Return to Hobby Lobby

So this week we took a trip to PA, and that meant a trip to Hobby Lobby!  I wanted to get a few skeins for some of the new patterns I bought last week.

I bought a few patterns from Boomer Beanies that I'm very excited to try.  One of them is the Double Pom Pom hat, and the suggested yarn for the pattern is Yarn Bee Diva Sequin yarn.  The pictures in the pattern was called Maui, but once I got there I decided to go with Bali (to the left).  I bought 2 skeins, since the pattern said that a skein made a 0-3 month old hat, and I'm not sure what size I want to make yet.  I would have bought more, but it's a little pricey - $7.99 per skein.  As much as I want to start on this pattern, I have too many others to do first.

I'm on my second Thing 1, Thing 2 hat from Bizee B Boutique.  I decided to do all 3 hats first and then decide if I want to do the pom pom or a bow on top of them.  Hopefully I can have them done this week.  I'll post a picture of the 3 of them together.

Quick post

I've been seriously lax on this blog.  I haven't stopped crocheting, though.  The picture to the left is a gift I made for one of my friends.  (She asked for it, although I'm not sure why.)

I've been working on my round baby blanket, but I've mostly only been doing it on my lunch hours, so it's been slow going.  I think I might try to finish it up at night, too.  I only have about eight rows including the trim, so I'm getting antsy to finish it up.

I've also been busy making hats.  I made a few for Christmas for my friends' children.  I'll try to find some pictures I can post soon.  I've been goofing off on Pinterest too, and I found some good patterns on there.  One of them is a nice pattern for newborn caps.  I've made about six of them so far.  Some I might give as gifts, but I think I might save the bulk of them for charity.  It's a good way to use up all the leftover yarn I've been accumulating from making sweaters, etc.

It's a girl!

My friend Melissa had her baby on September 15, 2010.  Of course, I had to dig out a girly color to make a dress for her as soon as I got the news.  I made Bella Bambina's Azalea Dress in Snuggly Wuggly pink yarn.  I love the buttons I used on it.  I need to find more...I think I bought them in Joanne's.

I made a matching hat as well.  I used Manner's Basic Baby Hat pattern.  It's super easy and quick to make, and it naturally folds up at the bottom.

Melissa's sister sent me a picture of the baby in my outfit that night.  She looked so cute!  (Of course, she looked cute before that. *g*)

I'm working on another dress in purple in a different pattern.  I'll post it when I'm finished.  I'm about halfway done, but I took today off.  Hopefully I can get it done this weekend.

Baby Shower

I'm still slowly working on my yellow blanket, but I realized that I forgot to post the pictures of what I made for my friend Melissa's shower.  I think I posted all of these at some point, but I'll post them all here tonight.  I love this slanted shell pattern for the blanket.  I really want to make another one soon.  I decided not to crochet a border around this one, but I may try a border with my next one.

Originally I made a ruffled sweater pattern to match the blanket, but Melissa didn't want to know the sex of her baby, and a ruffled sweater might be a little feminine for a boy.  I used the Snuggly Wuggly yarn for this sweater.  It might have been my first project with the yarn.  I liked the yarn so much that I've been using it for most of my baby sweaters.  I loved the little yellow buttons I found, and I wish I could remember where I got them.  Hopefully I can find them again.

I think this one is my favorite.  I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn, and I liked that it was a slightly bigger size than the other baby sweater patterns that I've gotten from Bella Bambina's blog.  I definitely would love to make more of these.

Melissa is due in ten days.  I'm hoping to try and make something else quickly once I find out the sex of the baby.  Like, I could probably make a cute sweater dress in a few days if it's a girl.  Not sure what I'll make if it's a boy.  Maybe a blue sweater or hat.  Although, I do have a pattern for a pumpkin hat I'd like to try, and it is almost fall.  (I'm so excited for fall!)

Out of practice

I am trying to get back to crocheting, but since my left hand is still a little tingly, it's slow-going.  I started another Hooded Baby Blanket, like the one I posted awhile back.  I remember it being an easy pattern, but I am having a not-so-easy time of it this time.  I had to rip out about 6 rows and start all over again.  The end of the foundation row just wasn't sitting right, and it made the edge look lopsided the more I continued.  I'm using the Pound of Love skein in Pastel Yellow, and I'll post a picture when I get a little further into it.  (The picture below is the blanket I made a few months ago.)

I was intending on making the blanket for Bella Bambina's Blanket Blitz, but we'll see how long it takes me to make it.  Hopefully, I'll be able to make more than one blanket, but I'm finding my crocheting going slowly since I'm not yet 100%.

I also started to work on a hat for a friend's baby.  To make it a surprise, I won't be posting any pictures of that until I give it to my friend.  I'm very excited to make it, because I think she'll love it.  The pattern calls for two hooks: F & G.  Unfortunately, I think I started the hat with the F hook, which wasn't right.  (I know I did at least two rows with it.)  I'm going to have to frog that whole thing, too.  Thank goodness I was only about 7 rows in, and it's a baby hat.  :D

I'll post some pictures of the things I made for my friend's shower after I give them to her.  I just have to finish the last row of her blanket, and I'm done.  I would love to make another blanket using that pattern soon.  Maybe when I'm done with my modified Hooded Baby Blanket pattern.

Healing slowly...

I can still only type with my right hand, but I've been going to physical therapy, and I'm moving my left arm around slightly better than I did before.  I thought I post some things I've sent to Bella Bambina for her Bella's Babies charity.

These are the two boys sets I did.  The pants were pretty easy and worked up quickly.  I would have liked to make hats to go with everything, but my body thought differently.

Here are two sweaters.  I loved the flower buttons.  I can see myself acquiring a huge supply of buttons if I let myself.  LOL!

Kelly has an album link up for items that other people have sent in.  There's some really beautiful things, if anyone is interested in checking it out.

Two sweater projects

My first project was a Sweater Coat pattern from Bella Bambina.  I used the Snuggly Wuggly yarn in Baby Pastel Ombre, and I really like this yarn.  It's nice and soft.  I used yellow stars for the buttons, since my friend Melissa doesn't want to know the sex of the baby.  It's the first time I've tried this pattern, and I really liked it.

After I finished this sweater is when I started the round baby blanket.  I was so close to finishing that, when I discovered I missed a cluster and had to rip out around 6 rows.  As I was ripping those rows out, I discovered that I had been making one of the "corners" a cluster off for 9 rows, which threw that whole side off.  I had to rip out those rows, too.  I decided to take a little break from the blanket and make another baby sweater.  I've gone back to it since I've finished, and I can't wait to post it when it's finally done.

My second project is also from Bella Bambina, called Kelly's Sweater.  For this sweater, I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Pastel Green.  I really love this yarn.  It's so soft, and it's kind of shiny.  This sweater is for bigger babies; I think 6 - 9 months.  I used white pearly buttons, because I wanted to keep it neutral, since this is also for Melissa's baby.

For both hats, I used Manner's Basic Baby Hat pattern.  The one that I made with the Simply Soft yarn came out slightly bigger, which I hope will fit a 6 - 9 month baby.  I love this hat pattern, because it's easy and works up so fast.  I've made quite a few hats using this pattern already.

One last thing, Bella Bambina is having a contest. Kelly is asking anyone who enters to make 15 going home outfits for her charity.  I think I might enter; I'm hoping I can make 15 things in time.  If anyone else is interested, please head on over and read the post at the top of her blog.

Basic Baby Hat

Late last night I decided to start another baby sweater.  There were two cute sweater that Kelly from Bella Bambina posted on her site recently, and I decided to go with the baby sweater with ruffled bottom.  Since I didn't have any Snuggly Wuggly yarn in my stash, I decided to go with Bernat Softee Baby yarn in Chiffon Print. I finished the project this afternoon while I was watching tv.  I only have to figure out which buttons to put attach, and then I'll take pictures and post it here.  I wish I had the patience to figure out how Kelly did the chain attachment she had pictured, but I'll have to ask since I couldn't figure it out from the picture.  :-)

I did ask Kelly about the hat she had posted with the two sweaters I liked, and she shared the link with me.  I really like the yarn the designer used.  I decided to go with the leftover yarn with which I made my friend Nicole's baby blanket as a trial run.  I like the way it came out, so I'll probably make more of them.  I also found a new blog to follow: Manner's Crochet and Craft, and you can find the pattern to the hat here.

Yesterday was my friend Sarah's baby shower. I was so happy to finally give her all the stuff I'd been working on for baby Ben. I really need a better way to take pictures of my work. LOL!

First up was the baby blanket. I got the patter off a skein of Lion Brand Baby Soft yarn, but I used Red Heart Soft Baby Steps yarn in Mellow Yellow Smart Print. I love the feel of the Red Heart yarn. It was softer than the Baby Soft yarn, but the stitches didn't come out as tight, It's an easy pattern to work up, though.

Since it seems to use up more yarn than the Baby Soft, I ran to AC Moore's and bought up whatever they had left in the dye lot. I had a few skeins left over, so I made a sweater and hat as well.

I got the sweater pattern from Bella Bambina.  It's a very simple cardigan pattern that I love.  My husband helped me find some adorable turtle buttons in Joanne's (my friends have several turtles as pets).  The hat I got here: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/preemieround.html.  I accidentally made an extra row, which made the hat roll up when I finished it.  I thought it made it a little more boyish, so I left it.  I believe I've posted about the hat and sweater before.  


The last items I gave was a sleep sack with a matching hat.  I made this one before I made the bear cocoon, so I had some idea how they worked.  I finished it fairly quickly. I still have some light blue yarn left.  I can't remember if it was Red Heart or Bernat yarn.  There was a sale when I got the baby pink, yellow, and blue yarns.  I like to roll the yarn into balls, so the label is most likely in the heart of the ball of yarn.  LOL!

I'm not sure how long the sleep sacks are really good for.  They might be better for preemie babies.  I loved making the hat.  I think that even if I didn't make the sleep sack that I might make up the hat again.  We'll see if this is something I can make for charity.


Right now I'm working on a baby blanket for my friend Nicole.  I'm using the Red Heart Soft Baby Steps yarn in Princess Smart Print, which I am crazy about.  I've gotten so many compliments on it.  (I did with the Mellow Yellow Smart Print as well.)  I finally joined Ravelry, and Nicole's blanket is the first one I put up.  I can't wait to look around the site more to get more familiar with it.


As I said in my photography blog, I haven't really posted in awhile, because my dad is in the hospital, and I just haven't been up for it.  I've had an upper respiratory infection, so I can't make the trip to visit him.  He's suffering from congestive heart failure, and they're still doing tests. Any prayers, well-wishes, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

My Bear Cocoon Project

I know I've mentioned my expectant friends before. My friend Sarah wanted to make the project to the right, and I agreed to do it with her. I thought it was a cool idea. Sarah made hers for her baby, and I made mine for my friend Nicole. The majority has been done for awhile now, but I've been putting off doing the feet, which I finished tonight.

In the meantime, I've been working on a few things in addition to transferring everything I need over to the new computer (which is about 98% done). Sarah sent me a nice pattern for a baby hat. I made one while we were watching a movie at home one night, and I'd love to make more, but I'm not sure where all those hats would go. I'll have to find somewhere I can donate anything I might make.

Anyway, I bought this beautiful bear cocoon at Etsy. I had to make an account, which I plan to use more in the future. The seller of the pattern was Sandy's Cape Cod Originals. She has so many nice patterns that it'll be hard to chose another. :)

New year/new project

Happy New Year!

Last night we went out with my friends Rus and Sarah. We did dinner and a movie, and then we came back to our place, where Sarah and I started on the project to the left, this bear hat. It's an adorable combo pattern of this hat and a sleep sack. Together, they look like a little bear.

I bought the pattern on Etsy, at Sandy's Cape Cod Originals shop. The pattern is fairly easy to follow, even though it contains some stitches I've never done before. I'm working on the sleep sack now, and I'll take a picture of that when I'm done.

I think I might look for some more of Sandy's patterns when I'm done. But first, I checked out Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker from the library yesterday, and I saw a few nice patterns in there that I might want to try in there first. The book has the cutest pattern for a sock monkey baby afghan that I'd love to try. It's granny squares, which I haven't done in ages, but hopefully it can keep me occupied long enough to finish it. I have up on my last granny square baby afghan. The idea of making so many small squares lost its appeal after about 25 squares. :/

Baby hat

I just have one more sleeve to do on the baby sweater I mentioned in my last post. (Link to the pattern creator's blog is there too.) I decided to take a break from sleeves and work on the hat that goes with the sweater. The picture to the left is my finished hat. I think it's a cute pattern. I took the picture with my phone, so you can't really tell how pretty the color is. I used Bernat's Super Value yarn in Yellow. I've gotten so many compliments on the color this week.

I've decided to work on another gift in the meantime. It shouldn't take me too long. I can't really post pictures of the gifts I've been working on, because some of the recipients check out my blog from time to time. *g* I will say that my newest project is using a really pretty yarn that I've never used before. It's Caron Simply Soft Paints in Harlequin, pictured below. The picture doesn't do it justice; I think it's much prettier in a crocheted pattern. I'll post pictures of the gifts after they're given.

Picture from the Caron website.

Another sweater

Since the last sweater went so well (see previous post), I thought I would do another sweater and hat for my friends Rusel and Sarah. I made a blanket for them with the same yarn (Red Heart Soft Baby Steps), and I had two skeins left over. I want to make some booties too, so I'll work on those this weekend. I love the buttons. Rus and Sarah have quite a few turtles as pets, so I'm hoping they'll like them, too.

The hat is the same pattern as the previous post as well, but I made it a row longer than the pattern called for. I also wasn't sure about the row where I had to do the front and rear post double crochets. I wasn't sure what that meant, so I kind of winged it (obviously not correctly *g*). I guess because it's a row larger than normal, the bottom kind of cuffed up when I was weaving in the ends. I figured since it's for a baby boy, it looked kind of cool like that, so I'm going to leave it.

Now that I know what I'm doing with these patterns, I'm thinking of making some for charity. I just have to find a good place to donate my items. I would like it to be a local place. I might contact my church's rectory to see if they know of anywhere. I checked the latest bulletin, but there was nothing in there this week. I'm pretty sure I've seen information in a previous bulletin.

In the meantime, I'm working on some presents. One is a really cool scarf. I'll post it here after I give it as a gift. :)

Finished baby sweater project!

I finished up the sweater tonight. I'm so excited. I think it came out pretty good for my second attempt. I loved the little butterfly buttons. I was so happy to find them at Joanne's. I'm not very happy with the picture that I'm posting. The colors look a little off, but I couldn't seem to get them to come out right with my camera.



I also made a matching hat. I learned how to do front and back post double crochets tonight. I had a watch a few videos on You Tube to get the hang of it, but they're not hard to do at all. The bottom of that hat is finished with alternate front and back post double crochets, and I can run a ribbon through it. I just have to go a craft store and get some. I got the pattern for the hat at Bev's Country Cottage. I took the second picture (of the hat) with my cell phone, and, strangely enough, those colors came out truer.


Next I'm going to try a pattern for booties that I got on the same site. I hope my friend Nicole likes the set. I wish I would have found this yarn before I made the baby blanket. The blanket I made is pretty, but I really like this yarn. I made the blanket before I knew that Nicole was having a girl, so the blanket had to be unisex. It's just a typical white yarn with the little colors interspersed (I think it's called Twinkle Print). It is cute, though, and I know she'll appreciate it. In fact, the blanket was the first crocheted project I've made in a very long time, so I was impressed by how it came out.