More hats and a shirt!

I have a few more hats to share for my baby boy!  This first one is a "paper boy" hat and when I first made it, I didn't like it very much.  It wasn't until the next day that I think I like it more, but it's still not my favorite hat.  I think if I were to use a more traditional fabric, like a floppy checked plaid, I think it would jive better.  But it's different and cute!  I got the pattern here and printed the pattern at 68% for infant size.  I think it will just stay in prototype mode for now, until I have an actual model to play with in April and can see where the changes need to be made.

side:

front:

This green train engineer's hat is really cute!  I found the pattern here.  I noticed that the pattern was marked with medium and large, so I just drew in a small using the proportions from the other two measurements.  For the small, I made a 10" circle and reduced the long skinny bands to 17".  For the bill, I cut out the large, cut it in half, and used a ruler to slide the pieces together until the outside measurement was 7.5".  The finished size of this one was 15" around, which is a little smaller than predicted but it's the exact same size as all the other infant hats I have done... so it's a good thing I didn't go any smaller!  Hopefully my baby has a head somewhere in that range.  Another change I made was I didn't include a second layer on the top, and if I made a second one, I think I would include a lining because the top is pretty thin compared to the rest of the hat.

I need to get some heavy interfacing and try it again because the brim is pretty floppy, but it is still really cute!  I also see some sewing mistakes, like where the fabric puckered, but it's over a very cute hat and any infant would be happy with it and not complain!

The last hat I made is a "Great Gatsby" hat reduced from this men's pattern.   It was originally made for a man's head at 58 cm (22.83") but when reduced and printed at 65.7%, you can get it infant sized at 15"!

I haven't pinned down the front flap to the brim yet... not sure if I will.  If I don't, it can be reversible and flipped inside out to make 2 hats!  The weight of it might hold it close enough to not notice, but of course that will have to be an experiment that I see later in April!  If it doesn't work out that way, I can always sew it down with a few stitches later.

This one is still in prototype mode until I can find just the right pinstriped fabric... or tiny blue polka dots!!

The last sewing project for today is a very cute collared shirt pattern here with a great tutorial.  I used the 9 mo size, and re-sized the pattern to 87.5% for a newborn size.  It definitely presented its challenges, being the very first collared shirt I've ever made... and it's definitely NOT Baby Gap... but it sure is darn cute and it will work and last long enough!  I've already learned from my mistakes, like the buttons are way too small and the button holes aren't all straight or the best...  But at least I did my usual prototype and can fix those things later down the road.

He'll at least match when he wears all the prototypes together!

Hats!

I found this hat tutorial for an "Eddie Cap" and decided to make one fun-sized!  This tutorial didn't include one for infants, but using a little bit of math I was able to figure it out.  I like it a lot!

It's really cute!  I want to make another one out of handwoven fabric!

According to my predictions and math calculations, it "should" fit!

Here are the changes to the pattern I made in order to be sized for an infant:
1. 2 bands, one cut at 1.5"x16" & one at 2"x16"
2. 8" square to make into an octagon, using 2.75" for the markings on the corners and 1/2" in the folded down area to make the cap part
3. 3"x5" squares (two of them) for the bill
All seams were sewn at 1/2", just like the pattern specified. 


Here is the prototype I started with.  I used not as great fabric just to make sure it worked!  I still like it a lot!  I accidentally made the seams 1/4" in this hat, and the first two bands were cut at the original size.  This hat is just a little bit bigger than the other one.  At this point, I'm not sure which one will fit better!

A second hat pattern, which is more like a sun hat, can be found here,but it was originally sized for toddlers with a 19" head circumference.  I really wanted to stick to about 15" for a newborn, so I used my math skills to figure out a new proportion and %.  After saving the pattern as a PDF, I printed it 80% of the original size.  That way, all the sizing was already done for me!  I also took a chance on this one and just used "good" fabric rather than doing a prototype first.  

Oh, and it's reversible!!!

I also like how it turned out!  I might try one with a really big brim... that would be sooo darn cute and it wouldn't hardly change the pattern at all.  I would just change the width of the brim part.

As a bonus, when the little guy outgrows it, I can always use it as a candy dish or popcorn bowl...(totally kidding, of course!)

Good thing I have a few months left to prepare... I keep coming up with new things to make!  I want to make some bow-ties and ties, along with some booties... and there's 2 other hat patterns I also want to try!

staggered window shelves for an arthritic cat

Our poor cats are not getting any younger.  In fact, one seems to be aging rather quickly sometimes.  I don't know if it's arthritis or just clumsyness, but he needs a little extra help when it comes to getting into higher things, especially windows.  Brian and I have been watching "My Cat from Hell" on Netfilx and we find the cat therapist really funny!  We noticed that he emphasizes having spaces for your cat to move vertically.  Many people are installing shelves for their cats, and I wanted some shelves for our cats!  Although after a trip to Home Depot, I quickly realized that building the shelves that I wanted would cost a small fortune.  Instead, I decided to make some shelves with my dad!  We whipped these out in no time at all, and the cats love them!

 

These really help Scout get into the windows!  And as a bonus, they don't look half bad either!

Thanks dad!

26 cent baby pants

Why yes, those are some homemade baby pants!  If only the pattern came in a larger size, I could make some for the whole family!  Don't they look extremely comfy?!  I got the free pattern here! All I had to purchase was the elastic and since I made 6 pants, each pair only cost 26 cents!  Wow... that's a bargain!

 My favorites are the two pairs (in front) made from handwoven scraps!  Do you remember these prints?  They were the scraps from blankets I made about 2 years ago! 

 I serged all the raw edges so that they will last a good long time and go through many washings and other babies!

Here is the back of the old-man-golf-style pants.  I didn't quite have enough of this scrap for the entire pair, so I at least made it match!

I'm slowly getting my to-do list complete... 

 

 Good thing I still have plenty of time!

2nd row started!

My biggest fear on this row was how to mingle the color changes like I've been doing.  Instead of fretting about it any longer, I just made the pink row bigger so the seam will go right down the center of the pink.  In a way, this is break a rule or guideline of doubleweave.  One of the guidelines is to make your seam at color changes.  But after a unanimous vote of me and my hubby, we decided that increasing the pink stripe would probably be the best, especially since I didn't want to have to deal with a mingle of the colors here.  Now onward we go!

One of the things I'm doing in this row is taping a piece of paper between the layers so that I can see where I've skipped in order to mix the colors together.  This will help me not skip any dents by accident! 

1st row complete!

A few quickie Christmas scarves

I decided at the last minute to make scarves for a few people at school.  It started with wanting to make my two principals scarves for Christmas in our lovely new school colors!  Not only did they change our school mascot and colors this year, but we also have two new principals.  Our school has gone through a lot of changes!

Now our colors are blue and orange.  These scarves will be SOOO loud!

Who wouldn't want to wear a scarf with the same colors as a box of Mac N'Cheese? 

  

 Unfortunately, I really wanted a lighter blue instead of navy because in low light situations, this is going to appear very Halloween-ish.  But it's all the store had this day, and it still looks good in good lighting! 

Best of all, I only spend $3 on each principal this year!  What a lovely gift for so cheap!

Here's the 2nd one.  I used opposite colors so they could tell them apart and also so I wouldn't run out of the main color.

And both of them together:

I also promised my team of teachers at school that I would make a scarf for the janitor's "winter survival" basket.  We're putting other winter items in the basket, like a mug, coffee and tea, and some gift cards.  I'm sure she'll love it!  She's the hardest working janitor I have ever seen.  My room is so squeaky clean all the time!

I love color, so I tried to make it as colorful as I could!

My hubby's cousin contacted me and wanted me to make a list minute scarf for Christmas for his wife.  I said sure!  He sent me this pic of her coat to match.  He said a scarf with zigzags in light blue and lime green would be perfect!  I agree!

I think they will look fabulous together... the coat and this scarf.  I also think Chris and Rhonda will look fabulous this winter in their matching scarves together!  Chris' scarf was the one I did this summer and looked like this:

It zigs and zags a little differently than Rhonda's... but it's the same zigzag pattern done in Navy and shades of green.

And one more zigzag in some Seattle Sea Hawk colors!

Now I can rest easier knowing I have helped keep several people extra warm this Christmas season!

1/3 of the way done!

Almost done with one layer!

Aren't these colors so tropical??
They're so exciting, especially with winter and gray days approaching.

Next I'll do a stripe of white and then finish off the edge with a stripe of yellow.  Then I can focus on the other layer.  The only thing that worries me is trying to get some of those mini stripes to mix right where the fold will be.... but don't worry, I come armed with a plan.  It's not that set it stone yet, so I might just be making it up on the spot.  But I think it will work!

Also, happy 700th post!!!! 

Baby wrap progress

I decided to warp one layer of the double weave at a time, in order to get the stripes to be just right and also so I can get all the colors to be different sizes.  It's kind of neat to just go to the warp board with whatever color I feel like and just start measuring but not counting.  When I feel like I have enough, then it's enough and onward back to the loom I go.  It's kind of a relief!!

Baby wrap

Someone found me on Ravelry and asked if I would make them a baby wrap.  Of course I said yes!  It took a very long time for the whole yarn order to come through WEBS.  In fact, I said YES to this project before I was even pregnant with my own little baby boy!  Back in July, I had two weaving orders that I made promises to do before I was pregnant, and I waited MONTHS for two different cones of yarn to come!!  Finally, I moved on and started the pinwheels, and the next two days, both orders of yarn showed up.  Go figure!  I should have started another project long ago and the yarn would have been here long ago!

Anyway, the yarns the person chose are very pretty!  This is Webs 10/2 perle cotton.

Here is the original design photo.  We tweaked the green somewhat.

This is the picture they sent of what they want to design to look like.  I will have to be using double weave because my loom isn't wide enough, but that shouldn't stop me from being able to play with color!!

Will I be making a baby wrap for myself?  Probably not... it's just not my sort of thing.  Plus, the heat in Arizona would be too much in the summer to even enjoy it!

Presents!

My sister's birthday is coming up this week and I sent her 4 of these hounds tooth placemats:

I actually made this pattern up for my book this summer, but I made the placemats with her in mind!  I have kept them in a safe place since July, but sent them this week!  I'm actually glad that everything was done months ago because of my weaving haitus when I first got pregnant.

I hope she likes them!  Happy b-day, sis!

Speaking of presents, I have received a few great baby presents from my online friends and also some family!  This week, these wonderful baby bibs came from Martha at Thistle Rose Weaving in Illinois!  Aren't they just lovely?? 

I can't wait to use them with my baby boy!!

Even the backs are awesome to look at!!

I've also received some very soft and wonderful hats!  The top one is from Brian's grandma and the bottom one is from my friend Terry!

And my friend in Massachusettes sent me some super soft baby wash clothes and a super soft and fluffy yellow towel or burp rag!  These all have really awesome textures!!

I can't wait to use all of these handmade goodies with my new little son!