Baby Sock Monkey Hat

This turned out so cute! This is the first time I've ever used the milk yarn and I can see why babies would like it! It's so soft!

Hello Kitty Bibs

For Aria's 5th birthday, we went with a Hello Kitty theme. I did a lot of Pinterest-based research and found some terrific ideas which triggered the creative bug in me! I loaded up Alister (7) and Aria (4) into the minivan and went straight to the craft store, where we found some darling HK fabrics. I figured on making double sided placemats at first and quickly changed my mind to aprons instead! Note the placemat shape of the lower part of the apron. I used white fleece material for the double sided face with ironed on fabric eyes and noses. I would have added bows but I had too many to sew!

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!