Roses Are Blue...

Newborn Snowdrop Hat

I have had the happy occasion to make a couple newborn hats lately (yay!). I love to make hats for newborns and I usually use this pattern from Crochet Me that I found a couple years ago. It has earflaps that makes it even more practical and really pumps up the cuteness factor (OH MY GAWD, newborn in earflaps!)

I really like how this last one, made for a friend's brand-new niece, turned out. I was inspired by the snowdrops I saw peeking out in the backyard right after I heard she was born. 

I used Blue Sky Skinny Cotton in Sprout for the main color. The white was also fingering-weight cotton. To make the top I crocheted a cord with the tail left from the start of the hat and then crocheted the flower into it. I sort of winged the three petals of the flower. I think I did a single and then triple crochet into a magic circle and then did single crochets down the side of the triple crochet to give it the triangular shape. That last sentence makes almost no sense, so if you want to make a similar flower I'd say just wing it until you get the shape you want. (I think this now qualifies as an anti-tutorial - "aaaah, just figure it out.") 

It turned out so sweet though. Give it a go for any spring baby who might need a cozy hat.

Blankie!

Blankie.jpg, originally uploaded by Alana.

When I was pregnant with my daughter I had Kara buy me a shiteload of gorgeous organic cotton yarn at Purl when she was in NYC. I had big plans, big plans. Blankie, hat, booties, maybe even a little shrug sweater for my precious newborn. Fast-forward to me in active labor stuffing the unfinished hat, the only item I had actually started, into my hospital bag to complete, oh I don't know, in the whirlpool tub between contractions. I did actually finish the hat but I can't say the same for any of the other items.  The blanket was important to me though, so I went ahead and started one when she was about 3 months old, fully knowing I probably wouldn't get very far. A couple weeks ago, right before her first birthday, I finished it. A little late for a baby blanket but just in time for chilly nights again. And honestly, a year barely counts as late for me.

BlanketDone.jpg, originally uploaded by Alana.

It's half double crochet with a shell border. Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton in "Bone" is the yarn. I love it. She loves it. Mission accomplished.

My Sincere Apologies to Melissa Leapman...

I got this lovely Cozy Crochet Kit from Alana for Christmas (um, last year.  How time flies...) and today I decided it was time to learn how to crochet.  I think it was the Test Lab Bunny that did it.  Gah!  There are so many adorable little creations out there (many from Alana as you will see.  Someday.)  Anyway, I have been wanting to try my hand at it for several years now.  So here is my first completed project!  It's a bookmark.  Tell me honestly, what do you think?  Hmmm, you are probably having trouble figuring out which one is mine from the book's photo example.  Mine is the one on the bottom.

I know.  It's so sad looking!  Have you ever seen anything more pathetic?  Poor little bookmark... I just don't get it.  It says right there on the box, SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS (apparently I require simpler instructions...)  It has tons of beautiful close-up photos and detailed drawings and explanations so basic that Melissa Leapman may as well be sitting next to me holding my hook in one hand and my yarn in the other, speaking verrryyy slooooowly using very small words.  I don't understand what happened...

All I can do now is thank the universe (again) for Amy Sedaris.  When in doubt, glue on some googly eyeballs.  They are the duct tape of the crafting world.  Hiiiiiideeee-hooooooooo!