Crochet along pillow covers.

I recently did a Crochet-along from the favecraftsblog, and it was pillow covers.  These turn out SO nice, I think I'm gonna make a matching blanket!  It would be so warm and squishy.   Here's how mine turned out:

Here's the details, also available in the link above.

Materials

Size M/9 mm or N/10mm size Crochet Hook
3 Balls of Red Heart Light & Lofty Wine, 127 g or 4.5 oz size
1 Pillow Form measuring 16″ x 16″

I used a M hook, and I could NOT find Red Heart Light and Lofty around here ANYWHERE so I used the Michaels generic brand, Loops and Threads, Country Loom.  The color is called "Landscape"  and it still takes 3 skeins.  I also just used some throw pillows I already had that needed a facelift.

Abbreviations:

BEG = Beginning, CH = Chain, HDC = Half Double Crochet, ST – Stitch, SL ST = Slip Stitch, SC = Single Crochet, DC = Double Crochet, TR = Triple Crochet, FPDC = Front Post Double Crochet, BPDC = Back Post Double Crochet

Chain 37

Row 1: Dc in the 4th ch from the hook. Dc in every ch across. Turn.

Row 2: Ch2. *FPDC in the next 4 dc, BPDC in the next 4 dc. Repeat from * all the way across and finish with 1 hdc into the top of the stitch below. Turn.

Row 3: Ch2. *BPDC in the next 4 dc, FPDC in the next 4 dc. Repeat from * all the way across and finish with 1 hdc into the top of the stitch below. Turn.

Row 4: Ch2. *FPDC in the next 4 dc, BPDC in the next 4 dc. Repeat from * all the way across and finish with 1 hdc into the top of the stitch below. Turn.

Rows 4-25: Repeat rows 2-4 seven times.

Row 26: Repeat row 2.

Fasten off.

Do a second panel by repeating the above instructions.  Two Panels should be constructed. You can mix them up so the pillow has different colors on either side (if you prefer).  Attach the two panels together by placing the panels on top of each other.  Create a slip knot and slide onto hook. Slip hook through both panels. I have chosen to slip it between the posts to be consistent. Single crochet the two panels together all the way around (2 SC in the same whole in the corners).  Fasten off and weave in ends, now your pillow is done!  All these instructions PLUS great videos can be found at : www.favecraftsblog.com 

It's quick and easy and a very satisfying project AND it made my old pillows look great and new again!

Spring AG clothes swap

I just LOVE doing these sewing swaps, they challenge me to try things I wouldn't normally do.  This one turned out SO good I was immensely glad that I made two because I didn't want to give it up when I was finished.  SO adorable!  My swap partner wanted something w/ bright colors and modern, so this is what I decided on:

I know the shoes don't match, I was just trying to get a quick pic LOL

Two pics are always better than one :D

Close up of the fabric, it's adorable!

The back, I broke down and used velcro, but it turned out nice.

I made the little coats too, because you can't have a pretty Easter dress without a spring jacket!

One with the flash.

While the dress was SUPER easy to sew and turned out AMAZING, the coat was a NIGHTMARE and I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner.  I used the 1930's Ruffled play dress pattern for the dress.  Great pattern highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed.  I used the Bubble Hem Trench Coat pattern for the coat.  I hate this pattern and I will probably never sew it again.  The bodice of the coat is not lined as it should be, the skirt part is, but only to give it the "bubble" effect.  The pattern guide book assumes that you have a serger as it tells you to serge the edge of everything.  Well I don't have a serger, so I finish edges and seams the old fashioned way.  It leaves the side edges of the skirt lining just bare, they are not attached to anything just hanging there.  The fit is rather big, but I guess you could have the doll wear just about anything under it and it would still fit.  I fixed all the issues but if you wear a total beginner, it would probably frustrate you to tears.  I was highly frustrated, and I'm not a beginner.  This pattern is SO not worth the $3.99 I paid for it, it turned out looking nice in the end but it took a lot of extra figuring on my part to get it that way.  

I love how the dress turned out, my daughter and my swap partner are also very pleased.  Off to make some more of those, great pattern!

Sweater I made for me!

I've not every crocheted myself anything wearable so I saw this pattern and it was free, and adorable, so I decided to try it.  Here's my result and I LOVE IT!

Front

back

It was a lot of fun and quick to make, I don't think I would use the variegated yarn again, but for the first attempt it's ok.  I think I'll make myself at least one more in a different color, just waiting for the yarn to go on sale.  The pattern is pretty good except the assembly instructions, they were a bit vague, took a bit of figuring to get it right.  Thank God there were reference pics.  Great project!

Cinderella costume

Well I entered the costume swap on one of my favorite forums, because I LOVE Halloween and I love to see all the AMAZING creations that everyone comes up with.   I was sent my swap partner's questionnaire and read through it.  She had three dream costumes that she listed as choices of what type of costume she would like.   Cinderella was one of them.  I don't have a pattern for Cinderella's dress so I made one.  This is actually pictures of the second attempt.   The first one just was not good enough in my opinion.  This one turned out MUCH nicer.  I had a hell of a time w/ those peplums I wanted it to drape just right.  It's still not like I wanted it but much closer than the first attempt.

The skirt and the bodice are fully lined, this presented a problem w/ the first skirt.  I have a bit of gathered tulle as you can see to add a sort of crinoline.  With the first skirt the tulle went all the way to the top, and was sewn into the waist band, there was such a bulk of  fabric that I broke my sewing machine needle on the first try.  I did manage to get it sewn through, w/ some effort.  So on this version to help get rid of the bulk, or at least minimize it I just made the crinoline shorter and sewed it to the skirt lining.

This is the inside of the skirt looking in from the waist band.

A closer look at the bodice, too bad it got a little blurry.

the inside of the bodice completely lined.  OH! that pointed yolk(is that what it's called?) sure gave me fits.  On the first version I couldn't figure out HOW to so it from the inside so it would turn back out and look nice and smooth.  On this one I figured it out and it looks SO much nicer.

Side view

Back view, it looks so wrinkly in this picture..Argh!

It turned out so much better than I thought it would.  I made the little blue headband to go w/ it.  The satin is actually glittery but you can't tell in the pics.  I looked through hoards of Cinderella pics on the web, and hit was a pretty close representation of it.  It looks so nice on my #49 it was hard to give it up, but it looks really nice on my swap partner's Kanani doll too.  The outfit I received is AMAZING too.  I'll post pics of that too in a few days.

Adora Dolls

I'm a staunch AG fan, but these girls are Adorable!  I might be swayed a bit, the babies are SO cute!
Adora Dolls






They have some REALLY cute outfits for their babies:




They are really cute!

A touch of Sass.

My daughter's doll Aiden was feeling sassy, and looks it. DD said, "she's a rebel, she doesn't care if she matches" So she's sporting a shirt that I made from one of DD's old shirts, and her skirt was actually a MAJOR screw up trying to make a pair of shorts. I sewed the back to leg pieces of the shorts together upside down and then of course sewed on the waist band before I noticed. The plaid was leftover pant legs from a pair of slacks I made into board shorts for my daughter, so I didn't have any left to fix it. I decided to just make it a skirt. It looks horrible, but DD doesn't care and neither did Aiden.

Cupcake Cuteness!

OK, I realize the print is not to scale, but I bought this TOTALLY ADORABLE fabric to make a sundress for my daughter and I couldn't help whipping up one for her doll too. It has not been very sunny this week so I can take pics of both of them in their dress, but I managed to get one of her doll. I will add more pics when the sun comes out again.



I got some pics, and I forgot to put in what else DD said about it LOL... I finished her dress first, and then I whipped up the dolly dress. When I was done I gave it to her, and she said, "Oooh I love it!" Then she thought for a minute and said, "It's too bad though..." and I said, "what's too bad?" she said, "it's too bad that her dress doesn't have as many cupcakes as mine." Kids.



They are both the Oliver + s popover sundress, I made DD's bigger because the biggest it went up to was 8 and I didn't want her to outgrow it too quickly. It's a little bigger than I wanted, but she'll grow. I added the ruffle at the bottom, it's not in the pattern, nor is the white eyelet lace at the top. When I saw the dark brown sprinkle fabric there was no way I wasn't adding the ruffle. I love it! This pattern is so quick and easy it really lends competition to LJ's drawstring dress, it's much easier and looks better when finishes (at least IMHO).