No bug will stop me!!!

Hey Everyone!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a bit...Hannah and I were stopped in our tracks by a nasty stomach bug! She got sick the end of last week, and it hit me this past weekend. We're on the mend now, so I'm back to knitting and posting new projects.

First up, Baby Bear. I still have to put a face on this cutie, but I am still considering her to be finished. I love her little tail...it is so cute!!! I have more of this yarn in different colors, so I am hoping to make a few more of this bears in the near future!!!

Hannah named this bear Lolli. I asked her if it was because the colors looked like a Lollipop and she replied with, "No, just 'cuz". Ahhhh...2-year old logic!!

The same night I finished Lolli, I cast on a new baby sweater. This one is the 5-Hour Baby Sweater. They weren't kidding...if this took me 5 hours to make, I'd be shocked! It was so quick!! The only seams are under the arms, so it flies!!! I also whipped up a matching, Quick and Easy Baby Hat. The pattern was made to match the sweater, and it took me about an hour and half or so to make and seam. Because the sweater is a bit more frilly that what I would usually make, I made it in a pretty purple-blue color. I figured it would tone down the frilly-ness of it! Craig's cousin is due with a baby girl in March, so I think this set is going to be headed to Boston before too long.

Here's the finished set. I bought some ribbon that matches the color of the sweater, but I think it is going to be too wide to look right on the hat (you weave ribbon into the bottom row of eyelets). I'm going to keep my eyes open for something that better suits both the sweater and hat. Once I find what I like, it will also be used to tie the sweater closed at the top. I didn't feel like making I-cord ties.

Not bad, huh??
So, that's what I have been up to. I already have another baby sweater on the needles...they never rest! This sweater is for a childhood friend who is having a baby in May. I need to get all of these projects done before Hannah goes into the hospital, since I don't know how much knitting time I'll have after that. I am still throwing around the idea of making Hannah a Tasha stuffed animal, using Susan B. Anderson's Hippo pattern. It will require a bit of designing on my part to make a dress for it, but I think Hannah will love it! If I get to make it for her to take to the hospital, I plan to work on it at night so she doesn't know about it. Hmmm...I think I just convinced myself to do it! I wish I had a Uniqua pattern (or something I could modify), but I have yet to find anything. Oh well....one Backyardigan at a time!!!

Well, I'm off for now.

Cheers!
Sharon

Baby Goodies!!!

Meet Baxter...he's a friend of Burke Bunny. Baxter was my second go-around with the Susan Anderson Rabbit pattern. I made him as part of a baby shower gift for my friend Cara. I am so excited that her shower was this past weekend, since I have been chomping at the bit to post these photos...both on here and on Ravelry!!!

Hannah is as in love, if not more, with these bunnies as I am, so she has requested a purple one. I have the yarn already, but I think I am going to take a bit of a crafting break for a little while...keep reading and you'll see why!!

Also included in Cara's gift basket

was this little guy. I've named him Little Boy Blue, and he was created using the Presto Chango pattern.

I modified the pattern a bit, since the original had a lace pattern worked into the front panel. I thought it looked a bit to girly, so I stuck with a simple stockinette stitch one instead. I also added a little bear button to dress it up a bit.




This pattern is really cool because you can make multiple front panels for the same sweater. The entire thing unbuttons for easy clean-ups and changes. Pretty cool, huh?? Another bonus is that the entire thing (minus the panel) is made of one piece, so aside from some seaming (which I really don't mind doing), it takes no time at all to work up.

To go along with the sweater, I made a hat and a pair of booties. I am really happy with how everything turned out!!! Now I have to sit back and keep my fingers crossed that everything fits!!!

I wanted to dress up the gift tag a bit, so I personalized it and added some extra buttons and yarn. You never know when one might pop off!!!

So, I know that this is more of a knitting blog, but I made some sewn items for the basket and I didn't want to leave them out. I created this little tag-quilt out of some dog fabric I've had sitting around for a bit.

My finish work is far from professional, but I don't think it looks too bad!!!

And to match the mini-quilt, I made these three blocks. One has crinkle paper inside, one has bells, and the other makes a rattle noise. They were super easy to make and lots of fun!!!

Here's an artsy-fartsy photo of the finished basket!!

Last, but not least, here's the basket I made up from Hannah. None of it was handmade, but I thought it looked cute, so I wanted to include it.

So, that's it. Cara is really into handmade/recycled items, so I was pretty thrilled that my entire gift was handmade.

I was about to say that I am off to relax while Hannah is napping, but I realized that I have a knitting group on Wednesday and I have nothing on the needles...dang! I almost got away with having a craft-break. Oh well!!!

Have a great week everyone!!!

Cheers!
Sharon