How Are You Spending Your New Year's Day?

[Eve]

Nice relaxing one here hopefully shifting the end of my cold before work tomorrow.

Had a lovely lie in and curled up on the sofa watching Pride and Prejudice with a lovely cafetiere of fresh coffee doing some knitting for the neonatal unit. Did one hat last night and another on the way.

Cooking up a nicee spaghetti bolognese later and hoping to get some energy and motivation up to go on a mad mission and start on a bit of a clear out - hoping to challenge myself to throw away as much as possible and have a good sort out. Think I'll stick one of my new sales bargains films on later once I've got all the washing and such done.

Happy New Year's Day All :)

[Eve]

Aww, of course. I don't tend to work to patterns to be honest but for a simple now faff hat (just a simple beanie with a fold up so it's adjustable) I use soft baby double-knit, cat on size 5 needles (nice stretch then for comfort and accomodating growth) though size 4 will give a more compact knit.

I cast on 20 stiches for a turnup though you can alter as appropriate then do a simple knit pattern for as many rows as appropriate (knitting the hat sideways if that makes sense) then gather by threading through and pulling in at the top (so less stitching to form anything aggravating at the top) and join the side seam.

Very quick to do and you can change as apropriate. I tend to keep it simple for tiny ones. Striped ones look lovely.

The one I did last night is little, 9 inches wide and 4.5 inches up (then turned up so not so high.

For sizes, I have this handy as it goes by weight so good for premature babies.

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html

[Psybbo]

So glad we save the champers for today hic

[Eve]

I also found this when I was looking around to start knitting, some good tips and some patterns too:

http://www.wye.co.uk/view/Information/Knitting_For_Premature_Babies/

[albaqwerty]

Boxy, I found this from Seekerz, but Jenna got there first. xx
HNY to all xx

'thanks smow, happy to be aboard !!

alba - this is the pattern i use for beanies for premmie babies, the smaller version, and I;ll look out the bigger one tomorrow

size 4.00m needles and soft 4 ply

cast on 54 sts, and work 16 rows in K1 P1 rib
change to stockinette [knit 1 row, purl the next] for 24 rows
then row 1 - K3, K2tog to the end of the row
row 2 - P2, P2tog to the end
row3 - K1, K2tog to the end
row 4 - K2tog to the end
gather remaining sts by running a thread through, sew securely then continue sewing the seam - add a bow or pompom if desired

this will keep you going for a bit xx '

[boxtops]

Brilliant, thank you Jenna!

[rowanwitch]

chilldoubt remember it well from my itu days...always had so many usually about 72 hours from christmas eve for us it was the paracetamol overdoses... often youngsters between 17-25 we lost so many

[granny grump]

Lazy day - lay in - caught up on calls missed making last night - now watching a dvd Company Men - with Tommy Lee Jones and Ben Affleck waiting for tea because I have started a diet today.

Happy New Year to everyone

[Eve]

Awfully sad and all credit to the wonderful people who are working hard saving lifes and with those that can't be saved and their families while most of us are relaxing and enjoying ourselves. Amazing people.

Boxy, I had some links on this thread I posted a while back too:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Hobbies-and-Interests/Question1167947.html

[granny grump]

I'll borrow that if it's ok Jenna boxtops and albaqwerty can't manage any large knitting projects any more but the hats sound ideal

[boxtops]

Thank you alba, too!

[albaqwerty]

Hope your friend's little 'un is OK Boxy. xx

[Dillions43]

I have two ill girls - 9 and 5 - and I have the lurgy too! We have done a bit of the clear up to keep warm and will now have a curry cooked by my hubby - 10 hours in the slow cooker - which he started last night on his own as the rest of us were in bed dosed up to the eyeballs! Really hope this bug goes soon as my 5 year old has been ill for coming up 3 weeks and has missed all the xmas fun. Happy New Year!

[Zacs-Master]

Lost at Poker. :-(

[China Doll]

Reading.

[Eve]

The more the merrier :) It's such an easy pattern and very quick to do.

Well, I'm quite impressed with myself, started on a big clearout and the recycling collectors are going to have their work cut out :) Am trying to rid myself of my carrier bag collection - hate to throw them out but even with reusing them I amass a load - need to do another Tesco home delivery as they will take them to recycle :) Got a load of stuff for charity too.

Washing done, kitchen cupboards cleared out, been on a febreezathon, spag bol cooked and now relaxing on the sofa with the cat ready for Eastenders. Got got to my film yet though was going so well on the clearing it was worth it. Think I'll be too tired to watch it all after Eastenders and want an early one as will be in work at 7am then a kidney scan after.

[boxtops]

Jenna, you can knit recycled shopping bags from the carriers, charity shops like them..... http://www.examiner.com/article/plarn-plastic-yarn-tote-bag-pattern

You cut the bags so there is a continuous strip 1 inch wide... :-)

[Eve]

I have very simple pattern for booties too if anyone wants it.

Cast on 28. Knit 10 rows.

Row 11 knit 12 stitches. Then knit two stitches together. Knit 12.

Row 12 knit across.

Row 13 knit 11 stitches knit two together then 11 more stitches.

Row 14 knit across.

Row 15 knit 10 knit two together then knit 10.

Row 16 knit across.

Knit 10 rows then sew up.

[Eve]

Wow, will have to give it a try, thanks :)

Ooh those booties are usual newborn size but you can adjust as needs be to tiny foot size, the patters is so simple, knit up to make the main bit of the foot then reduce in the middle by knitting two together every other row then knitting up the top bit. Easy to adapt :)

[fairycakes69]

Up late, walk the dog, then whole family round for the yearly steak and sausage pie, lots of cakes followed with cheese selection.