Zoo Town Cutie Booties

By LEAH LEWIS

Wilson, Ada, Lilly, Lewis, Sawyer… these just a few of the new little ones I have met this year. I swear, 9 out of 10 of all my friends are having little ones this year!

Missoula’s got baby fever, probably spurred on the fabulous mamalode magazine. (Elke Govertson certainly makes motherhood look like the best job in the world. And we love her for her encouragement and humor!)

So if you are facing the Zoo Town Baby Boom of 2011 and need a great go to baby gift for all those showers we’ve found it.  As soon as you surf over to the beautiful Etsy page of Montana Magpies, you can’t help but smile and suddenly crave the smell of baby powder.

The site says “Woolens and Wares stitched by hand in Missoula, MT”. But the pictures say “fluffy little clouds of color that look like a rainbow of marshmallows!” And, we happen to know the maker, Shannon Duffey Mesenko, who so lovingly knits each pair. Have you seen the packaging? Adorable!

I would love to fill a basket full and look at them every day, to say nothing of being a great gift for the new or veteran mom. Everyone needs baby booties for their newborns and the Maiden knows that just about everything is better when it is handmade and local!

And even as inspired and confident as I am after my awesome beginners class at Loopy Knit Crochet this winter, I still feel hand-knitting two dozen baby booties is out of the question. (And my stitches would never be as tight and as even.)

Crafty mamas will appreciate the detail and quality workmanship and everyone will love these new baby must-haves!  I apologize to Jennifer and Tricia for spoiling what you’ll be getting for your newbies later this year, but I know you will adore them and your precious bundles of joy will probably pass them down to your grandkids someday.

Click here to see all of Maiden Missoula’s product reviews.

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Leah-11-150x150Leah Lewis is living the dream on Missoula’s Northside with her handsome and handy husband Mark, daughters Zoe and Mila, two dogs, and a cat.  She enjoys making things on her sewing machine, with her knitting needles, and in her kitchen. You can listen to her play today’s pop music every day on Fresh 104.5 FM. You might catch Leah and her family relaxing in their backyard, cheering on the Missoula Osprey, or rooting for the Lady Griz on any given weekend.