I finished my first crochet blanket!

We all know I love to crochet.  I started off about 5 or 6 years ago by googling "how to crochet" then doing some basic Amigurumi and toys for my girls and some of their little friends (a great way to learn crochet by the way), then I moved on to hats ... lots and lots of hats, and some booties and slippers.  I have also made a couple of little crochet vests for the girls, a poncho or two, and some scarves.  But small, quick projects like that are where my crochet love has stopped .... until now.  It's time for some bigger projects.

So, at the start of winter this year, I decided that I was going to make a crochet lap rug for each of my girls for them to snuggle under while they read a book in their rooms, or when cuddling on the couch.  But, well, a-hem it hasn't happened.  I got stuck.  I couldn't decide on a design, or a yarn.   I wanted to use some beautiful Bendigo Cotton which is just lovely (I bought a couple of balls to play with, and it's gorgeous!), but it's also a little more expensive than I usually spend because it is such lovely quality.  I hated the thought of buying up big, then deciding I didn't like the design, or getting bored half-way through or something.  So, I decided I needed a trial run.  And a new little baby seemed like the perfect excuse.

A friend that I first met at playgroup when Bethany was little, and who's kids now go to school and pre-school with mine has just had her 4th baby.  And after 3 beautiful little boys, this time she's had a girl.  I really wanted to make her something girly to celebrate this new little one, and this felt like the perfect time to try my hand at a bigger crochet project.

I found this pattern and used some super soft 8-ply acrylic that I picked up in Big W.  It's really soft, and perfect for a baby gift as it will wash and wear well.  I used 5 balls for this rug, which measures just under 1 metre in diameter.  This is a bit smaller than the pattern suggests, but I thought this size was better for a new little baby, and that's the beauty of a pattern like this.  Once you get going you can make it whatever size you like really.  Hopefully it'll be perfect as a little floor-play rug, or as a warm snuggly blanket in the pram or car.

So, I started crocheting around and around and loved watching this one grow.  It's actually a really fun and easy crochet once you get going and it grows really quickly, though by the end it was taking over an hour for each round, simply due to the size.  An absolutely perfect way to spend this cosy winter-nights on the couch.

I finished my 5th ball of white, and decided I would girly this one up with just a couple of rows of pink, from the same super-soft acrylic.  I think it works well.  

I'm really happy with how this one turned out, and it's definitely whet my appetite for crocheting some more rugs.  Maybe my girls will get theirs by next winter ... 

Warm Little Tootsies!

When my first daughter Bethany was a baby, a good friend posted some pics on her facebook page of some gorgeous toys she'd made for her kids.  I got chatting with her about this, and she said that she had taught herself to crochet by googling "crochet instructions", and just having a go ... what a great idea.  So I eventually got round to doing the same, and low and behold, this is now one of my favourite crafts.  I started with toys, which are so much fun, but have since graduated to hats, shoes, headbands and other accessories.  They're quick, cheap, easy and best of all they make any outfit look just a little bit more special.  And I love that my girls are excited each time they have a new little something to wear.

Where I live in Sydney, it's now winter and it's FREEZING.  And with a small bub, and what seems like an endless array of sickness around this year, I'm constantly trying to keep my munchkins warm.  So why not have some fun with this!!!  Lately most of my crocheting has been focussed on warm woolies for my munchkins' little piggies.  Here's some of the shoes I've made, and where I got the patterns...

 

           

















This was my first slipper attempt ... they are from this pattern.  Gotta love a free pattern, and these were super-quick ... a 1-evening job for sure!  I have to admit though my guage is often out-of-whack with crocheting patterns, and to compensate I often play around with yarn or hook size to get the right fit.

OK, so Bethany has 2 pairs of slippers this winter.  You see, I sewed her a pair of PJ's (in pink), and got so excited that I had actually successfully sewn something worth wearing, that I just had to make her another pair to practice (this time in purple)... Well, obviously you can't wear pink slippers with purple PJ's now can you!?!  Well that was my excuse to try out these cute bunny slippers from here.  These were even easier than the 1st ones, and the great thing was that when Bethany tried them on the next day, and they were too small (it probably would have been a good idea to measure her foot rather than just guessing), it was super easy to just undo the back seam and add on a couple of inches...gotta love that about crocheting. Oh, and I thought they looked just as cute without the button eyes and nose, so I just left them off!

Now Bethany's slippers were fun and cute, but just how adorable are these baby shoes.  I've already got some soon-to-be-baby-tootsies in mind to make some more of these little darlings.  Imagine...cute shoes, and a matching hat ... together with probably 2 evenings of work to make a beautiful handmade baby gift for a friend ... can't beat it really!  These ones are from here and here. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I made the little tootsies in the shoes too...LOL!

The exciting thing is you know... crochet baby shoes are not just for winter.  I've spotted lots of adorable patterns online for summer sandles and thongs for little bub feet ... just waiting for the weather to warm up now!