It's been a while... Hello Stranger!

I almost forgot I had a blog...

Life has been busy in the last year!  I went on a trip to England, and added an extra class this school year, which changed my schedule and the amount of time I had on campus to do school work dramatically.  Dad had some health problems, I've been working on getting my sewing room reestablished, and then the Coronavirus dive-bombed the world.

So...I live in Washington State, and our governor has pretty much shut the state down.  "Stay Safe, Stay Home" has been the rule.  School was closed on March 16, and we are not returning back to the classroom for the rest of the school year.  I've been doing a lot of Google Hangout meetings, and today tried Zoom, which was much easier.  Now we're doing online instruction, which is interesting and has its own challenges.

Itty-bitty bunnies and bear...

What has this crafty girl been doing while on "house arrest" (as my daughter puts it)?  I have been resting a bit, as teaching is exhausting, and cumulated lack of sleep and overwork had me barely making it, energy-wise, to the end of the week.  What can I do on the couch while resting?  Stuff with yarn!  So I have been trying new patterns, discovered a new favorite yarn (and then got it in every color), learned to do some new stitches, and knitted up several doll dresses.  I knitted some tiny bunnies and bears as accessories for dolls, and then had to shop for more yarn (I had one skein of brownish-gray sock yarn...needed some real brown for bears).

This one has correct colors.

Since my niece moved to my dad's house in Idaho, I've been cleaning and getting my sewing room reestablished, but it is a challenge.  My mom passed two years ago, and I inherited her enormous sewing room.  It took a year of back-and-forth travel and a lot of patience to condense what I wanted to keep and then donate the rest, plus catalog her dolls, and box up the ones on display, and as a result, I have a supply of fabric, trims, and etc. that far exceeds my ability to store it in my considerably smaller sewing room.  So I'm having to go through the bins (the big plastic ones from Costco with the interlocking lids) and cull from them what I am and am not going to be able to use.

That's a lot of bins! 

For example, there are TWO bins full of velveteen in a rainbow of colors.  There was one bin entirely filled with vintage cotton organdy in a variety of colors--more organdy than any human could use in a lifetime of doll dresses!

There was another bin full of dimity, skip-dent, voile, and organdy.  Another one entirely composed of Swiss batiste and embroideries.  Some bins have an amalgam of things doll-related, like furniture, accessories, etc. that my dad packed as we cleaned up.  One bin was full of nothing but Ginny clothes, accessories, and a few dolls (most need re-stringing).  And the list goes on.

This area is now cleaned up.

All of this is far more than I can use, so I've got a huge box of fabric donations (to my school's Home Ec department--the instructor for the sewing classes is a friend, and we've discussed what I have and what she can use), and a box of things to sell, and a bin of fabric that I'm going to sell as doll dress sewing kits (I'll be putting together lace, trims, etc. with the fabric).

Donations and trash (in bags)

Sigh.  I have organized about half my sewing room, but have the other half to complete.  All this free time on my hands, I've been developing ideas, and am dying to get in there and just create!!  But I don't have creation space yet.  My work table is in my husband's office, and my accumulation of "stuff" over three years needs to be cleared out of there, as well as move the table.

At times this is very overwhelming.  And a lot of work.  Dusty work.  But it needs to be done,

because I'm psychologically in need of creation time, and it's almost a physical need, as well.  I can only function in creative limbo for so long, and knitting and crocheting is not cutting it, so to speak.

It doesn't help that my favorite bead emporiums have been having sales, so I've also been accumulating beads that need to be organized, fondled, and drooled over.  I think this weekend, I need to do a major effort to get this all done!

So... guess I'd better get to work!  :)  Take care!

The Final Countdown

Cue Europe's only hit song...Now! 



We're in the final stretch for the school year... Seniors are done in a week, and the rest are done in two, with a field day for the last day of school on the 24th.  Whew!

I have also finished my work on this quarter's 20 Time project.  Although... I don't think I'm all that finished, actually.  More on that later.

I spread out all of my hats on my desk this morning for a final photo.  You are looking at 78 hats for preemies in various shapes, sizes, and patterns.  I'm in love with the little aviator hats, and the newsboy caps, as well.  Last night, after Ella went to bed, I sewed on decorations--buttons, flowers, pom-poms.  I had to make the pom-poms first, of course.  I have some very small pom-pom makers I bought many years ago, and struggled with making them work.  But I figured it out this time, and LOVE those tiny little balls of yarn!  So I put them on a bunch of hats. 

I had originally set myself a goal of 50 hats, and the last time I had counted them, I was pretty close.  But then I found some new patterns that I just HAD to try... and I started cranking out hats lickety-split, completing 12 or so a weekend.  I had memorized the patterns, and went to town, so to speak.  I learned to do colorwork--little striped hats--without having to weave in a gazillion tails.  And I experimented with sizes.  I found a pattern for a little newsboy cap, but I felt it was missing something--that little band that goes across the front.  So I did some trial and error on making the band, and came up with a reasonable and easy solution. 

I'm pleased with my results, and have enjoyed making these little gems.  They are a form of instant gratification for me.  In the past, I've always been able to make things for my mother, who loved being the recipient of my skills.  But since she passed, I've lost that... my daughter isn't as interested in things I can make her, and it's hard to find things to make for my husband.  So this filled a void in my life, and made me happy. 

I am not really going to stop making hats (well, I will temporarily).  I have plans for holiday hats for fall and winter, and I know that hospitals can use them.  I've pinned all kinds of cute hats on Pinterest for me to make.  Oh, the possibilities!  I want to do other preemie items, as well.  So, I can see this as an ongoing project for me. 

Here are the close-ups: 

I will deliver these to Tacoma General tomorrow.  I hope they like them!  

Personal Goals

Hello and welcome back to our Friday installment of yarns and yarns (literal and figurative)!

I'm in a weird mood today.  It doesn't help that I overslept and had bizarre dreams.  And my daughter was mad at me this morning when we left for school, but was fine and dandy when I dropped her off.  It's been a bit of a weird day so far.

Ella was mad at me because I discussed hygiene with her and how she washes her body.  She's almost a teenager and doesn't like me talking about the need to wear a bra, washing her hair properly, deodorant, etc.  But when I find little turdlets on the bath mat in front of the shower door, I have to question how she washes herself!!  So, first strike against mom.  Then I had the audacity to fix a lunch for her and make her take it to school!!  Such evil!!  She didn't want to carry her lunchbox for the first half of the day.  So... I swear I saw smoke emanating from her ears...but we talked in the car on the short drive to school, and by the time I dropped her off, she was fine, and said she loved me and to have a good day.  Kids!!!

It's a windy morning, with gray skies and hints of rain (you can feel the moisture in the air... here in Washington, we get so many different types of rain!  This is a soft, light sprinkling of rain that isn't quite heavy enough to be drizzle.  A friend told me that the native Americans in the region call it "woman rain" because it is soft and gentle).  The Marketing classes are hosting a Trade Show (something they do every year), which is a bit like a vendor fair, but with students presenting their projects.  It involves local businesses, as well, so it's an important project for them, but it does make the school a bit discombobulated.  I'll have kids actively involved in it, so they won't be in class, etc.

Anyway, it's 20 Time day again!  I have made excellent progress this week.  I've been physically tired (there's no tired like end-of-the-year Teacher Tired), but have managed to keep my hands busy while my bod rests.  I made 12 hats this week... I'm very close to my goal of 50 hats.  Instead of taking pictures on my desk at work (where there is fairly good lighting), I took these pictures on my kitchen table with mediocre lighting.

I've also transferred my hat-and-bootie sets into plastic bags, and my storage has now graduated from a fairly large shoe box to a mid-size plastic container.  I organized them by size last night, trying to figure out what sizes I need to make now.  They are fairly well-balanced, so... I kind of feel like I should make larger ones, and some holiday hats.  But... I was also thinking that I could continue doing this all summer, and do another donation in the fall.  I have accumulated a LOT of yarn!

So, what did I make this week?  Here you go...  I've organized them by pattern, so I'll link the pattern to the hats for you.

These bonnets were easy and fun to make.  Although I realized this morning that I'd posted a picture of the pink one earlier.  Still, I'll post the pattern, as it's really pretty.  All of the yarns for these are acrylic.  I used Yarn Bee (Hobby Lobby) baby yarn for the left bonnet. I used "I love this Yarn" sport in white for the blue and white bonnet. I edged it with Universal Yarn's "Uptown Baby Sport" in blue, and used a bright pink of the same yarn for the bonnet on the right.  The two bonnets on the left were made from the "Molly Bonnet" crochet pattern from Momma That Makes.  The one on the right is also from the same blog, called the "Rose Bonnet".  This particular blog has a ton of lovely items to make for preemies and babies.  If any of this kind of thing interests you, have a look at her blog!

I have made several hat and bootie sets from this pattern, the Little Babbity hat and booties from Marianna's Lazy Days.  She has an absolute TON of patterns, both knit and crochet, for babies and preemies.  Check her out on Ravelry or on her blog.  The link for this pattern takes you to her blog.  Her patterns are easy to follow and fun to make!

This is the Little Clusters Beanie pattern from Mamma that Makes.  It's quick, easy, and turns out cute every time.  I can turn out these fairly quickly... less than an hour.  And they don't take a lot of yarn, so you can make multiples while watching your favorite movies, etc.  (personally, I like to listen to audiobooks or podcasts)  I used Yarn Bee Camo print yarn for the hat at the top, and another Yarn Bee print for the one on the bottom right, and Bamboo Pop! yarn for the one on the lower left.

These two hats were made from two different patterns.  The one on the top comes from Mamma that Makes, the Garret beanie pattern, using the same Yarn Bee yarn from the picture above.  It has a slow color change that makes a lovely ombre effect.  The one on the bottom uses the Talia preemie hat pattern, using Cascade Yarns' "Fixation Splash" a cotton yarn that is blended with less than 2% spandex, making it very flexible.  Unfortunately, the stretch is a challenge, because if you don't keep the tension loose, it will be a hard, uncomfortable hat.  I can see it working better in a knit hat.  I picked it up on my visit to The Black Sheep at the beginning of May.

I've used this pattern many times, as it is quick to work up, and has multiple sizes.  I made these using Marianna Mel's Valerie pattern (posted on Ravelry and on her blog).  Both of the yarns I used for these were Baby Bee yarns... the one on the left is a variegated gray-blue-dark blue print, and the larger one on the right used a blue camo print.

Finally, I have one last pair.  This the Kaitlynn beanie from Momma that Makes.  It's a super-fast, easily memorized pattern.  You can change the size of the pattern by changing the yarn and hook.  The one on the right was made using a D hook and fingering yarn (Wool-Free sock yarn I got at Hobby Lobby--I love me a yarn sale!), but I think I miscounted my rows, as it seems rather short in length.  The one on the right uses the same yarn as the hat on the left in the photo above this one, showing you the variation in colors.

Chasing down and linking these patterns led me to discover several more patterns, so I've printed a bunch, and can't wait to try them!  One is a little newsboy-type hat, and another is an aviator style!  I have read, in my research, that boy hats are needed.  As I progress through my patterns, etc., I try to do one in feminine colors, and one in masculine colors, so that I have an equal balance.  But I still plan to make some white "angel baby" hats, too.

Well, time to grab my hook and get started!!  And it's a three-day weekend!!  Hallelujah!!  I'm planning to do some housework, and then work on my sewing room.  I need to rearrange how some things are stored, and then start bringing in bins from the dining room and garage (freeing up space!).  That will make it a functional room again, and I'm planning all kinds of fun projects, including getting back to sewing for dolls.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to make time to do something creative....

Busy Hands!

Hi there, and Happy Friday!!!  Woot!



It's been another busy, crazy kind of week, but I have actually been productive.  For a few evenings this week, my fingers were flying!  Proof:

Earlier this month, I stopped in at The Black Sheep in west Olympia and picked up some "Bamboo Pop!" and a few other skeins/balls of yarn.  Bamboo Pop is 50/50 Cotton and Bamboo (which is super soft), and works up into a very soft, flexible hat.  The two white hats, the bright pink, and the denim blue hat were made with it.  The multicolored hat on the left may also use that yarn--I can't remember, because the balls for Bamboo Pop and Cotton Fair look exactly the same (and feel very similar).  The blue hat used some yarn I picked up at the Black Sheep, as well.  I think it is a Cascade Yarn acrylic, but can't remember the label.  The light pink one in the upper right is made with a fine cotton chenille I found at either Hobby Lobby or Michael's.  

Patterns-- 

• The three solid-color larger hats use the Robby beanie pattern from Mamma That Makes.  She has several patterns I've tried and liked.  This one took me a bit to figure out on row 5 (I think), but once I figured it out, it was easy.  I liked the interesting pattern, which reminds me of filet crochet.  And it's unisex, so... easy to do in many colors.
• The two hats on the far right use the "Valerie" pattern from Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days. I really like the pattern, but I have only made one of the smallest ones.  It is perfect for a doll with a 5-6" head, but I have a hard time thinking of a baby with a head that tiny.  I will make micro hats soon, however.  I don't want to leave anybody out!  
• The multicolored hat on the lower left corner was made using the Preemie Gaige Hat by Allison Booker.  I found the pattern on Ravelry.  I don't think it turned out well in this color, but it's a cute hat.  I don't think I'll make more of them, as I'm concerned about the open loops on it.  I've read that hospitals prefer hats that don't have a lot of open holes, so that babies don't get their fingers caught in them.  If you've ever watched and infant stretch and curl their hands and feet, it makes sense.
• At center top of the photo is a speckled white knitted hat.  This one is the Jack and Jill hat, also from Marianna's Lazy Daisy days.  I like her patterns.  This is nice and stretchy, so the hat may look like it belongs on a Conehead, it is actually much roomier than it looks!  This pattern is also multi-sized.  Marianna makes all kinds of patterns for babies and preemies--you can find them all on Ravelry.com.  I like that she makes her patterns for two needles, as I struggle with DPNs.  

For more patterns, both Mamma That Makes and Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days have multiple patterns for babies, and thus far, have been pretty easy to do.  I like a pattern that's easy to memorize--it makes the work go faster/easier.

It's my daughter's 12th birthday today--how time flies!  It seems just a minute ago that she was my tiny preemie... she seems so big to me now, but compared to her peers, she's pretty small.  She's been sick lately, and that's putting a damper on birthday plans, but I think she's on the mend.

Have a restful weekend!!

Not the most productive week

I finished one bonnet (very cute pattern) and a bootie that I haven't sewed up yet.  And started the second bootie.

Booo... hiss!!

I have been busy every day this week, with meetings, appointments, errands, etc.  By the time I get home, I'm beat, and just don't have the energy to do anything creative, and really want to just zone out or take a nap.  And I got my hearing aids this week, so I'm having a bit of a "wow" week, as well.  I didn't know what I've been missing!!

It doesn't help that it's been very warm here in Washington this week--heat wave!  It's predicted to be in the upper 80s today, and, according to the news, it was 84 yesterday.  Heat just sucks the energy right out of me!  And we haven't got the air conditioning fired up yet.

And my daughter, who has yet to break the 15th percentile at any point in her life (she's petite and healthy), goes around the house with a blanket draped on her like a royal robe!!  She's always cold.

Earlier this week, she wanted hot cocoa!  !!!!!!  Then she asked me to teach her how to make tea.  Well, that was easy.  Showed her how to use the electric kettle, where the tea was (I have a canister filled with all kinds of tea bags, plus loose tea and tagless tea bags in their boxes in the pantry), and she's been making tea and taking it to school in a travel mug for the last three days!  I'm kind of sad and proud at the same time.  She's growing up so fast...she's going to be 12 next week.  Sigh...

Anyway... I've brought supplies and patterns to school with me today, so I can work on it during class--gotta be a good example--but it's already getting warmer, so we'll see how long that lasts.  Still tired.  Feels like I haven't slept at all this week.

Anyway...  Here is proof that I have done a few things, but not much.

The cap in dusty colors is just for reference.  The one bootie is not stitched (the cuff is folded over when it's done), and the second bootie is on the needle.  The pink lacy cap is the one hat I managed to finish this week.  I thought it was pretty, but even though I followed the directions, I think it could use a few more rows.  

And finally... It's Teacher Appreciation week!  I've been delivered something nice each day this week, from some gum (Extra, for the extra work we do), popcorn and water, to a nice little breakfast (we got to order... I got a Costco poppy seed muffin with a strawberry "kabob"--four big strawberries on a wooden kabob stick--and another bottle of water.  Keeping us hydrated!  :)  The picture shows a little wooden board with a tiny clothespin glued on and an acrostic for my name.  It has a place of honor amongst my Edgars (with a Minion trying to photobomb) and the turtle a colleague who shared a room with me brought me as a gift from his trip to Mexico.  I covered my bookcase, among a few other things, with a neutral, pretty sticky shelf paper to disguise some wear and tear.  Yes, I'm a crafty kind of a gal!!

Guidelines regarding charity donations

As promised, this post is about the technical details regarding making hats, booties, and possibly blankets and gowns for preemies, my 20 Time project this spring.

Some questions that I need to explore:

1. Where to donate?  Ella was born at Tacoma General/Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, as were several of my colleagues' children.  My sister's kids were all born early at St. Peter's Hospital in Lacey/Olympia.  I have already contacted TG, and they have given me the information for how to donate (and were thrilled that I was doing this).  I have not contacted St. Pete's yet.
2. How to donate?  For TG, I can bring the completed garments to the main desk on the MLK Jr. Drive entrance (patient services desk).
3. Requirements for donations?  Preemies have delicate skin, so only the softest fibers can be used, and the garments have to be washable.  So, wool is out.  Acrylics are best, although I've found a brand of cotton that's blended with acrylic, so it has give and isn't as hard or lumpy as all-cotton would be (Cotton Fair by Premiere Yarns--I've found it at JoAnn's), and SO soft.  Items must also come from a smoke-free home.  
4. Sizes?  3-5lbs most popular, most needed, 1-3lbs, 6-8lbs, 9-11lbs, Newborn.  Chart below:
5. Resources?  Ravelry is my go-to source for patterns.  I'm only using free patterns, as this is for charity, and nobody should be benefiting from charity patterns other than the recipient of the garment made from said patterns.

I have found most of my information online (of course).  Some of those websites are linked below:

Preemies of the Carolinas provided the sizing chart above, as well as some of the guidelines I have listed above.  They also have patterns linked to their website.

The Preemie Project is another good resource.  They list the best yarns for making garments, as well as further guidelines regarding fibers, etc.  They have many patterns linked on their patterns page!

Bev's size charts gives you some useful information with regards to making hats, and gauging sizes. 

Newborns in Need is a good resource for patterns, etc.

Salty Pearl Crochet has many hat patterns, some of which are really cute.

I have made a few more this week, as well as made booties for them to match.  I'm in the middle of knitting a set right now, in fact.  The hat is done, and now I'm doing booties (because they are adorable, and because all footwear for babies tends to be HUGE for tiny feet... Ella's feet were barely the size of my thumb, and I have a picture of her on the 4th of July her first year with a pair of red fabric sandals that were ridiculously ginormous on her.  But then...she has Cinderella feet: small and somewhat narrow, just like my maternal grandmother, whose nose she has also inherited). 

Here is what I'm currently working on:

The pattern for the hat above is called Babbity Baby Hats (and Booties) for preemies.  Here is a link to the pattern:  Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days.  The yarn is Cherub DK by Cascade yarns.  I also brought the other skein, thinking I'd maybe finish early, but I've had barely any time to work on it today!  The other skein is pretty, and I'm looking forward to working it up.  It's Baby Bee's "Sweet Delight" in feminine pastels (lavender, pale green, white), found at Hobby lobby.  I have only found Cherub DK in two stores:  Craft Warehouse in Boise, ID, and The Black Sheep in west Olympia.  I love it--55% nylon, 45% acrylic.  Soft as buttah. 

Hmm... I believe it has been a while since I visited the Black Sheep... I believe I may make an excursion there this afternoon!  I have to go to JoAnn's, and it's in the same area.  Shopping!!! 

Well, folks, that's it for today.  I will find that picture of Ella and post it this weekend.  Till then, have a great day!