Who doesn't love a newborn baby? And what about all those cute clothes? I have a granddaughter and a great grandson who are 13 days apart. My granddaughter is the older one. I absolutely love shopping for them. It seems like I can't go by the baby section without at least glancing over to see what's available. I'm sure there are others who do the same as me.
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My grandchildren, Tristan and Lillian
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This weeks blog is all about baby wear. My feature Etsy shop, BabywearbyBabs.etsy.com does nothing but knit booties, mittens and sweaters for newborns and toddlers. The shop owner is Barb Woolmington, also known as Babs. Barb started knitting when she was 12 years old. Along the way, she also learned how to sew, embroider, macrame and needlepoint from her mother and her aunts. After high school Barb received a degree in textiles at Hood College in Frederick, MD. She then made her way from the east coast to the San Francisco Bay area where she now resides with her husband. She has raised 2 children and after a absence from knitting, she decided to take it up again.
Barb opened her Etsy shop in 2011. She designs and hand knits all of her baby wear. When she opened her shop, she chose baby clothes because she was able to design and complete the project in a short amount of time. She likes pinks and blues, but her preference is more out of the ordinary, with modern colors, chic textures. original patterns and designs. Barb likes to work with wool, wool blends, and acrylic blend yarns because they are
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Lady Bug Booties (Size 0-3 months) $19.00
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soft, washable and usually come in many vibrant colors. Barb, like any good designer, has a basic pattern that gets adapted. The colors either get switched or there is a design variation in the basic pattern. When she needs that little extra inspiration, she goes to her Barbara Walker knitting books. Barbara Walker is a famous knitter and designer and happens to be Barb's (Bab's) distant cousin. When she finds something she likes, Barb puts her own twist on it and it becomes something different and new. (See photo below.)
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Navy Blue and Green Cardigan (Size 12 - 18 months) $58.00
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However, most of her inspiration comes at night right before she goes into deep slumber or early in the morning. According to Barb, a little extra divine inspiration may come from her mother, who Barb thinks is sometimes sitting next to her.
Barb's process before she begins to knit the chosen piece is to first sketch out the design onto graph paper. Then she begins to knit the item. She says that each piece has their own character and as she knits, she enjoys watching them come to life.
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Child's Long Cuff Ski Mittens (Size 2T) $21.00
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When Barb is not working on her Etsy shop, she is frantically working with numbers. She and her husband own a commercial property management business. Barb's job is to take care of the books for their clients. Knitting and designing are Barb's way of relaxing and relieving the stresses of the day.
Barb's Etsy shop is a great place to find her. However you can also find her on Twitter, Wanelo, Facebook and Stumbleupon. Here are the links to those places as well.
Although most of the items in BabywearbyBabs.etsy.com are in the newborn to toddler size, Barb will do custom requests. So go ahead and ask for that something special for a special baby, shower gift, or grandchild. It will become a family heirloom that, because it's been personally handmade with love, will last forever compared to a manufactured item. Now let's see what else Barb has in her shop.
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Hand Knit Easter Baby Booties (0 - 4 months) $19.00
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Fisherman Knit Baby Sweater for Boy or Girl (Size 18 - 24 months) $65.00
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Long Cuff Striped Winter Mittens (Size 12 - 18 months) $21.00
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Made to Order San Franciso Giants Booties (Size 0 -3 months) $22.00
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I want to thank Barb for being my feature shop this week on my blog. Barb's shop, Baby Wear by Babs, has plenty to choose for that special baby, toddler or even a preschooler. Also don't forget to check out her other sites as well. Happy shopping!
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Your Style, Your Mood, Your Personality
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