A Rose for Rosie...

These are another way I have used the rose pattern I used on the baskets...made in smaller yarn, this makes a lovely hair clip...this one is Rosie Posie's, though I have made another for my older daughter as well...

Summer Rose Shrug...

I showed you the start of this pretty shrug yesterday, and promised to share the result.  So, here are some photos of my older daughter modeling it. I found the pattern for this on the same blog, Crochet in Color, as the basket pattern I used for Mother's Day gifts.  The shrug pattern is another design of hers, titled "Spring Shrug" on her blog. 

 Really a simple pattern, took maybe 4 hours to work up...with some breaks.  It's just an easy V stitch...but it certainly makes a very pretty lacy looking fabric.  I used a stocking weight acrylic yarn that I had in my stash and the recommended hook size from the pattern.  The pattern says to use size 3 fashion cotton crochet thread, but I thought this would be a similar weight and the yarn I had on hand was a lovely rose color that I felt would be very pretty on my daughter.  I think it came out well, and more importantly, she likes it!

Not to be left out, little Rosie Posie had to have her picture taken too...so here are the girls together.

Today, we went hiking and enjoyed the beautiful day, gorgeous views, the wildflowers, and the clean air...so I didn't stitch a thing...but tomorrow I will have a couple of hours in the car.  I am hoping to fill that time with tatting...something just for my own pleasure this time!  Until later...

A Pretty Bed for the Babies...

Last Saturday, we struck proverbial gold while out yard sale-ing, at least in the mind of one little girl.  A little bit of paint, some sewing, and a bit of fussing...and I do believe I now agree with her...

This is now the "best ever" dolly bed in my Rosie Posie's own little words...

But it didn't start out that way.  I was a bit excited to get started when we got home with it...so I didn't think to get a before picture until I was ready to give the bottom side it's first coat of paint...

The whole thing was sort of an oakey brown color.  Not horrible, just not quite what I wanted to see...and it was a bit worse for the wear besides.

...and the bedding, well, that left a lot to be desired.

So on Monday, new pillows were made from batting and some fiberfill, and a couple of layers of batting were added to the "mattress" along with bright and pretty new gingham pillowcases and an envelope style "sheet" for the mattress'...and the bedding was much improved. 

This fabric was some that I had in my stash. It seemed perfect for this. I really do love how these came out.  Rosie Posie liked it too...

But, then she tapped her cheek with her finger and said "what missing, what missing, hmmm...."

Babies must have blankies...

These are, once again, my favorite giant granny square afghan pattern.  Fifteen rows and an edging is enough to cover a baby doll...but these still took most of my crafting time Tuesday and Wednesday to finish up.  They are each a little different, I like them both.  Thought about making matching ones, or contrasting like the sheets and pillows...but I got a little tired of that and had to play...so here they are...

There we go...all tucked in...

A kiss goodnight...

...and a hug.

The baby dolls are happy...and my baby is the happiest of all!

She's been playing with the babies and their new bed almost constantly...

Definitely a project worth the time spent.  I believe I am at least temporarily done, until the little Rosie Posie says "what missing, what missing..." and needs something else created for these babies.  Like a quilt, or a top sheet, or who knows what...my Rosie Posie is quite observant and likes her play things to be just like the real thing.  She is fun...

But for now...I think it's big sister's turn to have something made for her.  This is a pretty rose colored summer shrug in progress earlier this afternoon, finished it up this evening...perhaps my beloved older daughter will model it tomorrow.  Until then...

Paisley Swirls with Cream...

Here is something I did a little while back and never managed to share with all of you.  I loved this fabric from the moment I laid eyes on it, the colors are just beautiful and the design is so elegant...paisley fabrics are really lovely. 

The intricate paisley pattern with the cream background just called for a simple edging that highlighted the beauty of the fabric and let it just be what it is...

I chose to add a simple shell edging.  A foundation row of single crochet right on the fabric, piercing the fabric with the hook as I went.  The second row is three single crochet, skip one, four double crochet in the next stitch, skip one, three single crochet,etc.  The corner has eight double crochet.  This produces a nice simple edging that lays flat with no ruffling.  I think it was just the right accent to make this beautiful piece of fabric into a lovely throw...

It is so pretty, light for summer, and soft.  It is a favorite and I love having this one at hand.  That this is an easy care fleece just makes it even more so...it's been washed several times and still looks like the day it came off the hook.  I love that!

These are an easy, quick, project...just an edging on a beautiful piece of fleece.  It makes a nice gift, with out the enormous commitment of time that an afghan brings.  It still has that touch of handmade...and can easily be tailored to the recipients tastes.  These are my throw of choice to make these days...though I know I will still be working up at least a couple of full fledged afghans, I have two beautiful, well loved, daughters who seem to require one each (having not made one for either since I stitched their baby afghans)! 

There is more to share, progress on the baby doll beds and bedding, tatting, a beautiful new shuttle, etc...but it is late, and I would like better photos than I can take tonight...until tomorrow then...

An Afghan's Story...

Yesterday, I shared with you the felted bird pillow that I created and promised to share the story of this afghan today...

They look really beautiful together, do they not?  There is a reason for that.  Towards the end of blanket stitching the edging of the pillow together I ran out of the variagated brown yarn that I was using...and had to go on a hunt through my stash to find something that would work.  I did not locate anything in my stash...but did find a project bag with a yarn that would work.

That project was this afghan...which I started probably 14 years ago (cringe).  At the time, I typically would finish an afghan like this in 2 weeks to 1 month.  I always had 2 or 3 of them going. 

But, suddenly, life was busy.  I was newly married, a number of cousins were having babies and I was making smaller afghans for them, then I was pregnant,  and then had a new born, etc.  It got set aside...and I pulled it out occasionally to try to finish it, but it was too daunting and I was too busy.  It gets harder the farther you go with this giant granny square pattern...it's a long long way around those outer rows.  It never feels like you are making progress at all!

Somehow, using a bit of the yarn intended for this afghan for another project was the impetus needed to finally stitch those last 6 rows and the edging (yes, truely, that was all that remained)...

The edging alone took close to 6 hours...it's a long way around that last row!  But I finally finished this up this past Friday evening...and I am so very pleased with it...it is simply gorgeous, everything that I had hoped it would be when I started it.  These were the colors I wanted to use in my new home.  While my color pallet has changed and expanded a bit over the years, these colors still fit in quite well.  The yarn is a lambs wool, synthetic blend.  It is so warm and feels rich to the touch, but is washable...washable is good!

So...after all that time, here it is, complete!  The two now rest on my favorite chair...something warm to cover my legs as I stitch and a pillow to rest my back or arm as needed. 

I thought I would tell this story so you all would know that there is hope for those long term WIPs after all.  A project is always a WIP (Work in Progress) until you make a concious decision that it is a UFO (unfinished object) and will remain so. 

I recently read a comment on another's blog from someone who follows mine and who's blog I follow, who had an afghan they had started for a grand daughter a year ago...to you, Diane, I say that there is hope and it is not hopeless...you will pick that hook back up to finish someday soon and that star afghan will be beautiful and loved by it's recipient.

Dancing Ribbons...

We made these this morning...from Skip to My Lou's Summer Craft Camp.  There are so many fun ideas floating around out there I want to make with the girls this summer. These flowing ribbon bracelets were simple and quick to put together from supplies I had on hand and the girls have had such fun with them!

Rosie Posie has been playing with her's all day...

The lawn might need mowed and the dishes washed, but time with my daughters is so much more important to me right now!  I want to make this a special summer that will be full of fun memories for my 12 and 3 year old girls!!!  I hope each of you are also finding time to create and enjoy life with the children in your lives this summer too...and now, off to play some more!

(Hint: we went yard sale-ing Saturday...a baby doll bed was found...paint and fabric are involved)

Little Birdies...

Two little birdies...so much fun! 

A little over a month ago, my older daughter and I went to a needle felting class offered through our extension office.  This is the project that I started in that class.  It is loosely based on inspiration garnered from photos of felted birds done by other's that I had viewed on-line.  There is a lot of inspiration out there...google felted birds, select images and there are more ideas than a person could manage in a lifetime...

For a first attempt at needle felting, I am incredibly pleased with how my two little birdies turned out!

The background layers are felted wool sweaters.  I cut squares of different sizes and blanket stitched them together to get the rustic, layered background that I wanted.  The little birds themselves are a variety of wool fibers...our instructor had a plethora of supplies.  It was great fun to play with everything she brought.  By the time we left, after an enjoyable three hours of play, I just had the blanket stitching and the felting of the branches that overlap the stiching to complete...

I finally finished this project last Monday evening, blanket stiching the squares together and then the fleece back to the pillow front.  I chose fleece for the back primarily because it has a little more stretch to it than the felted wool sweaters, making it easier to get the pillow form into the envelope.  You can see that it has a very plump pillow form inside of it.  I put this together envelope style as I like to be able to change my pillows out easily and/or wash them if the need arises (which it does as a three year old lives in this house). 

This was a really enjoyable project.  A change from what I usually do, and something I definitely want to do more of...very relaxing and fun, like painting with fiber.

Tomorrow, I will share the story of the lovely afghan you can see behind the pillow...until later, then!