Baby cocoon

There's so much that you can knit/crochet for a baby... and there's always new stuff coming out adding to the "to do list" or should I say the "wanna do! list".

I had been knitting and crocheting blankets for babies, but I recently read an article saying that the less stuff there is on top of a baby (such as heavy blankets), the more chance there is that they can breath freely, sothe big old heavy blankets might be better for older babies.

Without blankets then, what to knit for a newborn, other than a sweater or a cap? Of course, there's always socks or shoes or hats that you can make, but for me it's not a good enough present for a friend who's had her baby recently... I kind of feel the commitment to make it a bigger deal.

So I started to think of something that I could finish quickly, and that would also be a nice present. And thus I found the cocoon. It seems to be the newest and most "in" thing to give away for babies. They are like a big sock that holds your baby snugly and makes her feel warm, cuddly and safe, without a whole lot of loose cloths around him to put him in danger. I saw some pictures and some of them looked really snuggle, and I think that although a lot of people like to have their babies as snug as a bug, maybe the little one will be more comfortable with a bit of wiggle room.

With the idea in my mind, I ventured...and using some double strand baby yarn and without a pattern, I thought of making a big sock, all made in a very stretchy double rib stitch, so that the baby can move inside with freedom, yet still be cuddled. It was a problem thinking how big I could make it... so I made it pretty long, thinking that it can be made shorter if the top is bent down (like a cuff in a sock) and it can go longer too. I made it colorless and very simple, because it's just a first run.

So here's the result... I am going to test it as soon as we go visit Megan, my sister in law; her baby, Coraline will be the tester. My main concern is how to put the baby inside the cocoon. I read that you bundle it all like a sock, and then start at the feet, and pulling the cocoon over the baby little by little. Anyway. if we pass the test, and the cocoon is suitable for babies, then I might start making them in different colors. I've seen some good ideas, like making it brown and then embroidering the front so that it looks like a football, or a green one that makes the baby look like a pea in a pod... I've got my own idea about the "bug" I want to make. But first things first. Let's put the cocoon to work and see Coraline's opinion, then make the necessary changes.

Here are some pictures of my cocoon. Oh, and by the time I'm posting this, I received the cocoon pattern I had purchased. I want to make it clear that the one shown here is not a pattern I received from anyone, just my own idea translated into yarn.

This first picture shows the "cuff" really going down , so that the cocoon is smaller.

This one shows a shorter cuff to make the cocoon larger.

I hope this pattern I made works, so I can start giving cocoons to all my friends with little ones!

Busy as a treble crochet...

Well, I kind of went back to my old ways and started to make a lot of projects, gave them away, and then didn't post about them.

In my defense... who has time to post anything during Christmas, with all those presents one has to make? I haven't even finished all the knitting and crocheting that I had planned for Christmas!

I did, however, send a good friend some slippers and a sweater for her beautiful mini schnauzer. I sent my niece a sunflower lapghan that I was finishing just as I was sending it. I made countless pairs of slippers for the family and for Christmas presents.

I don't have pictures of any of that... See? My old ways...

I took pictures of a baby coat I made for Riley, a little girl who is just precious. This was crocheted in super chunky wool, and I added the border in a soft homespun yarn to give it a "Santa" look, right for the holidays!

Before the Santa Sweater, my sister in law, Megan, gave birth this month, and I had already given her a blanket in her baby shower. When we visited her, I took her this small duck hat, because I thought she would look so cute! I hope they send a picture soon!

So... this is a small account for my Christmas crafts... more to come soon... I hope!!! ;)

The Making of the Daisy Blanket

July 1st, 2009
This is what I'm working on now. This is a 3D granny square, a BEAUTIFUL pattern by  Maggie Weldon (click here to see her website)  whose creations are all amazing. I don't think I am doing it much justice, but hey, Maggie, I'm trying!!!


I want to mention that when I had a question about the yarn that is in mentioned in the book, I contacted the Customer Service and they were INCREDIBLY helpful, kind, and really got out of their way to give me the substitutions and answered in a short amount of time. This IS customer service!!! I am very happy with Maggie's whole organization. Fantastic job!!!


The pattern calls for 35 squares, meaning 7x5 blanket, but I plan to make 40, so it's a bit bigger. This is going to be my niece's blanket for her room... when she's born, in January 2010. And I want it roomy!!!

Update: July 31st, 2009

Ok, I finished the Granny squares... I have to say... this is the most beautiful blanket, and I adore it. The design is beautiful and Maggie's costumer service is the best there ever was... but I am positively sure that I am not going to start another one until I learn to pace myself. 

I love to crochet, even though I have been doing it for less than a year and I have only completed two afghans. But I am hooked, especially when it's a project made out of granny squares.  I love to have something to do all the time, even during down time, and I love the product... but I got so, so obsessed with this project, that sometimes it actually made me feel nauseous but I couldn't stop!  My mother said that I should let it rest for a while and start another project, but I couldn't do it because I was so eager to have the finished blanket!!. So, there I was, getting sicker and sicker, and more and more obsessed by the minute. My husband even blamed my insomnia to this obsession... and the reading of a book that I wanted to finish fast.

So, here's what I did, in photos: 

The center:

The granny square:

 

The beginning:

 

The middle:

 

The "almost" end:

  

Finally, the edging:

 

Alfredo really likes it, and I like it too...But guess who likes it the most?

 (Don't worry Megan, my niece is getting it nice and clean.

This was just to warm David a bit, and Luigi got in, too!)

Now, it looks like a granny square with a lot of little wholes everywhere, but this blanket is REALLY WARM. Really warm.

Well... what to do with all my free time, now that I'm not obsessing about a crocheted afghan? hmmm.... what about some toasty slippers for everyone's Christmas presents?

New leaf jacket - short sleeve!!!

(from www.veroknitca.blogspot.com)

Since my last post I have been mostly crocheting, because I will be teaching (ha ha!!! yeah! teaching, me!!!!) a class on crocheting next month. So, I've been studying, hoarding books from the library, buying pattern books, surfing the web to find more patterns, and finally deciding what to do.

But all this studying and practicing had to wait when I realized on TUESDAY that the girl I visit had a baby the previous Sunday. I signed up to deliver food for her and her family on Friday, and of course I had to try and knit something for her baby. So, Tuesday, 7:30 pm, I start a leaf jacket. Wednesday and Thursday, I knitted into the night, running out of shows from my TVo, and going to sleep in the wee morning hours, just to wake up and continue knitting.

I finished the project on Friday, around 5:00pm, when I started to heat up and cook her meal I was supposed to be delivering at their door at 6:00 pm. Now, I have to say, if I had knitted the whole arms of the jacket, I would not have finished, so, at 3:00 pm, I decided this was a short sleeved jacket! HA!!!! Taking into account that I am no Miriam Tegels, and that I was knitting with 2.5 needles, I think I should be patted in the back, hugged, deep massaged from the shoulder to the pinky, and treated for carpal tunnel syndrom.

Still, my mom thought that it was plain outrageous that I made short sleeves in this family heirloom pattern... so... here are the pictures... did I get away with it? what do you think?

 

  

 

Sunflower throw

It all started with my interest in learning to crochet. I had been imagining a sunflower throw because I recently became obsessed with sunflowers. I wanted one for my living room, that would be warm but look fresh.
I spent about 1 month looking for a pattern. I decided on the one called "Blue Lagoon" designed by
Margret Willson and listed in Caron International's free projects. A free pattern that I thought, with a different color scheme, would be what I wanted. Click here to see that pattern.


I made some research about sunflowers, basically to see the colors, so I would try to emulate them with the yarn. We went to JoAnn, and bought the Caron One Pound yarn, at 2 dollars off!! Yaaay!!


I started right away, and made some color tests. My husband and son gave their opinions, and we decided on the final square. And from there.... well, why don't I get the images talk?


The beginning... my first square!

4 Squares!!

12 squares... 3 days and nights!

17 or so...

Almost there... but I was growing tired of the project. I didn't know if it would be worth it, and I was doubting about the whole thing...

DONE! FINALLY!!! 

All 35 squares... tidy and pretty!!

The putting together of the squares was messy and troublesome, so I really forgot to take pictures. I'm kind of glad I didn't, I would have looked like a psycho!!! But here, I'm going around the whole throw, with the last row of single crochet.

 

A bed of sunflowers!!!

I am giving this throw as a donation to the Boy Scout fundraiser. It allows us, parents, to pay a bit less for the fantastic camp in the summer.

One last look!!!

Hats!!!

There's two things that I never really WANTED to try to knit: hats and socks.
I still have my doubts about socks... and it's not that I dread the knitting itself, but actually, the thought of knitting something that never will be used (I love very soft very thin socks, and I know I could not achieve that with my knitting).

But these last few days, I started to knit hats. Again, not for me, because I can't stand anything more than a clip or a scruchie on my head, but for my son and husband. It was cold in California, and David (my son) was going to his Klondike Derby, which is in the snow. Temperatures go really low, and I worried he'd get sick, so I wanted to knit him a hat. But one he would really be motivated to wear.

I found a really great idea from Annie Modesitt, in her book "Men who knit and the dogs who love them". Of course I saw it in a Knitty Gritty episode no. 704, and got the instructions from there first, but I'm sure I will buy the book as soon as some money comes into my hands.  It looks very promising!!!

Anyway, here are the results.

Hat not blocked: 

Hat blocked:

 

I also knitted two other hats. One for Alfredo, and another one for Cynthia Canales, who just shove her head to support a cancer patient. 

These are a very easy patten of a ribbed hat, that I found in LionbrandYarn pattern selection. They are made in simple and inexpensive superwash wook from Lion Brand.

Well, my guys liked them, and I only need to see if Cynthia likes it. I'll post any news!!!

Lion Brand SoHo Cables for pooch

I knitted a sweater for Luigi.
I bought the patter from Lion Brand. I should say that the shipment was on time, and I just love buying from Lion Brand. They are very professional.
Well. The picture from the website is beautiful. Here's the link:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80100A.html

Mine is beautiful, but not as perfect as the one in the picture, I should say, although I am pretty proud of my cables. Heck! I'm proud of my whole knitting! I guess it does not look as good because my pooch seems to have very unique measurements, probably because he's still a puppy, so although he is not going to grow much more from now, his body will definitely change. So, I consider this an exercise on the garment, and next, I will be knitting according to Luigi's measurements.

WHAT I DID:
I followed the pattern to the mid size, but I changed a few things, though... I left a hole between the turtle neck and the chest area, so that the name tag is free, and the pooch does not feel it snuggling against his neck, and is more comfortable.

I like the cables too much, so I chose to sew the chest band to the bottom of the body. I put the legs through the holes, as done with a harness. It looks nicer, from my point of view, and since it is quite snug, he can't chew it! (Believe me, he tried when I was trying to measure for the buttons!).

After this picture, I decided to sew the chest band even further into the body, and it definitely looked better! The picture is not good, though... I took it from my cell... I'll post a better one soon, I promise.

WHAT I WILL CHANGE IN THE NEXT ONE:

First of all, the length: It will be 1 to 1.5 inches shorter. I will add 2 to 4 stitches to the neck, because it is a bit tight. The chest will definitely have to be larger, about 1.5 to 2 inches!! This one is ok, and although the yarn stretches, it does not seem as comfortable being so close to the legs, so I will try to take it further down, not quite to the stomach, but a bit closer to it.
The chest band NEEDS to be wider. I will knit to my comfort, until I think it is enough. AND I will knit it garter stitch, because it rolls on itself now, since it is stockinette.

There was a whole ball of yarn left plus a bit from the first one... so actually, the whole piece was knitted with less than one ball! I can't believe such a nice project with so little yarn. I will use the other one to knit the new one, and then I will post the results.

Meanwhile, I'll show off the collar I made, so that Luigi is all coordinated in his next walk. It is an I-cord, with the first stitches cast on the tag holder. It's cool, because it is very light and soft, so he doesn't scratch his neck as he does with any other kind of collars, and it really comes on and off easily, because it stretches well.

So. off to knitting again! oh, wait... first, the dishes, then the vacuuming (oh, yeah, not that, the vacuum cleaner is dead... so broom, here I come!), prepare the meal... bleaghh... I wish I could just knit.... (sigh*)