Spring Means New Skorts!

One thing that I dread each new season with 4 children is the need for new clothes. Shopping for a family of 6 can add up very quickly! So when I'm able to go through my stash and whip up a new outfit that one of my children love it's a great day!

Take this cuteness of a scrap of fabric I found in my stash and combine it with this fantastic skort pattern  on Peekaboo Patterns and you get a very happy mommy and an ecstatic Audrey.

The pattern was super simple and her tutorial pictures are easy to follow. 

I don't work with knits very often, mainly because my sewing machine doesn't seem to like them. But I found this perfectly coordinating piece of pink knit in a bag of scraps someone had given me. I'm super pleased with how the shorts look!

I will admit that my seam allowance was slightly off on attaching the waistband. I needed a smaller width elastic than called for.

The shirt is also from some knit scrap I had. I didn't use a pattern. I drafted my one from a tshirt Audrey wears often. I also added a slight flutter sleeve.

And of course every photo shoot ends with at least one silly picture.

Now time to get back to work designing and filling custom orders. 

But I might need to take another break and make a few more of these skorts for my girly girl tomboy!

Adventures with Audrey: Making Crayons

One of the great blessings of working from home is that I make my own schedule.  That allows me to spend lots of time with this cutie!

She is always asking me if she can help make stuff too!  Today was her day!

Her older sister had made these owl shaped crayons for a few close friends as part of a Valentine’s gift.  And Audrey was very jealous that she didn’t get to help.  So this morning on our way home from taking the big kids to school I ran into the dollar store and picked up some crayons.

She was so excited to do crafts with Mommy!  

And determined to peel the paper off the crayons all by herself.

And break the crayons into pieces!

I had planned to make solid colors but that quickly changed.

The wait for the crayons to melt while in the oven was tortuous.

But the wait for them to cool was worse.

So bad in fact that Audrey rummaged through the cabinet to find a mini muffin pan.  She decided she wanted circle crayons too!

The finished result was a lot of crayons!

But the process was great!  We spent time talking, just the two of us (with no older sibling interruptions).  And we talked about colors.

Audrey says this one looks like a planet.

I think this one looks like a piece of chocolate.

And these look like tie-dye!

If you want to make your own shaped crayons at home it is super easy.

Materials:

Crayons (you can either buy a pack at the dollar store or use up those broken pieces you already have laying around the house)

A non-stick muffin pan to melt the crayons

An oven

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 F.

Peel paper from crayons.

Break into pieces and place in the muffin pan.

Place pan in preheated oven.

Set timer for 20 minutes. (It may take a few minutes more or less depending on your oven.)

Let crayons cool completely. (about 30 minutes is usually enough)

Flip over pan and crayons should fall out.

Audrey says coloring is fun, but it is even better when you make them yourself!

Adapting Your Favorite Pattern Is Easier Than You Think

Sometimes I love being able to create cute things for my kids!

The project shown used Caron Simply Soft in the colors Watermelon, Black, and Gray Heather.  It was knit using US size 6 (4.00 mm)  16” circular needles and US size 6 (4.00 mm) DPNs.

This tunic/dress is absolutely adorable on Little Bit and it was so easy.

Often I get people who ask me what pattern I used and I’m glad to share. But I have no pattern for this.  I just pieced it together as I knit.

So I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to talk about how easy it can be to alter your favorite patterns to fit your needs.

Quite honestly when I began this project I had planned to just do a basic raglan sweater, but as it began to take shape I just wanted something different.

I used a basic raglan sweater pattern to start this tunic.  I just went to Ravelry and searched for a top down raglan pattern knit in the round.  There are a ton to choose from!!!!

I chose one with a rolled collar and hem because I just liked the look.

 

I also knew I wanted to do stripes because I was working out of my stash and didn’t have enough of any one color to complete the project. After I knit the collar I knit the first stripe until it was about 1 1/2 inches. Then I counted my rows and used that number as my stripe repeat.

(I ended up using 8 rows asmy repeat.)

Now remember I had planned to do a sweater but when it was shirt length I didn’t care for it all that much.  Rather than frog the whole project I decided to just keep knitting to tunic length.  I ended up doing a couple extra stripes after I reached the length I thought I wanted because I am a little OCD when it comes to the stripe pattern. I knew I wanted the rolled hem to be in black like the collar.  But the extra length turned out to be perfect and gives her a little growing room.

(After you’ve spent the time and energy creating that special gift, you hope they can wear it for awhile!)

I also decided that I didn’t want to do the long sleeves that I had originally planned so I finished the stripe pattern to black for a rolled hem.  It is the perfect edging!

If you have a go to pattern that you use for a sweater, try these adaptations for it.  Or better yet try your own!  And share pictures of your projects with me!  I would love to feature some of your projects on the blog!

The above post is not meant to be a pattern but simply a description of my process.  But I do ask that if you share the ideas with your friends, etc that you refer them to my blog.  Thanks!

Not Your Everyday Princess

Warning!!!! Today’s post is heavy with cuteness overload in the form of pictures.  Proceed at your own risk!

When I was a little girl I was a lot like other little girls.  I loved to play dress up and I pretended to be a princess.  But my friends would always tell me that I had to be the prince instead because I acted more like a boy.

Okay, I guess I may have been a bit of tomboy when it came to playtime.  But I still loved to dress up!

Growing up in the 80s I don’t remember princesses being so pink and glittery. Maybe they were but I don’t remember it.  I remember princesses like Leia in Star Wars who fought alongside the boys. She will always have a special place in my heart.

When I saw this tutorial from Stuff Susie Made for a Princess Leia Blankie, I knew I had to make it.

I have 3 girls of my own and I hope that I have always taught them that if they want to be princesses then that is fine.  But be a princess who is try to yourself.

The youngest is a little old for a blankie but she has claimed this project as her own.  She says its her new dolly.

She loves to hijack my photo shoots.

And it does my crafter’s heart good to see my work loved and appreciated.

Check out the tutorial for that special Princess lover in your life if you’d like.

Most of all keep on crafting!

Me Too Mommy!

If you haven’t noticed I have been on a knitting spree lately.  I am busy filling orders and designing new patterns.  My almost 4 year old has been asking with every finished project, “Is that for me?”  And I have to tell her, “No, baby.  I’ll do yours soon.”  And she goes on to play with her toys.

Last weekend we had the first cold snap of autumn and I felt so bad that my little one was huddling under the hood of her jacket while everyone else had access to a new hat or beanie. So what’s a momma to do?  Knit her a hat of course!

I found this free pattern and thought, “Oh how cute!” so I resized it.  I simply used a light worsted yarn and US size 7 needles for the band, and US size 6 DPNs for the hat body.  This made the perfect snug fit for my preschooler.

I also had this adorable monkey button sitting around and thought it was the perfect fit for my little miss.

But once the hat was completed I wasn’t done pleasing baby girl.  She had to have her own “pishers” done just like her sisters.

And then the 12 year old decided she needed to be a photographer.

Such is the life of a crafter and a crafter’s family.....have a great day and Happy Crafting!

Swirly Leaves Beanie

Last night we had to turn the heat on.  This morning when I drove the kids to school I used my heated seats.  That can only mean one thing......It’s Fall!!!

Fall means many things to different people.  For some it’s football season, for my kids it’s marching band season.  For some it’s all things pumpkin, for others it’s all things apple.

One thing that we generally all agree on is leaves!

I live just miles away from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and every October we are overrun with people who come to see the leaves change colors.

I love to see the mountains alive with color but in my own yard I love to see swirling, dancing leaves as they perform their yearly ballet from the tree limbs to the ground.

(My husband says I love them because I’m not the one who rakes them, but whatever.)

It is inevitable that as much as I love the falling of the leaves that I would design a hat that could simulate the feeling.

The result is my Swirly Leaves Beanie.

After I finished all my Red Regiment orders I was still in the mood to do a few more beanies.  But I was definitely a little tired of working with red and black.  I needed some of those beautiful colors of nature.

I also wanted to give the design movement like the dancing of swirling leaves.

I love the effect of the color changes of the yarn and the swirls of the design together.

My samples were knit with Caron Simply Soft.  The black is in the Solids line, the oatmeal is in their Heathers?, and the orange is an Ombre.

I hope you love it as much I loved designing it.

If you are interested, the pattern is available for purchase in my Etsy shop or on Ravelry.

Now I’m off to reclaim a beanie from one of my girls and maybe, just maybe I’ll venture out to help my husband with those leaves.  Or maybe not (most of them are still on the trees right now). 

Maybe he’ll join me for a cup of hot apple cider on the back porch and watch the leaves dance for us.

I think that’s a much better idea.