Harry Potter Baby Quilts, Onesies & Hats

As I mentioned yesterday, my friend Abbeeroad has recently welcomed twins into her family, and I had a wonderful time crafting for them.  Since I was making two of everything, I admit that I took a bit of a shortcut on the quilts.  They aren't traditionally pieced quilts, but rather whole cloth printed to look like it has been pieced.  The fabrics are literally called "Potter Cheater Quilt", and came from kritterstitches on Spoonflower.  They feature the Deathly Hallows symbol, tiny cauldrons, brooms, owls, Sorting hats, and lots more.  She has it in a few colorways, but seems to have since removed the coral & yellow print from her shop. 

The backings and binding came from a local quilt shop called Quilting Squares, where the ladies were quite excited to help me pick some matches.  This is the first, in shades of purple and turquoise.  I made onesies and hats to match, so each little lady got her own set. 

 

My neighbor has a small business doing embroidered baby clothes on her embroidery machine, and she took on the task of making me custom quilt labels to match each quilt.  Of course, it's just making me want a new embroidery machine all the more...

And the second one in shades of coral, yellow, and turquoise.

Meanwhile, I wanted to make another set of onesies to go with them.  I used the classic Potter font, and set up the text in the Silhouette software, then cut them from glitter heat transfer vinyl.  I've played with several types of htv, and the glitter seems to adhere the best, and wear well over repeated washings and dryings.  The hats were each made by stash-busting yarn scraps.  I can't remember the pattern I used, or I'd link it. They're quite chunky, with the body of each being made of 2 strands of yarn held together, with a contrasting band of Lion Brand Homespun.

All You Need is Love Onesies

I like making things for friends.  I like making things for babies.  And I really like making things for the babies of good friends.  These were made for the new babies of my friend Abbeeroad on Craftster, who just welcomed twin girls into the world.  I wanted to do something that would coordinate, but not depend on the other to be wearing the matching outfit.  So if one little lady spits up all over hers, her sister still looks stylin' in hers.  I found a retro font in my library, and set up the text in the Silhouette software, then cut them from glitter heat transfer vinyl. 

*Update 1/20/18: The girls wore these to the anniversary of the Women's March in NYC!  While they were bundled up against the cold, I love that their mom and I both know they were there. 

Corner Lot Wedding Quilt

I finished a new quilt!  And *just in time* for the wedding it was intended for.  I started it with 3 weeks to craft, and thought I'd have plenty of time, but each step took longer than anticipated.  Oh well, I love the result.  The pattern is called Corner Lot, and is available to buy on Craftsy, either just as the pattern, or for a kit in several color options.  I went with the kit option, with the "Modern Hand Drawn" fabrics by Lily & Loom.  It came with 2 layer cakes of 10" precut squares, a yard of binding, and 4 yards of backing.  While I LOVE the finished quilt, I wasn't impressed with the pattern writing.  The fabrics were good quality, but the backing fabric arrived stained.   :-[  Thankfully I was able to work around the staining.  The binding they sent was a stripe, and I improvised and cut it on the cross grain, so I could show the stripes to their best advantage.  If I had more time, I would have tried to do them on the bias, but time was of the essence.

Because some of the squares are white, and some are very pale pink & mint, I went with a white batting.  The only white that Joann's had in stock with a 1/16" thickness, so it's a fairly thin quilt, but being all cotton it should hold up to washing and drying on high heat. As I said above, I finished it just in the nick of time.  I actually had to leave TN for the wedding in NH with the binding sewn on the front, but not flipped over and stitched down on the back.  I did that part while staying at my parents house the day before the wedding.  I finished it Saturday morning, for a Saturday afternoon ceremony! 

I've since heard from the bride that when they got back to their apartment in Brooklyn, the heat was out, and it's only 64 degrees in there.  They've spent their 'honeymoon' as it is, snuggled under the new quilt.  Mission accomplished!

Dragon Egg Bag

I recently hosted another round of the Back to Hogwarts Swap on Craftster, and was so happy to swap with the lovely patty_o_furniture. She has been renovating her family movie room with an all Harry Potter theme, including murals of Hogwarts, and a kick-ass Honeyduke's candy cupboard, and has filled the room with awesome geeky handmade HP goodies, some made by her, and some made by the rest of the Craftster community.  I just happened to have a bunch of scale maile supplies in my jewelry stash that I bought last year to experiment with, so I dug through my yarn stash and found a good color match of yarn.  I finished it with some leather drawstrings, and handmade glass pony beads leftover from making some dreamcatchers.  The pattern came from toohotheaded on Etsy.  The yarn is Caron Simply Soft in garnet, and the scales are a pattern of dark red, light red, copper, gold, and black, and came from a combination of the Ring Lord and Fire Mountain Gems.  The pattern was easy to follow, and I would totally recommend it.  Hopefully it will fit in with all her HP swag in the movie room. 

Giant Granny Square for the Welcome Blanket Project

Lately I've been feeling like the world is going off the rails.  With mass shootings, neo-Nazis marching in the streets, the threat of a possible nuclear war, and the very deep political divides in our country, it has been hard to find hope.  As social media brings us a constant stream of the worst news the world has to offer, it has been difficult not to feel powerless and alone.  So in a conscious effort to put some more love and goodness into the world, I decided to participate in the Welcome Blanket Project and create a Welcome Blanket as a gift for an immigrant family as they arrive in America.  In case you are unfamiliar with the project, here is an explanation from their own website:

The proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico is almost 2000 miles long. Imagine if the massive distance of this wall was re-conceptualized and re-contextualized not to divide, but to include. Instead of wall, a concrete line, to keep people out, what if lines of yarn became 3,500,640 yards of blankets to welcome people in?

A welcome blanket is traditionally created to lovingly mark the arrival of a new person into the world. In the Welcome Blanket project, each handmade blanket is a physical manifestation of this celebration of new refugees and other immigrants: “Welcome to the United States and your new life here! We are so glad you have arrived.”

Their mission of inclusivity, hope, and love in the face of racism and islamophobia truly touched my heart, and I couldn't think of a better way to pour some more goodness into the world than to make a special gift for a stranger whom I'll probably never meet.  So I dug through my yarn stash, grabbed a crochet hook, and started in on a thick, squishy, warm, cuddly blanket, and tried to work my love and my hope for a better life for the person who receives it, into each stitch.  And since this challenge is about sharing more love, I've also included that pattern/tutorial for making a giant granny square afghan of your own, either to donate to the Welcome Blanket Project, or for friends and family in your own lives.

Much like my Mrs. Weasley Burrow Afghan and Nebula Afghan, this afghan is made by holding 2 strands of bulky weight (Lion Brand Homespun) yarn together, and was crocheted with a 12mm hook.  This results in a very thick blanket, that works up quickly, but you can also use the same method with thinner yarn and a smaller hook.  It will simply take more rounds to get a big enough blanket.  The ombre effect was created by switching out 1 strand of yarn at a time, while leaving the other strand, so that the colors blend into one another.  It took 14.5 skeins of Homespun, 10.5 of which came from my stash.

Giant Granny Square Afghan

Suggested Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun
Hook: 12mm

Colors Used:
A. 2 skeins Opal (Bright Teal)
B. 1.5 skeins Waterfall (Light Blue)
C. 2.5 skeins Deco (Ivory)
D. 2 skeins Lagoon (Dark Teal-Green)
E. 1 skein Windsor (Grey Blue)
F. 1.5 skeins Edwardian (Grey)
G. 2 skeins Black
H. 2 skeins Tourmaline (Slate)

Create a slip knot.  With colors A & B held as one, chain 4; join with slip stitch in dream chain to form a ring.

[b]Round 1:[/b] Chain 3, 2 double crochet in ring, *chain 2, 3 double crochet in ring; repeat from * twice more, chain 2; join with slip stitch in top of beginning chain.

[b]Round 2:[/b] Slip stitch in next 2 double crochet, slip stitch in dream chain-2 space, chain 3, (2 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in same chain-2 space, *chain 1, (3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in next chain-2 space; repeat from * twice more, chain 1; join with slip stitch in top of beginning chain. Slip stitch in next 2 double crochet.  Drop color A (Opal), and add in color C (Deco).

[b]Round 3:[/b] Slip stitch in chain-2 space, chain 3, (2 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in same chain-2 space, *chain 1, 3 double crochet in next chain-1 space, chain 1, (3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in next chain-2 space; repeat from * twice more, 3 double crochet in next ch -1 space, chain 1; join with slip stitch in top of beginning chain. Slip stitch in next 2 double crochet. Drop color B (Waterfall), and add in color D (Lagoon).

[b]Round 4:[/b] Slip stitch in chain-2 space, chain 3, (2 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in same chain-2 space, *(chain 1, 3 double crochet in next chain-1 space) across to next chain-2 space, chain 1, (3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in next chain -2 space; repeat from * twice more, (chain 1, 3 double crochet in next chain-1 space) across to dream chain-2 space, chain 1; join with slip stitch in top of beginning chain. Slip stitch in next 2 double crochet. Drop color C, and add in color E (Windsor).

[b]Round 5:[/b] Slip stitch in chain-2 space, chain 3, (2 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in same chain-2 space, *(chain 1, 3 double crochet in next chain-1 space) across to next chain-2 space, chain 1, (3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet) in next chain -2 space; repeat from * twice more, (chain 1, 3 double crochet in next chain-1 space) across to dream chain-2 space, chain 1; join with slip stitch in top of beginning chain. Slip stitch in next 2 double crochet. Drop color D, and add in color F (Edwardian).

Repeat Round 5, following Color Sequence, with 1 more 3-double crochet group on each side every round until afghan measures 50 in. square, or your desired size. If desired, add a row of single crochet along the outside edge to give a finished look, placing a single crochet stitch in each double crochet and each chain 1 space, and 3 single crochet stitches in each corner.  Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Color Sequence:
Row 1: Opal and Waterfall
Row 2: Opal and Waterfall
Row 3: Waterfall and Deco
Row 4: Deco and Lagoon 
Row 5: Lagoon and Windsor 
Row 6: Windsor and Edwardian
Row 7: Edwardian and Lagoon
Row 8: Lagoon and Black
Row 9: Lagoon and Tourmaline 
Row 10: Tourmaline and Deco
Row 11: Deco and Waterfall
Row 12: Waterfall and Opal
Row 13: Opal and Edwadian
Row 14: Edwardian and Lagoon
Row 15: Lagoon and Black
Row 16: Black and Tourmaline
Row 17: Tourmaline and Edwardian
Row 18: Tourmaline and Opal
Row 19: Tourmaline and Waterfall
Row 20: Waterfall and Deco
Row 21: Deco and Deco
Row 22: Deco (Finishing row of single crochet)

Naturally, as soon as I had the blanket laid out nice and straight to take a picture of, my dog came running in and plopped herself down on top of it, because all blankets on the planet belong to her.  The face she is making came right after being told to get off of mum's newest creation. 

Gilmore Girls Charm Bracelet

Recently a favorite customer asked me to make her a Gilmore Girls inspired bracelet.  I've only ever caught a few episodes of the show, so she chose the charms herself, and we worked out a color scheme based on a few iconic images from the show, the Luke's sign, the Dragonfly Inn sign, and a deep sky blue from many of the title cards of the show.  I really like how this one came together color-wise, and she seems to be thrilled with it. 

Prism Virus Shawl

I know I'm late to the party, but I finally got around to giving the virus shawl pattern a try.  I have always been afraid of working off a crochet chart rather than a written pattern, so  I started by printing off the chart, then pulling up a video on how to crochet it on Youtube. I used the video to help me learn to read the chart, and by the time the video was done, I was able to work solely off the chart with the repeating pattern.  It was a huge help, and I feel much more confident about trying to work solely from a chart in future. 

The shawl was made with 1.5-1.7 skeins of Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball yarn, in the colorway Prism.  It is labeled as a worsted weight yarn, but I found it very thin for worsted.  I used a 4.5mm hook.  It is hard to see in the pictures, but it has an electric blue metallic strand running through it. I bought the yarn months ago, specifically for this project, but had put it aside to finish some other projects that came up, including a pussyhat and a baby blanket, both made with Caron Simply Soft Party, which also has a metallic strand.  In working on those I became very frustrated, because the metallic strand frequently broke, and was finicky to work with.  When I finally got around to this shawl, I was afraid the metallic strand would behave the same way, but I was pleasantly surprised!  It behaved much better, and I had no breaks in it at all, over the course of the entire project.  I would highly recommend the yarn.

I think I might make another one, since this one was so much fun.  For reference, this last photo isn't distorted.  The shawl is laid across my king size bed, so you can see just how long it is.  I made it to cuddle up in while working in my studio, which can get cold, so I wanted it plenty big.  While the yarn is thin and the overall effect is lacy, it does provide some nice warmth, and can be bundled up and worn as a triangle scarf.  I wore it to the theatre with a thin sweater on a cold day, and it really helped keep me warm, while also looking dressy enough for the event.