Old Stand-by in White & a new baby dress

This is the blanket that I've talked about making DOZENS of times.  I mean that literally! 

I made this one for my sister and her baby ... "LadyBug".  We're all calling her that until she's here.  Her name will be a secret until then!

I've made several of these white with white ribbon for this sister to give as gifts to family and friends.  She's always requested this particualar color.  So, when it came time to make one for her - I knew without a doubt what she would want!

Her shower was this weekend so I can post pictures now.
The lighting was terrible!  But, I didn't think to take pictures until the night before - and I knew I wouldn't have time to take pictures the next day, get it wrapped and get on the road to the shower.  So, I just did my best.

I also made her this little crocheted dress, bonnet and booties.  It's technically a Christening gown.  But, I thought it would also be beautiful to make precious pictures or a coming home from the hospital dress or just a pretty church dress.  However she wants to use it ...

 

It was a simple pattern - but it worked up so pretty.  The pattern called for using silk rose buds hot glued to the points.  But, I made these little flowers and sewed them on instead.  I think it's prettier that way!

I think it needs a little slip under it - because of the openwork.  Maybe we can find one ... perhaps she'll just wear a onsie under it if we can't!

The Good, the bad and the ugly of it all

As a crafter, I've had a devistating loss.  Now, let me say that in the real-world scheme of things - this is nothing.  But, in my little world of crafting - it's a loss. 

12 years ago - I took a cotton duck stocking and cross-stitched a cute little scene on it for our oldest son - he was 2.  The next year (11 years ago) I did the same thing for our youngest son who was 3 months old.  I also made one for my hubby and myself at that time.  All just the plain cotton duck stockings I picked up for $5 at Wal-mart that I cross-stitched Christmas scenes or pictures on with our names.  They were great as far as I was concerned.  Something I pictured hanging in our home when our grandchildren visited!  Here those are:

Well, Christmas time is here again ... so we pulled down the decorations and began to "deck the halls".  When I got to the box that contained my stockings and dish cloths and bathroom towels - I was shocked to find there was a strange mold/mildew growing all over the fabric!  I tossed the towels and such.  They were just some decorations.  But, the stockings I put in the wash (they are washable) and washed them on delicate.  Apparently the mold/mildew had eaten the fabric!!!  They were RUINED!  I was just SICK about it.  Just to the point of tears for a couple of days.

I pulled myself together and decided that they were gone and there was nothing I could do to fix them.  So, I set about finding these cotton duck stockings to begin again.  NO ONE sells them.  Not wal-mart where I first got them, not any online retailers, not the crafters on etsy.  I could not find them.  So, I bought some cotton duck fabric and traced the outline of the stockings and begain to sew my new ones.

Now, I'm not a seamstress by any means.  I can hem - and sew curtains - but that's about it.  So, this was new territory for me.

I was scared that I would ruin this fabric.  But, I was really pleasently surprised at the outcome.  This is the first one sewn.  I've got 3 to go.  They'll all be blank this Christmas - because I just don't have time to get them all cross-stitched this year.  But, when the decorations go down - I'll begin these for next Christmas!

My first attempt at sewing stockings: 

Tidings of Joy

Another pattern from Bella Crochet that I fell in LOVE with. 
I just love holiday stuff.  If I had the time and the funds and the space, I would decorate for every single holiday!  I love them all.
I really love the way these wreaths turn out.  They work up so beautifully!

The Old Stand By

This is the baby blanket that I've worked up dozens of times.  And when I say dozens, I mean that literally!  I tend to get bored with a pattern if I make it too many times.  I've tried different ones to "shake it up a little"  But, this one always works up so beautifully.  So, I keep coming back to this pattern time and time again.  I've done just about any color combination you can imagine ... almost.  I've done white with white ribbon, blue with blue, pink with pink, yellow with yellow, purple with purple, white with pink ribbon, white with blue ribbon, white with yellow ribbon and white with chocolate brown ribbon.  I'm thinking I should try some whimsical colors next time.  Maybe a bright orange with polka-dot ribbon.  Or a white one with a funky ribbon.  :)

I just couldn't get the lighting to cooperate with me.  But, maybe you can get the idea!

Harvest Moon Wreath

I fell in love with this pattern from BellaCrochet about a month ago.  After going back and forth on it I finally decided to purchase the pattern and try it out!  It worked up really quickly and easily. 
The "hard" part was blocking and gluing.  I just love it!

Harvest Crinoline Lady

I have recently fallen in love with Crinoline Ladies. They are so elegant and hold such a connection to "days gone by". The name Crinoline Ladies comes from the petticoats worn by ladies to hold their dresses in shape. Wikipedia says: "Crinoline was originally a stiff fabric with a weft of horse-hair and a warp of cotton or linen thread. The fabric first appeared around 1830, but by 1850 the word had come to mean a stiffened petticoat or rigid skirt-shaped structure of steel designed to support the skirts of a woman’s dress into the required shape. In form and function it is very similar to the earlier farthingale." I'm pretty certain I wouldn't want to wear those things, but they make for beautiful intricate doily's.
These are suitable for framing or displaying on a table or dresser. This one is "Harvest". And I'm certain as soon as she's blocked and stiffened, I'll be adding her to my etsy shop for sale!
These beautiful ladies work up really quickly. I can make one in a day if I don't have any major interruptions.

Another new pattern

I'm still trying to find a new pattern for a baby blanket that I like as well as the first one that I've made dozens of. This one turned out really pretty, but, I still like the first one better. I might have to just go back to that old standby. I've got one more pattern I'm going to try. It won't be for anybody in particular. I'm setting up an online store at etsy.com to try and sell some of these projects that consume so much of my time and money. I figure if I'm going to spend money on the supplies to keep my hands busy, I should try to sell them. You'd be amazed at how much some of the blankets are going for on that site! So, I thought I'd give it a try...

This one is a gift for a baby due in September.