My First Friend

Friends and long-time blog readers will not at all be surprised to hear that my stealth baby gift (mentioned very briefly in recent Monday posts) was another baby surprise jacket in my favorite colors of my favorite baby yarn - Debbie Bliss's baby cashmerino in vintage/dusty pink and chocolate.

They're just fun! I had to laugh at my recent guild meeting because I still remember the meeting during which they discovered that I had never made one of these gems...and now it's practically all I do!

However, this mama to be is extra-special, and she needed more than just a BSJ. Another favorite of mine is Debbie Bliss's basic baby cardigan (My pattern came from Baby Cashmerino 1). I made this sweater for my eldest and for my niece, and both girls wore it frequently. It's just one of those wardrobe staples that a girl needs! Fortunately, I had plenty of yarn and just enough buttons to do both sweaters. Sweet as can be!

And by the way...the BSJ will fit this winter, usually lasting up to about six months or so, and the Bliss cardigan is in the 12-24 month size, so it will be saved for next winter. As usual, the BSJ took about 2-3 days to make. I completed the cardi in 6 days - although it was a near thing and I had to dry it on a fan after washing and blocking to make sure it made it to the shower on time! Wouldn't change a thing, though, because the mama deserves both!

Mama to be is my friend Amy - someone who I've (quite sadly) not seen very often since I left home, but who is always in my heart. Amy and I were to have been born on the same day - but I was three weeks early and she a week late. At the very least, we managed to coordinate our birthdays so that we were both born on the 17th, and since then we've shared many special memories. We were raised together in the same church, and I honestly can't remember a time when I didn't know her. High school was particularly tough for me - but Amy was always kind and always worked to make sure I was included. She was, therefor, one of the only people I kept in contact with after I left home, and I still treasure the letters we wrote back and forth. As we introduced ourselves at the shower, Amy pronounced me her 'First Friend' which meant more to me than she could ever possibly know. She was my first friend, too, and one of the best I've ever had!

And by the way....she is having one of those fabulous, glowing pregnancies which women dream of! Doesn't she look gorgeous!

PS. Amy's mother recently gave her a sweater and hat that my mother made for Amy when she was a baby. Amy is looking forward to dressing her daughter in that treasure, too!