Reversible Baby Bibs

This makes a nice shower gift for baby.  It's simple to make.
 
Materials:
Soft flannel - coordinating prints
Fleece interfacing
Bias tape

Cutout a little patch from coordinating print to sew on top of the fleece bib.  I place a small piece of fleece interfacing underneath the patch.  Pin in place.  Zigzag around to applique' on top of the bib.

Flannel baby bibs

Cut out both flannel pieces and fleece interfacing. Place wrong sides of flannel together, and put the fleece interfacing on top.  Sew around the outer edge with 1/4" seam allowance.   Turn inside out. 

Attach bias tape to neck edge and pin in place.  Zigzag from the end of one tie, around the neck edging, and finish off at the end of the other tie.

Reversible bibs

So soft.  So fun to make!

Blue Baby Puffs Blanket is finished

This pattern worked up so easily and looks very intricate.  What a big blanket for a new baby boy to arrive very soon!

Blue Baby Puffs Blanket

A simple finishing edge of single crochet, adds stability to the edges, but doesn't distract from the design of the little puffs.
This blanket is ready for wrapping up a new bundle of joy, and giving lots of hugs!

Blue Baby Puffs Blanket

Blue Baby Puffs Blanket

Making items for a new baby is fun! 

I grabbed a big blue bundle of yarn in my stash and looked at the pattern on the wrapper.  With using the basic design and a few improvisations of my own, it is turning out to look really beautiful.  This is made with only single crochet SC and double crochet DC.

Blue Baby Puffs Blanket

I started this less than 1 week ago, and for a short amount of time in the evenings, it is about 2 feet long already!   It works up rather quickly and love the blue "puffy" pattern it makes on both sides.   It is similar to the popcorn stitch, but is really soft.

Yarn Used:  Lion Brand - Pound of Love - Pastel Blue
Crochet Hook:   J
Size:

Knit Baby Hat

Making little baby hats for charity is fun, and rewarding.  

The little baby hats can be made quickly.  A great project for an evening watching movies at home.

Newborn Knit Hat ~ in progress

Simple pattern:

Ribbing:  K2, P2, across
Rows:  K1, P1, across.   Add colors of yarn to make interesting strip patterns.
Sew seam.

Blue and Purple Knit Scarf

A simple and easy project that works up easily is knitting a scarf.

Various types of yarn add interest, textures and color to the scarf

I had some TLC Amore yarn in a denim blue color (discontinued?) that I wanted to compliment with some shades of lovely lavender.  Stella has a sparkly light purple, and Baby Bee has a thin bumpy yarn similar to TLC Amore. Add in a splash of a purple section of Fun Fur near the ribbing, and it is starting off looking great.  

Knit Scarf ~ in progress

Ribbing:   K2, P2, across.
Rows:  K1, P1, across.    Add stripes evenly throughout the length of the scarf.
When you reach the middle of the scarf, reverse the direction of the stripes, so it will look correctly when hanging from the neck.

Charity Project: Project Linus

Join the Knit & Crochet-along for Project Linus

Starting February 28^th, 2011 Bernat will be hosting the Crochet-along & Knit-along in support of Project Linus!

Blankets for Charity

Using your talents and gifts to serve others is our calling in life.  It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Here's a few crocheted blankets that were given to a local homeless shelter that has a wonderful ministry.  The good works they do in their lives is amazing.  Lives are being transformed and shown the love of God.

Crocheted Granny Square Blanket

It would be such a hopeless feeling to not have a place to go to.  Even more, are entire families that are on the streets and in their cars.  Your sense of security is gone.  I'm glad to partner with this homeless shelter in giving back to those in great need and shunned by our society. 

What could you make or a gift of service to someone?   Try it!  There's nothing better than giving.  It does your heart good!

Granny Square and Striped Design Baby Blankets

May these blankets that are crocheted in love, give warmth and comfort to the little ones. 

Wedding Roses

Weddings deserve a special heirloom and a remembrance of the blessed event. 

A variety of roses will embelish the wedding keepsakes. 

Starting a project on linen

Patterns include:
"I Thee Wed" by Ursula Michaels,  a variety of cross stitch magazines, and my own uniquely created designs for this big day. 

Striped Basket Weave Blanket is finished

Going back to finish up an old project, is a good feeling.  A sense of accomplishment. 

When the ombre yarn was all used up, it was hard to find it in the craft stores.  When I did find it some time later, it was a slightly thicker yarn and it had a different feel to it. It lost that little bit of sheen to it and was duller. The multi-colors were almost similar. 

I didn't think it would work, so the project was stashed.  I felt this year to go back and complete some of these projects and hopefully would look alright. 

Striped Basket Weave Blanket

The new ombre colorations blended together well when crocheted, and to the untrained eye, you wouldn't know the difference on the last few diagonals.  The ombre was used as a simple border in single crochet for 3 rounds, alternating direction to prevent that dreaded "edge rolling".  A simple edging gives stability to the edge, and it doesn't distract from the pattern of the blanket.

It worked out better than good.

This adorable blanket is luxuriously soft, and the large size will bundle a baby with warmth.

Accomplishment, and a successful project, gives a boost of confidence to continue on the journey to resurrect those "old projects" that are stashed away.  They are jewels and treasures.

Pink and Green Afghan is finished

The last dozen blocks were created and sewn together. 

The various patterns, textures and placement of block colors, make this a happy blanket to warm up in the middle of Winter  ~ with the happy colors of Spring.

The 7" x 9" blocks are arranged in a pleasing pattern, and then sewn together.

Pink and Green Afghan

The border was created in the main color of mauve, in a shell stitch.  This added a larger border around the edge, and complimented the whole afghan.  This old project was finally completed and is very warm to cuddle up in during this cold winter.

Pink and Green Afghan

Block Size:  7" x 9"
Rows: 7
Columns:7
Finished Size (excluding border):  49" x 63"
Edging:  Shell Stitch

Striped Basket Weave Blanket

This crochet blanket is one that I've designed.

It works up easily and it is worked in a diagonal pattern that appears to look like a basket weave pattern.   I'm putting on the finishing touches and should complete it soon.

Striped Basket Weave Blanket

Yarn used: Caron Simply Soft

Colors:   Baby Brights Ombre, Soft Pink, Orchid
Crochet Hook:  H
Finished Size:

Pink and Green Afghan

This year starts off on completing an old project.  A majority of the blocks were completed, but at least a dozen or so, still needed to be made. 

The idea for this came from Project Warmth and other charities that uses blocks that measure 7" x 9".   Any crocheted pattern would work into making a nice size afghan. 

Crocheted Rose block

Many different styles and coordinating yarns makes this look like a crocheted version of a patchwork quilt. 

Block Size:  7" x 9"
Rows:  7
Columns: 7
Total Blocks:  49



Mystery Afghan - "FREE" Crochet-Along

Bernet yarns is offering FREE patterns and instructions every week starting on September 22nd to make a Mystery Afghan.

This project is a sampler afghan  that is crocheted in five colors of Bernat Softee Chunky. What the final afghan will look like is a mystery - you'll have to crochet each clue as it comes out and gradually discover the final result.

The afghan project will last 12 weeks, with the last clue posted December 7th, 2010.   If you keep up as the clues are released, you'll have an afghan made in time for Christmas. 

To download patterns and instructions:

 http://blog.bernat.com



More information at:  http://bernat.com/CAL2010intro

When completed, be sure to enter the contest.  One crocheter will receive the Bernat pattern and yarn of their choice to create a Bernat afghan.   See Bernat's rules for complete information and terms.

Charity Project: "1 Million Pillowcase Challenge"

American Patchwork & Quilting is challenging you to join our efforts to Make a Pillowcase, Make a Difference. Every pillowcase can make a difference in your community. A pillowcase can provide comfort for a cancer patient, hope for a foster child, encouragement for a battered woman, or beauty for a nursing home resident.
 

To download free patterns & instructions: 

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases

Video Tutorial:  http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/video/roll-it-up-video.html

Charities to donate locally (suggestions):  Hospice, Veteran's hospitals, Senior nursing care facilities, VFW posts for active service personnel or veterans, Oncology units, Missions, Ronald McDonald House, Homeless shelters, Women's shelters, Youth shelters, etc.  

Make a pillowcase and donate to a local charity.   Once your pillowcases are complete and donated to an organization, log on to the All People Quilt website and enter how many pillowcases you made.  

Help us reach our goal of ONE MILLION Pillowcases.

Owl Hoot Pillow

Changing an out-dated wall hanging into a pretty pillow was a fun & simple project. Not to mention, inexpensive.

Here's what it looked like when I found it (previous post)
http://bitsofblessings.blogspot.com/2010/08/owl-hoot.html


The owl lace was taken out of the hoop and cleaned thoroughly and old glue stains removed.  There was a solid brown fabric placed behind the owl lace and makes the owl stand out clearly.

An unused piece of denim trim with white lace overlay, was purchased at the same time at the thrift store for only 10 cents.  It fit nicely around the round lace piece and was sewn to the top of the owl lace and brown backing. 

A small peice of denim was purchased at the fabric store at 50% off, and the shade of denim was closely matched to the shade of the denim trim.   The circle of denim was used for the back of the pillow.

Owl Hoot ~ pillow back

Add stuffing and sew together, add the brown lustre bow back on the side, and there you have a cute up-to-date pillow for 35 cents for the vintage fabrics, and a minimal cost for the denim fabric and stuffing. 

Whooooooooo wouldn't just love this adorable pillow?

Owl Hoot Pillow

Status:  Finished

Charity Project - "Caps for Good"

Please join me in a wonderful project to make Baby Caps for newborns in the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America through a joint effort from Save the Children and Warm Up America organizations.  This is being sponsored by Michael's craft stores.

In many developing countries, something as simple as a knit or crocheted cap can help
the baby keep warm, which is key to helping newborns survive. Nearly 4 million babies die each year in their first month of life - half within their first 24 hours.  

To download free patterns and instructions:
http://www.goodgoes.org/caps



I will start shipping out knitted or crocheted baby hats that I've made, or have collected from friends, on the 3rd Saturday of each month, starting on September 25th. I hope that many will also join in this effort and collect hats from your friends and co-workers and ship them to this organization.  It is a great way to involve the community in giving back to these precious little babies. This project ends in late February.

Happy Blessings! 

(FREE PATTERNS added here in the COMMENTS section. Click on the COMMENTS link.  Do you have a free pattern (knit or crochet) for a newborn baby hat that you want to share?  Add as a Comment, or send your pictures of your completed hats to bitsofblessings [at] gmail [dot] com    They will be shown on the blog.)

Owl Hoot

An Owl Hoot recycling project made from an Owl Hoop.

Remember the crafts from the 70's & 80's that made works of art in those wooden embroidery hoops?  All sorts of pictures were made by placing embroidery, fabric pictures, or other types of crafts that were embellished in the circular frame.  This may have been when the hot glue gun frenzy began.

Thrift Store find @ 25 cents

While hunting in the thrift store, I couldn't resist this lace owl for 25 cents. The lace fabric & background has been taken apart from the wooden frame and washed.  The glue and woodstain have discolored the ivory trim, so it's unusable.  It will be remade into a new item soon.

Christmas Cross Stitch Ornaments

Years ago, I used to make these little framed cross-stitch ornaments with the gold frames.  It was a handy project to take along with you.

Another "thrifty find" this month, was a complete kit to make 3 Christmas ornaments for 25 cents.  There was no date on the package, but it looks like those from the 70's or 80's.  I started right away on making Santa Claus.

Antique 1760 Cross Stitch Sampler

There's something about going on a Treasure Hunt and finding those little finds in unlikely places.  I came across a bin of craft items at a thrift store and brought home lots of "treasures".   One of which was a complete kit for a reproduction of a cross-stitch sampler, that was made from an 11 year old girl in 1760.  That's pre-Revolutionary War. 

Included was the fabric, DMC floss, graph and instructions.  I paid 25 cents for it.

I've always wanted to create a reproduction of an antique sampler.  So, it's another project for me to start on and will track the progression.