Pretty Peasant Dresses

Are you familiar with the blog Sew Much Ado?  If not, you should be!!!  I have never bought one of her patterns before, but I have used several of her tutorials.  The tutorials are so fantastic, the quality of her patterns must be amazing.

I used her Infant Peasant Dress tutorial to make a few little dresses for the twins.  I love the simple design and the use of elastic.  It's going to make it ssssooooo easy to put these on and take them off!

I believe I ordered this material from Pick Your Plum when it was one of their daily deals.  It's one of those great sites that posts a new deal everyday.  It's often baker's twine, basic wardrobe pieces, blank jewelry or crafts.  When I decided to make these dresses and was digging through my material stash, these prints seemed perfect.  Adorable, but soft.  Something that won't over-power two little girls.

BTW - I'm not getting paid by Sew Much Ado or Pick Your Plum.  I just want to share two sites with you I love!

Diamond Quilt

Yay for another finished baby project!  I'm definitely in the nesting stage washing dozens of onesies, a bazillion baby socks, getting the nursery in order, and working frantically to make everything I want to for these two bundles of joy.

About six months ago I posted about the Zig Zag Quilt I had made.  Sure I intended to give it as a gift, but I just couldn't part with it.  I promise I tried!!  I even had my husband pick it up from the house one day and bring it to me when I thought we were going to see the lucky recipients.  He brought me the wrong quilt.  I think that was a sign.

Now that I have TWO babies on the way, I'm grateful I already had this one made so I could focus on making just one more and focus on the many other projects on my agenda.

Sister Quilts

I decided I didn't want to make the same quilt, but something complimentary to the Zig Zag Quilt.  So I started with some adorable polka dot and neutral alphabet fabrics.  I made the same amount of Half Square Triangles as the Zig Zag Quilt.  I then played around with the squares, coming up with half a dozen different designs.  It was difficult to choose a winner!

Eventually, after some Facebook votes I settled on this diamond design.  I'm happy with my decision and love how these two quilts go together.

I backed this one with cozy flannel, just as I did the Zig Zag Quilt.

For the quilting I stuck with the same idea of just quilting in the white squares.  After playing with a few quilting designs I decided to go with the double diamond.  I love the look on the front and back.

I tried something different with the quilting.  I wanted the thread to blend in on both sides, but I was quilting on white on top, and red on the bottom.  Yikes!  So I used red for my bobbin thread and white for my main thread.  I don't know why this has never occurred to me before!  I love how it worked out!

My ever faithful helper.

 Now on to baby dresses, afghans, receiving blankets....you get the picture.

Newborn Stocking Cap Tutorial (Crochet)

Here it is!  A crochet tutorial for a newborn stocking cap.  This is similar to my Crochet Long Stocking Cap Tutorial, but I've made some adjustments, and this one is sized for a newborn.

There are two options below.  One with a ribbed band and one with a rolled band.

Disclaimer
**I am definitely not a professional when it comes to writing patterns.  I am simply sharing this for your enjoyment.  If you find mistakes, or have questions, please let me know but be polite.  If you post projects online from this pattern, please just link back to my site and give me credit for the pattern.  Thanks!**

Fits Approx 13"-14" head
Approx 21" long with pom pom

For Option 1 I did three rows of each color.  For Option 2 I did 2 red and 1 white.  Be wild and crazy and have fun with the pattern!  However, I find it works best if the number of rows of the overall color pattern adds up to a multiple of three. i.e. 3 blue + 3 grey = 6, or 2 red + 1 white = 3, and so forth.

Also, I've tried several different ways of changing between colors.  I've cut and tied each section, and I've cut and wove in ends of each section.  But the best method I've found so far is to carry each color through the whole project and cut just once at the end.  You get something that looks like this inside.

Very few ends to weave in, a nice clean inside, and you probably use less yarn when all is said and done.

Option 1

Size H Hook – Yarn Bee Andes Alpaca Yarn, Medium (4) Weight

Chain 3’s at the beginning of each round count as one double crochet

At the end of each round join with a slip stitch

Abbreviations

ch – chain

dc – double crochet

sl st – slip stitch

st - stitch

fpdc - front post double crochet

bpdc - back post double crochet

1. ch 4, 5 dc in 3^rd ch from hook, sl st in top of ch to join
2. ch 3, dc in each dc (6)
3. ch 3, dc in each dc (6)
4. ch 3, dc in each dc (6)
5. ch 3, dc in each dc (6)
6. ch 3, dc in each dc (6)
7. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, *2 dc, 1 dc* repeat * section to end (9)
8. ch 3, dc in each dc (9)
9. ch 3, dc in each dc (9)
10. ch 3, dc in each dc (9)
11. ch 3, dc in each dc (9)
12. ch 3, dc in each dc (9)
13. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 st, *2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc* repeat * section to end (12)
14. ch 3, dc in each dc (12)
15. ch 3, dc in each dc (12)
16. ch 3, dc in each dc (12)
17. ch 3, dc in each dc (12)
18. ch 3, dc in each dc (12)
19. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 3 st,* repeat * section to end (15)
20.  ch 3, dc in each dc (15)
21. ch 3, dc in each dc (15)
22. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 4 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 4 st,* repeat * section to end (18)
23. ch 3, dc in each dc (18)
24. ch 3, dc in each dc (18)
25. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 5 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 5 st,* repeat * section to end (21)
26. ch 3, dc in each dc (21)
27. ch 3, dc in each dc (21)
28. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 6 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 6 st,* repeat * section to end (24)
29. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 7 st,* repeat * section to end (27)
30. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 8 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 8 st,* repeat * section to end (30)
31. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 9 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 9 st,* repeat * section to end (33)
32. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 10 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 10 st,* repeat * section to end (36)
33. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 11 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 11 st,* repeat * section to end (39)
34. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 12 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 12 st,* repeat * section to end (42)
35. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 13 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 13 st,* repeat * section to end (45)
36. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 14 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 14 st,* repeat * section to end (48)
37. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 15 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 15 st,* repeat * section to end (51)
38. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 16 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 16 st,* repeat * section to end (54)
39. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 17 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 17 st,* repeat * section to end (57)
40. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 18 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 18 st,* repeat * section to end (60)

At this point I sometimes do a few rows of *ch 3, dc in each dc* to finish a color pattern.  This is up to you.  I do like to finish on the color that I will be doing the rib in.

Ribbed Band

Ch 3, fpdc, bpdc, bpdc, *fpdc in next 2 stitches, bpdc in next 2 stitches* repeat * section around.  Join with a sl st in the top of the beginning ch.

Repeat the above round until the rib section is the desired length.  I typically do 2 or 3 rounds, and in the pictured hat I did 2.

Option 2

Size H Hook – Red Heart Super Sport Yarn

Chain 3’s at the beginning of each round count as a double crochet

At the end of each round join with a slip stitch

Follow the steps for Option 1 up to Round 40, then continue below.

41. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 19 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 19 st,* repeat * section to end (63)
42. ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 20 st, *2 dc, 1 dc in next 20 st,* repeat * section to end (66)
43. ch 3, dc in dc (66)
44. ch 3, dc in dc (66)
45. ch 3, dc in dc (66)
46. ch 3, dc in dc (66)
47. Roll brim over last 4 rows.

Newborn Stocking Caps x 2

**The Tutorial for this pattern is now up!  Check it out here!**

Featured on

Lately my tutorial on crocheted long stocking caps has been getting a lot of interest thanks to Pinterest.  {Thank you Pinterest!}  Which is exciting, but also a little scary.  I was still fairly new to crocheting when I wrote it and it was one of the first things I ever figured out on my own and wrote a tute for. Yikes!!

I've made several newborn versions of these hats recently for my sister's new floral shop, and have made some improvements to my pattern.  Here's a favorite...

Notice anything?  Like there are two of the same hat?  There's a reason for that.  I'm expecting, not one, but TWO bundles of joy!  This has been one of the main reasons for my hiatus from my blog this summer.  We found out the beginning of June that I was pregnant {YAY!}.  However, the end of the month brought a miscarriage scare.  Imagine our relief/shock when the doctor told us that not only was everything fine, but that there were two little ones baking in my belly.

And you can guess by the pink and brown theme of the hats that they are both girls.  My poor husband.  He's about as "male" as you can get, and now he's going to be raising three girls.  As he says, the problem with having girls is that you don't have just one boy to worry about, but ALL of the boys to worry about.

I can't wait to put these little hats on them for some newborn pictures.  But, wait...yes I can...I'm not ready for them to be here yet!!  There's still so much to do.  I'm 28 weeks along and already huge and uncomfortable {note that I'm 5 foot nothing, so there's not much room for these babies}.  You would think that would make me want them here sooner rather than later.  But I have quilts, dresses, car seat covers, and so many other things to make!!  I also have Christmas gifts to make for my two year old.  Then there's the fact that I don't want them here before their little bodies are good and able to function without machines.

So keep watching for a revised tutorial of crocheted long stocking caps, as well as some cute baby photos.

Zig Zag Quilt

Finally a finished project!!  It feels like it's been forever!  It's a pretty dang cute one too, if I might say so.

The pattern is from Cluck Cluck Sew.  Love that site.  And I decided to go with the scrappy look.  I'm tempted to make me one of these with just polka dot patterns...

The little one wanted to get in on the action.

This is a fairly simple pattern to put together, and it's a great pay off.  I decided to quilt five lines in the white, following the zig zag pattern.  It made for a cute back!!  It was also pretty quick to quilt.  Of course all of the lines aren't perfectly straight, but you'd have to stare close to see that.  So, stop staring!!

I wanted this to be extra cozy as it's going to a little one so I backed it with flannel.  So snuggly!

Remember the start of this one.  This picture is a pile of the materials I started with.  I was playing with different patterns, hues, etc.  This one is going to a family who aren't finding out the gender of their baby so I to steer clear of flower patterns and anything too girlie. 

Gotta add my label!!

It will be hard to say good bye to this one, but hopefully they'll cherish is and their little babe will get plenty of play time on it!

Elmo Cake - Tutorial

My little one just turned two yesterday. Two!!  I can't believe it!

I have a little cake book with instructions on how to make different shaped cakes.  I picked two out I thought she's like and asked my husband which one he thought would be best.  He said, "Elmo."  That wasn't one of the options.  :)  But he was right.  She would really like an Elmo cake.  Elmo's World is her favorite part of Sesame Street.

So I looked online for ideas of how to make an Elmo cake.  Know what I found?  That most people bought and Elmo shaped cake pan.  I was NOT about to by a special cake pan for one cake.  So here's what I did.  Sorry, I don't have many pictures.  I didn't think to take them as I was making it.  I'm not an expert on cake making; this is only the second shaped cake I made but I'm happy to share what I did.

I cooked a 8" round cake, and let it cool over night.  The next morning I took a long serrated knife (I used my long bread knife) and cut off the rounded top and made it flat.  Next I put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes.  This helps firm up the cake for the shaping process.

You can see some of the holes from the toothpicks in this picture.

I printed out a face picture of Elmo just a little smaller than the cake, and cut it out.  Then I placed it over the cake and put toothpicks in some of the outlines of the eyes, nose and mouth.  This served two purposes.  It held the picture in place, and started to make an outline of those features.

Then I used a serrated knife (this time I used a steak knife) to cut around the shape to make the basic outline.  I cut some of the jags of the fur, but found as I was frosting it this wasn't necessary.  The frosting helped make the appearance of fur, so I could have just cut the bottom outline rounded, not jagged.

In this picture you can see some of the scored outlines I made for his facial features.

Next I took the paper off by sliding it over the toothpicks and leaving them in place.  I then used my knife to score the outline of his features.  They weren't all visible,  but it helped.

I then made my buttercream frosting and but a several spoonfuls in a separate bowl.  I thinned this portion out a little more with milk for a base frosting.

A word on base frosting.  I'd never used a base frosting before, but decided to give it a try.  The idea is you put a thin layer of frosting on before the decorating layer.  It is supposed to help hold in the crumbs so they do not show through your decorated layer.  I wasn't sure if it worked until I tried doing my decorating frosting on some of the edges that I missed with base frosting.  It DEFINITELY made a huge difference.  The areas I missed with the base frosting were crumbling and falling apart.  Also, my little cake book has a separate recipe for base frosting, but I didn't want to make two kinds of frosting so I just thinned out some of my buttercream and it worked okay.  {Call me lazy.}

Let the base frosting dry for 20 or more minutes.  During this time I started to make some of my colored frosting.  For the each color I put the amount I would need (guesstimated) in a separate bowl to mix it.

For orange I used liquid food coloring: one part red, three parts yellow.

For black I bought a tube of decorating black.  I cheated.  :)

For red I bought some red food coloring paste.  I've tried the liquid and gels before and they just create a dark pink no matter how much I put in.  With the paste I was actually able to get a nice red.  It did take quite a bit though.  It helped that I was only doing a small amount rather than the whole batch of frosting.

Because I only put a thin layer of base frosting on I was able to still see a lot of my scored outlines of his features.  The rest I was able to fill in by looking at the picture.

First I frosted the orange nose, then the white eyes.  When doing this parts I started by putting the majority of the frosting in the center of the area and carefully spreading it to the edges.

This shows the base frosting with just the nose with colored frosting.

I used my black tube to do the pupils.  I only made the outline and it came out thick enough that I was able to carefully spread the line inward to fill in the circle.

Next I made the outline of the mouth, but I suggest NOT DOING THIS YET!  I wish I would have frosted the whole area below the nose and eyes red and then frost the mouth on top of it.  The way I did it I kept getting black frosting smeared in my red.

When spreading the red frosting, make sure it's a little thicker.  This allows you to put it on textured so that it looks like fur.  It's nice that you don't have to worry about putting it on smooth in this instance.

I filled in the mouth similar to how I filled in the pupils.  I made extra lines with the black tube inside of the mouth outline then carefully spread them around to fill it in.

Wahlah!  An Elmo Cake!

Baby's Room Redo

 We live in a large house for three people.  Six bedrooms, three baths.  We got a great deal on the house and wanted to buy some place that we could grow into, rather than have to move again in a few years as our family grows.  It's been great!  My hubby has his man cave, I have my sewing room, we have a toy room/guest room, and another guest room.  We're often known as Hotel Fifield because of the steady flow of family and friends staying with us for a night or two.

In the three years that we have lived here I have only painted one of the rooms.  The baby's room.  It was the first thing I did after I stopped working full-time when I was pregnant.  The room was cute before, it just wasn't...us.  Does that make sense?  It had wide yellow and white stripes painted on the walls, with a border of bears.  Cute, but not us.

Good view of the stripes

Close up of the bears.  They were stickers that we had to peel off and
remove some glue residue.

So my five month pregnant self and my mom attacked the room with Behr's Paint and Primer.  I knew I was having a little girl, but I wanted something that could work for a boy or a girl.  This room will always be "the baby's room" because of it's proximity to our room.  So if baby #2 or #3 ends up being a boy, I didn't want to have to repaint it because it was overly feminine.  So I went with a baby blue and brown color scheme and "girled" it up by adding flowers and other feminine things.

The flower hanging rack on the door came from Real Deals.  It was red, so a little brown spray paint helped it fit into the decor.  The lamp came from a dollar store, and I already owned the picture of Christ holding the little child.  The dresser was one my mom had used for us as kids and was storing.  I gave it a fresh coat of paint and new hardware, and voila!  I had a new dresser.  Ya gotta love furniture made out of real wood.  It lasts FOREVER and your do so much with it!

I already had the teddy bear and lights.  I had bought the lights years ago for the first house I owned in 2005.  I planned on making one of the rooms in the house a library and wanted the cute lights in that room.  They never got hung up in that house, but I love them for the window decoration in the baby's room!

This photo was taken before I had the decorations up on the wall.

I bought the crib and bedding at Target.  I was so excited when I found bedding in the colors I wanted that wasn't meant exclusively for boys.  Yay for polka dots!  The blue baskets under the window came from Shopko, and the cubbies from Target.  As the room slowly came together I was more excited all the time.  Both for the room AND for the baby that was on the way.

I came up with this wall art using cheap wood products from Joanns and Michaels.  The flowers had stems on them that I cut off with a little saw, then I glued them to a thin piece of wood that I attached to the back of the frames.  I painted everything before I put it together using the sample paint I had bought for the room.  I think I figured that all four pieces cost a whole whopping $12!!  I felt really good about this creation and the little bit of money I put into them 

My hubby got me lamp complete with a dimmer switch for Mother's Day just before our little one made her grand debut.  The chair was another Shopko buy, and I love it!  It was the perfect cozy set-up for those LONG nursing sessions.

And finally here's her crib and decorated wall!  The flowers came from Ikea, and are actually lights that you can plug in.  I've kept the cords up in the flowers so far so I didn't have to worry about her getting tangled up in them.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that safety is more important than appearance!

I ordered the letters for her name from an online site than spray painted them brown.  It was so long ago I have no idea what site I got them from, but I love 'em!

There you have it.  My little girl's room redone so it now fits "us" a little bit better.  She's now almost two years old, and I still love her room.  To me that's a good sign when a room's decor can withstand the test of time!