Sew Crochet Monday

Happy June everyone!

My blog sees that you have returned for some more fantastic Sew Crochet! Here is another quick project that I did sometime in the beginning of May.

Quick Project: Custom Travel Pillow with straps for tying to luggage.
Fabric: Pink Flannel Girl Missionary Print
Pattern: My own Creation
Store: Deseret Book - Mormon Handicraft
Made for: My sister whom is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormon).
Started and Finished within a couple days at the beginning of May (this includes washing the material first).

She has been on her mission for  nearly 18 months - she's coming home within the next few weeks. So excited to see her again! We (as a family) got to talk with her each Christmas for the past 2 Christmas's and our mom also got to talk with her on each Mother's Day that she has been gone. Otherwise correspondence has been via email and mail. I wanted to send her something missionary related that she could use in her travels and I thought, "I would be really tired, a pillow would be nice...." and that's just what I did. I found some cute fabric that matched what she has been up to, already had stuffing and thread on hand so I bought 1/2 yard of fabric. I still have a piece that is 14.5" long x 18 3/4 wide. I'll bet I used a good fat quarter to make the pillow....  I didn't measure it before I stuffed it. It has 1 seam that runs along 1 long end and the 2 short ends - in the middle I sewed the straps to the inside of the pillow. I did a straight stitch with a zigzag stitch on either side for an extra strong seam. I used my old simple machine to make it.

The great thing about the design is that you can wrap it around the back of your neck in a U-shape, or you can cuddle it to the side or partial on the side and behind your head - it's totally up to you!

Wordless Wednesday

Sew Crochet Monday

Happy Memorial Day. May we remember those whom have gone ahead of us always in our hearts. They are a part of us and we of them.

Now, onto the recent projects I've created. : ) I've had a couple projects going for quite some time... and then one quick one showed up when I was picking up material and notions for yet another project that I will be working on here soon... and then another quickie joined in....

Ahem.

Project: Green Flower Shirt
Pattern: Simplicity 8083 size RR view 3
Fabric - cotton? print floral - my mom had it on hand.
Started sometime in April.
Finished ~a week ago.  (I got a "dream" sewing machine... more on that later... in another post.)

I made the shirt with my old machine that I've had half my life (~16 years) ok, just over half my life....) and finished it (buttonholes/buttons) using my new machine.

It's my first shirt/piece of clothing I've made without my mom's help... yes I have mended and replaced a zipper by myself... but I have learned the most (I think) doing things hands on with my mom - which have been few and far in-between. I added ~3 inches to the sleeves, took off 1 button and pressed down the neckline to make it a v-shape instead of u-shape. There's 1 obvious oops, but other than that oops, I think it turned out great!

TIP: Use fusible interfacing - it's fast and easy! The lady at The Fabric Center was wise in giving me fusible interfacing. To make any adjustments you wish, use tracing paper - I saw my mom do this all the time.

Quick Project: Bloomin' Skirt size 6-12 months
Pattern: Bloomin' Skirt by Cosettescloset 
(I found the pattern at The Fabric Center - see link above.)
Fabric - scrap from my mom & a store.
Started and finished in April - I think it took me ~1week to make.

Project: Crochet Valance
Started: February - gathering of supplies; March, I began crocheting a sampler to learn the         pattern and determine gauge; May, I began the official Valances.
Pattern: Feather Stitch Valance by Mickie Akins in: Special Techniques & Stitches in Crochet, Ed. Judy Crow
Yarn: Cone of Peaches & Creme in Kaleidescope;  worsted weight
                 (I used the same type of yarn for the sampler - Lily Sugar'n Creme in Potporri)
Hook:  Sampler - L (8mm); Official - N (10 mm)

I tend to crochet very tight - it's just the way I am. So if you crochet loosely go with what the pattern recommends and do a sample swatch to figure out your gauge. I'm going to be using my sample valance so I didn't mind making an entire valance instead of just a swatch. To do the swatch use the Feathers pattern or the Feather Stitch washcloth pattern in the book.

My sampler ended up being: ~23" width x 6.5-7" length (not counting the hanging loops I'm adding)
The Official Valance size is (there will be 4 of these): ~35" width x 9.5-10" length  (not counting hanging loops that will be added)   [These measurements are in inches.]

Well, I think that's a bit long, but pictures are fun to look at. Until next time on Sew Crochet. Have a great week everyone.

Sew Crochet Monday

Hello all.

It would seem that has I have now had success at creating and keeping a pregnancy and nurishing a new life - I have an itch.... to create... a lot.

I have been working on picking my love of crochet back up and learning all kinds of new stitches and patterns. I have loved it, been flustered at times, sore, and gaining a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities. Most of my projects are on Raverly - you do have to be a member to  sign in and see them... so I will show you some of the things I've already done - awhile ago. Of course, all these things that I have crocheted are a first for me beyond a chain scruncii. : )

This is an eyeglass case I did for my sister with her crazy colored yarn. The inner lining is an upcycled white sleeve from what used to be a long sleeve shirt. [Pattern:

Basketweave Eyeglass Case by Susan Lowman]

My close girlfriend of over a decade had a baby boy ~2.5 weeks before BabyDragon was born. I was going to make her a sea themed blanket (since her theme was sea turtles)... but instead used some of the squares to make her a scarf and gave her the rest of the squares to be incorporated into a quilt she is making him. (I'm excited to see it!) [These are just some of the squares - there were 2 more rows of sea. 24 squares total. The square pattern is from Hip 2 B Square: Totes & Bags by Melissa Leapman - the colors & theme is my own & Kabaju's. I used pattern for: #7 - Griddle Stitch, #15 - Star,  #8 - Wavy ] The scarf had 1 beach and 1 sand-dollar square with 7 sea squares.

This is my first EVER piece of clothing I have crocheted - a 3-6 month size Snap Dragon Infant Dress (pattern by Kate Wagstaff) for BabyDragon (which obviously has not fit now for ~2 months. (Ya she's 9 months! Time flies!) I used scrap yarn that was leftover from doing my friend's sea project.

Here is a baby doll (amigurami) I did using scrap yarn leftover from her dress and my friend's sea project. I used basic stuffing. [ Baby's First Doll by Tiffany Roan with these adjustments to close up the bottom of the doll;

NOTE: Make sure to mark beginning of the row - it will make it easier as a reference for counting. After doing round 41, the chain you skipped will be your 1st SC on round 42 and so on.
Round 41 SC in the next 5 SC, SK 1, Repeat around.
Round 42 SC in the next 4 SC, SK 1, Repeat around.
Round 43 SC in the next 3 SC, SK 1, Repeat around.
Round 44 SC in the next 2 SC, SK 1, Repeat around.
Round 45 SC, SK 1, SC, SK 1 - around and finish off, weaving in loose end with a yarn needle.]

Yep confidence booster big time. : ) Now to just be able to be a bit faster and not take a looooonnnnggg time to do my projects... the doll was my fastest at only a few days whereas all others took months to do.

I wrote down all the projects I'm doing and found my qeue has 8! Two are crochet and the rest are sewing.

Sew, here is what I have sewn so far.

I bought the kit: Noah's Ark Baby Book in a fat quarter of organic cotton sateen.

 It is completely finished and BabyDragon loves eating it. : ) I used one of my crochet hooks for stuffing the 6 animals, Noah, and the rainbow.

I look forward to completing another great project and sharing. : )  What burst of creativity have you had?
  

Wordless Wednesday