Testing, testing: Nita Wrap Skirt

Today I'm sharing my tester version of the brand new Nita Wrap Skirt pattern from Sew DIY.

Snappy Toddler Top: FAIL, I think

I printed up this free pattern from Prudent Baby and made it using the scraps from the Sorbetto tank top I made a few months ago.  While it came out pretty cute, I'm pretty sure I must have printed the pattern too small, because it came out tiiiiiiiny.  Maybe it might fit a newborn, but I have serious doubts about its ability to fit its intended wearer, Ms. Zoe.  Sigh.

In any case, it allowed me to try out some new techniques, some of which I handled with some level of success, others not so much.  Hand sewing a buttonhole:  not too bad!  Sewing really small curved areas: pitiful.  Live and learn.

Anybody know a newborn girl looking for a hand made summer top?

Baby Kimono Sweater for Zoe

I made this adorable kimono sweater for Zoe on a DC to New England road trip this weekend... 95 North has never experienced such speed crocheting.

This pattern is awesome- crocheted top down in one piece, so there are no awkward seams. The edging is super cute, and you can do ties or buttons for fasteners.

I can't wait to make it in more colors... I like this Violet Veil yarn from Lily, but I think a solid color with contrasting edge would be even cuter. Long sleeves could work, too.

I love this pattern so much, I can't wait to try this other cute sweater from the designer!

Crochet Baby Cardigan

Wow. The end of August was really a doozy... earthquakes, hurricanes, car accidents, deaths... I barely knew (or know) how to wrap my head around it.

In the midst of all of this I distracted myself by crocheting and thinking about cute babies... 

I had been looking for a simple sweater pattern to get me started on crocheting something wearable (besides a scarf or hat), and I found and printed a baby cardigan project that no longer seems to exist on the Jo-Ann fabric website, strangely. The cardigan was made in three pieces (back with back of sleeves and two front pieces with the front of the sleeves). Crocheted with 2 different yarns held together, alternating rows of single and double crochet for a stripey effect, and finally whipstitched together at the end, this was pretty straightforward. It called for a tie closure, but somehow I miscounted and ended up with one side overlapping the other, so I sewed 3 buttons on in lieu of the ties. The buttons slide easily between the double crochet stitches, so there was no need for me to mess with buttonholes. 

Lincoln likes it.

UPDATE: Zoe looking cute in her sweater!

Crochet Baby Hat with Flower

Using the same pattern as these cutie baby hats I made a few weeks ago, I crocheted this bright pink hat using Lily Sugar n' Cream yarn in Hot Pink. My seam was a little wonky still (better than the first couple hats, though!), so to cover it up, I made these little flowers and sewed them over the seam along with some pretty mother-of-pearl buttons that the Real Martha gave me. Pretty adorable...If you look closely, you'll notice that one of my flowers has 6 petals and one has 5 petals. Unseen in this photo is yet another flower I made that had 4 petals. I thought I was following the pattern for all of them... don't ask how I ended up with a different result every time. Trials and tribulations of the crochet newbie!