If there were such a contest, this might possibly be the winner.
It could really only be cuter if it were photographed on a real baby instead of an orange Happy Birthday balloon.
Did you know that blocking is extremely important to your knitting? And that when blocking a hat, Happy Birthday balloons are imperative?
If you're kntting a hat for a grown up, your blocking apperatus might look more like this:
In this case, I inflated the balloon to about the size that a newborn's head should be. Then I asked someone else in the studio who has also given birth to three children, "Is this the size of a newborn's head?" We inflated and deflated until we got it just about right.
Never mind that everyone else in the studio was thinking, "Yikes... that is actually... not small... considering..."
How's this? It does not feel small during the last two months of pregnancy. In fact, it feels like it's the size and weight of a bowling ball.
But after the baby is born, he or she seems so tiny and helpless. Much like this:
If you were so inclined, you could use a tape measure to choose the appropriate size for your balloon blocking.
The Craft Yarn Council has worked to standardize sizes and measurements used throughout the knitting world. The guidelines are voluntary, so don't count on all designers to follow them, but they're a really good starting point, if you're not sure what size head a three year usually has. (It's bigger than you think.) (You can see all the standard body measurements here.)
Knitting a newborn hat is one of the best projects in the world. Not only is it totally squeal inducing, but it's incredibly fast, and a great way to use up your yarn stash.
I used a great pattern for this hat that I will happily knit again, called the Small Things Bonnet, designed by Carina Spencer. It uses worsted weight yarn, and has both rounded bonnet or a pixie hood style. Totally recommend it and the sweater/romper that goes along with it.
As always, I made a couple of tiny modifications to the pattern, not because the pattern was lacking, but more because I must have some kind of block when it comes to doing something exactly as written. I did the front section in a contrasting color, and love how it looks. I made the pixie just a little bit pointier. Love it.
I chose a button in a third color that I think pops with the gray and pink. Although the baby is a newborn and not into mouthing things yet, I still sewed the button on really well to make sure it wouldn't be a choking hazard.
Can't you just picture it on sweet little Ceci?
I just checked again, and yep. It's still one of the cutest hats I've ever seen.
For more information on my Happy Birthday balloon blocking tutorial, you can visit this post.
Made any cute baby things lately?