It's (Going to Be) a Boy!

 

It's been a long time since I have posted...9 months in fact! After struggling with fertility issues for a year, we were overjoyed to find out we were going to have another baby. I like to think about that day when first the home test and then the blood tests came back positive. It's been a long road since then.

My first pregnancy was a relative breeze. This one has been a challenge. I won't go into all the gory details, but the first trimester was by far the easiest. Yes, three-ish months of constant nausea and exhaustion would be preferred to the past 6 months of pre-term labor scares, bed rest and chronic pain.

I'm in the home stretch now, four weeks from my EDD and out of the early preemie danger zone. Now the big joke going around my friends and family is that I will end up going past due and need an induction.

 Despite everything, I have managed to knit a hat for Little Bug (big brother came up with that one) to wear home from the hospital and with the left over yarn I crocheted a matching cowl for myself.
They are both made from Alpaca Lace by Cascade. I held it double for the hat and quadrupled for the cowl.

The hat pattern is from the Purl Bee - Heirloom Hats for Newborns. I can't say I recommend it. It's really fiddly and no matter what I did, I ended up with some laddering. Overall it's cute and I am probably the only person who will notice or care about the flaws.

The cowl is just double crochet. I made a long chain, twisted it when I joined it into a circle, and then double crocheted around until I ran out of yarn. I love this yarn, it's super soft and the colors are beautiful.

And here is a gratuitous belly shot! 36 weeks down!

Scrappy Crochet Bear Pattern

Scrappy Crochet Bear

Supplies
Approximately 9 grams of worsted weight scrap yarn
size G/ 4.25 mm crochet hook
notions to make the face
stuffing
yarn needle

Start with the body, since it is the largest piece.
Body
Ch 60 in body color, work flat in sc until the piece measures about 3.5 inches. This will be the face. Switch to the scraps and continue to sc until the total piece measures 9 inches, changing colors and striping as you wish. Finished piece will measure approx. 14" x 9".

Arms
Ch 20 using the same color as the face. Join into a ring with a slip st and work in sc for half an inch. Switch to using scraps, changing colors and striping s you wish, until the arm measures 3 inches. Make 2.
Legs
Ch 25 (at this point, you may be out of face color. I used the same color to start each leg to give the impression of shoes) Join into a ring with a slip st and work in sc for 1 inch. Switch to your scraps, striping as you wish, until the leg measures 4.5 inches.
Ears
Using whatever colors you have left, Ch 2.
Round 1 - 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.
Round 2 - switch colors, 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, {2 dc into next dc} 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc.
Round 3 - switch colors, 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, {2 dc into next dc} 10 times. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Finishing and Assembly
For the arms and legs, turn inside out and center the color jogs (think of this as a back seam) Tie off or weave in the ends, press flat and then stitch the end that is the hand or foot closed. Leave the other end open. Lightly stuff the arms and legs.

Add the Face


For the body, find the center of the rectangle and add the face. You can use safety eyes, felt, embroidery floss, whatever you have handy.

Add the Arms


Then fold the edges to the center and mark where the sides are. Lay it out flat again and stitch the arms on (arms should be lightly stuffed).

Add the Legs

Fold right sides together and sew the back seam closed. Center the back seam and then tuck the legs inside the body (legs should already be stuffed), aligning the open edge of the leg with the bottom edge of the body. Pin in place and sew closed.
Turn right side out.

Add Ears and Close
Stuff the body to the desired firmness. Sandwich the first ear between the front and back sides and stitch closed, being careful to pass through all three layers of fabric. Stitch the top middle of the head closed and then add the second ear as the first.

Enjoy your new toy!

63x53 = awesome

I finished this Granny Stripes blanket a few weeks ago. I started it around Thanksgiving. It was meant to be 45" x 45", but due to a newbie mistake I made the chain way too long, so I just hooked until I ran out of yarn. It's a great size for snuggling under on the couch and it is definitely my largest fiber project to date. I used the Debbie Stoller Washable Ewe. It's soft and while I haven't tired washing it yet, it's nice to know I can. I learned a lesson about why blankets are usually done in acrylic. Not only is it cheaper, but the static that this thing generates is epic!

Crochet is so much faster than knitting, I'm having a hard time picking up my needles again. There are so many WIPs at this point I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. That coupled with my usual late winter blues leaves me with little motivation to knit and even less to blog. But I'm daydreaming of Spring and planning my garden and I know that this is all temporary!

Happy Hooking

This have been busy around here lately. A birthday, a craft fair, the usual life stuff. But I have managed to find a bit of time to do some of the Crochet School lessons...I'm woefully behind the class, but I can actually crochet things! Like that happy green pear for Ben's new play kitchen. It took less than a day to make, even with my newbie skills. I want to crochet a whole cornucopia for him to play with now.
Find the pattern for the pear and other fruits and veggies here. This guy has some holes in him where you can see the stuffing, but I imagine that's from needing to use a smaller hook. I used some random worsted weight cotton for both the body and the stem (which is navy blue, but oh well!) I apologize for the less than gorgeous photo, but well, it's cold today, I'm tired, and I can't be bothered to find my camera right now.

Crochet School? Awesome!

*Thanks, I think I will.*

I am totally signing up for this. I know how to do a couple of things, like chain and double crochet, but I can't read a pattern well and I am light years away from re-creating any of the awesome crocheted goodness on my pin board. Holy smokes, am I ever addicted to Pinterest right now. So many great ideas on there! Like Crochet School! It starts October 1st.

I do not need another hobby. But another SKILL, well, that's a different story.... right?