Bibliosophy: Art, Craft, and Home

Stormy Monday

Treats were baked....
 .....the background rain was appreciated during an extra long nap time....
....while I knit and crocheted away!  Something for the girl, a friend, and the never-ending blanket.
And this little one learned to roll over!
   

sweater surgery

I did a quick overhaul on a thrifted sweater last week.  I found it for a great deal, and the color is just the most perfect pink, but as a pullover, and a petite size at that, it accentuated all my problem areas these days!  So, I snipped it up the middle, added a little grosgrain ribbon facing, handstitched down, and prettied it up.  The trim around the neck is vintage from a lovely friend who finds all manner of thrifted goodies, and the doily is also vintage.  The crocheted flower was easy-peasy, done using this pattern, and I think it adds a lot!  Overall, I am pretty pleased with myself, having married both creativity and frugality in this project:) 

jelly bean blankie

 

Goodness, by the time I actually finish this thing, you're going to say, "enough already!"  Making these squares is kind of like eating jelly beans: once you start, you can't stop.  I finished piecing the 43 squares that I had the evening I went into labor, and not much progress has been made since.  But I will slowly get back to making a square here, or there, in between all the baby-ing.  The method I used to attach my squares can be found here, and it was really quite enjoyable stitching them all together.

Miss E. is two weeks old today, but it seems like she's been here much longer.  She's quite a blessing, and we're slowly figuring her out.  Her days and nights are still confused, and she sleeps best in bright daylight:)  So, any advice for getting that straightened out?  She makes up for her restlessness at night with great sleep during the day; unfortunately, her daddy and I can't do the same!

this moment

Inspired by SouleMama

Little Squares Baby Cardi

A new baby jacket, the Little Squares Baby Cardi, inspired by the Little Squares Scarf.  (And hello to all the visitors from Vanessa's space, please leave me a note, I'd love to visit your blogs!).  In case we have a girl, I wanted her to have an Easter sweater, since Little Guy got one his first Easter.  And in case of a boy, he will get to wear a handmade hand-me-down!

 

This is sized for a newborn, and was really fun to make!  You could easily adapt this to make it larger, you basically just add more squares!  Let me explain how you can make your own:

Finished jacket measurements: 16" around the chest, approximately newborn

The jacket is crocheted in individual squares which are seamed together to create one back, two fronts, and two sleeves, which are then sewn together for the sweater.  Each square measures 1 1/4", using a size G crochet hook, and DK weight yarn, in this case Rowan Handknit DK.  I used six different shades, and just randomly made my squares.

For this jacket, you will need to make 90 squares; this seems like a lot, but they go so quickly, you could easily make enough in two evenings worth of time.

Make a square as follows:

Make a slip knot, chain 4, slip stitch into first chain to join into a ring.

Chain 4, 3 dc (double or treble crochet).

Chain 2, 3 dc.

Chain 2, 3 dc.

Chain 2, 2 dc, join into 3rd chain at beginning of round with a slip stitch, and bind off.

That's it!  Now make 89 more:)

Now you will create your jacket pieces using the squares.  Each sleeve will be 3 squares x 5 squares.  Each front will be 4 squares x 4 squares.  The back is 4 squares x 7 squares.  Lay your squares out in a colorful arrangement that looks pleasing to you.

Get to seaming: this can be a little fiddly at first, but is very easy once you get the hang of it.  I like to seam as follows:

 

Start at #1 and work your way to the left; in this diagram, you will be joining the blue square to the above purple square.  Proceed down the row, joining the brown square above the green square.  Only the tops and bottoms of the squares will be seamed, you will go back later and seam the sides together.  Follow the arrows and numbers to seam your squares together.  Then weave all your ends in.  

Once your pieces are complete, lay your two fronts on top of the wrong side of the back, matching the sides.  One row of the fronts should overlap in the middle.  Seam at the shoulders, joining just the side two squares of the fronts, leaving three squares open for the back neck, and two on each front for the front necks.  Now, take your sleeves, find the center, and place it at the shoulder seam.  Pin and seam the sleeves to the fronts and backs.  Then, seam at the underarms.

Your jacket is complete!  You can add a button at the top neck if you want using the hole that is already created in the square, or you can leave it open.

Make one for your favorite girl-baby for Easter!

sneak peek

Hoping to have these looking like "something," with a new pattern by Monday!

Happy Weekend!

thinking spring

February must be the ugliest month in the Midwest; the snow is melting, and has taken on the color of dirt, and it sleet/rains/snows providing more grey days than I would like!  But...spring comes quickly here, much faster than in Minnesota where I grew up.  We can even be enjoying 60 degree weather days by the end of March!  Unheard of up north! 

My color palette has changed to start welcoming spring, with some pretty pastels.  Crocheting is really satisfying me right now, and I'm pondering a delicate, pastel-y colored baby bonnet; wouldn't one like this in pretty colors be perfect for Easter?

More crochet happening...

And I'm hoping for some leftover yardage to make a sweet baby sweater in case of a little girl!

granny-square-ing

We continue to enjoy "winter weather" (aka snowstorms) here; all the better for curling up with an old-timey craft.  Granny squares have always been so appealing to me with their many and clashing color combinations, but I was intimidated by how complex, and how crocheted, they are.  I finally bought myself a crochet hook, sat down with The Purl Bee's Granny Square tutorial, and gave it a go.  So fun!  And not nearly as hard as it looks.  I've been going to town now with my rainbow relaxation yarn, and look forward to curling up with a new baby and Little Guy under the blankie. 

But I've got still got 50 squares to go...and then seaming up.  Some great links with instructions for joining squares can be found here and here, as well as general crocheted eye candy.  And take a look at this gorgeous crocheted scarf; maybe there will be some remnants left over to try that little beauty!