Red and Green Striped Toy Sleeping Bag

I made this bag for a toy I was given at an RSPCA Op shop. I wasn't there looking for soft toys, I like to go there to source second hand books for Thomas. I have managed to build up quite a collection of good quality board books, and he is well on his way to becoming an emergent reader.

For this quick little bag I used some acrylic yarn. The pale green was given to me by my mum, and the red I bought from K-Mart. I can't remember the project I bought the red yarn for, but it's been used in lots of projects since then, like my red Lady Bird two way tea cosy. I used a 4mm hook to make this up quickly, it took about an hour.

Should I explain how I made this? It wasn't too hard. I began as if I was making another little bag I like to make, keeping the yarn and carrying it over to the next round to create the stripe. When I got to about head height of the toy, the rounds became rows as I left a space for the face, turning back the other way for the next round. Three rows in total create the face space, then 11 ch and sl st to close it up again. Then a round of dc, 11 of which were in the chain, then a row of sc to join the two sides together. Then I switched to green to do a round of sc around the inside of the face space, then a ch to thread in and out through that round of sc to create a drawstring. See? Not too hard at all!

I might pop this into someone's birthday present along with some other things. I hope they think it's cute, I do!

Baby's Easy Red Bow Tie

I quickly whipped up this smart looking bow tie for my baby to wear for good luck on a special day!

I looked on google for images of "easy crochet bow ties". I could see straight away how I could make one for my baby to wear so I made it within an hour. Luckily, it was a Saturday morning so David could look after Thomas while I made it before we got ready to go to the birthday parties!

easy red bow tie for a baby

Using a 4mm hook and some red acrylic I bought from K-Mart a while ago, I started by making a little red bag, then closed it up to form the main body of the bow. I fastened off then made the middle section, then the neck strap which is closed with a button. It was pretty easy!

easy bow tie in progress

I just meant for this to be a bit of fun, to lighten the mood on a potentially difficult day. Sometimes its a good thing to look silly. Especially if it's your baby, then he just looks super cute!

Truck with Flowers Birthday Card

truck with flowers birthday card

I think this birthday card is so sweet, and just perfect for a special little boy on his first birthday!

I really like the handmade cards my mother makes, so I like featuring some on my blog. I really hope she sets up her own blog soon so I can redirect people there. I'll keep you posted!

Pink Plum Hat, free pattern

Here is the hat I made to match the Pink Plum Jacket I posted about yesterday. I would like to share my pattern with you.

Pink Plum Hat

There are 5 increasing rounds to begin, when the increasing is done its time to do granny clusters. Each round has 16 granny clusters. Finish the hat with a round of scallops in a contrasting colour, and a simple flower embellishment. This hat will most probably fit a 6 month old baby, but might also fit a newborn up to 12 months due to the extra stretch in the hat. The circumference of my hat measures 14 inches, 16 when stretched, but that will depend on your tension.

4mm hook and 8 ply yarn, this takes less than 50g of yarn
1. ch 3, sl st to form loop, 3 ch, 15 dc into loop (16 st)
2. ch 3, dc into same, (dc, 2 dc) to end, sl st
3. ch 3, dc into same, (dc, dc, 2 dc) to end, sl st
4. ch 3, dc into same, (dc, dc, dc, 2 dc) to end, sl st
5. ch 3, dc into same, (dc, dc, dc, dc, 2 dc) to end, sl st
6. ch 3, 2 dc into same, (sk 2, 3 dc) to end, sl st (16 granny clusters)
7. ch 3, 2 dc into same sp, (3 dc in next sp) to end, sl st (16 granny clusters)
8. repeat round 7 until desired length reached (eg. about 10 rounds of granny clusters)
9. in contrasting colour, (5 dc in middle dc of next granny cluster, sl st in next sp) repeat to end, sl st in 1st dc, fasten off (16 scallops)
10. in contrasting colour, make a simple flower and attach with main colour and yarn needle.

I'm still learning to write crochet patterns, so please feel free to point out any errors by leaving a comment!

Pink Plum Hat with jacket

Pink Plum Jacket

Here is the 2nd toddler jacket I've made this week, this one is to give to a little girl whose 1st birthday is today. This is the same pattern as the other toddler jacket I made this week, which was for a little boy who also has his 1st birthday today! These babies are in my mother's group, I hope their mummies like them! Here's a link to this project on Ravelry, which has a link to the free pattern.

Pink Plum Jacket and Hat

These jackets are based on the idea of using two folded hexagons joined together at the back. But to fit a toddler, the hexagon shape has to be altered, with some sides shorter, while others are longer with added rows. Otherwise the sleeves would be too wide and the middle too small. For this 'Pink Plum' jacket, I used a contrasting purple to scallop the edge which has turned out rather nicely, if I do say so myself!

Pink Plum Jacket

For the purple flower I followed my free crochet flower pattern, I'm chuffed this flower suited it so well. Sometimes I feel very surprised when my crochet stuff actually works out! I made a cute hat to match, I'll share the pattern for it tomorrow. For this I used classic wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mill and a 5mm hook.

I'm thinking I could make this set in other colours and give them fun names like Citrus Splice (yellow & orange), Festive Season (red & green), Blue Skies (sky & blue), Strawberry Cream (red & white), Jaffa (brown & orange) and Honey Bee (black & yellow). Maybe someone would like me to make them one, or I could even see if I could sell them. Maybe one day I could open an Etsy shop, but I don't know if I'm good enough for that!

Pink Plum Jacket detail

Today I am linking up with my favourite blog party, Pink Saturday hosted by How Sweet the Sound. I'm happy to share my pink creation with you today, I hope you like it!

Blue Toddler Jacket with wooden buttons

For some reason I thought making this jacket would be easy, as I was using the basic hexagon jacket principle. But it turns out the hexagon shape is not well suited to a one year old and I had to alter the pattern to fit. This is one of a pair of jackets I've been planning to make for a while now, to give to two babies whose birthdays fall on the same day, this Saturday. Here's a link to this project on Ravelry, which has a link to the blog that explains the pattern.

blue toddler jacket with wooden buttons

There was a moment when I thought these just weren't going to work. But it was a puzzle that needed solving, and I kept at it until I worked it out. At one point I was planning to make this one a double breasted jacket, with one side much wider than the other so it overlapped. Perhaps it could have two rows of buttons, I thought. At that time, I was also thinking to make this a two-toned jacket, with one side blue and the other green. Luckily my husband's opinion proved useful and honest, as he told me the two colours and the uneven shape 'looked funny'. This was just the kind of honest opinion I needed, so I pulled it apart and made it even, and all blue.

jacket in progress, working out a pattern

By the time I had two even sides both in blue, I was planning to finish with a green edge. I had coffee with my friends Tanya and Hazel yesterday, and they didn't like that idea, Hazel said because the green I had was not quite the right shade. So it was going to be all blue! Then we went to Lincraft and picked out some buttons.

I just hope this jacket fits nicely and ends up getting used. I used 8ply wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mill with a 5mm hook. It took me hours spread over the week while I fiddled around with it to work out the pattern, but if I was to make another one, now I know what I'm doing, my guess is it would take me about 3 or 4 hours. Maybe I will make a green one the same for Thomas?

Blue Flower Handmade Label

I've been needing some lovely handmade labels to attach to my crochet gifts, and this is what my mum came up with!

blue flower handmade label for crochet gifts

When I give someone a handmade crochet gift, I need a label tag to attach to it, saying what kind of fibre it is and the washing instructions. I also want to put my blog address so if anyone wants to learn more about the item I made for them, they could read more about it on my blog. Although I'm pretty sure most of them don't do that!

My mum has a special cutting machine that cut out these tags, I think they do the job very well as they fold onto themselves. That way there is more room to write washing instructions inside, but its still a cute little tag. I'll tie some pretty recycled ribbon to attach the label to the crochet gift. Very pretty I think!

Purple Butterfly Birthday Card

purple butterfly birthday card

Here is a pretty purple butterfly birthday card my mother made. I'm giving it with the purple flower baby headband I made last week, and a white and purple cardigan I made when I was pregnant, as a gift to a one year old girl for her birthday.

purple butterly envelope

Before I found out I was having a boy, I crochet baby clothes and blankets in white, purple and green. My intention was these items would be ok for either a girl or boy, but I secretly thought I might be having a girl. Mainly because I assumed the chances were I would, because everyone I knew had boys! Surely a girl was due? That's why I think that purple and white cardigan has flower buttons, I must have subconsciously chose them. I noticed them recently and realised I wouldn't put it on my son, so needed to give it away or it would never be worn!

The birthday card comes with a special envelop embellished with purple butterflies. I hope the birthday girl likes her purple package!

Purple Flower Baby Headband

purple flower baby headband

Here is my first baby headband, with a pretty flower. Its a good thing I had a baby boy and not a girl, as any daughter of mine would be obliged to wear these, and often!

I made up my own pattern for this, as I don't think it was difficult. My first attempt used a 5mm hook to make the headband, but the stitches looked too slack so I undid it. I switched to a 3.5mm hook and made the flower first. When I was finally happy with it, I then made a headband to suit it.

For the flower, I started with a round of 12 dc, the second round has the 6 puffy petals. A petal is in every 2nd dc with a sc in the other dc, a petal is sc, hdc, dc, 3 tr, dc, hdc, sc. I then pinched the 3 tr and turned the petals so they popped out and were rounded. I then turned the flower over and underneath, added 2 dc to the back loop of every dc of the 1st round, for a total of 24 stitches, then turned it back around. The last round of the underneath is some simple scallops (sk 1, 5 dc, sk 1, sl st). Underneath sits flat and helps the front petals sit up nicely.

closeup of Isabella's purple flower

I then made a headband to match, it has a 42cm circumference and fits around my one year's old head. I'm sure he doesn't mind being measured for a baby headband! I started with a chain and sl st to form a loop to make a circumference to fit my baby's head, the 2nd round is a row of sc in every ch. Then I did granny clusters (3 dc) in every 3rd sc. At the end of the round, there wasn't quite the right number of sc so the last granny cluster is a little closer to its neighbour. I did 5 rows of granny clusters, then finished with a round of sc.

For an embellishment, I used a small piece of lace I picked up at the local RSPCA op shop, and sewed it to the middle of the flower with lilac thread, then I sewed on a pretty purple button. Finally, I secured the flower to the headband with the lilac thread. I hope the recipient likes this gift, I sure hope it fits!

A pair of pretty handmade birthday cards

a pair of birthday cards made by my mum

Here are two handmade birthday cards I commissioned for my mother to make for my friend's birthday, and also for my sister's birthday, which is today!

I think these two are really pretty, with delicate flowers and butterflies. They are very similar, the main difference is one has a green border and ribbon instead of the pink. I'm sure the recipients will love these! Thanks mum!

As usual, today I'm linking in with the only blog party I like to follow, and that's Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound. Be sure to check out all the pretty pink posts!
<3