Baby Cocoons

I have made three baby cocoons for little ones recently, and now that they have gone to the recipients, I can share the pictures with you.

The first was for a preemie, who was only two pounds at birth, and 14 inches long.  Fortunately for he and the parents, he grew out of it quicker than I was able to get it to him.

The other two were for newborns, and stretched a little more.  I adapted a pattern from Christina's Sunshine Haven.  In the first one, I decided to sew up the top, to make a hood. I only used one strand of yarn, so it is really stretchy.

The other one is made with two strands of yarn.  I took off the top part, the head rest, and made it a little longer.  I also made a matching hat.  This is the one that was my favorite.

I asked the new mom for a picture of the babe in that one.  I hope it fit!

Pin It

Gingham Baby Blanket

I have fallen way behind on my Granny-a-Day Challenge.  Back in September, I bought a bag of granny squares already made for $3.  All I had to do was stitch them together.  There was probably more than 200.

I started with the white, light blue and dark blue squares, and based my blanket off a pattern in one of my granny square books.  I finished with a border of dc's in a soft fuzzy blue yarn from my yarn stash.

Pin It

FO Friday (night!)

I did manage to finish a sweater vest that I had started crocheting for my husband last winter.  I didn't do anything with it over the summer, because it was so hot.  Since it is cooling down again, and I wanted to finish it in time for him to wear it this year, I have been working on it the last couple of weeks.  I found a pattern for it in an old Workbasket magazine, and used some of my bargain yarn from "Big Lots."  I added the stripe of burgundy in the front, and I like the vertical stripes of front post stitches.  Some of those patterns in that magazine are timeless!

Pin It

FO Friday~10/26

Well, it is still Friday where I am, so I guess I will join in to FO Friday.  I have crocheted a Mobius Cowl.  The yarn is some I got at Stitches Midwest.  It is from Blue Heron Yarns, in the colorway called Dawn.  I bought a 400 yard skein of this soft twist wool, and it was enough to do this project.  I was inspired to make a smaller version of  The Crochet Dude's Mobius Cowl in his book of crochet patterns called  "Hug it Out."  I had also bought an autographed copy of this book at Stitches Midwest.  After playing around with the finished project, I found a couple of ways to wear it:

Over the shoulders

Draped cowl

as a scarf

 I also had a picture of it as a hood, but didn't like how it looked, so I didn't post it. ;)

Pin It

Missing All of You

Since I am back to work full-time at school, I rarely get to get on here, either to post or to visit any other blogs. It was wonderful this summer, especially during a very difficult period health-wise, to come on this blog and see your encouraging comments.  But now the school-year is in full swing, and I am often too tired to get on the computer when I get home, much less to crochet.  So that is why I am not posting as much, or rather, rarely.  I still think of all of you blogging friends, and will post and visit when I can.  These pictures are my latest two projects.

...and a third picture of my cat, Oreo, curling up on a just completed project!

Pin It

Granny's Corners Baby Blanket

So, the blanket is finished.  It  is small, only about 22"X28", but it looks to be a good size to cover a baby carrier/car seat.  I love all the pinks together.

I outlined each square in an off-white, and then crocheted v-stitches in different pinks with a row of single crochet in aran in between, and finished with a scallop edge in the aran color as well.

Pin It

Tuesday's Tallies/ GAD 2012/WIP

With school starting this week  and some personal issues, I have not done a lot of crocheting.  I am combining a couple of posts into one.  I have ten squares of my Granny's Corners project, and I still have scraps of pink yarn left to use.  I may even get a 4 square X 4 square group that I can crochet around.  I guess we will see...


Pin It

Finished Object Friday

It has been two weeks since I posted on Friday, and I have both a knitted and a crocheted piece to show you.

The knitted piece is a shawl done in straigth garter stitch, with a two stripes of  stockinette stitch, just because I got bored with all the K rows!  I love the variegated yarn colors of white, navy blue and maroon.  I think it is Red Heart yarn.  I don't know for sure, because I used yarn from a top I had made myself quite a while ago.

Knitted Shawl

The crocheted piece is a seat cover that I made for my office chair at school.  I came back from summer vacation to find that someone (probably a summer worker) had stepped on the seat cushion of my chair and made tiny gauges that grew every time I sat in it.  I decided to make a granny square to cover those marks. It is made of some nylon/wool yarn that should hold up pretty well.

That's it for me this week.  Please see the links on my "Sharing" page to see where I am linking today.
Pin

Granny's Corners Squares

In the group "A Granny A Day 2012" on Facebook, someone posted a picture of a blanket made with these squares in all different colors and bordered with black.  I decided to start mine in different shades of pink, and border mine in off-white.  I have made six so far.  We will see how far I get!

Pin It

Stitches Midwest 2012

When I first heard of Stitches Midwest a year ago, I was actually up in the area where it was held, on the weekend when it was held, but I decided not to go at the last minute.  This year, I promised myself I would go, and I did.

This is a show/expo hosted by Knitting Universe, with several events and classes as well as a large market place.  I decided to only go to the market place for my first experience.  Next year I may decide to participate in a class.  There was plenty to do and see.  There were thousands of yards of yarn, hundreds of books and patterns, kits galore, wool  drop spindles, knitting needles, and other items too numerous to mention. There were "yarn tastings," demonstrations of techniques/gadgets  and appearances by some crochet celeb's~ Drew Emborsky, aka The Crochet Dude, and Kristin Ohmdahl.  There were also representatives from some charity organizations.

Project Linus is one of those groups.  They had an area as part of their booth where people could sit and crochet a granny square that would be added to other granny squares to make blankets.  The colors are red, white and blue, and the blankets that are made go to children that have lost a loved one who was in the military.

Ladies at the Project Linus booth, with a blanket and squares behind them.

I made sat down and made a square, in the Filet Starburst Pattern that I have been using lately.

I also learned a needle felting technique, and made a flower.  When I finished, I realized that the color of the flower would go perfectly on the purse that I had brought with me.

What a great experience!  I can't wait to go again next year.

Pin It

Wednesday WIP

Two of the three skeins of this yarn have been knitted for a shawl, plus a few more rows since this picture was taken.  I like how the pattern keeps coming out, even if it doesn't look like trees anymore.  ;)

Pin It

A Ta-Da for Tuesday

The baby blanket is finished, and I am really pleased at how it turned out.  I wasn't able to squeeze out a fourth orange square, so the blanket is a total of 24 squares.  It is about 30" X 24" and is just the right size for an infant or toddler.  I used a single crochet for a simple edging.  Another blanket I would love to keep, but have no real use for.  After all, I don't crochet these for personal use anyway.

Pin It

Tuesday's Tallies/GAD Update

There is another color to my Starburst squares, and I am up to twenty-three.  I have nine of off-white, six of melon, six of aqua, and two of my newest color, orange.  I hope I can get at least two more out of the orange ball, and make a 5x5 square blanket, which will be about 30"x30."  That sounds like a good size for a baby blanket, right?

I just noticed that the squares look like different sizes, because the yarns are not all the same texture/weight, but close.  I hope it all works in the end.

Pin It

FO Friday

I realized today that one of the reasons the jean purse I made from my daughter's skirt that I posted about on Monday was so special to me.  It is because when I use it, it makes me nostalgic of when she was so little and sweet.  She is a teenager now, and is still sweet, but differently.  If you have a teen-aged girl, you will know what I  mean.

She has been packing up a lot of clothes that she no longer likes or has become too small for, after puposefully losing weight, and she handed me a poncho that I crocheted for her several years ago.

She made a comment about knowing that she wouldn't wear it anymore, but knowing that I might feel a little bad if she got rid of it. That is an example of how sweet she can be, and because she said it, I could let the poncho go.  I may even use the yarn for something else someone will enjoy as much as we did this item.

In fact, I did make a poncho for a newborn this week..."and the circle goes round and round..."





Pin It

Wordless Wednesday

Pin It

WIP Update

Prayer Shawl/Lapghan

So, I have been making this for two weeks now, with more progress lately than before.  I have changed patterns, needles and frogged and started over at least twice. But now I am through a whole ball of yarn,  I am sticking with this.  It is rows and rows of garter stitch with a stripe of stocking stitch near the end of the current ball of yarn. I like the trees and shadows that I see coming out in the first section.  Do you see it?  Now that I have stuck with this pattern for so many rows, I think I will finish it much faster than I started.

Pin It

Granny-A-Day and Tuesday's Tallies

There are twelve squares done now, and I have started a new color.  There are nine squares of the off-white, and I have picked an aqua as the third color.  It will most likely end up another baby blanket.

This Granny-a-Day project has been really helpful in stash busting!  My bins are emptying out.


Now I am going over to Gingerbread Girl to look at more One a Day projects.  Join us!

Pin It

Easy Upcycled Jean Purse

I made this quite a while ago, but I have been getting a lot of compliments on it recently, so I thought I would blog about it.

The purses that I had seen at craft fairs usually were made out of jeans that had been cut off above the crotch area and then lined.  Somehow, I got the inspiration to make mine from a jean skort that my daughter no longer wore.  It already had the inside lined with knit shorts, so that made it even easier.

Here is what I did:

I started with a size 7/8 skort. I sewed each leg of the inside shorts together with a blanket stitch, and then hand-gathered and whip-stitched the bottom of the skirt.  For the ties, I used some 1" lace that I had on hand.  I chained the laces with a crochet hook until it was the length I wanted, and then fastened them to the belt loops, one handle to the two belt loops in front, and one to the two belt loops in back.  Finally, I used another length of lace for the "belt" by putting in through the loops around and then tying a big bow in front.

I would love to see pictures from anyone who tries this.


Pin It

Finished Objects

Preemie Sleeper and Hat

There were several things I finished this week. I crocheted charity outfit for a preemie and some jewelry for myself.  The All In One was from an archive of patterns from TLC for Angels.  It is tied in the back, and has a long opening so it is easy to put on and remove.   The hat is from SLK Designs, without the cuff, because I ran out of yarn!

I made some earrings with beads and thread.  The pink set was from Cynthia's Cynfully Spiffy Stuff  and the rest were all my own design.  Since I learned some things from Cynthia's pattern, I redid the other three pairs.

The last necklace/earring set is from a combination of mine and another's designs.  After I made the necklace from a design at Pammie's Place, I decided to crochet a pair of earrings of a similar design.  They are both made from trellis ribbon yarn.

New Squares Project

When I saw the Filet Crochet Starburst Squares at Creative Jewish Mom, I decided that would be my next project.  I am using left-over sport weight yarn and a G hook.  I don't know what I will do with the squares yet, since I don't know how many squares I will be able to complete. More to come...

Pin It

Granny Square Sundress

Another Granny-a-Day project, with 20 squares in the bodice, and granny stripes in the skirt.  The original pattern called for short sleeves, but I did my usual accomodations with the yarn I had.  Still haven't decided if I will gift it or donate it.

Pin It

Wordless Wednesday

Natural Fireworks on July 4th

 Pin It

WIP Wednesday~ 7/11

Prayer Shawl

 I have a knit and crochet project to show today.  My daughter says she doesn't have to ask me what I am working on any more, because prayer shawls and baby items are "all I do."  ; )   Yes, I do a lot of them.  They give me a lot of pleasure, to make something for someone else, since I can't do the things for my family as well as I'd like.  I think that is one reason I will never sell my items.  This is my mission.

Baby Dress

So I am repurposing yarn from previous projects I have made, that I no longer want.  The yarn for the shawl used to be a sweater, and the yarn for the dress used to be doll clothes for my daughter that has grown out of that stage.  I like to know someone else will use them well.

Ferris Wheel Square Baby Afghan

This afghan is part of my Granny-A-Day project.  It is made from worsted weight yarn scraps and a pattern I found in The Granny Square Book: Timeless Techniques and Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square by Margaret Hubert.  I like the color way, and have not decided what I will do with it yet.  It will either go to charity, or for another baby gift.
Pin It

Playtime Overalls

Yes, they are finished!  As you can see, I ran out of the variegated yarn, so I put my spin on the pattern with the white bib, red straps and blue buttons.  All in all, a success.

Pin It

Ripple Dress and Newborn Overalls

Preemie size

Newborn size

When I was searching for a new pattern for an infant dress, I came across  a pattern for a Ripple Gown.  I had some fingering yarn left over from another project, and used an E crochet hook.  The pattern was easy to follow, and worked up fast.  However, it seemed really small, so I put it on my 12" Kewpie doll to check.  As you can see at the left, it would have to be for a preemie, and not even a gown.  I wanted to try again with a larger hook, so I frogged it and used two strands of the same yarn for the top portion, and then used a shimmery pink fingering yarn combined with the variegated yarn for the skirt.  The result is on the right..  I like the size, but it is more a dress than a gown.  I think someone will be able to use it, anyway.
.

Newborn  Overalls

A blog friend recently commented that there are more free crochet patterns for girls than for boys.  I noticed this as well, apparently around the same time, and went looking.  I found this pattern for Preemie Overalls at Danette's Angels.  I made these with larger hooks, a G and an H, and left off the bow tie.  These should fit a newborn, and will be donated to my local charity.

Pin It

Two Taaadahs!

Yarn Stash Shawl

I finished the shawl I had just posted on Tuesday.  I didn't have all that much to do.  I want to have it blessed before I send it to the recipient.

Cozy Rug

This is a cozy little rug I made out of a variegated cotton yarn and nylon craft/rug yarn.  The pattern suggested 4 cotton strands together, but I didn't want to work so hard! :)  It is nice and soft under my feet right in front of my favorite overstuffed rocker.


Please check out my new Sharing page, where I posted all the pictures/ blogs to which I link.

Pin It

Progress on WIP

The back half of the overalls is done, and the front legs are started.  With the other projects I am doing, this is a pretty good pace.  I believe this is the second most complicated knitting pattern I have used, so it is going pretty well.  I know it will keep a little one warm this fall/winter.

Linking with these sites:  

Work in Progress

Susan D's

Ambassador Crochet

Simply Crochet

Pin It