Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Easy Peasy Toddler Dress Pattern

Easy Peasy!  That's what I love about this pattern and it turns out quite cute!


If you find a problem with this pattern, please comment so I can fix it!
Yarn: About 1.5 skeins of Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue (approximately 500 yards) with Cascade Superwash  in Violet (about 50 yards or so) for the trim (Just what I had on hand).
Hook:  Bottom Skirt Use F Hook, then Switch to D Hook
Gauge: for skirt 14 tr and 5 rows is a 4 inch square. For bodice 20 dc and 10 rows is a 4 inch square.  Finished project is about size 4T
Notes:  Start from bottom and work your way up to the top.  Shaping of skirt is done only by changing stitch and hook.  No decreases!!!  Yeah!  (Until you get to the top).  Turn your work after every round. (I find this keeps the joins straighter, otherwise they start going diagonally on me if I don't turn my work, may just be me, so if you can keep your joins straight by all means, don't turn!).

Skirt.
Foundation Row: Ch. 120 sl st to join in a circle without twisting.
Row 1.  Ch. 3. (counts as first stitch) Tr. around. (120 Tr.) sl st to join. ch. 3 Turn.
Repeat Round 1 for 7 inches. At the end of the last Tr. round, ch 2 and Turn.
Dc around (120 dc) ch 2 Turn.
Repeat Dc around for 4 inches.  At the end of the last Dc round, ch 1 and turn.
hdc around for 2 inches. (120 hdc)  At the end of the last hdc round, ch 1 and turn.
Switch to D hook.
sc around for 1 inch (120 sc).  You are done with the skirt! Do NOT FASTEN Now wasn't that easy!  And look how it is just shaped perfectly!

Trim
Switch to CC.
Round 1: with WS facing, 2 dc in blo around (240 dc)  (make sure MC yarn is in the inside of the skirt before you join).  Join with sl st. ch 2 turn.
Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch (480 dc).  Fasten off.

Top
With MC and WS facing, sc around in flo.  (120 sc). sl st. to join, ch. 2 and turn.
Dc around, do not join from here on out.  (120 dc) ch 2 turn.
Dc around again, ch. 2 turn (120dc).
Now for the sleeve openings:
Dc 30, ch. 30, dc 60, ch 30, dc 30 (180 stitches)  ch 2, turn.
dc around (180 dc) ch 2 turn.
Now for a decrease row:
Dc 2, dc 2tog, *(dc3, dc 2tog)* repeat from * to * around. (145 dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (145 dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (145 dc) ch 2 turn
Another decrease row:
Dc 2, dc 2tog, *(dc3, dc 2tog)* repeat from * to * around. (116 dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (116 dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (116 dc) ch 2 turn
Another decrease row (with more decreases):
Dc, dc 2tog, *(dc2, dc 2tog)* repeat from * to * around. (88 dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (88dc) ch 2 turn
dc around (88dc)   and you are DONE!!!  Well almost.
Note: I think my dress would fit my daughter better if I did one more decrease round and then an extra just regular dc round. 

Finishing:
Fasten and weave all ends. 
For bottom and neck trim.  With cc, sl stitch in.  ch 3, sk st. sc, repeat around.
For buttons. with mc. On right side, sl in bottom of opening, sc up to neck, ch1 turn, sc down again.  fasten and weave.  On other side, sl in bottom of opening, sc up to neck, ch 1, 2 sc, 2 ch, sk 2 repeat down to bottom of opening, fasten and weave.
Attach buttons. 
Now you are really done!!


Monday, March 14, 2011

A Heart for My Little Heart

Love this little Heart Pattern.  So easy and very sweet.  My baby has not let it out of her hands all morning.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Pyramid

My husband the math teacher is really into teaching my 2 year old all sorts of stuff about math and science.  Just this morning I overheard him say to her, "Let's watch the Wonderful World of Chemistry!"  I just have to laugh sometimes.  Now he is really into trying to teach her shapes.  We don't have a pyramid, so he asked me to make him one.  Here it is.  It's just 4 triangles sewn together with a bit of stuffing in it.  My stitches holding the thing together need work . . . .  But it does the job! 


Triangle Pattern:
Row 1: Ch. 20, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across, sc2tog in last two stitches. 18 sc.
Row 2: sk first st, sc across, sc2tog in final st and turning ch of previous row.17 sc.
Repeat row 2. Your final row will just be sc2tog with one stitch and the previous row’s turning ch.

Make four, stitch together, and lightly stuff to get your pyramid.

Another pretty cool single piece pyramid pattern can be found here.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

First Pattern!

Yeah!  I finally got the travel diaper changing pad pattern done.  I'm almost completely satsified with the way it came out.  The only problem was that I used two different brands of wool yarn and they felted a bit differently.  So its a bit curled on the edge. 






I really hate being some place and needing to change a diaper and not having a place to do it.  So, I made this felted changing pad with pockets.  It's so comfy, it's between 1/4 and 1/2 inches thick.  It conveniently rolls up and ties.  The pockets are truly optional. You could just stick a diaper in there and roll it up without the pockets.



Diaper Changing Pad
Yarn: 1 and a half skeins Patons Classic Wool or other suitable felting wool.  If you want to do different colors, or stripes like I did, don't do what I did, use the same brand of wool so that it felts the same way.

Fabric: About a 1/3 of a yard of cute matching fabric in cotton or even better, flannel. And 1/4 of another coordinating fabric or you can use the same as the first fabric. (Be warned:  I’m really bad about figuring out yardage, but I think that’s about right)

Pattern:  
Foundation Row: Ch 49 Turn
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each chain across (48 dc). Turn.
Row 2: ch 2 (counts as first dc here and throughout) skip first dc and dc across, making sure to dc in your turning chain. Ch 2 turn.
Repeat Row 2 until you have 60 rows. Fasten and Weave.  It will look pretty huge, but it will felt into shape.

You can change colors and do stripes if you want.  Just remember to use the same brand wool.  I didn't do that (I ran out of Patons and used Stitch Nation Full O'Sheep for the stripes and edging and it did not felt as tightly so mine came out a bit curly).

Edging: With contrasting yarn.  Sl Stitch on edge.  Sc around, 2 dc in the side of each dc, 3 sc in each corner. Fasten and weave.

Ties: Sl stitch in the middle of one of the short sides.  Chain out about 20 inches.  Turn and sc across.  Don't fasten.  Repeat in same spot for the second tie.
Felt that puppy.

Fabric lining and Pockets (OPTIONAL):

Measure the felted pad and cut your fabric about the same size.

Measure out to about 1/3 of the pad and cut 2 rectangles that measures the width of the pad by 1/3 of the length of the pad.

Fold under 1/4 inch and press the raw edge of a long side of the pockets and stitch (this will be the pocket opening).  Repeat for the other pocket.  Then fold down and press all the raw edges about 1/4 inch on the lining fabric and on the pockets, pin in place and top stitch together.  Use a thread that will blend in because you are going to stitch the whole thing again to the pad.

Then place the pockets on the pad and pin.  Use embroidery thread or thin yarn and stitch together.  You can use any cute stitch you want like a blanket stitch.  Voila!  You got yourself one soft and cozy and useful travel diaper changing pad. Stuff it with a few dipeys and some wipes and roll it up and tie it and throw it in your purse.  No need for the ginormous diaper bag.  You’ve got everything you need.



 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

When life gives you a felted mess . . .

You make toddler slippers.



Never mind that they are about 4 sizes too big for my son and that my 2 and a half year old daughter fell over laughing when she saw him in them.  Okay . . . let's face it . . . the toddler slippers are destined for the donate pile.  But at least I don't have a misshappen felted granny rectangle mess on my hands.  And I learned a lot about  making little slippers.  Way easier then I ever imagined.  I'll post something about it when I figure out how to make them fit.

Experiment Failed, Kinda

So as you can see  my rectangles are kinda misshapen.  I thought somehow that it would correct itself when I slip stitched them together and felted.  Alas, the mishapenness has lingered.  Felting definitely helped, but it did not fully correct the problem.  Solution, just do a long dc rectangle instead of 3 granny rectangles.  Or try a different less misshapen tried and true granny rectangle. 

Here's a post-felting pic:
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