ive been crocheting. a lot. :)

after i made emmas sweater i started looking for patterns that would make it easier. (what a good idea eh? should have done it the first time...) well, then i found several on ravelry that were cute, and one that linked to this pattern. its super simple and comes together REALLY quick. and bonus? you only have to count stitches for the first two rows really. then you just count rows. and how i hate counting stitches so that sounded great to me.

i started out following the pattern almost exactly the first time (with color changes, because i only had a little of each color of yarn) to make a sweater for george. im not sure if i ended up making it the same length as the pattern or now, i dont remember now, but otherwise, it is just as the instructions say and so cute! (and he has shoes to match! :)



i dont know what i will do for a closure, or if i will do anything, for now its finished and just waiting for this pill bug to be born so he can wear it.



and see? shoes to match. they are from this pattern on ravelry. i loved them so much i bought the pattern (and i kind of dislike buying crochet patterns when i think i could maybe figure it out on my own, but i went ahead and got this one.) i think they are adorable. he has another pair in blues too.



so then i decided to get out my new skein of yarn and make emmas shrug. i wanted a little bright cap sleeve sweater for her to wear in the summer when it gets cooler at night, or just to be cute but not too hot during the day. the colors match a little skirt andie bought for her just perfect, i love it.



i did the third row in triple crochet so that i can either lace a ribbon through the stitches all the way around for a tie, or just attach it and tie in the front. and even without any closure, i think that row makes it look more finished. i havent tried it on her yet, so im not sure my pattern adjustments will make it fit or not, but i did size it against her jacket, so it should be alright.



i have been trying to keep things posted on ravelry as i get them finished, so you can check them out there too. you can find emmas summer cardi, georges sweater, and emmas new shrug all there.

easter type things

part of emmas easter basket was a set of easter jammies. i dont have a great picture of them, but i do have one of her being quite cute easter morning while wearing them. the top is long, with three snaps to the waist, and there are bloomers that go underneath. super cute, and i love the birdie fabric. since bird is one of her favorite words right now, id say she likes them too.



for sunday morning i made us matching dresses. i needed this dress in a larger size (it is the pink dress, one size up to accommodate the belly) so that i have something to wear for sunny days, sundays, and a wedding in may while i am still hugely pregnant. the pink one is a little snug on the top of the belly, so enter the blue/green dress.

emmas is another favorite pattern of mine, this time without the waist tie and with little cap sleeves. i added pleats in her skirt to match mine, and a pleated ruffle at the bottom just for fun. the white fabric i had turned out to be a little thin, so after i had finished the dress i ripped the seam at the bodice lining and tucked in a gathered underskirt. i think it turned out really cute, and is one of my new favorites. im also a lot less afraid of sleeves on baby dresses, so thats good.

ps, doesnt jason make a handsome bunny? :)

emmas summer cardi

i wanted a light summer sweater for emma to wear while it starts to warm up in the day, but is still a little cool out, but i couldnt fine one i liked (or didnt like really. i just couldnt find one!) so yesterday i sat down with a hooded fleece vest of hers andmade up a crochet pattern for a little cap sleeve cardi and I LOVE IT. really. i am so happy with how it turned out, i want to make her another.









so i wrote out the pattern. (this is the first time ive ever written a pattern for anything, so if you try it, please let me know how it goes, and if you have a problem with it, let me know that too.) emmas sweater has a ruffled collar and little window holes at the edges that i didnt write into the pattern. i included a brief explanation of it at the bottom in "alterations" but just wrote the pattern out so the sweater is completed in just hdc and a sc or sl st here or there. and here it is!

Emmas summer cardi
Size 12 mo
hook size H
pieces are worked from the bottom up, turning at the end of each row.

Back
Row 1 ch 44
R2 turn and hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each st after (42 hdc at the end of R2) ch2, turn
R3 hdc in each of 42 st, ch 2, turn
R4- R13 repeat R3
R14 hdc in each of the next 9 st, hdc2tog 12 times, hdc in last 9 st, ch 2, turn
R15 hdc2tog 2 times, hdc in each of next 22 st, hdc2tog 2 times, ch 2, turn
R16 hdc in each st, (26 hdc at end of R16) ch 2, turn
R17 hdc2tog, hdc in each of next 22 st, hdc2tog, ch 2, turn
R18 hdc in each of 24 st, ch 2, turn
R19- R23 repeat R18
Finish off

Front (right and left, make one with alternate rows 15 and 17)
R1 ch 23
R2 hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each ch after (21 hdc a end of R2) ch 2, turn
R3 hdc in each of 21 st, ch 2, turn
R4-R13 repeat R3
R14 hdc in each of next 5 st, hdc2tog 6 times, hdc in each of next 4 st, ch 2, turn
R15 hdc2tog 2 times, hdc in each of next 11 st, ch 2, turn
(for opposite front piece, R15 hdc in first 11 st, hdc2tog 2 times, ch 2, turn)
R16 hdc in each st (13 hdc at end of R16) ch 2, turn
R17 hdc2tog, hdc in each of next 11 st, ch 2, turn
(for opposite front piece, R17 hdc in first 11 st, hdc2tog, ch 2, turn)
R18 hdc in each of 12 st, ch 2, turn
R19-R23 repeat R18
Finish off

Sleeves make 2
R1 ch 29
R2 hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each ch after (27 hdc at end of R2) ch 2, turn
R3 hdc in each of 27 st, ch 2, turn
R4 hdc in each of 27 st, ch 1, turn
R5 sl st in each of next 3 st, sc in next st, hdc in each of next 19 st, sc in next st, ch1, turn
R6 sl st in next st, sc in next st, hdc in each of next 17 st, sc in next st, ch 1, turn
R7 sl st in next st, sc in next st, hdc in each of next 15 st, sc in next st, ch 1, turn
R8 sl st in next st, sc in next st, hdc in each of next 13 st, sc in next st, finish off

Finishing off
Slip stitch front and back together at shoulders, outer shoulder towards neck opening, 6 stitches. Leave remaining stitches open.
Slip stitch side seams from armholes to bottom on each side
Slip stitch bottom sleeve (rows 1-4) together on both sleeves
Set in sleeve by turning sleeve right side out, and placing it inside the wrong side out sweater. Slip stitch together. Do this for both.
Finish off the edges of the sweater by adding a row of hdc around the entire piece, bottom, front and neck, use three hdc in each of the corner stitches so the piece lays flat.
Finished!

Alterations
Add a row of holes by exchanging one row of hdc for a row of 4hdc, ch2, sk 2 and hdc in next st… for one row then add another row of hdc on top.

white fluffy jacket

before it started getting really cold here in idaho, i made emma a fluffy fuzzy white jacket out of a towel wrap that i had. i use the knit pajama top patter but made it a little larger because the white doesnt stretch. then i added a ruffle, and snap at the collar. i think it is adorable, and she gets lots of comments from people when she wears it. if i make it again, i will give a little more room in the sleeves and body, and maybe use a light corduroy? ooh, or put in a lining? so cute.

kid christmas presents

kids love dress up, right? and whats the best thing about it? getting to wear it in public. so this year i made imagination clothes for the niece and two nephews that were cleverly disguised as sweaters so they could be worn outside the house! oh, and the little princess got a tutu.









the hoodies came from target, and i just attached pieces. i used fleece and felt for everything. the princess has pink cutouts in her crown, and hot pink thread and buttons for some washer/dryer safe bling. and the flowers on the hoodie are attached to large safety pins with some sewn on felt so they can be worn anywhere. they are crocheted flowers. the tutu is the popular "ten minute" style, where you just tie tulle onto an elastic waist. i added hot pink ribbon, and hot glued sequins all over the tulle for a little more sparkle. :)

did i mention that these three kids refuse to take them off, and wear them everywhere? i love them. :) the hoodies and the kiddos.