I don’t have an explanation as to why I used up over 2 weeks of knitting time to make this, other than “It just felt right”. I shelved several other projects (and some knitting homework - but who needs entralac anyway?) to get it done.

The uterus and fetus are entirely improvised. I made them up as I went along. The placenta is based on this pattern, but I cabled the underside because it seemed like the thing to do.

The components, when separated, aren’t nearly as lovely as when they are put together. The whole thing is amazingly cuddly, if one ever thought about cuddling a gravid uterus.

The fetus was knit in one piece because I absolutely hate knitting separate pieces and then sewing them together. I actually started knitting at the waist and went up, decreased at the shoulders (slipping each first stitch) and picked up those stitches later for the arms, and picked up along the cast-on edge for the legs. I’m kind of disappointed in the fetus - it’s not as realistic as I wanted it to be - but damn, it’s not easy knitting realistic fetuses. And when it’s all cuddled up in its home, it looks pretty good.

The umbilical cord isn’t really attached to the fetus. I just looped a piece of yarn through the belly and tied it in a bow through the end of the umbilical cord for future removal, if I ever felt like doing that. I like the bow. It looks cute.

So there you have it.

ETA: A lot of people have asked me why I made this. Rather rudely, some of them. Jerks. Anyway, back in the fall of 2008 I had two miscarriages in the space of two months. Those pregnancies were very much wanted and I was heartbroken, but at the time I tried very hard to keep from thinking about it. I conceived again shortly after the second miscarriage and my daughter Marigold was born at home on September 28th, 2009 (home VBAC ftw!).

In the last couple of months I’ve been thinking a lot about those pregnancies. I’m not one of those “X number of months since we said goodbye, mama to two angels!” people, but I felt that their existence bore recognition in some way. And somehow this felt right.

When I had the second miscarriage, I fell to knitting to occupy my mind and my hands. Until then I only knew the basics and had this strange fear of learning anything knew, but I decided to “knit without fear” and just pick whatever project I wanted to try and learn it as I went along. And that’s how my obsession with knitting came to be, and that’s why I always associate knitting with pregnancy and birth.

In the words of the immortal Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.

ETA: Sold on Etsy on June 7/10/. I feel kind of sad. I didn’t expect that anyone would actually want it, you know? That begs the question “Why did you put it up for sale, then?”

ETA2 (Dec/2011): I really appreciate all the feedback! And to those of you who are wishing for a pattern, I too wish that I could provide it. Aside from the placenta, I improvised this project and have no recollection of what I did. I even tried to make another one with disastrous results.

I’m sorry! I wish I had been writing it down as I went along.

Again, I really love all the support I’ve been getting from you Ravellers. It means a lot. :)