants.  They have an old-fashioned quality to them and true to her word, you can knit one up in about 6 hours.  I made one for my almost-here niece and now have two more in the works, with a fourth on the way!  

For little girls, I am using Ms. Hoverson's original pattern of natural white yarn for the body and light pink for the ears (with blue eyes), and for Jack and other little boys, I like a light brown/tan body with white for the ears and green eyes.  Although some may prefer the bear for little boys, I am reminded of the Velveteen Rabbit and the little boy who loved him. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

The photo of the finished bunny I am posting with this article was made for little Zoe and is sitting on the cloth bag I made to use as "gift wrap" and double as a miscellaneous tote for Zoe's things.  The background of the bunny's paws (above) is some lovely fabric that I purchased from Purl, and is a Heather Ross print.  

As I make these fun little baby items (I'm also working on a few baby blankets, quilts and a sweater, but these are topics for another article), I think about the baby I am making the item for.  I pray for safe, healthy deliveries.  I pray for well-structured support systems for the parents.  I think about the beauty, miracle and blessing that life truly is.