Idina's Dress Part II

Tomorrow our community is having a pet competition. They are having different members of the community bring their dogs in their best outfits. This was encouragement for me to finish Idina's dress so that she can wear it and show it off tomorrow. She wasn't the most thrilled with me making her try it on so that I could pin the ribbons on and find out where to sew them on. She also didn't dance around like she usually does with a new dress. But she looks cute in it. I don't know how well it will hold up since I used ribbons to hold it on. We'll see. Here she is wearing it.

I attached ribbons on the bottom that tie so that I can get her in and out of it fairly easily. The halter top part is sewn in. It doesn't come quite as high as I would have liked and I will have to adjust if I make her one again but for a first try I think it turned out well.

Spring/Summer Wreath

Nenna and C came over today! Nenna and I had been wanting to make spring wreaths for the last month or so. We bought the stuff back in April but things just kept getting in the way, keeping us from spending an afternoon creating our wreaths. Today we were able to get our craft on and make our crafts (while C did his schoolwork and read to us).

Here's my wreath. Now I just have to figure out how to hang it...

Teddy Bear

I was having an emotional day today and Aaron wasn't able to come home for lunch, which made it worse. Pregnancy hormones get out of control sometimes! Anyway, I decided I needed to get out of the house, so I took myself to the Public Library in search of some new craft books.

For awhile now I have been wanting to try to make little crocheted stuffed animals. I found this amazing book at the library that teaches even beginning crocheters how to create these cute little creatures. Checked it out at the library and started working on a little teddy bear for my soon to be born baby boy. All I got done tonight was the head. It looks kinda funny right now cause it is just a bunch of round stitches but hopefully after I add the body, legs, and arms it will look as cute or cuter than the one in the book.

Here's the book that I checked out. Super easy patterns with picture instructions at the beginning to show even beginners how to do the stitches. The only thing I didn't like is there are a couple of  abbreviations that she doesn't really explain well. I understand them since I am familiar with the craft but beginners might struggle when they see them in the pattern. Otherwise I think it is a great book. Best instructions on crocheted animals that I have found yet.

Here's a picture of what the teddy bear looks like, all finished. Isn't it cute?

And here is the head to my bear. It's basically just a bunch of single crochets.

I can't wait to show you the finished product! :)

Crafting Blogs

I've been super swollen today. Thanks to the pregnancy (35 weeks tomorrow!) I have swollen feet and swollen hands. This has caused me to spend most of the day with my feet propped up to help with the swelling and my hands unoccupied. So instead of crafting I searched through other people's crafting ideas. I found myself several things I want to try adapting and making my own.

This is just a small selection of some of the great things I saw online today and want to try to adapt. I have several craft blogs that I am now subscribed to so that when my creativity is lacking I can go check out what other creative people are doing. Hopefully tomorrow my feet and hands will be less swollen. I want to get to work on a few things for Sherwood on the sewing machine, finish Idina's dress, and finish Mother's Day presents before the week is out. Don't know how much I will get done but hopefully I will be more successful tomorrow than I was today.

PS. If anyone has any ideas on how I can make a nursing nightgown that will provide coverage for when I am in the hospital (after S is born and I get cleaned up) I would love the suggestions. I'm thinking about the hospital gown pattern that is posted lower down. I just don't think I have the fabric and am trying to do it for cheap or free. Maybe I will luck out at Goodwill later this week...

This book is super cute! It is a bit much for S as he won't be playing tic tac toe for some time but it might make a great gift for my nieces/nephews. I just love the idea of using felt in such a great manner. Here are some of the pages in it.

                                             

http://soyouthinkyourecrafty.blogspot.com/1999/02/on-go-book.html

Love this bag for the teachers in my life. Don't know exactly how I would duplicate it but its super cute and practical.

  

http://soyouthinkyourecrafty.blogspot.com/2010/05/teacher-gifts-week-3.html

Here is an adaptation of a hospital gown pattern that I found online. I like her picture cause it shows how cute it can be made whereas the website with the pattern doesn't have a picture of the finished product.

The original pattern is from http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/hospitalgown.php. The pictures are taken from sewcutebabe.com. 

Here's a diaper bag and changing pad that is cute and looks pretty simple to duplicate.

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/patterns_display.php?id=16

S's Bib Part II

I finished off S's bib tonight with some red yarn. Its not perfect but I am very proud of the finished product. And it matches daddy's scarf. :)