Spoiling Lily

This Fall, we learned that the couple who runs the open mic night on Wednesdays were having a baby. As soon as I found this out, I was ready to make things. It didn't quiet help that I had baby fever and was itching to make things with no one to make things for. It certainly solved my problem. They were having a little girl and she has since been born.

Here are some of the things that I made for Lily (the baby).

 I happened along a design for a Circle Baby Blanket. I just love the swirl! It was a quick work up but I didn't happen to write it down. It came along by accident but I am certainly happy with the results! I wasn't sure what to do for the edging, so I decided to use some really soft, fluffy yarn (Bernat Pipsqueak) for the border in single crochet.

 I also made a hat, though I'm not sure where the pattern for that is. When I find where I got it from, I will update with a link. I know that it is called Granny Beanie. Again, I used the super soft, fluffy baby yarn to border the hat. So cute!

 A pair of baby shoes, in a soft cream. I was going to add lady bug buttons but it didn't quite go with the theme that seemed to be taking place.

 My first attempt at baby clothes! This was a pattern that I found at JoAnn's. One of the free ones that you can take home. It was called "Flutterby Baby Vest". I have tried to find it online for you, but I haven't had any luck. Again, I'm sorry that I cannot provide a link to the pattern. But, your craft stores are wonderful places for free patterns!

And yet another accidental pattern, as well as one that I can't link to nor did I write down. These booties are too stink'n cute! I love the little fur toppers!

When we gave these to the mother, she told me that she was afraid that she wouldn't have anything like this to pass down to her kids. Her grandmother who would make stuff like this had passed away. I felt so blessed to be a blessing to her, her husband and little Lily.

What baby things do you like to make or see made?

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved!

Ladybug Blanket is Finished!

After a month and five days, this beautiful blanket is finished! The finished size is 39"x50" which makes for a great blanket that Emiline can grow with. I feel at a loss, now that I have finished this project. It was starting to get so warm in my apartment, with it laying across my lap. After a few minutes with a lint brush (because my dog is shedding and this lovely weather makes everything cling to everything!) the blanket was ready to go in the basket.

Yes, I made a baby basket because I couldn't find any gift bag big enough for this blanket plus the other things that I made or found. We found her a book "The Many Mice of Mr. Brice" a Dr. Seuss book that I think she will enjoy, and a cute little dress.

The multi-colored circle is a pair of teething rings that her parents can put in the freezer before giving her. I like that there is no liquid for that, especially when she actually gets teeth. Those things make me nervous. Her ladybug shoes are there, two headbands, one with a heart and one with a daisy, a hat, diaper wipe case (with wipes) and not shown in the picture are another pair of booties.

Of course my adventures with making baby things will not end here. I do plan on making her a dress or an outfit, but I didn't have time to make one before the shower, this Sunday. As she grows, I plan to continue making things for her. I am happy that she lives down the street from us because I can actually try things on her and know they will fit.

I have a niece and nephew who live in Texas and I am always cautious about making them clothes because I'm afraid they won't fit. Babies are moving yarn targets and I'm going to enjoy this in ways that only knitters and crocheters can understand.

Let me know what you think, in the comments below. I love hearing from you.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved

Crochet blanket + Deadline = ??

As you may know I have been crocheting like crazy to welcome a special little girl into the world, in May. I have been working on headbands, hats and a blanket. I found out a couple of weeks ago that the baby shower is a week from today which I promptly made this into my deadline for the blanket. Life is certainly a funny thing. Nothing seems to go wrong when there isn't a deadline but as soon as you set a goal...Well, let's just say that it is a lot like trying to crochet and win at Dodge Ball, at the same time. 

I love how this blanket is turning out. It is beautiful and honestly I never thought that my hands could ever create something so special as this. I am a week away from the baby shower and I have most of the squares finished. I believe that I have about 30 squares to create and about 40 to sew together (including those not yet created). I have been trying to make 10 squares a day and put them together. After the squares I need to create a border around the blanket and then weave in all of those pesky ends. 

Here is the blanket as of 30 minutes ago: 

The blanket is as wide and long as it is going to be. I have two lady bugs to finish. The first you can see the head has already been made and the last will bee just after the flower stem. So, there will be seven lady bugs in all. I did not realize, until I took this picture and loaded it onto my computer, just how amazing this project is. I'm not tooting my own horn. This blanket is not my pattern and I wish I could think things like this up. But the idea that someone thought of this and it is as beautiful as it is, is pure amazing. 

This blanket is already almost big enough for me to cuddle under, on the couch and I'm an adult. It brings me joy that Emiline (I spelled her name wrong in my past posts) will be able to enjoy this gift much longer than her headbands, hats and baby shoes. This is something that she can grow with and I believe that her parents will appreciate it as much as I do.

There is some unwritten rule that when a goal is set mass chaos seems to break out because up until a couple of weeks ago, this blanket was not causing me any headaches (headaches of love and not anger ha!). Now, it is the week before the shower and I have a bit of work yet to do. I finally got approved for substitute teaching and the manager of my store is being transferred on Tuesday. So, my hours skyrocket. I don't mind the extra hours, except for the fact that I have a deadline to meet and I can now see late nights and caffiene in the very near future. It won't be the squares or the border that gets me. It is going to be those loving ends that I need to weave in. Loving, loving ends...

Some of my smaller projects that I have finished while on making this blanket (for my "breaks"):

I finished Muzzy's dog sweater, but I don't have a finished picture of it yet. He won't stay still to let me take a picture with him on it. Now he is free to enjoy the snow and be warm, at the same time.

I made Emiline a headband using some yarn that was RAK'd to me by Kokorific (Marie):

I also made a pair of baby shoes (3-6 months) with little ladybugs using the same yarn. I plan to make a matching hat.

I don't know what else to do, so close to the baby shower. I will make a dress or sweater for her but it will not be for her shower because 1. I've never made one and I want to take my time. 2. This blanket needs to be finished first.

Wish me luck! 

Feel free to leave comments and check out my other blog posts.

You are beautiful and well loved,

Cassie

Packages and Projects

Today, I came home to a very nice surprise. Another package from Kathleen (KnitTweet), a member of the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) group on ravelry.com! She sent a very nice note and a cute little button container filled with little white buttons to help me complete my baby projects. Between yesterday and today, I am excited to start new projects.

 

Thank you, Kathleen!

As promised, I am posting an update on my current works win progress (WIPs).

 

 

First, is the Lady Bug Cuddle Quilt that I have been working on for some time. I would say I am about fifty percent finished. I have made more squares than what is shown. What is shown is what has been sewn together

 

Next is the dog sweater for Muzzy, neighboor's dog. I have stopped here until I get a chance to fit him. Poor thing might get confused after all of the fittings he may have to do. It is going to be mostly dark green with two or three light blue zig-zags near the tail.

 

Last, but certainly not least, I am workng on this Neopolitan Shawl/Scarf. It was a free pattern download on ravelry.com I started this yesterday and I think I might be about half finished with it. 

I am hoping to fit Muzzy, for the first time, tomorrow and then I should be able to finish it without too much of a problem. The shawl, I am working on tonight, to get a small break from the blanket (which needs to ben finished in two weeks, yikes!). After I finish the shawl (hopefully that will be tonight) I am going to start making a couple small baby projects with the yarn I received yesterday and the buttons that I received, today.

Thanks again, Kathleen!

Feel free to leave comments below and check out my other blog posts.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved!

Emilina

As some of you already know, a good friend of my husband is having a baby in May. They have chosen her name, Emilina. I think that it is a pretty and interesting name. I don't think that any other kid will have it which makes this little girl, already unique. The baby shower is coming up soon and I feel like I haven't done much for the baby. I have made a couple of things for her but the big project is the ladybug blanket.

Which, I have made some progress on. This is how far I am as of yesterday:

 It is only about half of the width and most of the length. I only have three more squares at the bottom of the blanket and I will have my length. I am completely finished with the yellow and white. I have four more squares to go for the dark purple. I didn't think that I would enjoy making this blanket because it really is over 300 squares that I have to make and put together. However, I have always loved puzzles and I love seeing progress in my projects. Most blankets that I have made, I have needed to stop and take a break, work on a small project, several times. I have only worked on small projects once since I have started this and that was the day I heard about the baby shower. I wanted to make sure that I had something ready for it, if this blanket wasn't finished by then. I would say that this blanket is about 30-40% finished. I have a ziploc bag ful of squares that  have made, they just haven't been sewn together yet.

For the baby shower, I experimented with buttons, again. I am getting better about keeping the buttons secure. For my small projects, I made a baby hat and a headband with a daisy.

 

Both of these patterns were free on Ravelry.com. They were both very easy to make and super cute. The hat did not call for a button, but I wanted to add one. I think I may make another hat and a couple more headbands with different flowers or accents on them.

That is my update for now. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below. I do enjoy hearing from you. Also, if you like, you can subscribe to my blog and get notifications whenever I post.

Stay healthy, espeically in this flu season.

You are beautiful, and well loved.

Who's got the button?

 

I've found a few projects that I think would look super cute with buttons. Some projects actually called for buttons (like the diaper wipe cover). I didn't have any buttons and my husband strongly advised against ripping the buttons from my cardigan. I don't think they would have matched anyways. But, I went to JoAnn Fabric's, with a mission to find some buttons for these projects that I'm working on for Emilina, who will make her apperance in May.

I have a difficult enough time choosing which applesauce or toothpaste, I want to buy. When I was buying makeup for my wedding, I had a panic attack from the overwhelming choices of mascara, eyeliner, foundation and all other makeup needs. I never learned to apply make up or where to put half of it before my wedding day. I feel safe with eyeliner, now. But makeup is temporary and is kind of like coloring.

Now imagine my anxiety when I need three buttons to finish a project. I have never bought buttons before. I have never sewn buttons on anything before. Craft store button aisles I think have more of a selection than the makeup aisles at the local drugstore. I searched the walls finding buttons that I thought were cute but would probably not match the pink and brown diaper wipe case. I found ladybug buttons, baby buttons, and regular buttons of various colors. Each packet had maybe ten buttons and the cost was around $2-3. Then I found this Button Bargain box that has 10 oz (283 g.) of random buttons for $6. Some of the buttons are pictured above. There are tiny ones, big ones, bear buttons, flower buttons,triangle buttons!  

So, now instead of having a panic attack in the button aisle, I can sort through the buttons and my button anxiety from the comfort of my living room with hot chocolate in my hand. 

I did find three buttons for the Diaper Wipe Cover.

This is the finished product and my first attempt at sewing buttons on anything. I do hope that the buttons stay.

Do you know how to sew buttons? I'm not sure if there is a way you are supposed to. If there is a wrong way, I'm probably the person who would find it. I just don't want the buttons to fall around a baby who (from my experience with babies) will probably want to taste everything in sight.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Have a beautiful day!

Oh Baby, Baby!

Hey there!

I am so excited! We just found out a couple of weeks ago that our friends are having a little girl! So, of course, now that Christmas is over I needed some projects and I have been hard at work, trying to make somethings for their precious one who is due in May.

So far, I have thought about some things to make, but with working, I haven't had time to make them all yet. Here is what I'm thinking:

-Baby Blanket, I have already started this. It is going to be a blanket that has six lady bugs and a tulip on it. It takes over 300 little squares and I have only made 40-ish. So, at least I have 10% of it done. Right?  Here is a picture of what I've done so far:

-Baby wipe case. This I have finished, except for adding the buttons. (I really need to learn how to sew buttons). It is mostly pink with some brown and it fits over the travler baby wipe containers. I will post a picture of this soon.

-Baby Bib. I made one that has a pouch at the bottom so it can catch the food. I'll post a picture below.

I know baby booties and scratch mittens are probably a good idea, but I need to find some light weight yarn for them. She is going to be born in the start of summer. Other than that, I am not sure what to make her.

If you have any ideas, please comment! I would love to hear all of your ideas. Whether it is a craft idea,color combination or patterns, I love to hear from you. And, I am open to ideas because I really don't know all that much about babies.

Have a beautiful day!