Golden Harvest Blanket

I love my mechanic! You read it right! My auto mechanic! Women love this guy because he is honest, never doing work that is not necessary. If you have ever been taken to the cleaners by an auto repair, you know what I mean. 

For his upcoming wedding, he and his fiance deserve something special!  Golden Harvest Blanket is perfect for them.  

I used my Grey Gardens pattern (above) for this.  Omitting the feminine picot edge with a simple single crochet edge.  The pattern is great for tv watching, car trips or getting cozy in front of the fire! 

Shades of brown, cream and white fit in well with their home out in the country.  I always attached my label with a little sterling "made with love" charm.  You can find these cute little charms at Bohemian Findings.  The labels are from Sasha in her shop here.  Don't think you need a shop to add a lovely label or charm to your crafts!

The yarn is a bit "drapey" but it's very soft.  Would be fine for a smaller, baby blanket and not a large piece like this, which is 60" L x 40" W.  Next time I'll use a heavier worsted weight to give it more girth.  

I received some Hobby Lobby Yarn Bee Soft Secret.  It's very similar to Caron Simply Soft.  I love the yummy names....cocoa, cognac, honey and biscuit!  

If you have or buy this pattern, I'm happy to send you the info for this one. Just provide your email address.

Happy hooking,
Sheila
 

A mother bragging!

Our daughter won 1st Place for her headdresses she entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival!

She is a Costume Design major in college and the headdress were part of a play at the school.

 Mirror of the Invisible Mind.

 This one is my fav!

Just had to sneak in a little shameless plug!

Back on Sunday with more bucket baskets!

Best,
Sheila

Owl Bucket

I have been on a bucket craze as of late!  Happily hooking bucket after bucket.  Pulling out my fabric scraps to match up each one.  This looks so much better in person, but you get the idea.  This is a modified version of a couple patterns I have been drooling over.

You all know this beautiful basket from Crochet in Color!  That's where I started.  Great, easy pattern from Liz.  For the Owl Bucket I used some Patons Jiffy I had in my stash in pink and tan.

Then, I spied this owl basket on Ravelry by Briana Olsen.  She has the pattern for sale of $3, a great bargain.

Mine is quite a bit larger than Briana's, and I did line mine with the cutest owl fabric I had in my stash.  You can also see my label tucked in the seam, and if you look really closely, you can see the little sterling silver "made with love" charm I apply to all my knitwear.

If I had to do it over again, I would use white and black for the eyes and make the beak bigger.  I really like it just the same as it looks much better in person.

I'll do a another post later to show you more buckets!  Here's a little sneak peek!

Have a great week,
Sheila

Missoni Inspired Blanket

I've just completed a custom order from a lovely new mommy!  I used my Missoni Inspired pattern, pictured above.  She picked a grey color palette.  When I get farther along, I'll be able to post some decent pictures.

A few details about the pattern:

Crochet this beautiful blanket for the stroller, won't drag or get caught in the wheels! Great for the car seat! Baby stays warm and protected! Your finished blanket measures approx. 26" W x 39" L. Great size for the crib or toddler bed as well!

I would rate this as a beginner crocheter. You can whip this up in a week or so and be ready for a shower or upcoming birth! The chevron pattern is an easy one!

Unique, one of a kind, shower gift! You will love the ooooo's and ahhhh's when she opens it!

Great project to use up your stash yarn! The pattern does not give brand names of yarn, however, it does give color names!

Complete crochet instructions and photos are included.

Pick traditional, primary colors, or, for the more modern mommy, soft creams, chocolates and turquoise! Shades of all the same color would look terrific too! Five or six shades of blue or pink! Shades of grey and yellows are stunning! The sky’s the limit! 

Add tassels, fringe or pom poms to make it extra special!

Have a great week,

Sheila

Amigurumi Garden Pal

This cutie is in the Crochet Today May/June 2009 issue and couldn't be sweeter!  You can find it on the  Crochet Today webite and purchase the back issue.

I do many of these for new mommies in a neutral, no flower or dress. I tie a coordinating ribbon, or in the mom's fav color, around the neck. Often times I just stitch simple "sleepy" eyes instead of the plastic doll eyes and a little belly  button.  Of course, if it is for a little boy, omit the flower "barrette"!  Always a big hit at the baby shower. 

It would be a really cute Easter gift as well.

It is quite a bit larger than the photo shows....about 10" high or so.

The picture above is from the magazine.  You can see it is a good size toy.

Happy hooking,
Sheila

Downton Abbey(ish) Blanket

I am a HUGE fan of Downton Abbey!  The new season begins tonight!  Will Lady Edith finally find someone?  Will wedding bells REALLY ring for Lady Mary and Matthew?  What will become of Mr. Bates?  Who really killed Vera Bates?  If you ask me, I think Anna did?  Will Thomas and O'Brien get their comeuppance? And....all that money!  Will it last?  I can hardly stand it!

I grew up watching PBS as my mother is from Scotland and PBS shows have always been heavy on the British classics.  This was back in the days of 3 tv channels and only one television in the house!  You also had to get up from the chair to change the channel.  Hard to believe today, right?  We didn't even get a color tv until 1975, which might sound like forever ago, but I'm pretty sure we were the only family still watching their 19" Zenith black and white!  Soooooo embarrassing for a house of high schoolers!

Anyway, back to 2013!  This is my ode to Downton Abbey.  This crocheted, reversible baby blanket, is as close to the era as I could find.  I believe it's a bit before the 1920's, as Downton is at the moment.  However, when I spied this fabric, I just had to make a baby blanket for the mommy, who also is a DA follower.   

Wonderful, muted colors of Lady Mary Red, Edith Green With Envy, Matthew Sky Blue, Mrs. Patmore Mustard Yellow and Daisy Pink.

You can find the pattern here.  A very easy, beginner pattern.  No sewing machine required.

So, get out your tv watching knitting or crochet project, and cozy up to watch the season opener tonight!  Shirley Maclaine as Lady Crawley's Mom......perfect casting!

Best,

Sheila

Entrelac Baby Blanket

I'm working on a couple of entrelac baby blankets.  Truly a labor of love!  Pinks, purples and black!  I have just posted this in my Etsy shop and have already received a custom order.  It will be my great pleasure to create a luxury, family heirloom for them.

Entrelac is not for the novice knitter, but there are some great tutorials on YouTube to get started.  I like a single crochet edge and the black yarn had some lovely grey tones running throughout.

A generous 52" L x 35" W is perfect for the crib or stroller.

I am anxious to get some entrelac scarf patterns written up!  Keep your eyes open!

Happy New Year,
Sheila

Free Fortunes for 2013!

As we leave 2012 and enter 2013, it's all about starting new.  A fresh start for a better year!  I offer you my Fortune Cookie Baby Booties FREE pattern you can find in my Craftsy Pattern Store.  I have blogged about them before, but this is the perfect time to reintroduce them.

The story goes:

I had remembered a baby shower about two hours before I had to be there! No time for a blanket, but plenty time for some simple booties! I do mean simple! Too simple to give by themselves! 

I always have these "take out" boxes on hand at Christmas time. There you go... Instant gift! I hand wrote a little fortune...."good things come in small packages"! Not very original, but it worked! The mommy loved them and that's all that matters!

A sheet of cute "fortunes" are included for you to print off, cut and slip into each bootie!  If you are a "hooker" and not a knitter, you can easily adapt the pattern.  Just single crochet to the size given.  I'd love to see a photo of your finished "cookie".

Happy New Year to You and Yours,
Sheila

Craftsy Christmas Sale!

All Craftsy classes are 75% off until midnight on the 24th!  There are classes for everyone and it would make a great gift!  Give a Craftsy gift card and let them choose their own class!  Everything from knitting, crocheting, bread baking, cake decorating, quilting, sewing custom shirts, dresses and handbags!  Knitting 101, cheese making, there is even a class on how to write knitting patterns!

Have a Merry Christmas,
Sheila

Pattern Sale

Head over to my Etsy pattern store for a HUGE STOREWIDE SALE!  Patterns, fabric, knitwear and crocheted/knitted blankets are all on sale!  The pattern above is on sale for $5 for a savings of $2.

All fabric is marked down too.  Perfect for the Crocheted Reversible Baby Blanket above!

All knitwear  is on sale too!  The  scarf above is 75% off!  If you want to make your own, find the pattern here.

Side bar, I've recently had my picture taken in some of my knitwear.  My daughter is usually my model, so much more fashionable than myself, but I have been urged to show my designer side.  So, that's me, above.    A face to the name!

So, pop on over to Creative Design.   It's not too late to whip up some last minute gifts!

Have a great week,
Sheila

Easy Chunky Scarf Pattern

Whip this lovely scarf in an evening!  Kira Dulaney's Twist Scarf is super easy and fun to knit!    It's almost all cable, which causes the edges to curve, AND, it's reversible!

 You can use a bulky or super bulky weight yarn, or try a worsted weight yarn double-stranded.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of super bulky weight yarn and big needles.  This is perfect for that!

Whip these up for under the tree for teachers, mail carrier, babysitter or your hairdresser!

Have a great week!

Sheila

Classic Cabled Cowl

If you have not tried cables yet, this pattern is for you! It's simple with this big fat yarn and large needles!  It's so simple, in fact, that you'll wonder why you haven't tried them before.  I am the instructor for the Craftsy Workshop for Classic Cabled Cowl or you can purchase the pattern alone in my Etsy shop.  The workshop is on sale for $7.99 regularly $15.99 and the Etsy pattern is $5.00.  

You can whip these up for your family and friends as gifts in one evening! The same pattern will work for women, men and teens and uses just one skein of super bulky yarn!

The lighter yarn colors really show off your cable work!  The buttons really make it extra special.  No buttonholes here!  Just poke the buttons up through the cowl.  I suggest you take your finished cowl to the button store so you can see what it will look like.  

If you like the giganto buttons, purchase snaps, as the big buttons won't go through.  I am often asked where I purchase my buttons.  Hancock Fabrics, JoAnn Fabrics are two stores that carry a great selection.  There is a local store here in Omaha, that I like.....Mangelsen's, where I purchase most of them.

This is a great, affordable gift for everyone on your list.  Once you master this simple cable, you can tackle any pattern that uses them! 

Go for it!