Hello Kitty Earflap Hat

 I made this as a Christmas present to my son. While figuring out what to make him, my husband suggested a hat with ears (he loves animals). Well he loves Hello Kitty so I looked for a Hello Kitty hat pattern and - voila! - I found one!


It worked up pretty fast with simple stitches. Until you add the ears, bow, and whiskers, the face looks a bit creepy. But once it came together it was totally adorable. And he was fairly good about keeping it on.

Adult Earflap Hat

I had a hard time figuring out what to make my husband for Christmas this year. I've made him a scarf, t-shirt, slippers, and apron. I'm not a good enough knitter to make gloves yet so my grandmother's making those. So finally I just asked him what I could make him and this is what we decided on.

It's easier to crochet a hat than to knit one, plus it works up faster for me.We really like the earthy look the different colors of wool yarn gave it. The earflaps could have been a bit farther forward and I need to lengthen the ties if I make one again but for now it works and he loves it.

Scrap Yarn Scarf

Simple scrap yarn scarf I made with leftover eyelash yarn doubled up with regular yarn. I'm giving it to a friend as a small Christmas gift. I try to make sure people feel appreciated (especially this time of year) - and we've been helped out a lot lately.

Jean Skirt

 A friend of mine gave me a pair of jeans. They were really comfortable but they had a ton of buttons and so were annoying to put on. Since I wear skirts more than pants and need warm skirts for winter, I decided to make a skirt out of them.

I had some trouble at first finding a pair of jeans that would work for the panels in the middle. Finally, my husband tried on some old pants and found they no longer fit. Well, they were longer but barely.

The problem became making this an ankle length skirt like I wanted. Then I got an idea - I made the hems on the original pair of jeans into a waistband. Well I was originally going to make it an elastic waistband, but I realized that would no longer work. So I put in a zipper. It doesn't match up right (I'm still learning the art of zippers), but otherwise I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Saddlebags

 I originally printed out this tutorial because Brandon got a bike (after our car died). I figured we could get a rack for it since it didn't already have one. Then we find out it's not designed for one. So much for that idea. Found out a friend wanted one, so I made it for her instead.

The pieces were easy to cut out and while tedious, easy to sew, turn, and top-stitch. My husband helped me put together a messenger bag style strap (she harvested one) that I sewed into the top piece. 

The problem came when I went to put it all together. There weren't any pictures or description to tell me how the rest of the pieces went together. So once I kinda figured it out, I realized that one of the pieces was the wrong size so I had to make a new one.

For next time there are a few tweaks that need to be made (I might eventually make some to sell) . The attachment straps need to be closer together and I need to put something stiff to keep them from getting caught in the spokes of the wheel. There was another (smaller) attachment strap for this, but I didn't have the bike and couldn't match it up well enough. My friend said something stiff solves the problem so that's probably what I'll go with in the future.

Animal PJs

 I realized the other day that Alma has grown out of his 2T pajamas and he only has one pair of 3T pajamas. So, I decided to make him some. (I use this pajama pattern to make him pants all the time. This is the 1st time I've actually made pajamas with it!).

I picked out some fabric a friend gave me, and got to work. I've never made him the shirt, so I found out when I put it on him that the sleeves are way too long, but overall totally cute.

Halloween Costume

 My son absolutely ADORES trains so I decided to make him a train conductor costume for Halloween. Found an overalls pattern on sale and a walk through for the hat online. 

The overalls were pretty easy. I didn't have a buckle so I substituted buttons and multiple button  holes (so it's adjustable) for closure. Didn't have snaps for the sides so I just sewed it together.

The hat was a little harder but worth it. It's just a band and bill with an octagon top piece folded in.

The finishing touch was a couple of felt trains (I used a cookie cutter for a pattern) - one for the hat and one for the overalls pocket. Stitch witched on then              sewn around by hand. I wanted to do Thomas, but I didn't have any more fabric transfers left. Still cute though.

Knit Slippers

 My husband was complaining that his feet get cold, but he refuses to wear socks without shoes. So I offered to make him slippers. 

I got the pattern from my granma because she makes them all the time for my dad. One came out a bit bigger, but he likes them. Although he wants me to make a tie to hold them on a bit better. They look blut in the picture for some reason, but they  are really purple - his favorite color!

Pink Duster Sweater

I've started crocheting a duster sweater for myself. I don't have enough of any one color for the whole thing, so I'm just putting together a bunch of shades of pink. Hopefully I have enough for the whole thing. I've found I prefer crocheting clothing to knitting it. It goes much quicker and you generally work it in one piece. Here's what I've gotten done so far - two sleeves. I'll post more pictures as I work on it more.

More Volunteer Bears

Last two bears for the hospice. These ones gave me incentive to learn to use my Serger because the material is knit and therefore stretchy. I could have done it with a zigzag on my machine, but quicker and easier on the Serger. I have to say, that machine almost isn't worth the time and trouble it took to learn how to thread the silly thing. I can't just re-string one - I have to redo them all so they cross correctly. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have it, but I still prefer my machine. I'll take all four bears to the Hospice on Monday.

Easy Skirt

 Since I finished the sewing part of my last two bears, I decided to make myself a skirt last night at my friend's house. I found a super easy pattern that just uses simple measurements to cut the fabric then just hem and elastic casing. I was surprised at how quickly it came together. Plus it's super comfy.

Volunteer Bears

This is my volunteer work. I make bears for grieving loved ones out of old clothing. They get button eyes and felt noses. It's always nice when the clothes already have buttons I can use, but sometimes I use my own. I have two more to do out of a different fabric. I'll post a picture when I'm done with them. It's a knit fabric so it's also going to be my first foray into using my Serger. I have a friend coming over to help get my started. I'm enjoying being able to use my crafts to help people. Plus I just plain love service.

Knit Tie

My husband likes weird ties. So when he saw a knit tie, he wanted one. So I started looking for a pattern and I found this one for my son. I found one for him too, but I'm still working on it (I'm lacking in material). I'll post it when I'm finally able to finish it. I had to extend this one, it proved a bit short when we tried to tie it.

Final Quiet Book Update!

  Finally finished the Quiet Books yesterday. Brandon put rivets in all the pages and I made the cover.

I used elastic to make loops to put the rings through, a strap on the spine for travel, and a button and elastic loop closure. The last step was using puff paint for the title and voila - two Quiet Books!

Dress Mod

 Simple modifications I made to one of my favorite dresses to make it a tad more modest. I did the ruffle first and then decided that a leftover bit would be adorable for the modesty triangle. It ties it all together wonderfully and now I love it even more!

Nightgown

So this is a nightgown I made myself. I used a pattern, although I had to modify it a bit. It was tight in the arms so I put panels in the sides. It was also a bit short so I added the ruffle on the bottom to extend it. I would have done it with the same material, but I simply didn't have enough left. Mostly because this isn't the only thing I used this material for. You may recognize it from the changing pad I made.

Two uses for crocheted carnation

Use #1: Choker Necklace - I found a pattern for a pretty choker and then found the pattern for the carnation and put the two together. 

Use #2: Cat Toy - I left the necklace sitting on the couch or something like that, and the cats decided it was a fun toy. So I made them one of their own (plus a braided string) out of a more sturdy material. They loved it.

Quiet Book Update #2

Thought I'd post the remaining finished pages. All that's left now is to have Brandon put rivets in the pages, and make covers for them which won't take long.

Figures got printed and glued to Popsicle sticks, velcro got secured. 

Puppets are in the ark now. Another page done.

Quiet Book Update

 Finished a few pages yesterday. I was surprised how easy they were to finish - it seems like it took longer the last time. I suppose I'm just getting better at it. All that's left now is to have rivets put in them. But I won't worry about that until I finish off the other pages. Then it's time to make a cover.

Quiet Book

These are pages to one of the Quiet Books I'm making for a friend. I made the first one for Alma and I've been perfecting them now that I'm making a few for someone else. I started it because I want Alma to play with religious toys at church so it's not as hard a transition when we have to take the toys away.

The clock on the left has hands that actually move. The hands have rivets and I loosely sewed a button in. The Temple is actually a velcro puzzle and all the pieces come off.

I have two sets of animal puppets to go in the ark. It zips open. I'll put them on once I finish the pages.

The wise men's gifts are velcro as well. You can take them off and put them near the manger. I need to put a few stitches in the velcro, it's stick on and trying to come off. Peter's fish all have button holes. You can take them off and put them in his net.

You can't see it in the photo, but there are button holes at the base of the bed. I will eventually make kneeling stick puppets that can be in bed (there's a pocket) or in the button holes 'saying their prayers'. The hay on the manger lifts up to reveal baby Jesus.

The creation page is a lift a flap. There's a picture for each day. The tithing coins come off and go in the envelope.

The tower of babel is a weaving activity. Around it is "hello" in a bunch of different languages. Daniel, the angel, and the lion are all finger puppets and come out of the cage.

The whale has a zipper just like the ark. Jonah is attached to a ribbon and you can take him out. Ruth is just ribbons for braiding.

Baby Moses comes out of the basket on a ribbon as well and there  are laces. The red sea opens up to reveal people. The only people I paint in red are Moses and Jesus.

There are stick puppets for the Jesus Loves Little Children. They go under his arm in button holes.

Last but not least, the rock moves over Jesus. I forgot to put the 'He Has Risen' at the top of the page. Oops.