Crochet Catch-Up

Here's a trip down crochet memory lane where I'm sharing all the projects to date that I have pictures of.  I've given most of these things away, so pictures are all I have.

Christmas 2008: Rob's Afghan

I made this shortly (within a few months) of learning to crochet and it was a doozy!  I actually developed carpel tunnel from crocheting too long and frequently, and even now I still have to take my crocheting (and typing, and piano playing, and cell phone operating) in small doses.  I made this in record time: about 6 weeks.  Again, I don't recommend it--got a little too excited about my new hobby.  But isn't this a beauty?!  This was Rob's gift for our homemade Christmas and I absolutely loved it.  When I get a chance visiting his place, I still sneak in and snuggle it.

Jake took a picture during the process.  Aren't those rows pretty?

Here's Waldo, I mean, Rob, on Christmas Day with his new gift.

So, I haven't made many blankets since then, but I have made lots of hats.  This is my niece McKenna in hers from Christmas 2009

She and her sister, Chantelle, both got one.

This is a matching mommy and baby hat set I made for my best friend, Aileena and her little Audrey.

Baby boy booties.  These are quick and easy and adorable.  Can't remember who I gave these to.  HO

These two hats I made for friends in LA:  Hilary Peterson's daughter, Evelyn, and Rachel Sweirenga's daughter, Summer, both born within a month of each other.  

These I made for Lewis Shoemaker, my cousin, Faith's, boy.

These booties are one of my favorites (I had A TON of this yarn, if you can't tell.)  These were for Anna Crowe's little girl, Naomi.

Christmas hats for nieces Jacie and Cameron. This is the last of this yarn, I promise.

This is one of my favorite hats ever.  I made this for baby Bridget Snow in our ward.  This was my first time doing double-layer flowers and holy moly do I love them!

And finally, a few little crochet projects for MY baby!  Yay!  Here was his first hat.  I made this for him after he was born so I could size it right.  He's about 5 days old in these pictures.  

(His very first Sunday ever)  Awwwww...

Jake's idea to do the brim.  Made it much more manly.  Good call, Jake.

This is Jasper at Christmas (in Santa Barbara) 2011.  Again, the gray brim was Jake's idea.  He has great taste.

And isn't that the sweetest face ever??!

Odds and Ends

So nice to just get little projects done--the ones that bubble up in your mind at night when you're trying to go to sleep and hang out on your to-do list til you just can't stand to see them there anymore and it's finally enough motivation to actually get them done--yeah, those ones.

Like, FINISHING THE NURSERY...for your toddler.  Whatever, it's done!  Over the summer I spray-painted these letters and topped them off with round sticker labels for the polka dot effect.  After several repeat letter purchases and at least a dozen trips to Michael's, it was finally done.  I haven't ventured into the world of spray paint since, but I am really happy with how the letters, and the remainder of the nursery completion, turned out.  Maybe I'll get brave enough to hop back on the horse soon.  Paint really can work wonders.

It took me a full year, but I finally found an orange clock in my price point.  I love this little spot.

 

Ikea spice racks turned bookshelves.  Really inexpensive and they're so versatile.  I could probably find use for A LOT of these.  I love that I don't even have to get out of the chair for them.  Probably first and last thing I will ever assemble myself from Ikea.

Happy Meter: 

Letters: 4 smileys 

5 for the end result, 3 for the hassle: scored averaged

Bookshelves: 5 smileys  

Pleasant experience start to finish

Overall Nursery: 5 smileys   

Completed just in time for us to either move or have another baby, such is my life

CLOSET ORGANIZATION

A place for the hats and a place for the belts, that isn't the floor.  Hurrah!

A place for my necklaces.  These corkboards were already here in this spot when we moved in, so I just repurposed them.  I love having my necklaces in plain sight by my clothes so I can test pair them with my outfits.  Not one of my strong suits: necklace pairing.

I will use every ounce of space you give me.  I will make good on a tiny closet, I will.

Happy Meter:

5 Smileys: 

Minimal effort, maximum efficiency, $0 spent

 JASPER'S AFGHAN:

Another project that took nearly a year, I worked on it like crazy during my pregnancy, and then didn't use it much when the baby was little.  I was nervous about blocking it and I had to fix some of the edging, yadda yadda.  Well anyway, it's done.  I finished it all the loose bits in an evening and now it's complete!

 And I'm still too nervous to really use it!  Of course, Jasper's not much into blankets these days anyway.  Nice to catch him with it while he's asleep . . .

Happy Meter: 

4.5 Smileys

I just hope it'll hold up to my spirited little guy...

*Seeing my baby in a blanket I crocheted for him: 1,000 smileys*

DIANA'S DIAPER CAKE:

So these may not be everybody's thing, but I happen to love them to help decorate baby showers, and they're really fun to make.  (Actually I don't much like the diaper rolling part, but I do really love the decorating.)  Since this friend was having a girl, and I stumbled upon these really adorable, affordable baby headbands, I thought I'd attach a crochet flower and use it as part of the cake decor.

And then I found this darling, super soft teddy bear while I was shopping for the flowers, so...
TA DA!  I've made three cakes and this was my favorite.  I love the usable decorations.  Makes me wish the flowers were made out of chocolate or something.

Happy Meter: 

5 Smileys

For the crochet headband and the whole cake.  I would've kept it a little while longer even, I liked looking at it that much.  Baby girl should be arriving any day now...

So I've never considered myself much of a crafter...

And since the occasions where I make something feel so rare, I thought I'd keep some proof of it so I can look back fondly and remember them all in one place.  And duh, so I can trumpet when I finish something!  Like I said, this doesn't happen often.  Gotta make the most of it when it does. 

This month I've been busier than usual.  Not saying this is gonna be the norm!

BABY BOY BOOTIES

These are booties for the baby my friend, Glo, is expecting this month.  This was my first time using this pattern and I was really happy with how they turned out.  First time making boy booties was a success!

HAPPY METER: (how happy I am with the finished product/likelihood I would do it again the same, out of a possible 5): 5 SMILEYS

BABY BOOK HANDBAG THING:

So, for forever I was getting this itch to sew something (by the way, this NEVER happens, hence, I ignored the feeling because I simply MUST have been confusing it with something I ate, repeatedly.) Anyway, about 10:00 at night, after an impromptu batch of cookies, I decided the time was ripe for me to pull out the sewing machine.  I have a small stash of fabric, darling fabric, that is so darling in fact, I'm afraid of ruining it with my amateur sewing skills.  But then it's not really doing me much good in a stash in the closet, now, is it?  So, here's what I made, in about 90 minutes or so (remember, amateur.)  No pattern, no measuring, just went for it!  Had to get rid of that feeling FAST!  And, it worked!

HAPPY METER: 4.5 SMILEYS  

WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY: the stitching could have been more precise.  A better seamstress might care, but not me! It's functional!)

SESAME SEED ROLLS turned FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE IN MUFFIN TINS with HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY SYRUP:

 On a Sunday morning, no less!  I came home from the Relief Society Soup Social on Thursday with at least 3 dozen rolls (I couldn't see them go to waste right now), so I got creative, again thinking, what do I have to lose but a couple of eggs?  I've seen tons of things made cooler on Pinterest by being put in muffin tins, so I decided to go for it

We were out of maple syrup, and happened to have a ton of strawberries on hand (we love Costco), so a quick spin in the blender with sugar, and voila!

Aren't they pretty?

HAPPY METER: 3.5 SMILEYS

WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY: Make it sweeter.  I would add a little sugar to the egg and milk mixture and put more of that mixture on the bread, so they would be a little more moist and sweet.  The syrup could've done with a little more sugar, too, it was a little on the tangy side.  All in all, not bad.  The baby ate two for breakfast that morning!

HAIR ACCESSORIES ORGANIZER FRAMES:

The family I used to nanny for had a birthday party for their 5 year old daughter this last weekend.  When I asked what she might like, they said, "anything girly, something to organize her hair things." BING!  I had seen my sister make one of these and I thought it was the cutest thing ever!  I had everything you see here ON HAND, unused, ready to go. Awesome.

Pink and purple.  Doesn't get much girlier than that! The little colored knobs on the bottom are push pins I hammered in place.

HAPPY METER: 4 SMILEYS

WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY: Used a bigger frame.  This is what I had, so I still wouldn't change it, and it's why I made two, but a bigger frame would mean more room for more accessories! Oh, and I would've taken better pictures, from my camera, not my phone.

CHRISTMAS BOOTIES!

So these were in Jasper's drawer, and he needed some socks to wear to bed, (maybe he doesn't need them, but he still doesn't sleep with a blanket, so I put them on him because it's what I would want).  Anyway, I grabbed these instead.  I made them over a year ago and they're intended for a smaller foot than his, but they stretch, so there you have it.

I'm sure he loved the booties.  Head over heels loved them, but he's teething, so this is how he's looked for most of the last two days.

Keep trying to get a good shot of them. Hard to do while holding him.

...AND we're done.

HAPPY METER: Jasper's: 0, Booties: 4 SMILEYS

WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY: Use baby cloud yarn like they suggest.  I roped together two smaller yarns to get it red and green.  Fun experiment, but a thicker yarn is best.

Oh yeah, these may not all be chronological.  Particularly with my crochet items, I have a lot of stuff I've photographed and given away, so those may find their way up here, too.