Don't know what the weather is like in August in your area. But even if it is very warm, a baby cap or two would still be a good idea, IMO. Does your niece know the sex? If it's a boy, I especially like the little ear flap caps. There are some for girls, too.

Not sure why you don't like knitted booties but I'm making a pair of "Ugg" boots. There is a free on-line pattern. I'm also making a cardigan with matching booties for someone else. I'll throw in an extra pair of ugg booties for her too, since they're sooooo cute.

I am knitting several little vests for my 4 month old grandson. The white ones seem to most easily match his wardrobe, but I have also knit blue and an ecru with brown flecks.

Most baby gifts are for the sizes in the first 3 to 6 months, so I try to make items that are closer to 12 months in size, because that tends to be when the mother runs out of cute gifts for the baby to wear. If they live in a cold weather area, I like to knit a warm hat, cardigan and booties to match for cold days. Also, smaller blankets (24 inches or so square) are the perfect size for the cradle, stroller, and car seat.

Thanks sheilajoyce. I don't know about the vests because I don't know the baby's gender--something to keep in mind for another one.

I like the idea of the stroller car seat blanket. I just might do one. I have a ball of white too so I may do a striped one---Thanks

Oilpainter,

I forgot to mention that the thing my daughter asked for most, and asked for yet more again and again, were burp cloths. At first, I was sewing them from double sided 100% cotton flannel about 18 inches by 24 inches or so, which I edged with several rows of cotton crochet thread. I mostly used up the sizable scraps from when I sewed double sided flannel receiving blankets with crocheted edges in cotton thread. The only others that she had were tiny store bought burp cloths that were a waste of time.

Then I decided to just crochet edges on prefolded cloth diapers, and originally I found some cute ones in juvenile prints that were actually too thin IMHO for use as an absorbent diaper but great for burp cloths. I know I have made about two dozen of these for her, and she still uses them. I also just buy plain white prefolded diapers and trim them in colorful cotton crochet thread in size 3 if I can find it. You cannot buy good sized burp cloths in stores these days.

If you sew but don't crochet, I have seen cute decorated diaper burp cloths with colorful fabric binding the edges and sometimes either a little applique design or embroidered name.

I highly recommend lots of burp cloths for your neice or nephew.