The Fifth Star Block
The slow crafting process continues Chez Biologist -- only one more quilt block to show for myself.
Once again, I like everything about this star except the very center. I can't quite figure out where the wonkiness comes from -- probably my seams are not quite the 1/4 inch that they are supposed to be. As the pieces get built up, there's a little more tendency for them to slide around a bit, at least in my hands. What I do like about this block is how the brown tree trunk pattern ends up forming a ring around the bees, and how the leaves fan out towards the points. I chose the pink background fabric to provide a big contrast against the green and to pick up the flash of pink in the wings of the little bees.
Sewing this block gave me the chance to think about knitting. Very specifically, I can't take my sewing machine to Toronto next week, and one sock cuff isn't likely to be enough knitting to keep me busy Sunday through Thursday. At the same time, this also isn't the time to start a large knitting project, because I don't want to haul that much knitting gear or yarn along with me in my suitcase.
So I got to thinking about one skein projects, and as I was moving my knitting books around, I came across Zoe Mellor's 50 Baby Booties to Knit
Oh, it seems such a long time, since I've knit my last pair of booties - my daughter's 4th birthday is in september ...
I don't have a absolute favorite pattern, but I love booties with ties. The only way to make them stay on littly baby feet.
My children wore their booties most times over the romper, so the wool wasn't directly on the skin. Sock yarn is just fine for that purpose. For direct skin contact I love pure merino, especially bebe from Lang Yarns is just a dream for fine baby clothing. And it's mashine washable. A dream for a young mother!
Here's a link to my favorite pattern:
http://www.wiseneedle.com/string-or-nothing/PermaLink,guid,089e1fd3-3394-d4af-6820-0007e96ddfa0.aspx
It's the ubiquitious Stay On Baby Booties, and they do. My grandmother & I made them for my children 14 & 16 years ago, and I've made them for many friends over the past 16 years. They're quite amenable to modifications; I usually rib the cuff instead of stockinette, use ribbon instead of I cord, & sometimes I don't do the yarnovers for the holes for ties, and they still stay on.
My favorite yarn for booties is Artyarns Ultramerino 4. It's very soft in lovely colors. I think you're right - booties would be a good way to use up sock leftovers, but IMHO wool/nylon is a little too scratchy for babies. Nothing but the best for Baby Z!
I've knit many of the booties from that book. The instructions are clear & the reaction you get from the parents was great. However when the book came out my boys were well beyond booties so I can't say how well they stay on. Booties I was given were the more traditional type & always came off, so I put socks on the boys. I liked wool for my babies in the winter.
Although I don't like it for adult socks, I liked Cascade Fixation for booties for my kids. I could make them relatively snug and not worry about them being too small, but still know they would stay on. I made at least a few inches of ribbing (more like a sock, really, than a traditional bootie) so I could fold it over as a cuff and they stayed on very well. My son didn't seem to care about having stuff on his feet but my daughter sure did/does.
My little one could rip anything off her feet -- I figured if she wanted it off, it didn't matter how it was made. I met many people at the grocery store handing me discarded footwear (it was amazing how far she could throw them as well). Tiny socks are great too. Have a good trip!
The quilt is looking wonderful. I am really enjoying watching and learning.
I always make baby sized socks with my left over sock yarn. I usually do wild color heel and toes. I have given away dozens and lots for my own grandchildren. Everyone loves them and they stay on better than booties.
it's really hard to get the centers exactly right on that kind of star / they come out wonky more than half the time. you can try putting that super skinny basting tape in to hold the layers in place (it's skinnier than 1/4 inch so you don't sew into it), it's better than pins sometimes because it is continuous if you know what i mean. you can try all the usuals: sew slower, pin more, etc. but i often think it's just pure luck when one comes out.
The quilt blocks are so beautiful! I've seen the stack-and-whack books but never an actual quilt in progress. I am going to be EXTREMELY IMPERTINENT and I hope this doesn't come across as criticism of any sort (because I LOVE your fabrics & blocks) but may I suggest you consider using a solid or static print for some of the backgrounds? Your choices have so much large-scale movement and life that there isn't that resting place for the eye, perhaps. IMHO. Totally unsolicited.
I hope you put all the songs with "star" in them in a playlist and listen to that while quilting. I'll start you off...Madonna - Shining Star.
My absolutely favorite yarn for babies is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. I have made booties, blankets, sweaters and hats. It has 10% cashmere in it and is very soft for baby's skin. The gauge is like 21-22 sts per 4 inches. And it also comes in to the most wonderful colors.
Barb
Any booties with ties around the ankle work really well. Otherwise they just fall off - at the worst time, like when you are at the coffee shop and you're about to pay for your much-needed latte because you've had 2 hours sleep last night and you have to pick up your little one because he/she is crying and your balancing him/her and your wallet to pay.... phew! And then you get home to find that one of those booties you lovingly knitted before he/she was born is still on the floor at the coffee shop.
I also put booties on over their sleeper, and they do cling on. And with my third, I wore her most of the time in a pouch so she couldn't get at them to pull off anyway. Other times, I put socks on under the sleepers as it was fall/winter. I like the 'stay on bootee' too, I have the pattern in the Tips and Trade Secrets book, and in "Knitting For Baby" by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas. I really like this book and have made a few things, especially the toy balls, although I didn't felt them.
For bootee yarn, I just used whatever was around that said to me "Make bootees". LOL.
Now, I don't have any personal experience with this. But I've stopped knitting bootees altogether as gifts. I'd make baby socks now.
My favorite bootie (bootee?) pattern is from Fiber Trends: http://www.fibertrends.com/viewer/patterns/CH36.html
The hats are cute, too.
As for yarn, some of my favorites are Rowan Wool Cotton, Rowan Cashsoft or Cashcotton DK, Lorna's Laces (any weight), Plymouth Encore, and bits and pieces of leftover sock yarn.
I've been watching your star progress and enjoying it. I've been using that same Groovy fabric in a One Block Wonder octagon quilt - I'm done except for the borders now. Loving it!
Having done a number of stack&whack quilts (and a little teaching along the way), I can tell you what is likely your problem in the center of your stars. When you had your fabric stacked and pinned prior to cutting the diamonds, the layers slipped just a little bit when you did the actual cutting. Doesn't take much movement to throw off the center.
You can check this along the way by holding up your stack of cut diamonds and re-pinning near the points - your seams may not line up correctly when the points are right. May need a little more trimming and then careful adjustment with your seam allowances to compensate for the change in size.
Email me if I can be of further assistance.
I love making booties & socks for babies. I've usually got yarn left over when I make socks for adults. The softest thing I've felt in a long time is the Regia Silk. It's like knitting with air. I usually end up making the same cable or lace pattern that was used for adult socks, only with fewer repeats or modify the number of stitches in a repeat. A little longer ribbing than looks proportional helps them stay on - at least until she finds her feet, then nothing will keep them on!
Really top-notch cutting and piecing on those quilt blocks--LeMoyne Stars can get nasty!
Really top-notch cutting and piecing on those quilt blocks--LeMoyne Stars can get nasty!