Hooray for Spring!! Green Ruffle Skirt and Flower Shirt

Well guys, I made it to round three (and to Seattle!)  I'm off to my sister's to get next week's project finished.  (I started it at home, but wasn't quite able to get it done before I needed to leave.  So, I will be finishing it tonight.)  Wish me luck!  The competition is getting harder and harder!!

With this week's "green" theme, I wanted to focus on something that could be worn all through the spring and summer season, instead of something just for St. Patty's Day.

I planned and half designed three separate outfits before I decided on the direction I wanted to go in this week.  The end result is super fun!!  So girly, but not so dressy that you can't have a good time on the playground.



The shirt is purchased, then embellished with flowers made from jersey and little green (and the occasional yellow) beads.  The skirt, however is made (and designed by me) from scratch.  It originally was planned to be just layers of the green jersey, but as I was making it, it needed a little something "more".  That "more" came in the form of a layer of chiffon and two layers of a pretty damask cotton.  Plus a rolled rosette as an accent.

Would you like to see some close ups of the details?  Ok!  Here ya go!!

Isn't my little model so cute? :)  I asked her if she was doing the "Pledge of Allegiance" in the picture just above.  She said, "Yes."  I love little kids!! :)

Tangents aside, I have to say that I love how this week's project turned out!  I want to make a big(ger) on for me!

HOORAY for SPRING!!!

Trashed Toddler Play Table to Beautiful Toddler Bed and Learning Center

Did ya guess this was mine?!  I love it so much!  I can hardly wait till Eme is old enough to use it as a bed. :)  But, it's already a great play table for him... he doesn't get that that the chalk is for drawing, not eating though!  We're working on that! haha!

This first week's challenge was so much fun!  I went straight to the DI and was SUPER lucky to find a majorly trashed toddler play table!  It sparked a very fun (and soon to be needed) project!  So, without further ado; I give you: The (Trashed) Toddler Play Table to Beautiful Toddler Bed By Night and Learning Center By Day!

To begin this make over, I spray painted the table and little stool a pretty light blue.  I also removed the (very ugly) rope drawer pulls and plugged the holes with wood filler.  After it had dried, I (ok my hubby) attached the pretty new drawer handles I had picked out.  (Thanks babe!)

To make this work as a bed, I had to make a mattress.  I did this by stuffing two body pillows into a mattress form that I made using thrifted sheets.  Velcro makes for easy removal and cleaning of the mattress form.  I also used thrifted sheets to make the bedding set and a thrifted pillow to make the "E" accent pillow. The star is corduroy that I had in my stash.

To make the learning center, I painted one side of the table top with chalkboard paint and glued a map of The United States on the other.  (I plan to homeschool, so I figure this will be a fun, easy way to get started with geography early.  Plus it makes for a nice "train" background, don't you think??) :) 

I love this new little bed/playtable!!  And I love that it saves a TON of space!!  The fact that the mattress can also be a soft base for playing isn't a bad thing either!  No cracked heads = a very good thing! The possibilities for play on this table are endless!  Legos? check.  Trains? Check.  Painting? why not?  Really, it's just the perfect space and size for my little monkey!

Dino-ROAR Gift Set

I got an invite another baby shower TWO days ago and the shower was tonight!  AHHH!!  Talk about creating in a rush!  haha.

This friend is having a little boy, so I decided a dino hat was the way to go.

Then I wanted some booties to match and had these colors on hand and they matched perfectly!  Woohoo!!

I made these Little Lad Loafers (as I'm calling them)!  I love the alliteration. :)

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make a little outfit; nor do I have a working sewing machine, so no outfit this time. :'(

At least the loafers are super fun right?!  

I'll be linking to the parties on the right. :)

Ready For TESTERS!!!!

Ok guys!  I've had quite a few of you excited about pattern testing for me and I'm FINALLY ready.  It took me a little longer then I thought it would, but I'm ready.

Here's the good news for you:  I have TWO patterns for you to test! 

The Li'l Miss Mary Jane Pattern:

 AND!!

Introducing the Little Lad Loafers!  (Hooray for alliterations!)

So, who wants to test?!

In your comment please let me know which pattern you'd like try and how much experience you have crocheting.

I need two testers for each.

Ready, set, GO!!!!

Good News Guys!!!

They FIT!!!

Just gotta make them again...

Sweet Mary Janes!

Well, guys, I finished them!! 

And I LOVE them.  There is something so satisfying about creating something completely from the pattern up.

I'm almost ready for testers.  I want to make them one more time and I need to test the size on an actual foot.

Which I'll be doing tomorrow thanks to a friend with a new little girl. :)  (Thanks Nitasha!!)

As soon as I've done that I'll be in need of you!  Several of you have already volunteered. :)

I can't wait 'til it's ready to test! :)  Soon, soon!!  In the mean time, enjoy the pictures!

Working on another pattern... aka... Testers??

I'ma need a pattern tester or two for this one.  I'm not asking for testers yet, just letting you know to be on the look out for when I do ask for them.  Which will be in the next day or two. :)

Wanna peek at what I'm making?

Ok.

Now.  I realize that my color pallet is getting boooorrriiiinnnggggg.  But, I'm developing a pattern folks, so I'm all about using what I have on hand.

Want a peek at the actual shoe? 

I've run into a small snag that's making me want to tear out my hair, but, I'll figure out the prob soon.  I know it's just an error in numbers but it's still making me crazy.  Grr.  Arg.  (reference anyone??)

So, anyway, stay tuned for my call!!! :)

Sweet Little Baby Moccasins Pattern and Tutorial

Ok guys!  It's here it is!!!  I know a lot of you have been waiting for it; sorry it's taken me all day to get it up.  Like I said earlier, little Eme is teething and is therefore really not in to me doing much else then hold him.  And even when I'm am holding him he's fussy, fussy, FUSSY.  I may just be a little bit insane right now.  Poor guy has at least four teeth coming in though. :(
Anyway!  Let's get on with the....

Woohoo!!!

This is the first crochet pattern that I've ever put together for another person to be able to read and follow.  Generally, when I'm making a pattern it's all kinds of shorthand that only I can follow.  So, what I guess I'm saying is this:  If you come across any problems or get stuck at some point, please email me or comment here and I will fix whatever it is that I messed up!  haha! 

Also, I'd like to thank  Mon Petit Violon for allowing me to share her sole pattern.  (The soles of these moccasins are from this pattern.)  The rest of the pattern is mine. :)


Size:

0-6 months, app. 10 cm foot length.

Materials:
Aprox. 10 g of light weight yarn for color one . 
Aprox. 20 g of light weigh yarn for color two.
Crochet hook size “D” (or size needed to obtain gauge.)

(The turquoise/brown yarns are Patons Silk Bamboo in Sapphire and Bark.  The pink yarn is a bamboo blend that I can't remember or find the name of.  I will figure it out and post it later.  Sorry about that! The pink yarn is Natually Caron Country in Rose Bisque.)

Gauge:
4 sts = 2 cm or 5 sts = 1 inch

Stitches used:
st(s) – stitch(es)
ch – chain stitch
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
sc – single crochet
sl st - slip stitch
dc2tog - double crochet two together (not sure how to do it? video tute (not mine) here.)

Using color 1.
Sole:
Rnd 1: ch11, hdc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in next 7 sts, 6 hdc in last ch, work on opposite side, hdc in next 7 sts, 5 hdc in last ch, join with sl st in 1st hdc.
Rnd 2: ch1, hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 5 sts, hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 5 sts, join with sl st in 1st hdc.
Rnd 3: ch1, hdc in next 8 sts, (2 hdc in 1 st, 1 hdc) 5 times, hdc in next 8 sts, (2 hdc in 1 st, 1 hdc) 5 times, join with sl st in 1st hdc.

Upper:
Rnd 4: ch 1, in back loop only, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 7 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, dc in next 7 sts, sc in next 19 sts, using 2nd color yarn, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 5: ch 1, working in both loops, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 5 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, dc in next 5 sts, sc in next 19 sts, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 6: ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, sc in next 19 sts, join with sl st to 1st st.

Cuff:
Rnd 7: ch 3, (skip 1 st, dc in next st, ch 1) repeat around, join last ch 1 to 2nd ch in the ch 3. (fish net st)

Rnd 8: ch 2, 2 dc in ea sp, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 9: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 10: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 11: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 12: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 13: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 14: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.  If you want to make the top ruffley, continue with next line, if not, tie off and weave in ends.

For Ruffled Edge:
Rnd 15: (ch 3, insert hook into 2nd ch from hook, sc 1, sc into next st) repeat around.  Tie off and weave in ends.

Tie:
Make a chain 80 sts long,weave in to fish net st sps, then attach poms to ends. (if desired.)
OR
Use a ribbon.

Repeat the process for the second moccasin and this is what you'll end up with!! :)

 

Hope you guys have fun!!  If you guys do make any of these PLEASE, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE send me a link or a picture so that I can see them!! :)

Also, I prolly don't need to say this, but, this pattern is for personal use only, please don't sell them.  If you want to share the pattern with others, feel free, just direct them to my site to get it!  Thanks all! :)

I'll be linking to the parties on the side bar! :)

Little Lyric's Gift Set

So, I know I promised to post this earlier, but, I forgot that we had a "Souper" Bowl party to attend, for which I had to make soup.   Which took a good portion of my afternoon, then there was the party, and now it's 1am and I'm FINALLY writing this.  lol.  O-well, better late then never right?  For those interested I made Itailian Wedding Soup and it was awesome. :)

Anyway, you guys wanted to hear about the gift set right?!

Here it is!  I'm calling it the Little Lyric Set.  I had such a wonderful time designing this set!  (Like the booties?!  I'll be sharing my pattern (for which I used the bottoms of these booties) on this week's Tute {Yourself} Tuesday, so don't forget to stop by, get the pattern and link up!)

The blanket is what I call a "car seat blanket" because it is perfectly sized for a carseat!  No more blankets hanging out and ending up on the ground!!  Woohoo!!!!!  (I seriously HATE when Eme's blankets end up half on the ground because they are too big.  So, this is the perfect solution.)

Then I made a little pink monkey hat to match the blanket so that Lyric can hit the town in style!

I think the flower is a fun little detail. :)

The jewled center of the flower is really a button that matches the one on the chin strap.



Gotta love a little bling on a baby! :)

Next up is the dress that I totally teased you all with last night.  I la-la-LOVE it!!!!

I was seriously dying when I finished it!!  Remember the little white dress that I showed you a few weeks ago?  That was the first draft of this dress.

I shortened the sleeves up, elasticized the neck line and gathered the sleeve and hem lines to make them poofy.  Poofy anything is super fabulous on baby girls, don't you think?! :)

To round the gift out, I made her these sweet little booties.  (Which I realize I showed you just a few days ago...)

Based on your sweet, sweet comments, I decided to keep the polka dots instead of switching to the poms.  Thanks for your help on that! :)

I'll leave you with one last parting shot of the whole gift.  :)

What do you guys think?

Oh!  Before I go, have you guys heard about "One Month to Win It"?  It's a new crafting competion that is being hosted by several different blogs.  The auditions for month one start Wednesday!  I'm planning on entering, but I'm not sure which project to enter...  The two projects I'm deciding between are this post's  Little Lyric Gift Set and Little Elijah's Gift Set.  Which set do you guys like better?

PLEASE, PLEASE help me decide!!!!  Pretty, pretty, pretty please!!!!

**Edit**
Ok guys!  Apparently THIS is the one to enter so, I have!!!  Fingers crossed and wish me luck!!!!!






And, as usual, I'll be linking to the awesome linkies on my side bar. :)

A Little Dress

**I'm giving away one of my Koala Bear Hats!!  Click here to enter!**

This is a trial/muslin of a pattern I'm working on.  This is the first "go" and there are some obvious problems, but still, all in all, I think it'll be pretty cute once I get the kinks worked out. :)

(Do you recognize the fabric?  I know I said that I was going to make a skirt out of it, but there's a TON of fabric, so I decided to use some of it on this little dress.  I'll still be making a skirt at some point!)

The neck line is rather large, but, I plan to add a casing and ribbon to it so that it is cinch down-able.  The arms are longer then I want them to be, so, I'll be shortening those the next time.  Also, you'll probably have noticed that the under arm seam is a bit wonky.  Here have a look:

That will need to be fixed as well.  This is why I do muslins people!  So that I get the kinks out before I destroy the nice pretty fabric that I have planned for the final dress.  Not that this fabric isn't nice and pretty... ;) 

The last detail that needs some fixing is that I plan on making this dress bubble just a bit, not like big and puffy, just a little bit ruffle-y.  (Does that make sense at all?  It looks good in my head...)  So, that means I need to make the outer layer a bit wider at the bottom then the inner layer.  I'll share more as this process unfolds it's self.

Designing is FUN!! :)



I'll be linking up to the parties on my side bar! :)