Christmas Crochet

This is my second lacy Christmas scarf. The other is a lovely metallic silver and grey. Working with a finer yarn is refreshing after several years if worsted weight yarn. I want one...

JOY!

These are some wooden blocks about 3" x 3" which used to read "N. O. E. L" and had a 1980's dated look. I was ready to toss them out and then it struck me that it would be easier to paint over them and give them a fresh look. Aubrey covered them with a couple coats of acrylic paint while I dug around in my scrapbook paper. I settled on these four patterns and glued them onto one side. I then used Micrsoft Word to create some letters in a font that I liked. I opted to print them in their outline only, since I wanted to ink them in with fine tip Sharpie. This was so they wouldn't bleed when I glued and applied a clear finish. I cut the letters out and there you have it! The final clear coat makes the blocks look very nicely finished. This was a quick fun little project and I think I just may keep them in my window sill year round.

JESUS

We finally found a great craft opportunity for those super-sized letters from the craft store. Now we have a bigger reminder of our hope!

Aria's Flower Jumper

 

This pattern is my idea of a “fun knit” since it is worked mostly in the round with basic knitting stitches.   If you haven’t ever crocheted, let me encourage you about the darling flower:  It’s EASY!  I hadn’t crocheted since I was a girl and after looking over the basic crochet stitches I was getting the hang of it all over again.  (Try googling “crochet flower” some time and you might lose yourself in a whole new craft.  There are even video tutorials!) Back to the jumper:  This pattern can be easily adapted and ornamented in a way that best suits any little sweetheart’s taste.  I had originally thought that a colorful caterpillar creeping over the bodice or a spotted butterfly would be cute.   Duplicate stitch works very nicely on this weight of yarn.  Have fun making it your own or recreate it as shown!

 

Sizes: 2T, (3T, 4T)  (Shown in 2T)

 

MATERIALS

• Worsted weight yarn – (Berroco Comfort is ideal and comes in many delightful colors.)
• 2 skeins MAIN COLOR “Dried Plum” (Purple color)
• 1 skein color A “Rosebud” (Light pink)
• Small amount of  color B “Seedling” (Lime green)
• Small amount of color C “Teaberry” (Raspberry)
• Size 7 circular needles 16” long (or size to obtain gauge)
• Size 6 double pointed needles
• Size F/5 or 3.75 crochet hook
• ½” yellow plastic button for center of flower
• 2 Stitch holders
• Yarn needle.

 

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

• Chest 22 ½” (23 ¼”, 24”)
• Length 17 ½” (18 ½”, 19 ½”)

 

GAUGE

20 sts and 28 rows to 4”/10cm over St st using size 7 needles.  IT’S WORTH THE TIME IT TAKES TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE.

 

NOTE

This jumper is worked in the round as one piece up to the armholes.

 

SKIRT

With circular needle and color A, cast on 168 (172, 176) sts.  Place marker.  Join work, being careful not to twist the row of cast on stitches. 

 

BOTTOM EDGE OF SKIRT

*K1, P1 * repeat for the entire round.

Next row:  *P1, K1 * repeat for the entire round.

Repeat these two rows, forming a moss stitch pattern, until work measures 1”.  On last round, work 84 sts and place 2^nd marker.  Finish round at beginning marker.

 

**Knit 4 rounds even.

5^th round (Decrease round): SSK, K to the last 2 sts before marker, K2tog, SSK, K to the last 2 stitches before marker, K2tog.  **

 

Repeat from ** to ** until 112 (116, 120) sts remain.   14 total decrease rounds.

 

Size 2T:  Skip to waistband instructions.

Size 3T & 4T:  Knit 4 more rounds even.

 

WAISTBAND

*K1, P1 * repeat for the entire round.

Next row:  *P1, K1 * repeat for the entire round.

Repeat these two rows, forming a moss stitch pattern, until waistband measures 1”. 

 

BODICE

Switch to Color A and knit even until bodice measures 1 ¼” (1 ¾”, 2 ¼”)

 

DIVIDE WORK INTO FRONT AND BACK

K 53 (55, 57) , cast off 6, K 50 (52, 54)  , cast off 6. 

Continue to work the first set of stitches back and forth for the BACK.  (Optional, place last stitches worked on a stitch holder and save for the FRONT if you don’t want them on your needles while you work the BACK)

 

BACK ARMHOLE SHAPING

Worked in St st,  (Knit one row, purl one row…)

Knit one row, turn work.

Cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Cast off 1 st at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

38 (40, 42) sts remain.

 

Work even until bodice measures 4 ½” (5”, 5 ½”).  End with a wrong side row.

 

SHAPE NECK (Back)

K 12 , cast off 14 (16, 18) sts,  K 12

Turn and purl across the one shoulder only.

*Cast off 1 st at neck edge and knit across.

Purl one row. *

Bling and Comfort Scarf

When the girls and I were recently looking at the new yarns just out in the craft superstore we were instantly drawn to the new Martha Stewart yarn called Glitter Eyelash I think?  It's a lovely yarn but the scratchy pieces in it would never be suitable next to the soft skin of a 4 year old's neck.  I cooked up this scarf in my head to give us the best of both worlds. 

HOW TO MAKE IT:
Divide the small skein of sparkly yarn in half.  There are 39 yards in the skein, so you could just measure out 19 1/2 yards and then make balls of the two halves.  With size 10 needles, cast on 14 sts and knit in garter stitch until you run out of the sparkly yarn.  Now it's time to begin knitting with Martha Stewart's worsted weight yarn, Extra Soft Wool Blend Yarn, I used "Flamingo".  With size needles knit as follows:

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit

Now repeat these five rows, which should result in the striped pattern seen in the photo.  When the entire skein has been used, switch back to the larger needles and work the remaining Glitter Eyelash in garter stitch. 

Blessings!

Stay-Put Rice Pack HOT or COLD

I love this rice pack.  Measuring about 4 1/2" by 24" it has six compartments that keep sections of rice trapped so that you can wear this over your shoulders or elsewhere, and the heat/cold will stay where it is needed.  I have made these for several friends, but only recently started adding in the compartments.  Heavier materials such as this stretchy denim are a great choice as they last longer than simple flannel.  (The kids in my house like to wiggle the rice out of the holes in our old flannel rice pack... we had to say goodbye to that one!)  I place this in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes for heat that lasts a surprisingly long time.  The kids like to take theirs to bed with them to help fight the winter cold.  I've even thrown these in the freezer and find them very helpful for a quick and gentle means of icing a little ones "owies". 

HOW TO MAKE IT:
I cut one big piece of fabric, if possible, measuring 11" by 25".  I fold it, right sides facing, the long way, aka "hot dog fold" and sew the short ends in place.  I then turn it right side out and decide where my compartment lines need to go.  I'm not a perfectionist, so I often just fold the thing in half and mark the middle line.  Then I add two additional lines on either side of the middle.  I stitch these down, sometimes twice. 

ADDING THE RICE:  Here's where things get a bit wonky and perhaps you can find a better way to do this?  Let me know.  I have my rice sitting next to the sewing machine with a measuring cup marked to the right amount that will fill each compartment to about 2/3 full.  I tend to prefer sewing the first compartment partially shut and then I funnel in the rice.  After shaking the rice away from the seem, I close up the top of that compartment.  Then I fill the next ones in the same manner.  Finally, that raw sewed up edge needs to be folded over twice and stitched down the entire length.  A zipper foot on the sewing machine helps a bit here.

Blessings!

Salt Box for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners

This salt box makes for some wonderful gross-motor style practice with writing letters!  It is made from a craft store unpainted "tea tray".  First we painted the inside with a lovely dark plum color that shows up when little fingers write deeply in the salt.  I used pieces of extra corner trim to plug up the handle holes on the ends, but a variety of wood or plastic items might work just fine.  It would be fun to glue a ruler over the holes, too!  Then I hot glued a pink colored pencil in place to help hold up the laminated flash cards that we use to drill our letters and phonograms.  Just add salt and some "rules" for not dumping salt all over the floor!!!  Yikes.

Super Homemade Baby Bibs

Here is my favorite homemade baby gift!  Made from soft flannel, these bibs are easy to put together and when I wait for just the right sale, I stock up on really cute fabric selections to make my gift even more interesting.   (Selecting fabric that the PARENTS find interesting is also a kick!  For a musician family friend, we made bibs from an orchestra print.  For another friends, we made army camoflage bibs!) I made this pattern many years ago when my twins were babies based on a bib that had great coverage for their messy meals.

One added bonus for these if that when the cute little one wearing it is finished eating, these bibs can be removed and run under warm water to gently wash up tender little faces.  They are also tricky for toddlers to remove due to the ties, which are made from single fold bias tape which I have folded over and stitched down.   Washing velcro with other clothing can be an accident waiting to happen, so I've come to prefer these old-fashioned tie bibs.


To make a bib pattern of your own, find a suitable shaped bib to trace the outline of but add 1/2" to the outline.  Then cut out two pieces of flannel.  Lay the ties (about 10" long) in between the layers that are right side facing and stitch the pieces together with a 1/2" seem allowance.  Leave an opening at the bottom to allow you to turn the piece right-side-out.  Then press it into a nice shape and restitch close to the finished edge.  I add a little knot to the end of the ties for a finished look.  We have had our bibs for YEARS and if the fabric is of a decent quality, yours should last a long time, too.  New and experienced moms alike enjoy these bibs!  Try rolling up three different kinds and tying ribbons around them.

Blessings to you and the babies you will be sewing for!