Robes for Swim Lessons

Three weeks ago Little Miss, Little Sir, and Little Man started taking swimming lessons and I had big plans to make them all matching robes to wear after they got out of the pool. I had been wanting this robe pattern from Dana at Made ever since it came out and even though I knew it wouldn’t be big enough for Mr8 and Ms6 I still had to have it.
I altered the pattern to fit Little Miss and Little Sir by adding extra length in the sleeve cap and in the body. I could have also added width, but Little Sir is so slim I didn’t bother. The pattern went together smoothly, I did have a hard time matching the sleeves up to the bodies (even on the one I didn’t alter), but it may have been because the pattern shifted when I was cutting it. I ended up just cutting off the excess and every turned out fine. I would recommend that you use the alternate directions to attach the sleeve before sewing the side seam instead of setting them in. Making my own bias tape turned into a big production for me. I have made bias tape before, but never on this scale. I used this bias tape tutorial so that I could sew everything first and cut it all to have one long piece (I also found the chart here (scroll down) helpful for knowing how much fabric to use to get the amount of bias binding I needed). It was all my fault, I didn’t have a large enough binding maker and I mis-measured the first round of tape and it was 1/2” to narrow. I ended up buying a larger binding maker and a clear ruler and that helped a lot. I did feel like this project to FOREVER and they only get to wear them for their final week of lessons. However, I do think they turned out super cute and we have already gotten a TON of compliments on them. We will also be taking more lessons this fall after school start, so they will get plenty of use and they will look super cute hanging in the bathroom too!

Thrifted Sheet Dress

A week and a half ago I decided to cut into my favorite thrifted sheet to make a maxi dress using this youtube tutorial. It did not go well, the tutorial is very clear and easy to follow, but that much fabric on my curvy figure was a really bad idea, so bad that there are NO photos. It is a good concept and with some tweaking it could work, definitely less fabric than the width of the sheet. Basically it’s an adult pillowcase dress.
So my failed dress laid on the floor next to the ironing board all week and finally, this Sunday, I decided to start over. I picked McCalls 6114 (out of print. See, I knew I would need it someday). I am VERY excited with how this dress came out, so excited that I took bad My Space like pictures at 11 o’clock at night because I HAD to show you RIGHT NOW!!!
Boobzilla is looking a little rough, but she’s still an okay model when I don’t have a photographer handy. The reason that I am so excited is that I was able to sew this pattern directly out of the envelope, no alterations needed. Normally all tops must have a bust alteration because of the sizing on patterns (B cup, really?!?) This dress was different, the most fitted part is the high bust area and then it widens from there. Selecting the size that matched my high bust measurement gave me a dress that fits wonderfully in the chest/armpit area and is full enough (just barely) to fit over my full bust. Believe me, that whole perfect fit in the chest/armpit area is HUGE, normally there is some sort of gapping, pulling, or wrinkling involved in the bust area of my tops, hand made or store bought.
It lies flat and there is no gapping, there is also no giant cleavage showing.The only “major” alteration I made was to position the casing for the elastic differently than was marked on the pattern and that was easy. I also made sure to mark my pattern, next time I’ll just trace it on.The top, upward slanting line is the original suggested placement. The darker wavy line is my custom placement.
I can’t wait to make this pattern again! I need at least one more maxi dress and a couple of tops. The great thing about this pattern is that if you use French seams on the side seams all of the raw edges are completely enclosed, I LOVE that.
The most difficult part of this pattern is sewing the “V” part of the yolks together in the front, it took me a couple of tries and it’s still a little pucker-y. I also really like the use of bias binding to make the casing on the inside for the elastic. I currently have my elastic sewn loosely (trying to de-emphasis my tummy), but it can be easily adjusted.
Now to find some fabulous fabric to make more!

My Little Pony Jumpsuit Lounger

Or what I’ll call a custom Forever Lazy. I used McCalls 6475 and My Little Pony licensed fleece. Booties that Velcro on are included on this pattern, but I opted not to make those.
Everything went together smoothly in an evening. The instructions were very clear and the order of sewing things made everything easy. This would be a good beginner pattern because it is mostly straight sewing and fleece is so easy to work with, the most challenging part is installing the zipper and there are very clear instructions that include hand basting to make sure it’s in the right place and doesn’t slide around when you do sew it on with the machine.
The fabric yardage recommendations are pretty good with plenty of room to arrange and cut out the pieces. The yardage includes fabric for the jumpsuit and booties, since I didn’t make the booties I had enough fabric left over to make a drawstring bag.
I definitely recommend this pattern, I will be using it again. I think it would be great made out of cotton terry cloth. The pattern is available in children’s and adult sizes.

Knitting Weather

I am so predictable, the minute it gets cold I have to have a new knitting project to work on. I am a big fan of The Jane Victoria patterns her unique style really makes her patterns appealing to me. Yesterday I cast on for The Silmarwen Súrion Hooded Cropped Mozzetta Pattern and have furiously knitted my way through the first 12 rows of 2x2 ribbing.My favorite thing about these patterns is the symmetrical shaping, I have knitted a lot of different patterns and hers are the only ones with this sort of perfect shaping. Usually I have to learn a new stitch, but it is completely worth it.
I do need to mention that I have had problems with her patterns: The Alassë Míriel Hooded Cowl Pattern turned out way too small (completely my fault for not checking gauge) and there were some sleeve sizing issues with The Enelya Linwëlin Sleeved Mantelet Pattern (once again, my fault for not checking the finished measurements) I am not alone in my challenges with these pattern, but the designer has listened and edited both of those patterns to make things clearer and help with sizing. I have learned to pay attention to measurements and gauge. The designer has also been quick to answer questions.
I have frogged the Mantelet, I will restart again someday. For now the yarn will be reused for this project. I love knitting in the round, it seems to go so fast and I don’t have to concentrate so hard.
Does anyone have a special knitting project started for the winter?

The Pieced Tunic from Lilblueboo Review

After looking at all my wishes Wednesday I decided it was time to get working on them.  First up the Pieced Tunic from Lilblueboo, I am a huge fan of her patterns, but this one is her first adult sized pattern, would it be awesome too?  I love all of her sample garments, I wonder how she decides what t-shirts to use?  Maybe she just throws them all in a heap and randomly grabs them.
After taping and cutting out this pattern I decided to alter it to be a bit bigger.  I really like the fitted, body skimming look.  I did not want to look like a sausage stuffed into this top.  I used the slash and spread method to add to the front and the back.  The great things about this method is that the arm and neckline stays the same length, so I didn’t have to alter the bands length too.  This pattern was super easy to alter, no darts or other shaping to redraw.  I also added some length to the top pieces, I hate when my empire waist hits mid-boob.As you can see, I added a lot, but too much fabric is way better than not enough.  I did error on the side of too much, but the finished garment is still very wearable.  It is sooooooooooo comfortable and flattering too, this may be my new uniform.  The pattern went together quickly and the instructions were very thorough.  If you like the pieced look this is the pattern for you.  I think I will be using up some of my hoard of $1.00 shirts. I will have some modeled shots up on Facebook later (after my new dryer gets delivered and installed and I have time to get my tripod set up). When I make this pattern again (and I will be making several more of this top) I will be changing up some of the alterations, taking the back in a tad, taking a little off the length, topstitching the neck/arm bands, and sewing the armbands on a little differently.
This is the kind of pattern that makes me wish I had a serger, I would churn these out at record speed.  So, in conclusion, I LOVED the finished results, you should definitely get this pattern!!!

Rainbow Twirl Dress

Rainbows have recently started showing up in Little Miss’s drawings and she often tells me she likes all the colors, except black and so making her a rainbow dress just seemed like a good idea.  I saw this dress on craftster years ago (okay, I just went and looked, 2007!) and have been wanting to make it ever since.
Vegbee (craftster name) has a free tutorial on her blog indietutes for the rainbow twirl dress. She also a ton of other tutorials that are on my must sew list (check the full list on the left hand sidebar).  She also offers a more detailed version in her etsy store SweetShop with the bodice pattern piece and exact number of patches to complete a finished dress.  I opted to purchase the pattern, cut and sew without math was completely worth $4.00!  The pattern is very detailed and easy to follow and the results are fabulous.
I really want to make one using scraps, but this time I wanted the rainbow and sorting through my extensive stash to find a rainbow was NOT going to happen!  I bought a batik jellyroll from W-mart and supplemented it with a few extra 1/4 yard batik cuts.  I needed a lot extra of purple and yellow batik is hard to find.I sewed the strips together and made alternating patchwork in the designated lengths.  I wish I had a serger, it would have made the process much faster.  I used my handy cording foot to zigzag over dental floss to gather the layers up.  I honestly would not recommend trying to gather this up in the traditional way, with two rows of stitching, pulling the bobbin threads.  She suggests using elastic and I’m sure that would give you a nice, even gather.  I like using denatal floss because it’s cheap and it slides easily through the zigzags to make gathers and it is impossible to break, once each layer was sewn together I removed the floss and then finished all the edges.Here’s the finished dress all laid out in a circle.  That purple tier took forever, it was over 12 feet long.  This is great beginner pattern, really, it’s almost entirely straight sewing, except for the curves on the bodice.  Seriously, I LOVE this dress and now I want one in my size.  I’m not kidding, I’m going to be sorting through my massive stash and cutting squares as I go, but first I need to do some math (ugh) and figure out how many squares and tiers I’m going to need. Here are the action shots from yesterday’s egg hunt.  There was a lot of spinning.  I really need to make her some matching bloomers to wear under this, she is not very lady like ;)

Rainbow Hello Kitty Hair Accessory Organizer

Wow, what a mouth full.  I have just finished making this awesome hair accessory organizer for Little Miss, it has rainbows AND Hello Kitty!  I was so excited when I saw these organizers from Crochet Garden (on ravelry I was able to buy just one, instead of the set).  I had an organizer when I was little, it was an embroidery hoop “head” with yarn braids and I loved rearranging my barrettes on that thing, this is the super deluxe version. This was a nice easy crochet pattern.  The most difficult part was making the double treble stitches, and they weren’t THAT hard.  I did make a few tiny changes, I only did two rows for the ribbons, instead of three, I was a little sleep deprived and didn’t realize I missed an entire repeat until I was almost finished with the edging and there was no way I was ripping that all the way back!  I have decided to not add the pockets for now, I want to display all of her cute accessories, the hair elastics are not cute and they can stay in the drawer.  I would also note that the braids take quite a bit of yarn, so beware if you’re using leftover yarn. Finding the perfectly sized Hello Kitty ribbon was a bonus, look closely she has rainbow butterfly wings!  Little Miss has just recently starting like rainbows, I have a lot of rainbow projects in the works for her, now I just need to get her hooked on unicorns and we’re set!

The Dana Top Pattern Review

I bought the Dana top pattern to make some fun summer tops in cotton and boy was I surprised!  The pattern and instructions are 113 pages long, but don’t be scared each size it printed individually, so a lot of those pages are pattern pieces.  The pattern includes basic instructions for the techniques used, a fabric yardage guide, lay out guide and very detailed step by step photographs.  There is also an index of what sizes are on what pages, so there’s no guess work to printing the pattern out.  This pattern is very well written and the finishing techniques used are impressive.  My finished garment looks professional inside and out!  I am very impressed with SisBoom patterns and I can’t wait to try more of their designs.  I had no problems following the instructions and everything fit together beautifully.  My favorite part is this ruffle.Ummm, the only problem is that the design may not be right for my body type, but that has nothing to do with the pattern.  My husband comments were, “wow, that’s a bright fabric” and “it looks very retro, 60’s retro” and other unusual comments that made me suspicious that maybe the top wasn’t that flattering on me.  I had even put on a good bra to model the top, but I was wearing very busy pajama pants.  I think it may be a styling issue and so I will need to put together a few looks and see what I think before I make a final call.  So today Boobzilla will be modeling the completed garment, (she is lopsided, not the top).  The top does fit me very well and it is comfortable and breezy.  I think I may need a belt of some sort.  Do you guys think the fabric is too loud?

McCalls 5241 Pattern Review

This pattern has been at the top of my must sew list and with cooler temperatures on the way I wanted a quick, stylish cardigan to wear around. I thought it would also be great for breastfeeding, a jacket with a built in drape! The pattern is very simple and only has two pieces, but one of them is huge, so you'll need a lot of space for cutting. I used a rayon spandex knit from Joann's (I had a 50% off coupon). This is a one hour pattern, yeah right!, I wish they would just say it's easy and be done with it, what sort of speed sewer is making these patterns? and that can't possibly include cutting time!

I had read several other online reviews and they mentioned that the sleeve hole had stretched. I decided to stay stitch the holes before cutting them out and ended up with the opposite problem, sleeve holes that were too small. I eased the sleeves in by gathering the sleeve cap seam allowances, so putting the sleeves in was a little fiddly, but I got them in. That was the hard part of the pattern, hemming the edges was the most monotonous. I did decide to use a twin needle and I am sooooo glad I did! Using a twin needle is very easy and the results are so professional looking. It gave me two perfect lines of stitching with a small stretch that is just perfect for knits. I absolutely LOVE how this pattern turned out! I love it so much that I was to rush out and buy more fabric to make it in other colors. I would say it's a great addition to my wardrobe and the fiddly sleeves were so worth it! I was fairly easy to sew and I imagine that someone with a serger could really make one of these fast. I have seen this style of jacket in almost every brand of pattern and I also have see directions free online. I, of course, bought mine when it was on sale for a $1.00 and it was definitely a well spent dollar. I would also like to note that I made view C, the longest jacket, in size XXL and it is almost to big (I could take the back in at the center seam). The only thing that I may change the next time I make this pattern is the sleeve, I think I would like a snugger fit and maybe some extra length.

Have a super crafty weekend, see you next week!

More Sienna Dresses

I know that I have already shared some of these, but I really enjoy making them.  I have had these cut out since our LNKHandmade team meeting on the 3rd.  I guess my favorite part is shopping for the shirts, it’s a shopping challenge to find interesting shirts that can be reassembled in to adorable dresses.

The minute I saw this shirt I had to have it, unfortunately it wouldn’t fit anyone, but add some hearts and tie dye and it really makes a fun little dress.  Little Miss says she only likes the hearts.Once you get the hang of this pattern you can really make these fast.  I think I can make one in about an hour and, believe me, I am not rushing.  I have even been using some of the decorative stitches on my machine for the edge stitching.  I have also been using some interesting colors of thread from my giant bag of thread that I got from my Aunt, it seems to have almost every color and I have used up at least 5 spools.This flora fabric was one of my first purchases for making the Sienna Dress.  I liked the pattern so much I didn’t notice that it was 100% polyester.  It is still a knit, but it does not stretch as well, which is important for the neck binding (I should have used a different fabric for that) and it won’t breathe as well, but it sure is cute!The tie dye fabric on the sleeves is from a shirt I dyed myself and wore to death years ago.  Luckily there were still a few usable areas left.  I need to use that technique again, I love how it looks like fire.I have almost finished my new nursing top and I’ll have that tutorial to share tomorrow or Friday, now I’m just testing some embellishment ideas, you know I couldn’t just leave it plain, right?

Owlies, Now With Bigger Eyes

I went back and made the eyes a bit larger, I had missed an entire row of the pattern somehow, I also switched from white to pink, which I like much better. While I was at it I made a couple more, just to see what different colors would look like.I am going to either have to stop making everything orange or pick a new beak color, the beaks just aren’t showing up as well on the two on the left. I also can’t decide if I prefer sleeping eyes or the winking one, which one do you guys like?

I’m thinking that it would be interesting to make one out of wool and felt it, but I’m not sure I’m ready to torture myself like that again (I’m sooooo allergic) and some sort of owl purse would be cool too! I also want to get some finer yarn and make some smaller ones. These are about 4” tall and 5” wide and we all know that tinier - cuter, I need to check my stash in the basement and see what I can come up with. I really enjoy this pattern and I think I will be making more, maybe I’ll even have some for sale in my new etsy store.

Have a super crafty weekend, I’ll see you next week!

Another Lilblueboo Pattern

After enjoying the Sienna Dress pattern so much I decided to try the Lil Leggings pattern and, once again, I was not disappointed!  Nice straight forward instructions and a great selection of tips to make different styles.  The pattern recommends a knit fabric with 75% stretch, I used a less stretchy fabric and upsized the pattern a bit.  The result are some cute leggings to match Little Miss’s new Sienna Dress.

You should recognize all of the fabrics, they are from my thrifting adventure last week.  I know it may seem a little out of season for a Catrina, but she will be wearing this all spring and summer, what can I say, we’re a year round skeleton family.

Little Miss really likes these dresses and when she finds out that I’m making her a new one she hovers around waiting for it to be ready to try on.  It’s exciting for me that she really wants to wear the little dresses I’m making.  I think I may just have to buy all of the Lilblueboo patterns, there are so easy and stylish.  We get a lot of compliments and people are amazed that these are handmade.  If you have a little girl to sew for I can’t recommend these patterns enough.  Make sure to stop by The Lil Blue Boo blog as well for some great tutorials for embellishing you fabrics for a more custom look.

I have some other great girly tutorials to try, but I just can’t stop making these knit dresses, I wish the pattern came in adult sizes.  I have been eyeing the Halter/Tie back dress pattern for this summer.

We Have Curtains

I finished up Little Miss’s curtains last night, finally.  It’s not that they were difficult, it’s just that everything took longer than I thought it would.  I think they turned out great and I can’t wait to make some more of these. This is what they look like unrolled, I am planning on pinning up the hanging tail from the tie.  I loooooovvve that giant pink rick rack!

They are really easy to roll up and they tie on the back side.  Sorry for the glare, the sun is actually out today and the snow covered ground really reflects the light.  

I used McCalls 5858 to make these “eco” shades.  They are lined and insulated with flannel.   I like making curtains, they are usually pretty easy and they can really make a room.  These were actually a little expensive to make, but I used high quality quilting fabric because I want them to last.  I would guess that I spent about $40.00 a shade, which includes the hardware to hang them.  I do expect them to be used for 5 – 10 years and I’m hoping that since they are insulated that they will help with energy conservation.  Little Miss’s room is on the Northwest corner of our house, so she gets cold winter winds and glaring summer sun, these should help keep her room more temperate.

I learned a lot making these that will come in handy for the next batch I’ll be making.  I need to make sure that I get the fabric in the right order so that the insulating layer ends up on the inside, make the shades extend past the window ledge so that they can be rolled and tied without exposing the window, and sew and measure as straight as possible. 

I have to lengthen the curtains I made for Little Sir and add a lining and ties.  I won’t be insulating his since they are made from denim.  I also want to make a set for the craft room, so I can take down the brown paper.

Lilblueboo Pattern Review

Last weekend was $.99 clothing at the Goodwill, my favorite time of the month, and this month I was on a mission for some super cute knit fabrics to make my new pattern. The Goodwill I go to is smaller, but really nicely organized, all the women’s clothing is sorted by color. All I had to do was find a few cute patterned knits and go to the coordinating color section to find matching extra knits, super easy. It was also fun because it didn’t matter what size the shirts were(smalls seem to have the best designs). I came home with this:

Using the Sienna Dress Pattern from Lilblueboo I made this awesome dress for Little Miss:

I was so excited when I got this pattern and have been waiting to try it, I had to find the perfect knits. It has lots of step by step photos and a lot of tips for working with knits, which I thought was going to be difficult (it wasn’t!). I also really like the different sleeve and skirt options for this pattern (I used a tapered sleeve and ruffle for this version), I will be using it over and over and the dresses will have different looks. Don’t forget the opportunity to embellish the fabric is endless. I also have to mention how impressed I was that the pattern pieces matched up so well, a lot of times the commercial patterns are difficult to match (all those notches and dots), not this pattern everything went together smoothly. I highly recommend this pattern, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be, finding/reclaiming old knit fabric is so fun, and the dress is super soft and comfortable! Don’t forget to stop by her blog for more tips and tutorials.

I also brought a few more knits home to work with, you know I spent more that $2.00 on $.99 day, right?

And some cute tops for me and an almost brand new baby coat for next year, the bargain saving high is great and I can’t wait to make a couple more dresses. I also have a plan for the left over knit from making these dresses, more on that later this week. If you want to see what other people are making from her patterns check out her flickr group.

My First Amigurumi

I am still cleaning away and I have been finding yarn, boxes and boxes of yarn (really these aren’t all of the boxes, but I had to stop). Now you know I’m not going to throw perfectly good yarn away, so I need to start using more of it.

A lot of it is acrylic yarn, vintage acrylic, which is rough and scratchy. Really the only thing this stuff is good for is pot scrubbers and amigurumi.

I checked my ravelry favorites and found this free pattern for Kokeshi dolls and just went for it.I really like how they are looking. Now I just need to embellishing them and stuff them, which I think will make them look even better. My first hair attempt was a little to big, so I did have to make a smaller one, I’m still not sure about it (right side doll). I’m really liking the tall bouffant hair on the left side doll.

Now I have a strong desire to make a giant one, I don’t know why, maybe I’m just trying to use up more yarn. This is a nice and easy pattern with minimal seaming. The embellishment possibilities are almost endless and the yarn color options are varied. I think I will make a whole army of kokeshi dolls and if I want I can even sell the dolls I make! You know, I think that a giant felted kokeshi doll would be awesome and I know I have a bag of felting yarn around here somewhere! Does anyone know if amigurumi has to be crochet or can it be knit too?

Simplicity 2699 Pattern Review

This pattern really appealed to me because all of the aprons were full and vintage styled with more details and cuteness that just a plain apron.  All of the designs feature pockets and bias binding.  View A could be worn as a summer top.  I chose to make view C.

I decided to use two different fabrics for the design to highlight the ruffles and ties.  The directions are easy to follow and all of the seams are enclosed or finished with bias binding, which I really like.  If I made the pattern again I would make the waist ties differently, probably doubling the width of the pattern and sewing a tube and turning rather that trying to double fold the fabric into a narrow hem around the edge. I was disappointed that a pattern that uses so much bias binding has no hints or suggestions for working with it.  “Apply binding to pocket edge” is not the easiest to accomplish when the pockets are heart shaped and there are no suggestions for getting the binding into that shape.  I did try to pre-shape it with my iron and I very carefully sewed it on, but in the end was unhappy with how it looked.  You’ll notice that my finished apron has no pockets.  I would also like to mention that I ironed all the creases out of my binding before I began applying it.

I do plan on making at least one more of the views of this pattern and since this was purchased to $.99 (Hobby Lobby sale) I feel it has been a real value.  This pattern is for you if you are looking for a more elaborate apron for a special little girl and enjoy applying bias binding.

This apron goes with the felt cupcakes for my daughter for Christmas.  I also used the leftover fabric and binding to make a drawstring bag to wrap the present with.

NOOOOOOO, Everything Was Going So Smoothly, WHYYYYYYY!

So I’m having a great day sewing.  I am almost finished making this adorable apron for Little Miss when I realize I am almost out of thread, NOOOOOOOOO.  There are a lot of decorative stitches on this apron and it has used a ton of thread, plus I have used this same thread to sew the set of felt cupcakes (which still aren’t finished).I have to finish the binding on the apron and finish/add the pockets and I also need to finish beading the felt cupcakes.  In order to leave the house I would need to shower, get dressed, dress the children, gas up the car and drive over to Hobby Lobby for a spool of thread.  I’m feeling a bit lazy and I don’t really want to leave the house, wishing I had another color of thread that I could use…maybe purple, would that be weird? an apron stitched in half pink and half purple, it is just a play apron, are the sewing police going to knock on my door and force me to rip it out and re-do it if I use two different colors of thread?  I think not, purple it is and I’ll save the rest of this pink for the cupcakes.

It really is turning out nicely besides the thread mishap.  I have enough of the cupcake fabric left to make a drawstring bag to wrap up this apron and the cupcakes.  BTW this apron is from Simplicity 2699 (expect a pattern review later this week).  I guess I’ll go and load up a bobbin with purple and get back to sewing and maybe some more cleaning, I still have eight loads of laundry to fold, it’s clean, just not folded.

The Cutest Crochet Pattern Ever!

The Pattern is Little Button Loafers from Sylver Designs on etsy.  I don’t know what it is about this pattern that makes it so cute, maybe it’s the tiny size or the color possibilities, but it is just adorable.

I still need some little red buttons, but we have be hit by a large snow storm and I’m not leaving the house until the roads get a little better (hopefully tomorrow).  They work up pretty fast, I had some trouble working the pattern, but it was all my fault.  I am not a crochet expert and I was trying to keep my kids entertained and count stitches at the same time, it just didn’t work. 

The pattern is well written and there are several pictures to help you along.  There are four different sizes to make from newborn to 9 months and I’m sure you could make them even bigger by adjusting gauge.  I like that the heel of the bootie is contoured, I think that they will stay on better.  The pattern is for personal use, but there is a cottage license available from the seller if you would like to make booties to sell, which I am considering.

They are even adorable without their button on tab, wouldn’t a little red bow or ladybug button just finish these off.  I will be making a ton of these for gifts, now I just need to find the perfect hat pattern to match.

Testing for a Handmade Christmas

I have mentioned before that I like to test things out before I really make them and today I have been testing a felt cupcake pattern from buggabugs.etsy.com. This pattern is really adorable and features the base cupcake pattern and six icing choices. Little Miss is getting a play kitchen for Christmas this year and since that used up the majority of my shopping budget I decided to make some accessories to go with it and what better than felt cupcakes!

What I want to make is two sets of cupcakes, six chocolate and six white and I want the icing on each set to match. Today I made samples of the cupcakes and the icings that I thought I would like.

I really like the two on the top right, the one on the bottom left is okay, but no quite what I was looking for. This pattern really has a lot of detail and an excellent level of realism for felt food. The cupcakes even have removable “papers”.

I am really glad that I decided to give this pattern a test run first, I really learned a lot and I think that the finished cupcakes will be fabulous!

What I learned:

Purchase felt by the yard instead of by the rectangle, it will eliminate the need to sew some seams in the frosting.

Sewing a round bottom onto straight sides using a 1/8” sew allowance on a sewing machine is really hard for me and I will be happier with the results if I hand sew the bottom on.

Don't forget to buy matching thread.

The pattern is perfectly sized to fit in a real cupcake tin.

Hand sewing takes time, but the finished results are worth it.

This pattern was definitely worth the investment, it is well written and has a lot of photos to walk you through all the different steps. I would have to say that almost anyone should be able to make these cupcakes, although it may be time consuming for someone with less experience. Be aware that hand sewing is required for finishing the frosting. The level of detail in this pattern really makes these little cupcakes realistic and I am excited to try another pattern from this designer. This pattern is for personal use only, but I imagine that I will be making this for gifts for years to come. The designer has a large variety of food and toy patterns available, you really should check it out.

Now all I need is some more felt and a couple of cupcake tins from the dollar store and I’ll have another package to wrap up. Don’t worry, I’ll share pictures when I’m finished.

The “Megan Wants You…” Crocheted Hat

The “Megan wants you…” hat from Valerie Whitten of vallieskids.blogspot.com, is a super cute hat that includes a brim and a decorative band attached with buttons. I whipped this up in an afternoon using a J hook and some clearance yarn.

It turned out really cute, but the yarn reminds me of barfed up skittles.

I took this hat with me to the Frost Frolic Craft show and its the first hat I sold, I’m not sure if it was the style or the color that attracted the buyer, but I will have to make some more of these. Valerie has a lot of cute and easy crochet patterns available on her blog, you should definitely check it out (she is also the designer of the butterfly hat that I have featured here).

I would also like to apologize for being missing all last week, my entire family had some sort of stomach virus/flu and we were pretty ill for the entire week, but don’t worry, we’re all better now and I’m feeling super crafty. The weather is starting to get colder and all I want to do it knit warm things and sew up warm things, so stay tuned, hopefully I will be tackling some of the things on my ever growing to-craft list.