Baby Stuff!

I'm a big fan of garage sales. Apart from the political implications of reusing rather than purchasing new (which is super important to me), I also just really, really enjoy finding good crafting supplies. Like a bag full of wool yarn that someone's brought back from a trip to Ireland, has never found the time to utilize, and is now selling for $3. But lots and lots of garage sales are filled to overflowing with baby stuff.



Stuff that makes my head spin and makes me ruminate on who, what, and where we are as a culture. In my vocabulary, "baby stuff" has become synonymous with "a garage sale that has nothing I will purchase." So, for example, when we pass a garage sale and are deciding whether or not to stop in, if I say "baby stuff" to my mom, sister, husband, father or uncle (whomever has tagged/been dragged along for the morning), it's code for "Just keep walking, I don't want to stop at this one."

But when referring to recently handcrafted items for new babies, BABY STUFF takes on another, much more innocuous, meaning. It just means fun items I've made for babies that are on the way. So here is a photo of the kind of baby stuff I think is worthing stopping for-- a knitted sweater I recently made for a dear friend who is going to be a kick-ass momma:



I also sewed a fleece blanket and matching hat for the little critter. Notice the spiral design-- I did not intend to evoke Uzumaki, though I guess I may have!