Miss Lydia's Cocoon and Hat

Becky and Kenny received the BEST news . . the baby they were planning on adopting would be born 08 April 2013. The adoption is an open adoption . . . Becky was in the delivery room when Miss Lydia was born and, I believe, she cut the cord.

Becky is the daughter of an acquaintance from high school who became a close friend from the school I taught in. She is also a former student, so I consider her special . . . and, to top it all off, she is just "a good kid!"

I knew I wanted to make something special . . probably a receiving blanket and then look and see what's available.

The hubster and I made a trip to Joanne's to look at soft flannel . . . I found the PERFECT flannel . . . light pink with dark pink ballet slippers shadowed in gray. Since Becky was a ballerina all of the years she was in school, I knew this would be perfect.

I had them cut a square of the material, so it is probably 45" x 45" . . . I know it is larger than a normal blanket, but I wanted a square. I know it is larger than 36' x 36", but I am too lazy at the moment to measure it, so you will have to take my word for it.

I am doing a gray Blanket Stitch round the edging (folding the selvage under to make a hem) and have 3 sides done and will finish the fourth side after I finish what I am doing now. 

When the 4th side is finished, I will have to find an edging I like and who knows how long that will take to put it around this monster receiving blanket.

Here is the photo I fell in love with.

Tulip Cocoon
Tulip Hat 

Here's my finished project.

Adaptations to the hat:

1. I left off the white edging . . why? I have no white yarn and I wanted to finish it.
2. I added two extra rounds to the hat. I wanted to make sure it was long enough to fit over the head. It fits my 15" ball, but just in case . . I'd rather have it longer that sliding up the baby's head.

Adaptations to the blanket: 

1. I made the cocoon "sack" 14" long.
2. I couldn't figure out the Crocodile Stitch pattern for the cocoon. I Googled the stitch and found a GREAT photo tutorial on My Merry Messy Life. (It is a two part tutorial . . foundation row and first row of actual crocodile stitches. Part 2 shows how to add the 2nd and 3rd rows and explains how to continue.) I changed the dc crocodile stitch on the pattern to the hdc crocodile on the tutorial. . . . I liked the smaller look for the blanket.
3. I made three rows of crocodile stitches instead of the two shown on the original cocoon.
4. I'm on my 3rd round of crocodile sts . . I think I will finish the cocoon with a round of sc.

Now, back to work . . . maybe I will get the cocoon finished today. I want to buy some pink ribbon to weave through the ribbing. I think it would soften it up some.