Let me first say that if you are one of the few crafters out there that feels guilty that they don’t ‘feel like’ knitting while they are pregnant, you are not alone.
Ever since I became a knitter I have read and heard from others the joy of conceiving and getting to knit for their little bundle while they anxiously awaited their arrival. I excitedly anticipated the day that I would get my turn at it. I casually dreamed of all the items I wanted to knit for my baby. The list grew rather large; of course a blanket, a dress or pants, several hats for baby’s cold head, lots of socks, some stuffed toys, and on and on. One of my favorite books to peruse is The Expectant Knitter by Marie Connolly and I would lazily daydream that maybe I would spend my pregnancy knitting through it a la the movie Julie and Julia.
Discovering I was pregnant with my first child was one of those special joys that I will never forget. Elation doesn’t even come close. But soon to come was the nausea, the bloating, and my personal favorite – acid reflux. In the few days I felt well enough, I planned my baby’s first blanket. I ordered the yarn, I scanned through all my books, I made notes on the alterations I wanted to make and I got my needles ready. As soon as my yarn arrived, I wound it with extreme care, imagining how beautiful my blanket would be. I cast on, got about two inches in, and then my second trimester started. The nausea decreased but everything else got worst. My good days were fewer and farther between and very little got done. When I came home from work in the evenings all I wanted to do was lay down. Eating was not at all on my list of evening activities, let alone sitting up long enough to knit on a blanket. By the end of my second trimester I had maybe ten inches of blanket (knit in the round so it wasn’t big at all, still technically a fancy washcloth) and on top of my pregnancy symptoms I was racked with guilt for not enjoying my expectant knitting more. Did this mean I loved my little baby less? I wasn’t willing to suffer a little so that she would have sweet hand knit things for her arrival? The answer is a resounding NO of course!
My sweet little Evelyn entered my life in late December, right on her due date, but not after 36 hours of hard labor. She is perfect in every way and completely worth the nine months of acid reflux. Thankfully she has a whole cast of close friends and family that knit and crocheted for her so she was perfectly warm and cozy coming home from the hospital.
I finished my blanket by the way. Of course it was after she was born! Que Sera! She will love it none the less and I am still proud to have finished it for her.
Evelyn @ 1 month
We had a fantastic time shooting the Victoria Cowl around town. A special thanks to my model, you can find her over here at 
