Cardigan for Babies and Cap

I finished this on Jan. 29th. I still need to add the buttons, but I need to buy them on my next shopping trip. What I have in my sewing box doesn't match the color of the sweater. This is a free pattern and the link is listed in an earlier post. The same goes for the cap. I used Simply Soft yarn for this and an I hook (sweater) and an H hook (cap).

Baby Biker Vest

On Jan. 27th, I finallly finished the baby biker vest. NOW...I have to admit that this does NOT look like a baby biker vest. The color is wrong, for one thing. But it's the yarn I was using since this is my own pattern that I made up and this is my first sample piece of the pattern. I don't have it laid out correctly in the photo either, so it looks lop-sided. Now, I do like the way it turned out, but I need to add buttons to the next one and possible leave the points off the bottom. Plus, I will be making these in black, not red. So, tell me what you all think about this. I really need some input.

Shell Sleep Sack and Cap

I finished one of these sleep sacs on Jan. 26th and one on the 28th. I used Red Heart yarn and this free pattern http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/shell-sleep-sack-and-cap-c.html . I know that the black color seems off-putting, but I actually have a reason for making them this color. Just think "biker".

Froggy Green Cardigan and Cap

On Jan. 24th, I finished this "Cardigan for Babies". I used a discontinued yarn in the color Froggy Green. It's shown without buttons as I need to buy some to match, but haven't been able to do so yet as I'm working every day. The pattern for the cardigan can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_7dmn4r7hb .

Crocheted Baby Sweater and Cap

On Jan. 22nd, I made this baby sweater and cap. I used white Bernat Baby Boucle yarn. The sweater is a free pattern and can be found here http://bundlesoflove.org/print/CrochetedBabySweater . The pattern for the cap is listed in a previous post.

Baby Caps #3

On Jan. 2st, I made these 4 baby caps. They are the last of the caps that I needed to make to complete the sweater sets. The free pattern link is listed in a post labelled "Baby Caps".

Baby Caps #2

On Jan. 20th, I made these three baby caps. They also go with sweaters I have made previously. The free pattern link is listed in the previous post.

Baby Caps

I made these baby caps on Jan. 19th. These caps will be put with their matching sweaters (blogged about earlier in the month) to make a complete set. I have been using this free pattern for the caps http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/01/sweater-set-pattern.html .

High School Homecoming Court

That's my youngest son and a classmate. They are the sophmore class's representatives for Homecoming this year. Homecoming was on the 14th and the boys basketball team won their game 67 to 57 against Madison.

Newborn Diaper Wrap Shirt

I used this free pattern http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/hdc-shirt.html and Bernat Baby Sport yarn in pink. I also used a size G crochet hook.

Little Skater Beanies

The pattern for these hats really isn't called "Little Skater Beanies" but I changed the yarn up a bit to make them look like it. I used this free pattern http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/01/sweater-set-pattern.html to make the hats. I used scraps of Simply Soft yarn from my yarn stash as well. I call the colors gray and maroon, but I'm sure that's not the technical names for them on the label. I also used a size H crochet hook. I made these this morning while drinking my coffee. They are really quick to work up and make cute little hats for baby boys.

Pink Sweater Coat

The 16th ended up being a very productive day for me in regards to crocheting. The last project I finished that day is this cute little sweater. The pattern is called "Sweater Coat" and can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_13dtqck4gt . I used Bernat Baby Sport yarn in pink and an "I" hook since I wanted to make it bigger than the pattern called for. I also used two little pink buttons which I sewed on the front. The buttons came from my sewing box.

Pink Azalea Dress

I finished this little dress on the 16th as well. I've got the buttons sewn on the back but do not have the ribbon weaved through the waistline yet. It may be awhile before I go shopping again to get the ribbon, so I'm going ahead and posting the photo now as "finished". I used Bernat Baby Sport yarn in pink and a G hook. The free pattern for this dress can be found here http://bellasbabies.vpweb.com/Azalea-Dress.html .

Blue Baby Bumpy Sweater

On the 16th, I also finished up this little sweater that was on my "unfinished projects" list. By getting this sweater done, the list is now empty. :) I used this free pattern http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/05/baby-bumpy-sweater.html . I wanted to make a sample of the sweater to see how it turned out, so I used Red Heart worsted weight yarn and a J hook. The color of the yarn is called "Blue".

White Shell Sweater (Vanna's Choice)

This pretty little sweater was also on my "unfinished projects" list. Once I had the yarn, I finished it up on Jan. 16th. I used Vanna's Choice yarn in white and an I hook. To make the sweater with this yarn, it takes just over one skein of the Vanna's Choice. I had one sleeve left to crochet with the new skein. I think this makes a cute little sweater that's thick and warm. The free pattern can be found here http://godstinyangelspatterns.blogspot.com/2010/06/shell-sweater.html .

Little Girl's Shell Vest - Finished

I was finally able to go yarn shopping. This is something I have to plan for as there are NO places to buy yarn in the small town I live in. I made sure to buy what I needed to finish up the three projects on my "unfinished projects" list. This sweater is one of them. It's made with Simply Soft yarn in Melon and a G hook. I needed about 6 inches of yarn to finish this. I still can't believe that I ran out before it was done. the free pattern for this can be found here http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2010/05/lgsv.html . I finished this sweater vest on the 16th of January.

Pink Hat and Booties Set

I made this hat and booties set on the 12th of January. I used some scrap yarn from my stash. It's a baby jacquards but I don't know the exact color. I used this free pattern http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/01/sweater-set-pattern.html ,

Sweet and Simple Newborn Hat

I made these two baby hats this evening using this free pattern http://crochetingcrab.blogspot.com/2009/08/sweet-and-simple-newborn-hat.html . I used cotton worsted weight yarn in weight and a G hook.

More Baby Hats

I made these baby hats Tuesday morning/afternoon. The yarn is also from my scrap bag. The white is Bernat Baby Coordinates and the one on the left is a cream color with flecks of blue and other colors in it. I'm not sure about the brand of yarn. Again, I used an H hook.

Baby Hats

Monday night, I made these baby hats. I'm using up my scrap yarn, so I can only say that the peach and the lavendar are made out of Bernat Baby Coordinates. I'm not sure what brand of yarn the green and white striped one is. I'm also using an H sized hook.

Hat and Booties Set

I whipped out a quick baby hat and booties set using this free pattern http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/01/sweater-set-pattern.html . I used some leftover yarn I had bought on the clearance isle at Wal-Mart. It's Bernat Baby Jacquards and the color is called "I'm A Big Boy". I also used my pretty, new "H" hook that's yet to be named. :)

Guess what it's doing today.....

Yep! You guessed it! Snowing!!!

Look....

at what I have. Isn't she shiny and pretty? A new "H" hook to add to my collection. She just sparkles in the light. She's tempting me to give her a name. Something I've never done with my hooks. Obviously, it was meant for me to lose the "old" H hook so I could meet up with my newest friend here. What do you think? Anyone have any suggestions for a name? :)

Yet Another....

Unfinished Project!!! Ugh! What's up with that??? Why am I running out of yarn when I should have enough to finish the project??? *sigh* Can you see the frown on my face???
Anyway, I was making this as a test piece. I wanted to see the finished product. The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, and I had a good sized portion left out of a skein of Red Heart "Blue" yarn, ..... thus this is the color you are seeing in the photo. I'm also using a size J hook as per pattern instructions.
This is a free pattern called the Baby Bumpy Sweater and can be found here http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/05/baby-bumpy-sweater.html .

Peace Sign Charity Squares

I decided to take a break from crocheting baby sweaters and work on a few Peace Sign Charity Squares. The pattern is a free charity pattern and can be found on Smooth Fox's blog.

The first one I made is the multi-colored yarn square. You just can't see the design of the peace sign using that yarn though. Then I made another one using royal blue yarn. The peace sign can be seen easily on that one. So, I will need to make these using a solid color yarn.

I went to the Trinity London website to get colors for the squares as each color represents something. For example, the royal blue that I used could stand for several things including colon cancer and drunk driving. Both of those things are something I would donate squares to. I would like to make squares in several of the colors for donation and then make the same squares for an afghan to keep here at home. There are 12 colors/meanings/causes that affect my immediate family and it would mean something to me to use all of the colors in one afghan. The square that I made using the multi-colored yarn was an attempt to make it look like a jigsaw puzzle colored square which represents autism. It's a shame it doesn't work out right as I have an austistic person in my family.

I thought about making something other than an afghan with them as well. I figured I could put a couple of extra rows of white around the outside to make the square 14 inches (or a little bit bigger even) and then I could put a pillow form between two of the squares and have a two-sided pillow that the teen girls in my family would like.
In any event, I plan to do a few more of these squares for donation and then a few for here at home.

Kelly's Sweater (another one)

I made another Kelly's Sweater. This one is also done in Bernat Baby Sport. The color is Pale Blue. I used an I hook to make a larger size and I also used to matching buttons from my sewing box. The pattern can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_5kf73xbxm .

UGH!!!! Another Unfinished Project

I swear....Murphy's Law has taken up residence in my household this week. I'm so frustrated! I was almost finished with this little pretty and with about two inches left of sc to do, I ran out of yarn. Ugh!!! So, until I buy some more, this will make item number 2 in my unfinished projects pile.

As to the particulars, this is a Little Girl's Shell Vest and is a free pattern. It can be found here http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2010/05/lgsv.html . I'm using Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Melon and a G hook. It looks BEAUTIFUL! I just wish it was done.

Peach Shell Sweater

I finished this Shell Sweater before midnight, so I got it done on the 8th of Jan., which was yesterday (technically). I made this using Caron's Simply Soft yarn in peach and an I hook. I also used two clear buttons from my sewing box. This is a free pattern on the net and can be found in an earlier post.

**Correction to the Post - the color is actually Melon, not Peach. Oops!**

Chevron Doggie Blankets

I wanted to share a couple of photos of my doggies with their blankets that I made them for Christmas. Can you tell how much they like them? They will pick them up with their mouths and drag them over to you so you can cover them up. It's cute!

Weight Watcher's Cake

Whenever we start changing our eating habits, my family always develops a sweet tooth. This means that I have to find ways to satisfy that craving without doing something foolish like making brownies or buying donuts. I have a few Weight Watcher's recipes for desserts and tonight I made one of them. Here's what you do:
Mix together:
1 cake mix (I used a generic white mix)
1 can of Sprite Zero (at room temperature)
Make sure these are mixed well. Try to get as many of the lumps of cake mix out as possible.
Now, bake according to the directions on the box. Mine said to bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick to make sure it's done though.
I let the cake cool before cutting. Then I cut it into 18 pieces which makes each piece worth 3 pts.. If you cut the cake into 24 pieces, then they are worth 2 pts. each.
This cake has a unique flavor and is really moist. The cake is a bit crumbly, but we don't mind. I would, and will, make this cake again for my family.

WIP - Peach Shell Sweater

Since I ran out of yarn while making the Vanna's Choice white Shell Sweater, I decided to start another one. This time I'm using Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Peach. This photo shows how far I've gotten on the sweater so far. It's not bad since I've only been working on it for about half an hour.

Shell Sweater (Vanna's Choice)

I have had my 2nd unfinished project since the new year started. Here's a photo of it. I'm making another Shell Sweater (pattern can be found in an earlier post). It sure looks cute, but it would be even more cute if it was finished. But, I ran out of yarn.

I was actually experimenting with a skein of Vanna's Choice yarn (white). I wanted to see if I could get a baby sweater out of one skein (3.5 oz.). It turns out that I can't. However, I was using a J hook, so maybe if you use a smaller hook, you could. I ended up having one more row to finish on the first sleeve and then all of the second sleeve.

I would like to say that running out of yarn isn't going to deter me though. I like the look and feel of this yarn and the way it's making up into the shell sweater. In fact, I like it so much that I will continue to use it for these little sweaters. I think that if I buy 3 skeins of yarn, I can get two sweaters and some caps out of it. They will still be cost effective as I've been buying this yarn and Wal-Mart and it's not that expensive there. I just wish they had a larger variety of colors.

Cardigan for Babies

I just finished sewing the buttons on this about 20 minutes ago. I used the Cardigan for Babies pattern that can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_7dmn4r7hb . This is crocheted with Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in blue using an I hook. The buttons are a pale blue to match.

Another Sweater Coat

I finished up a bigger sweater coat (size 3 months maybe) this afternoon. This one uses the same pattern and yarn, just a bigger hook....size"I". This is a free pattern on the net and can be found in my previous post.

Sweater Coat

So far today, I've made the Sweater Coat pattern that can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_13dtqck4gt . I used Bernat Baby Sport in white and a G hook. It also has two little white buttons from my sewing box. This turned out to be a newborn size or a large preemie.

Shell Sweater is Finished

I finally went to Wal-Mart to buy yarn so I could finish this sweater. It's the Shell Sweater and can be found here http://godstinyangelspatterns.blogspot.com/2010/06/shell-sweater.html . I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Pistachio. I finished this yesterday.

Kelly's Sweater

I finished this sweater yesterday. It's called Kelly's Sweater and is a free pattern that can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_5kf73zbxm . I used Bernat Baby Sport yarn in Pale Bleu and a G hook.

Sweater with Ruffles

I have finished up a Sweater with Ruffles. It's a free pattern and can be found here https://docs.google.com/View?id=dp8xs77_11rk9573rk . I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in peach and a G hook. In my opinion, this came out Preemie sized.

It Had To Happen....

I ran out of yarn ... and I have my first "unfinished project" of 2011. *sigh* I don't have a reason to go out of town to Wal-Mart, so until one comes up, I won't be able to buy more yarn and finish the little sweater I was making. For informational purposes, I am using this free pattern to make the sweater http://godstinyangelspatterns.blogspot.com/2010/06/shell-sweater.html . The sweater is actually called the "Shell Sweater" and it's down-right CUTE! I'm using Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Pistachio and an "I" hook. I have already sewn the button on (a clear one) so I won't have that to do once I get more yarn. I'm using the "I" hook as I wanted the sweater just a little bit bigger than it would be with the "G" or "H" hook.

Healthy in 2011

My family has made a resolution for this year. We are going to try and get healthy in 2011.

Some of the changes we are going to make are:

1. Eat more vegetables and fruit. We do a pretty good job of this now, but we will be making more of an effort to do better.

2. Watch our portions and try to get them under control. This will also include the plate theory of half the plate should be vegetables and salad, one fourth of the plate for meat, and the other fourth should be the starch. Extra helpings should be of the salad and vegetables and if you are still hungry after that, then a small helping of meat. Our kids are very active and still growing, so this is important.

3. Drink less soda. Drink more water. (This is where I will struggle.)

4. Get more exercise. We walk the track in the summer but we will start walking the hallways at the school while they are having ball practice during the winter. We also swim during the summer as I work at the pool.

5. Eat more whole foods or clean foods. We are doing this as one of our kids has Metabolic Syndrome X. This means cooking from scratch more and using less processed foods.

Has anyone else made any New Year's Resolutions?

Special Olympics Scarves

I mailed out the Special Olympics scarves today. I sent them in a flat rate Priority Mail box for $5.10 and they will arrive in two days. I think it was a pretty good price even though I only spent $2.23 on each skein of yarn (one skein each of two colors). I just can't believe that you can make things cheaper than you can mail them! And the prices are supposed to be going up soon.
One thing I wanted to point out was that I used one skein of each of the colors (blue and turqua) and after making two scarves, I think I still had enough to make one more. That's not bad! I just wish I'd had more time and then I would have attempted the third scarf.
I sent an email to the Special Olympics Yarn Project and got a reply. I was asking when the 2012 guidelines would be posted and they said it would be after the 2011 Special Olympics were held. So, I'll be looking to see when the new guidelines are posted so I can up my up my donation next year.

Crocheted Baby Sweater

My latest project is a crocheted baby sweater. It's a free pattern and can be found here http://bundlesoflove.org/print/CrochetedBabySweater . If you can't access it that way, then just go to the bundles of love website. I used Simply Soft yarn in pistachio green, an "I" hook, and a clear button that is barely visible at the top of the neckline. The simply soft made the sweater a heavier weight for winter weather and the I hook made it a bit larger than the pattern specifications. The sweater was easy to make and took about two hours from start to finish.

Another Scarf

Last night, I finished a second scarf for the 2011 Special Olympics. They will be mailed out today to meet the deadline for the state of Kansas (which is the nearest state to me, since Missouri isn't listed).

Special Olympics Scarf

I have finished a scarf for the Special Olympics. I wanted to do at least two, but they have to be mailed by Jan. 5th. I used one skein each of Red Heart blue and turqua. I have enough yarn left of each to make one more scarf, I think. We'll have to see how things go.

There is a website devoted to the Special Olympics and the scarves. Here is the link http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/ . I used one of their free patterns to make the scarf.

This is my first project for charitable donation of 2011.

Blue and White Baby Blanket

The blue and white baby blanket is done. It's not shown full size here. It's quite big. In this photo, it is shown as 1/4th of it's size.....folded in half, then half again. I used one skein each of Bernat Baby Sport in pale blue and white.

My Christmas Planner (scrapbooking)

I wanted to post another page from my "book". The first photo shows my idea. The second photo shows my finished product. This project is my Christmas planner, which was done with scrapbooking materials. I had made two of these, one of these for my sister, Annie, and one for myself. Annie's was much more embellished with a lighter color scheme. I wanted something simpler. However, I do not have a photo of my sister's planner. I wish I did. These were made out of one subject spiral notebooks.