The Done Pile is Getting Bigger!!!

Hello Hello!

Here are a few more knit items I have been working on this week...

The other night my husband told me that he thought the Diva's feet were getting cold at night.  next thing you know, he was asking me to make some socks for her.  We all know what I think of knitting socks, so this was quite the request.  I did some searching and found a pattern that called for bulky yarn...SCORE!!!  I guess if there is one thing that can make socks more bearable, it is bulky yarn!!  So, in less than 24 hours, the Diva had some socks!!

She isn't sure if she likes them...they are a bit stiff, so they are kinda snug on her.  Perhaps I'll make her another pair in the next size up...we'll see.

(Don't mind the kitty paws in the photo...Louis wanted to try the socks on!!)

I'm still plugging away at Barbie's new wardrobe.  She needed a pair of shorts to go with her tunic.  I was originally going to make capris, but I got lazy and bound off at short length...not bad for 45 minutes of work, huh??

I think I'm going to make either another dress or a long coat next...we'll see!!

Finally, here is a project that I cannot wait to make!!!  A good friend loaned me her Barbie pattern book from the 80s, and on the back cover, I discovered this...

A HOCKEY UNIFORM!!!!

Is there anything more perfect for me to make the Diva's Ken doll?!?!  I just have to find the right colors to replicate the Flames' throwback jersey.  I have also been looking on Ebay for some skates for Ken.  Wish me luck!!!

(By the way, is anyone else wondering why barbie is wearing a sailor suit at the hockey arena??)

I'm off to cast on a hat for another Christmas gift.  It involves cables, which are not my thing, so we'll see how it turns out.  I figure if I can whip up a pair of socks in 24 hours, I should at least give cables a try!!

Oh yeah, one more thing.  I am now contributing articles to a Calgary blog called Kids in Cowtown.  Today they are featuring one of my projects...go on, check it out...you know you want to!!!!

Happy Crafting!

Sharon

Barbie is Styling!

Hey Everyone!!

Here's one more Barbie item I finished last night.  It is a knit tunic.  I LOVE it!!!  Hubby and I decided that I need to find a pattern that will fit me!!  The only mods I made to the original pattern are the needle size... I don't have a US 0, so I used a US 1.  I also left the rib at the bottom sides open, since I commonly see that on tunics like this.

I plan on making a pair of capris in either khaki or white to match...goodness, with as fast as these projects are coming off the needles, I might make a pair in each color!!!  My niece will have a well-dressed Barbie this Christmas!!

Cheers!

Sharon

Lots to Share...and some Christmas spoilers

Hey Everyone!

I knew I hadn't blogged in a bit, but once I saw how many projects I've finished since my last post, I realized just how long it had been...yikes!!!  I actually have 9 projects to share, and a few that I've finished up, but am going to keep under wraps until after Christmas.

First up, The Diva's Bumbleberry Pie Hat.  I made another hat in the purple yarn I showed in a previous post.  This one fits perfectly, though I don't have a photo of the Diva wearing it.  I'll have to snap one this winter.

Next, a WCOBBS update.  As you probably read about in another post, I have been seaming blanket squares together to make some blankets for the WCOBBS.  I had some donated squares in boyish colors, but not enough to make a full 9-square blanket...so, I added a bunch of squares myself.  Here's the finished product (minus the border)...

On this blanket, I made the star squares in each corner, and the two burgundy squares (one is a dog bone and one is a football helmet).  I named this one "All-Star".  It took a while to finish, but was so worth it in the end!!

In other blanket news, I promised to post a photo of the blanket I made for my friend Jenn.  I wanted her to get it in the mail before I revealed it on here, and now that she's had it for a bit, here you go...

I'm really happy with how this blanket turned out, and I've gotten great feedback about the colors that I picked.  I like that it is girly, but it doesn't look like Barbie or Strawberry Shortcake threw up on it!!

Speaking of Barbie, here comes a Christmas gift spoiler.  I am quite certain that my niece H doesn't read my craft blog, so I'm not too worried about posting things on here.  So, Big Sis, if you're reading this, don't show the next few projects to your girls!!

I have whipped up a few items for H's growing Barbie clothes collection.  I plan on making a lot more, but this is the start. I made her a dress and sweater.  I also have plans for a fancy dress, some purses, maybe a hat or two, some pants...well, you get the point.

I think they look pretty good.  Because I have to use such small needles, I have to alternate Barbie clothes for H with American Girl clothes for her big sister A.  My hands can't handle all of the small needles!!  With the changing of the seasons, I have noticed my joints cramping up quite a bit when the needle size drops to below a US 6 or so.

Here is the outfit for A's American Girl doll.  When we were home in August, I showed A some patterns for AG clothes, and her face lit up.  I know she LOVES the color red, so I thought her doll needed something rosy red.

Here's a closeup of the skirt...

I really had fun making these!!  It was also fun dusting off my old American Girl doll so I could use her as a model.  The sweater is a play on the popular February Lady Sweater, and the skirt has a bit of texture, thanks to some carefully spaced ribbing.

Also in the works for A's doll, is a funky hat, some pants, another sweater, and possibly some socks.  Oh, and I found a pattern for doll slippers that match the ones I make all the time...do I smell a matching set??  Hmmmm....

Finally, I want to share some baby sweaters I made last week.  I am pretty thrilled with these...two sweaters in 3 days!!!  One of hubby's co-workers is having twins in a few weeks, and I thought they needed matching sweaters.  I didn't want to go all matchy matchy, so I did coordinating ones instead.  I used the popular 5-hour baby sweater for the girl, and the modified boy version as well.  I had fun making a "girl" sweater a while back for hubby's cousin's baby, but this one was so much better!!!  Not only have my knitting skills greatly improved since then, but my coice to use Vanna's Choice yarn instead of the Bernat Satin I used last time payed off!!!  The yarn almost has a woolly texture to it, and the stitch definition is so much better!!!

I sewed snaps into the garter borders this morning, and these sweaters are good to go!!  I hope to see some photos of the little ones in them!!! 

So, I think that's all I have to share today.  Like I said earlier, I have some other projects, but the people they are for might read this and see them.  I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises, so expect that after Christmas, I'll have a recap post that shows off all of the projects.

In the meantime, I have some more knitting to do...

Cheers and Happy Crafting!
Sharon

Birthday Madness!!!

Happy Monday!!!

This past weekend, my little Diva turned three!!! I still cannot believe how big she is getting!!! Though I would love to post photos of a crafty birthday blowout, there are none. We decided to hold off on having a party for her until this summer. I don’t talk about it too often on here, but the Diva has some health issues, and has an upcoming surgery. Open heart surgery…#3. We’ve already had it postponed twice because of colds, so we weren’t ready to take any more chances. Though we don’t keep her in a bubble, we thought that inviting a bunch of people into our home would be asking for trouble. So, this summer we’ll be having a Backyardigan Belated Birthday/Recovery Party. The Diva was quite understanding about the whole thing. Don’t worry…she still had a few visitors, and a cake, and LOTS of presents.


Back in November, I started her “Something for Spring” sweater. I actually started it while sitting in the waiting room at the hospital during the Diva’s Cardiac Catheter. My plan was to knit it 100% while she was in the hospital, but with the delayed surgery, I didn’t want to wait. So, I put my hands into high gear and I finished it for her Birthday. We renamed it “Hannah’s Birthday Sweater”, and she wore it out to dinner on her big day. Though I finished most of it sitting in our living room, and not in the hospital, it still has special meaning to me.

Here’s the Diva and her Daddy right before we went out to dinner.

I thought it was going to be huge on her, but apparently she has gone through a recent growth spurt, because it fits great!! It’s a bit baggy, but still a perfect fit. I think it should get her through the spring and cool summer nights just fine!!

My hands didn’t stay idle for long. As soon as the sweater was seamed, I got busy making clothes of a different kind…Barbie clothes. The Diva got a few for her birthday, and they needed a few more outfits. I miss the days when you could buy the $5.00 Barbie at Osco Drug and then get 20 outfits for it at any department store!!! Now, it seems as though you have to spend $25.00 on the special themed dolls in order to get any clothes!! I bought a mermaid Barbie from one of the movies we’ve been watching, and she came with a convertible mermaid tail that changes into an outfit, a pair of flip flops, and a few jewelry pieces. She cost $25.00!! Te Diva really wanted it, so I was fine spending the money…I just wish she came with a bit more. I bought one of her friends, and all she came with was a bikini…not even a pair of flip flops!! The few outfits they had at Wal-Mart looked more “naughty” than “nice”, so I decided that I needed to make some stuff instead. It actually brought me back to my childhood…my sister used to “take orders” for personalized Barbie sweaters, and she’d knit them for me. She also sewed blankets and pillows. I had many flashbacks when the Diva and I were looking at some knitting patterns online and she was pointing and requesting special colors.

So, with that said, Barbie now has one new outfit. It isn’t perfect, but it is better than having naked dolls sitting out on the coffee table!! I have MANY more patterns, and MUCH more baby yarn to use up in my stash, so be ready for more reveals in the near future!!

I do have one final project that I finished up this weekend, but I’ll wait to do a special post for it. I finished my section of the latest WCOBBS blanket…but I still need to snap some photos. I also started planning a baby gift for a friend in Georgia, who is having a baby boy in August. They are HUGE UGA fans, so get ready for lots of red, black and white in my projects!!! Their nursery is going to be in those colors, so my wheels have been turning all weekend, planning out a cool gift for them. Stay tuned!!!

Well, I’m off to play dolls with the Diva. Have a great week everyone!!!

Cheers!
                                                                Sharon