Winter Storm 2016 Knitting

Nothing like a foot of snow to strand you at home and get you in the mood for knitting! Winter Storm 2016 allowed me to slow down and do a little guilt free knitting. I had purchased a few skeins of Downton Abbey yarn recently, not because I needed it, but because I love the show!

I decided on the Hermione Hat pattern for my daughter in a color she has not worn before but I have always encouraged her to wear. A day and a half later and here she is.

Ravelry link

My second Winter Storm 2016 project was to finish a pullover sweater for my grandson which I started last October. The pattern is A Simple Baby Pullover and the yarn is Vanna's Choice from Michael's Crafts.

Ravelry link

Now on to Winter Storm project #3 which will be fingerless mitts to match my daughter's hat!

A Raggedy Andy Birthday

My little grandson turned a year old a couple of weeks ago and I wanted him to have a handmade gift from Grammy that he could keep forever. I guess kids don't play with Raggedy Ann and Andy all that much any more but I couldn't resist making him a classic Andy doll. I made a lot of these dolls back in the 70's so I dug out my vintage pattern and made Hayden a little buddy in the just the right size for him to carry around.

I was running a little short on time so, rather than hand embroider the face, I found this listing on Etsy for a digitized machine embroidered face. It turned out great and I got Andy finished in time for the birthday party! 

Hayden's Grammy Jammies

I finally figured out how to get myself back to the blog after a break and that is to make something for Hayden. He is so much fun to sew for and such a good model as well. His momma mentioned that he had outgrown his pajamas and also that it's kinda hard to find them roomy enough for his chunky little arms. I pulled out my Kwik Sew Sewing for Baby book that I bought when Hayden's momma was about his age. It has an assortment of basic patterns for newborn through 18 months. Some of the styles look a little dated but there are great basic pattern pieces for pants, tops, rompers, etc. The fit is much roomier than the ready mades.

Just look at that sweet face! He loves his Grammy Jammies. I've already made a second pair and bought fabric for a third.

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? National Sewing Month began in 1982 with a proclamation from President Ronald Reagan declaring September as National Sewing Month "In recognition of the importance of home sewing to our Nation"

I hope you're keeping your machine humming this month in celebration!

Little Easter Jon-Jons

I can't believe it's been 6 months since I've blogged! I sewed. I sewed a lot. I just couldn't find time to sit down and blog. As a matter of fact, I feel like I never sit down. Always something that needs to be done.

Nothing like a cute little baby boy to get you inspired to sew and blog about it. My grandson needed an outfit for his first Easter. I have always loved Jon-Jons on little boys. He is a healthy little boy and the Children's Corner pattern I have was just a little too slim fitting for him. I found a pattern on Etsy from OlaJanePatterns which looked like a better fit. I paired it up with classic blue striped seersucker, embroidered his initials on the front, and it was just perfect.

The pattern has very detailed instructions and a pretty nifty lining technique. I plan to sew up a few more for the little prince for hot summer days and, hopefully, find a few minutes to blog about them!

Little Hilltopper

Okay, I know I said I was all caught up sewing for Baby Hayden but I saw a men's red and black striped T-shirt on the clearance rack at WalMart for $3.00 and it reminded me of the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers. Since Hayden has a gown for his dad's school, I thought he needed one for his mom's alma mater. I bought the largest size they had so I would have plenty of fabric for the gown and accessories.

I used Kwik Sew 3090 again for the gown and Kwik Sew 2433 for the hat. The tutorial for the pacifier clip can be found here. I took the pocket off the T-shirt and made a tiny little pocket for the gown.

 I like the elastic at the bottom edge to keep little feet from poking out.

I was able to salvage the knit ribbing from the neckline of the T-shirt and used it to make the sleeve ribbing for this gown rather than the hand covers.

And this is my sewing buddy, Kitty Boo. She loves to keep me company when I sew. I found her at the Humane Society with that "take me home" look in her eyes. It was a trick. She is a stinker!

I mailed this little surprise to the expectant parents last week. I think Hayden has enough gowns. My friend, who is a nurse in labor and delivery, told me that babies need sleep sacks nowadays rather than blankets. So, guess what, I bought a pattern today for sleep sacks. I just thought I was caught up!

Kwik Sew 3090 for Hayden

I decided that Baby Hayden needs a special little gown to wear home from the hospital. I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for some time now but couldn't decide exactly how I wanted to personalize it. I found this fun applique on Etsy for the H and Smell the Roses font from Designs by JuJu for the name.

The gown is Kwik Sew 3090 which I have used a couple of times before. I definitely wanted the little hand covers on the sleeves but changed the pattern a bit so that there were no raw edges when the sleeve flap is flipped back.

Patternreview link

The hat is Kwik Sew 2433. It can be sewn up in about 10 minutes! The fabric is Organic Cotton Interlock from Fabric.com. It was described as white but had a creamy natural look to it. I thought creamy would work fine for this project. I washed and dried the fabric and completed the outfit. When I took it outside to photograph, it was splotchy as if it had bleach splattered on it. I was a little bit upset, thinking I would have to make the entire set again. However, I soaked the outfit in Biz, washed a couple more times, and it turned out white. The fabric is a nice quality, very soft for babies, but, whew!, never had this happen before.

Patternreview link

I think I'm all caught up now for Baby Hayden. It is, however, still National Sewing Month so I need to get busy sewing on something!

A Crib Quilt for Hayden

Little Hayden will be here soon so I thought I had better get his crib quilt finished. I've had this easy quilt top sewn up for a while but just needed to get to the quilting and binding. The fabric is a collection from Fabric.com called Fox Playground. I added a couple of blender fabrics so that I would have enough variety. The strips are 4 inches wide (except for the panel with the foxes in cars). I used a soft cotton batting, one of the foxy prints for the backing, and the stitch in the ditch method for quilting.

For the binding, I cut 2 1/2 inch wide strips across the width of the fabric which I folded in half lengthwise. I stitched these strips on from the front and hand-stitched, yes, hand stitched, with tiny little stitches on the back. That's 200 inches of teeny tiny hand stitches. Only the best for Hayden!

I machine embroidered his name on one of the strips before quilting. Now that the quilt is finished, I have a couple more items to make for Hayden and one for his Mommy. And then, the waiting game!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? What are you sewing this month to celebrate?

Tiny Little U of L Fan!

I've been waiting for a long time to show you this little project. One of the first projects I made for Baby Hayden was a pair of University of Louisville baby shoes resembling Toms. His parents are fans since the dad-to-be went to school there. However, with every little baby item I make, I think of several more pieces to go with it. So the project never ends. After finding a couple of free patterns on the internet, I ended up buying the shoe pattern from this Etsy shop. It includes sizes from newborn to 12 months.

 I had some U of L fabric left from an old project which I used to line the shoes. I still had U of L fabric scraps left so I went to Hancock Fabrics in search of red cotton knit to make a gown. No luck at Hancock's so I went next door to Rugged Wearhouse and bought an XL T-shirt from the men's department for $2.50. This provided plenty of fabric to make a gown, bib, and hat.

I cut the little logo squares from the fabric, turned under the edges and stitched to each little piece of the outfit. 

I used the coverstitch machine to finish the neck ribbing after stitching and turning it to the inside. I trimmed off the extra as seen often in R-T-W to avoid bulk.

The bib is doubled and the edges are bound with bias binding. I added a snap to the back. I don't use Velcro because it sometimes snags other items in the washing machine.

The gown is Kwik Sew 3090. The hat is Kwik Sew 2433. For the bib, I traced a bib that I already had. I guess I'll have to stop adding to this little set now. I plan to take it to a baby shower today!

Hayden

In a few short months, I'll need to update the "About Me" on my blog. I can hang on to the 50 something for just a little while longer, but wife and mother will need to be changed to wife, mother, and grandmother!
Woo Hoo! Yep, a little grandson is on his way!

My sewing room looks a little different now. Minky, ribbon, flannel, cotton chenille, etc. One of the first things I pulled from my stash was this Tiny Toon fat quarter pack which I bought a few years ago just because I thought it was cute. I've pulled it out over the years, stared at it, and put it back in the closet. Finally, a project came to mind for Baby Hayden and this is what evolved.

I used the stitch in the ditch method to quilt the floor mat sized quilt, stitching around each block. For the binding, I cut the backing fabric larger and brought it to the front, turning under the edge and stitching.

With the leftover scraps of fabric, I made little soft blocks and balls. I added ribbons to the football because, apparently, taggie toys are good for babies.

Then, of course, we had  to have taggie blankets. This is just a small blanket, about 15" by 15" for Hayden to hold and feel the different textures and grasp the ribbons. The black fabric is minky and the print is flannel.

My grandma sewing is somewhat on hold now because I still don't have my Bernina embroidery system back from the Bernina repairman. I drove 75 miles last week to pick it up, brought it home and it still doesn't work. I drove the 75 miles to take it back and now I'm waiting for my phone to ring with the message that it is working perfectly and I can pick it up. Needless to say, I'm getting a little frustrated!

Cute Little Newsboy Hat

Need a quick little gift for baby? I found this adorable crochet pattern on Etsy for a little baby newsboy hat.  I appreciate that someone has the time and patience to figure out a pattern, write it down in easy-to-understand instructions, and make it available on Etsy.

Ravelry link

 

Rather than striping as the pattern suggested (which is pretty cute), I added a band with buttons. I was using leftover yarn from other projects and didn't have the right combination for striping.

 

I made the 3-6 months size because I think I crochet a little tight. I need to work on that. The pattern includes sizes newborn to large adult.

I can't wait to see the little guy in his stylish hat! He might need some little crochet loafers to go with it........

Baby Gift Basket

Baby are such fun to sew for! I have a new great nephew and had lots of fun putting together a gift basket for him. I found the cutest fabrics for a baby gift at Whittle's Fabrics. (I went to the actual store in Chalybeate, Ky., not sure if they are available on the website) The tutorial for the structured fabric basket can be found at Sew4Home, one of my favorite websites for sewing project ideas.

I couldn't find cotton chenille or a good quality terrycloth for the burpcloth/towel. I bought a nice, soft towel and cut a generous size which can be used as a towel or to cover Mom and Dad's shoulder for burping. The appliques are from Planet Applique. I love their appliques, so well digitized and easy to embroider.

Check out the little snap on the bib. I once bought these colored snaps in quantity from Snapsource when my girls were babies for all those little outfits that snapped in the crotch/leg area. I just happened to have a bright yellow that matched perfectly. Snapsource has a handy little tool to make attaching super easy.

I found a tutorial for this flannel-lined changing pad here.  It has a little pocket for diapers, wipes, etc. and fits in the diaper bag for travel.

The changing pad fastens with a button and a ponytail rubber band. Be sure and use a flat button so that it doesn't poke baby!

 

The new mommy knits and sews beautifully and blogs about it here.  Check out all of her adorable baby blankets, sweaters, knitted toys, etc.

Ruby's Bloomers

A few months ago, I checked out Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross from the library and traced a few patterns. One of my favorites is Ruby's Bloomers, a cute little bloomer pattern which comes in 6-12 months and 18-24 months. I cut the pattern down to about 3 months. I sewed up the bloomers and put them away. My mother recently asked  if I had an idea for a baby gift for her new neighbor. I pulled out the bloomers and the leftover fabric and had fun putting together a set of personalized baby items for the new baby.

I picked up a few onesies at WalMart when they were on clearance for $2. I had purchased a soft, white bath towel a while ago to make burp cloths. The bib is from The Sewphisticated Stitcher. I always have baby embroidery blanks in my stash to make personalized baby gifts.

The "B" applique and the flower patch for the bib are from Planet Applique, one of my favorite machine embroidery websites. May is Customer Appreciation month and Planet Applique is giving away a few great gifts.
 

I'm taking the baby ensemble to my mother this weekend so that she can give it to Brooklyn, her new little neighbor.

By the way, I ran across Weekend Sewing at Tuesday Morning last week for $9.99! Now I don't have to go to the library when I need to trace more patterns!

Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ)

This is one of those projects that every knitter should knit at least once. I just finished my fourth for no reason other than the joy of knitting it. It is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket, or BSJ, for short. It was "invented" by Zimmermann in 1968 and has been knitted by thousands of knitters since. On Ravelry, a wonderful social networking site for knitters (and crocheters), there are 16,589 (16,593, the number increases daily) projects from members all over the world for the BSJ. If there are that many posted on Ravelry alone, I wonder how many thousands more have been knitted!

The jacket is knitted in one piece and then seamed at the shoulders. It does not look like a jacket during the knitting process. It doesn't really look like anything until it is seamed. The pattern can be found here and here.

Ravelry link

This is my first BSJ, knitted in 2008 with a hand-dyed fingering weight yarn. 

Ravelry link

This is my second BSJ, knitted in 2008 with a hand-dyed DK weight yarn. 

Ravelry link

And this is my third BSJ, knitted in 2008 with Jojoland Rhythm, a worsted weight yarn. The buttons are coconut. 

Ravelry link

The pattern is the same, regardless of the weight of the yarn that you choose. The larger the yarn, the larger the jacket will be. If you like garter stitch and a little challenge, try out this pattern. There are great message boards on Ravelry to discuss this project, ask questions, and share pictures.

Baby Gift Update

Update to the previous post......I decided to add a little burp cloth. I bought a nice, soft towel and cut a 10 x 20 rectangle. I rounded the corners and made a bias binding from another of the cute cowboy prints from Hobby Lobby. Okay, I'm done now. I must get back to Christmas sewing.

Little Buckaroo Baby Gift

I've been working on a baby gift for a little baby boy. His parents like horses so I thought this cute little buckaroo fabric from Hobby Lobby would be appropriate. The blanket is a 45 x 45 square of fleece. I made a blanket binding with the cotton horseshoe fabric. I used the same fabric for the cute applique which I found at PlanetApplique.com. Their machine embroidery designs are very detailed and professionally digitized. They have a few free downloads and sale items which you can try out.  I had a little fabric left over which I ripped into strips, gathered, and stitched to an inexpensive denim tote bag for baby's big sister to carry her little books or other treasures in.

Now it's back to Christmas sewing.

22 days and counting.