Spring blossoms of the crafty kind

I have finally finished Madelyn's "Little Blossom" dress, which I had been making for her to wear to Matt & Jasmine's wedding a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately due to the sewing I had to do for Austy's suit, it didn't quite make it but she looked cute in the dress she wore anyway and the weather hasn't been warm enough for this since that day so nothing is lost.

It still needs blocking and snaps at the back. If I did it again I would do buttonholes as it's a bit silly to put snaps on knitting I think as they always pull the work and it's in an area of strain here at the back of the neck. I still have to find the right colour grosgrain ribbon to stabilise the opening before I attach the snaps so it's not "technically finished" but it is off the needles. Madelyn was a bit too grumpy to try it on today and ready for bed almost as soon as she woke up, plus it's a little chilly so I'll wait until she's in a better mood to try it on.

The pattern is Rana, and I have used Bendigo Woollen Mills "Luxury" in the Baby Blossom colour. Quite a pretty and babyish pink. Normally I don't "do" pink but I do like babies to look like babies and since mine is so big, she needs baby colours to help her out a bit! I did the smallest size, which is meant to be a size 1, however since my gauge was a little tighter with this yarn (I think it's meant to be an 8ply or something but knitted on small needles), I used slightly larger needles and added extra rounds for the length, which makes it a little slimmer fitting than design. From the test fit I did of the bodice, it should be fine though, as long as the weather warms up before another growth spurt!

I have also been busy making things for my best friend Georgina's new baby. We didn't know the sex and George told me "anything pastel". I know she loves blues and turquoise as much as I do, and she did the nursery in a "Finding Nemo" theme so I went with that and decided to applique a sea turtle baby on the baby carrier I am making her. I have used Amy Butler's "Happy Dots" as the feature fabric, a complimenting solid homespun and cream canvas for the straps and body stabilising. I still have to finish this one off with the waist strap and triple stitching reinforcement but you can see how it's coming along.

I thought the turtle was a nice touch as I helped her paint the turtle in the nursery, and her hubby used to own turtles (I have one too) so we'd often chat about turtles in their pre-baby days. So every time she uses this she'll be sure to think of me.

I also cast on a milo vest for her new bundle, using a very soft DK bamboo/cotton by Sirdar. Unfortunately the newborn size which is meant to take only 100y decided to use up the whole 104y and still have a bit to go. With the beautiful Scarlett Eve being born on Saturday morning at 12:30am, I was unable to get more yarn to finish it until today so I know that I will be busy tonight finishing off both of these baby gifts ready to go and spend the whole day with her on Wednesday when she comes home from hospital.

My yarn, fabric and nappy stash also got a boost in the past few days with this gorgeous custom dyed wool arriving last week from Wooltopia:

Then two very funky itti bitti d'lish nappies arrived (no photos yet but I got the strawberry fields and moo moo) and made a few more pocket nappies to get through the wet weather without running out of nappies. The fabric mail came today but I've been slack and not yet photographed it. My favourite was this one for Austy. I could just about buy everything in that range!