Crochet Odds 'n' Ends

I've been doing a lot of crocheting and sewing lately. I reward myself for housecleaning chores by being able to craft afterwards. Most of the sewing has been smocks like that in an earlier post this month and bags. I've made a lot string bags similar to this backpack. They are easy and work up quickly. I could see them becoming the standard gift bag for the parties to which my children are invited.

My latest crochet project has been a toddler boy's sweater using the solid hexagons. I used two 12 rounds hexagons made with 6 skeins Moda Dea Cartwheel in the hazey colorway and a K hook. It's a 100% wool yarn and I loved working with it! I just joined them at the center front and back, with the seam on the outside as a design feature. I sewed the sleeves together at the top for about 3/4 of the way, leaving the neck area open. I left the top inch or two of the front open for a notched neckline and to make sure it will go over the head. I added some rounds to the ends of the sleeves to bring them in a bit and then a few rows of ribbing too. I added to the bottom as well. I really like the sweater and the construction is so easy! However, the sleeves end up extremely wide. I guess that makes it good for layering.

It's really hard to see the lines made by the hexagon pattern in the picture, but it looks really nice. I still have several skeins of the yarn left and am thinking of making something for myself. This sweater is being sent off to a deserving charity, after I weave in the ends.

I made a dragon bookmark as a present along with book. It will be given in one of the bags mentioned above. The pattern is available on Crochetville. I changed the tail a bit by making a long chain and making a curly-cue end with 3 dc in the first several chains as I worked my way back up. I slipstitched in the rest of the chain to get back to the body and continued as directed. It turned out cute and used up some leftover wool. I think I'll have to make some more for my own kids!

Finally, there's a really cute Christmas angel. I still need to put a ribbon through and tie it at the waist. It worked up really quickly and I am so excited to have found the pattern at Crochet 'n' More. I had seen the same angel on a site recently worked in worsted weight cotton as a prayer cloth (similar to a prayer shawl). I fell in love with it, but it stated the pattern was no longer available. I tried unsuccessfully to copy it from the picture, so when I was searching for Christmas ornaments and happened upon this angel, I was ecstatic.

Thanks for looking! I hope I've been able to inspire you to craft today!

Red, White, and Blue Day

Today was Red, White, and Blue Day at school to celebrate the U.S. Constitution. 4th grade Daughter has been working on memorizing the Preamble. She didn't have much in her closet to make an outfit with those colors. So last night after I got everyone to bed, and unbeknownst to her, I made her a dress.

I had planned on it being a skirt, but the pattern I drafted was a little, ok a LOT, on the long side. So I added the straps and sash and turned it into a dress. She was so excited when she got up! It did turn out cute. Best of all, it was a stash eater! :)

I have wanted to make a swirl skirt for her, but hadn't yet gotten around to it. One popular pattern for girls as been Studio Tantrum's Redondo but I never purchased it. I do have a women's patten by Park Bench but knew it would be too big. Then while surfing, I came across this page on Flicker. That was all I needed to draft my own. I made 8 panels and serged the seam together. Then I pressed and top-stitched them to one side. I even did a rolled hem on the serger. It really was a quick project! Of course, it came out too big for the planned skirt, but it all worked out in the end!

Maybe I'll even try to re-draft a better skirt pattern for her some day.

Sewing for Children!

With the beginning of school, I've completed a lot projects for my kids. They started last Wednesday and all went with something Mom-made.

Here they are eagering anticipating that first morning's bus ride. Son2 has his Mom-made backpack. Daughter has the dress, sweater, and backpack that I made. Son1 wore Mom-made shorts. They all had a great day!

Yesterday, I used my serger to make rolled-hem on rectangles of fabric about 10" x 15". They are re-useable placemats for their lunches. I tried to use some I-spy type fabrics so they could have fun with their friends while eating. They said the teachers and principal really liked them.

I couldn't leave out Son3. Today he wanted to paint. I thought he needed a smock. He settled on some Thomas the Tank Engine fabric in my stash and patiently waited about 1/2 hour for me to sew it up. It turned out really cute, I think. I mis-measured and cut it too short, but it's perfect for him right now. Thanks to this site for the tutorial. It's easy to follow. I did a rolled edge on the armhole instead of the bias tape.

Off to see the next Picasso in action!