Olivia's Easter outfit

Aren't I terrible? Here it is, July, and I'm just getting around to posting Olivia's Easter dress. Bad, bad, blogger!!

Anyways, I had been hording this pink, sheer, embroidered fabric. The dress is lined with pink broadcloth (I'm so cheap! That's my go-to crap) with a shirred empire waist and puffed sleeves.

I decided she needed a coat and hat too, so quickly whipped up a crocheted sunhat and swing coat. The coat is also in the pink broadcloth lined with a pink fleece. Little daisy chain accent and a few flower buttons, and we're ready to go!

She had fun 'walking' around with Grandma while the older kids were egg hunting!

Crochet yoke tops

My vow to make Olivia's complete summer wardrobe didn't stand completely, but I did manage to make her a bunch of fun tops.  After completing this beauty, I was hooked and made 2 more!

Comfy knit fabric

Butterfly applique

Stunned rabbit model

No idea why this picture keeps flipping.  Tilt your head please.

Okay, I guess I didn't take a picture of the 3rd top, and it's in the wash right now.  Oops.  It's another floral print with a pink crocheted yoke.  Hope you enjoy!!

Yarn Works

Oooo...it's been awhile!! Between teething and regular nutty mom stuff, I haven't managed to get a post up in, like, forever! But I'm back!! And hoping to post more regularly, I promise!

So a lot of my crafting time lately has been taken up by crocheting and knitting. I've been making hats for gifts,

Sock Monkey, owl and bunny

Very hungry caterpillar

and for Olivia,

Little Sisters Dress (Ravelry link) Love how this turned out!!

and this Knitted Convertible Cardigan, a vintage pattern done up in mohair.

I also found some adorable Owl skirties on Pintrest, so I HAD to try my hand at making one for Olivia, and it turned out ADORABLE!!! (maybe even deserving of a pattern? who's up for one?)

One of our local schools was having a Mom 2 Mom sale, so I also whipped up a few for that, as well as some hats.  Here's an example of the skirtie and a few of the hats I had there:



Unfortunately I didn't sell much, so I've also started up a facebook page to see if I can sell them better online.

Introducing Baby Purls!!

Homemade Birthday Gifts

My sister's kids have their birthdays on the 22nd and 25th of December.  I know. Great timing. And I sort of started a tradition for myself of making their birthday gifts, since we usually buy their Christmas ones. And this year was no exception! For the big 6 (!) year old, I found this Geologist Kit idea on Pintrest. I sewed up a vest and freezer stencilled his name on the front and 'Jr. Geologist' on the back:

























To go with the vest, Ashton and I put together a rock collection box for him:

and filled it with special rocks from Scholar's Choice, as well as a magnifying glass:

He has a rock collection already which he can add to this.  If I remember correctly, the rocks are (clockwise) assorted treasure rocks, an obsidian arrowhead, a geode which he can break open, agate, peacock ore, and pyrite (fool's gold) As you can see most of these came with little slips of paper describing them.  Educational AND fun!

For the 3 year old (who is singing happy birthday around the Christmas tree and trying to blow out the lights - poor girl!) I sewed up a dress using Burda #9740 and some funky Ikea fabric.  I've been hesitant to try out any of their fabric since it seems so heavy, but once washed it's like a lightweight denim.

And since no 3-year-old gets all that excited about clothes, I whipped up a little crocheted bunny to go with it (using this pattern)

I think I have more fun coming up with and making their gifts than they have receiving them!

Toques for the kids

Sadly winter is creeping closer, and toques will soon be a wardrobe staple, in fact a light hat is already necessary for my bald baby most mornings.  For a couple years I've made Ashton a 'fun' winter hat.  Last year he requested a hat with Shrek ears, and the year before I had fun making him a sock monkey toque.  This year he requested a minion from the movie Despicable Me.  Really easy to knit in a soft, chunky yarn, although a reminder of why I prefer crocheting in the round to knitting in the round...too many needles to juggle.

I knitted the goggle strap, but the eye is made of layered felt glue gunned (is this an actual verb? If not, it should be) together and mattress stitched to the hat.

Olivia's hat was crocheted using Paton's Grace, a mercerized cotton that I really enjoy using, comes in gorgeous colours too!  I lined it with fleece cut from a throw I purchased from Ikea for $2.99.  (going back this week to pick up a throw in all the other colours...can you say cheap PJ's?) The fleece was stitched to the hat using a mattress stitch as well.

So now my kids' heads will be nice and toasty this winter...even if the almanac is correct in saying it's going to be REALLY cold and REALLY snowy...sigh...I think I'm ready for spring now!

Crocheted Hats

So here's some crocheted hats that I sold to a local kids clothing store.  If you're in the area why don't you go check them out ;)  I'm also working on some hats and other odds and ends which didn't sell at the spring market for the Ladies Nite Out in Edmonton, as well as winter hats for the kiddos, a crocheted hoodie for Olivia and a knitted dress for Olivia...and a sore wrist...

Here's some of the hats closer up:

SPRING MARKET - May 6, 10-3, Covenant Christian School

So I signed up for the Spring Market when Olivia was in her 'extreme cranky phase' thinking that even if I can't get anything else done, at least I can crochet or knit while holding her.  Of course my eager mind started thinking up all sorts of things I could make for my table, so the last few months have been FULL of sewing and crocheting and glue gun-ing.  Here's a preview of what will be available at my table:

Red Riding Hood capes (size 2T-4Tish) and Superhero Capes

Stuffies-they each come named with a little introduction-'cause I'm not enough

of a dork already...

Caterpillar puppet thingies (made these with my Mom probably 20 years ago-they're so cute!)

Clip Barrettes

Baby Boleros - Summer's coming up, and those little strappy

dresses for kids are so gorgeous, but a little cool for our climate...

problem solved! Sizes 6m-3T

Hats...

...hats...

...and more hats. Sizes 3m-child/teen

Crocheted stuffies.

There might be a few more of these added if my hands need something to do while holding my grumpy baby (who, at the moment, is screaming because she is unable to rip her toes off...or something.  Anyways, she's frustrated) Hope to see you at the market!