Baby boy, baby blanket

This is 28 by 33 1/2 inches, and 6 colours.

This is one of the items I am selling.

As for the extended family Christmas gifts. These are not all of them, just the ones I have made up until this point. I really do hope they like these more than the bookmarks I made. I tried. Like last year, these have taken up to four hours a piece. I am not use to such delicate crochet as I am regular yarn. 

I like making them and, even if I did have the extra money to spend on the many, many more people I have added to my family being with the man-unit. I would still probably crochet them gifts. But being a full-time mommy on a budget, littleman comes first.  I can't honestly say no to a 13 month old when, he takes the effort to crawl up on the couch, and my lap and hug me.

Maybe if I had another pair of arms and hands.

Halloween

So October has been a bit of a busy month for the family and myself. Trying to settle into out new place, while updating the bathroom. Thanksgiving, the Hubby's birthday, our son's birthday...

Needless to say, lots of baking, good food, and family.

I have just finished crocheting Ianto's helmet to his costume last night.

I had to shorten his tunic several times before he was comfortable with wearing it and I knew it was short enough for him not to trip in. Both the hat and his cape have my favourite accessory, magnetic snaps.Any pressure with either the hat or cape being caught (tugged, snagged, pulled, tripped... etc,) and they will detach and fall off him. But that doesn't give me a false sense of security. He is still watched while wearing all any of it.

It was the best DIY costume thrown together in two days. Since I already had the materials. Yes. Yes, I did just happen to have a bolt of red suede laying around.

He actually likes the outfit.

I have been working on some Christmas stuff between being busy with everything else.
Here is a preview

Hmmm. Oh yeah. Everyone has been upset with retailers and Christmas buffs about getting into the spirit early. I am not exactly one to jump on the festive bandwagon, I am excited to make these and get the hang of some of these patterns and stitches.

I guess you will have to wait until November to see more of what I am making.

Shawl Finished

Squee! Now that my initial excite of finishing this. After hours of hard work, that often left either my eyes or hands sore, it feels good to finish this shawl. It's been a while since I could start on something and, complete it. Now that we are starting to settle in our apartment, and after over a year we now have our own personal space again. I still have not found a permanent place for my crochet stash... Yet.

The lighting in my place is odd, It is a basement walkout so two out of our 4 windows have good lightening, half  of the day, so the only good place to take any pictures of anything (without my son getting into it,) is my bathroom.

Source pattern from Winter Rose

Slippers

I like making things. It makes me feel good about, everything.
Sure right now I am a stay at home mom, and my son is just a few weeks away from walking, running and running circles around the husband and myself.

I made my husband a pair of slippers a few years ago, they looked like 'granny slippers' but, he liked them. The only problem with home made slippers is the lack of rubberized soles that prevent you from taking a slip or help you to re-enact a certain scene from Risky Business on your hardwood.

I searched and searched online until I found something not normally used in crochet

Just after one coat, don't worry it comes in different colours. 

Including clear.

It's called Plasti Dip, it claims that it CAN come off (easily if you accidental get it on yourself or surfaces,) but not once it soaks into the yarn.

Before I tried on the newly finished replacement slippers for my husband, I decided to do a test patch. For several reasons. One being will this scuff up my (the in laws) floors. No. And can I run these slippers in the wash AND dryer or will it be a high maintenance item. Yes it can be machine washed and dried.

 Abused test patch.

 It made the crochet almost indestructible and doesn't bleed to the other side.

You can find this online at most building supply stores. Home depot does not sell this in store (not in my area at least,) We actually picked this up at Canadian Tire in the spray paints and sealants sections for $25. I used about a third of the can on two coats, plus test patch. 

To coats later, it smells a bit funky, but that goes away. within 2 days or the first washing. It does not heat up in the dryer. Thankfully. Because I was almost expecting to be scrapping rubbery goop from the dryer for an hour. It does not make the slippers any heavier and I am re-assured that the hubby won't break his neck because of something I made. His first pair didn't have this stuff on it and it took a while before the yarn was worn down enough to no longer be slippery, This also helps the life of the slippers.

Fifty-Five Hours

I have 39 more rows to go. Then the tassel ends.

I have not bothered to actually time myself every time I have worked on this. Lets face it, this is the second piece I have made with crochet thread and my technique has gotten better with each row. When I first started it could take me anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes per row. now it takes 5-12 minutes per row.


I have decided to make a few pieces that I could take to arts and crafts shows. I have looked into consignment and it seems the best place for consignment is actually Once Upon a Child. They don't want 50% up to %80 commission. They do not want to charge me fees after anywhere from 30-90 days without a sale and everywhere else wants me to buy back any piece I have made. The only catch would be is they are only interested in baby blankets that catch there eye. Ebay wants monthly and other costs to list and, Esty has similar commission percentiles and fees to list items which may not be as ridiculous as consignment shops, but I am on a budget and well... It's a bit ridiculous how much money the middle men want for MY hard work. I am sure most can identify with that so I will not preach to the choir.

55 hours is the estimated time I am averaging, if each row took 15 minutes to do. I have spent more then 37 hours on this already, so averaging 10 minutes per row is not happening.

People hate when I do the math for what I plan on asking for this piece.
55 hours is overtime on a normal work week, but I am not going to ask for time and a half on anything. My work isn't exactly priority. My son is.

Minimum wage in Ontario is $10.25 hourly. I don't think anyone would buy a shawl for $563.75, so to be more realistic I will be asking $250 (OBO.)

My next question is, is that really an unfair price to ask? Or are we all just use to cheap foreign made products. I honestly hate to shove this in any hard working person's face but face it, the reason why this would be $25-50 at a chain store would be you are buying a product that was made by paying someone pennies an hour to make this.

Would you want someone to under value your hard work?
Do you feel that your hard work is already under-valued as you read this?

Checkers and Chess

I know my son is a ways away from being able to play checkers or chess but, I am sure when he finally gets it he will appreciate this.

If I were to do this again I think I would spend the extra effort making it one solid piece instead of squares to be put together later.

Live and learn.

I think I am going to make collapsible chess pieces that when flat are the checker pieces.

Ninja scarf Mod

Since the summer is reaching its end (Boooo) and the colder months are coming I thought about what I could do for winter and well, Christmas.

I figured that my first design was a little awkward. Have those 4 ties makes it look more like a hospital mask and leaves some other issues like the sides flaring out and a little more work. Some tangling if one is in a hurry. I like the light weight and less bulk compared to scarfs. Now that I have modified the design it seems a lot better.

It's still the usual colour. Loud.

It covered the ears and face a lot better then the tiny ties, and seems to distribute the tension of tying it together at the back a little more evenly.

It's just over 3 feet (96 cm to be exact.) And it is a lot easier to make then the first design. Made with the super bulky Bernat Baby Blanket and a 10mm hook.  If Crochet programs weren't so out of my current budget, I would put up a diagram. It's pretty easy to make.

It took me less then 2 hours and my son is becoming more and more self entertaining each day. I am relieved that he no longer yells at me for crocheting in front of him.

Hiatus of sorts...

Extremely long story short, I had to move. I would being going on and on if I said the whole story.  Our (former) room mate decided to break some previously agreed upon rules and, instead of doing the mature adult thing, left us in tough spot that we wanted to avoid putting our son in.

That being said I haven't really had any time to crochet. My son has learned how to crawl in the last month and gets into EVERYTHING! I am lucky if I get more then a minute to sit down, The place is far from baby-proofed and we won't start having our own space until at least the first week of September. So I get to follow my 9 1/2 month son and do not get to stop unless he is asleep.

Even as I have typed this I have pulled the adorable little monster away from playing with the dogs dish twice and away from trying to slap any electronic in the area...make the dogs dish 3 times... He understands the words 'no,' 'come here,' and 'juice.' And is currently trying to climb me while yelling at me for telling him no for the dog dish.

Since I can (rarely) grab 5 minutes here and there without him getting into something I have been trying to finish this checker/chess board blanket for him, I need 16 more dark blue squares before I can put it together. 

You do not realize how much running after human larva time consuming can be until the last time you checked, it was lunch time. Now its dinner time. I will be happy when we move into the apartment we are getting. Whenever that will be. For now I feel like a space invader living with my in-laws, Its been more then a year since I had personal space. I miss what that feels like.

Filet Rose Shawl

I once swore I would never do filet crochet. At the time I was just getting the hang of crochet and seeing other people's filet made me cringe. Extremely tiny. Not entirely complicate form of crochet as long as you aren't getting into the fancy Hairpin Lace or Romanian Point Lace (RPL), it is actually pretty easy to get the hang of. After some practice of course.

Oh an I will point out that when you usually see that awesome, lovely raised lace patterns. The really classy and beautiful stuff, if it is not machined it is RPL or Tatting usually. They are both very insane, extreme crochet and, makes my brain hurt just watching the tutorials. But that may change the more I practice.

As I ponder more about where my skills are now, and what they once were, versus where I want them to be. I know that I have come along way and can be happy with myself, but, I feel like the unpaid intern at a fashion studio. I love it but I had to do the math.

This is has taken about 10 hours at the point when this was taken

By this picture it's been about 15 hours

Granted, with the simple pattern above the rose its a lot fast to do, but that is still about 20 hours of work.

I first esitmated it would take about 80 hours to finish, but probably closer to 70 hours.
Sadly, I do not fore see anyone paying me (Ontario) minimum wage for it. That is about $700. I will be lucky if someone wants $250 for it. $3.50/hour doesn't cut it for thrifty Canadians, how can I compete with spending pennies a day on child labour of any brand name.

Have you even gone out and splurged on a beautiful article of clothes or well crafted leather bag? I have seen people spend over $200 on a pair of pants they wear for 3 months and toss. 

Face it, no matter how you can justify to yourself, cheaply mass produced items make our world go around.
Mind you, if you gave me $700, it would go back into the economy, not to a different country or, someone else's pocket who doesn't need more pocket change.

Nobody likes to over spend, but no one likes their work to depreciated in the grand scheme of things either.

Birthdays, Holidays, Family and Teething

Feeling drained gets tossed around a lot when you have a baby...

So after spending the majority of the last 2 weeks sleeping on a floor or couch looking after my son who is currently teething.

  Upset baby taking a cute break.

All he wants is to fall asleep chewing a hand. Now that he can pull himself up he has been yelling at me from a whole new height. Because he isn't happy unless he is on my lap, it's been hard to crochet anything. When it hasn't been an uncomfortable baby, finding the time between family birthdays, Mother's day, upcoming Fathers day.... It's hard to get 10 minutes to myself.

Ten hours of work. Not even close to finishing. I am sure it would take me as long if I didn't have a baby to look after.  Hopefully now that the little man's teeth are coming out he wont feel so put out. 

Shirts!

Ok so I haven't been on in a while, moving with a baby is really hard. It's worse when said baby has also discovered mobility within days of moving. I had bought a bunch of yarn (and currently waiting on thread,)
crochet seems to help keep me sane on my down time. It's a good skill to know.

The green one took me about 8 hours give or take. I felt proud that I used all 360 yards (a ball) in one day.

The pink one took maybe about 4 hours, as it is just a simple mesh design. I did not have a pattern for either one of these shirts. I have a giant grey ball and a deep purple ball of yarn that I am currently working on. When I find my skirt I will post that on here.

As for the crochet thread  that I am waiting for, I am currently attempting to work on a pattern for both colours before I even get them.

Off Topic: Hand Bag

I hate Throwing out clothes. I remember growing up and seeing pretty much EVERYTHING recycled in one way or another. Growing up in the country with a big garden, a large backyard and, a creek to play in you see recycling a lot.

You plant, you pick, you cook, you eat and return what you do not use in the mulch where it turns into fertilized soil for your garden. Seems almost too easy...

I have a pile of clothes that over the years I no longer fit, I would hate to throw out and donating my worn out clothings... well, I wear the heck out of my clothing.

I have tried so many times to sew. but I can't seem to make it past simple hem jobs. But no time for that right now.

As you can see this was a very pretty (and very LOUD) sweater at one point.

Not shown: How majestic in its sparkly it is.

I made it into a simple bag, no second pockets, two handles and one draw string. I like sewing, productive hobbies are great. But it takes way to much set up and planning with a baby in the house. And I am sure I am not the only one who has stabbed themselves with fast moving sewing needles.

However, I used the all knowing thing called google (seriously its scary what you can find.) BAM! Presto Clothing to Yarn.  

Thick floor rugs here I come!

Final touches

This has only taken, forever. Over the last year and something... Well up until a few days ago I had left this for months just about to finish the bottom third of the wing.

 Size discrepancy. I had the other to segments stretched 

and rolled over and over while working on them.

Hours.

That is indeed how long this took. First time trying tapestry and something honestly this freaking huge. Not a weekend. After a while your fingers cry rug burn. My husband asked me how long this has taken. I've lost count, does 50 hours even sound right? I am vaguely aware of when I started this. 

Almost finished the border but otherwise it is done! Now to cackle wildly with madness as I repeat "I'm Free!" over and over as I finish it. Kidding. But it's cause for celebration of sticking the whole thing out instead of giving up when it got to at one point a half a dozen strings to work with at once.

Breaks and eye exercises help when working on something for hours at a time.

It was certainly easier towards the end after getting the rhythm and technique down.

Left over yarn for the win.

Baby Poncho

I was wanting to do this for a while now, but figured it could wait until my son started showing signs that it was time to sit up. Well he isn't exactly there. He is soon on his way.

Its a simple design and could be continued in the rows to make it as large as you want.  I think this is honestly the first thing he doesn't mind wearing.  I will post the example sometime later as my GIMP program seems to be crashing each time I opening it. It really is one of the easiest designs I have ever followed. After that Lapa, I found the Foundation chain to be really helpful.  I had (60) FSC sl st into a ring. and then Sc into each. Next Row: ch 3, 2hdc into previous sp, ch 1 *[Hdc 3 into one every 3 sc then, sc]* Repeat (10 times) then place an extra 3 hdc into previous space. sc. Repeat from *. When you reach the beginning of this row sl st in first ch.
This creates a granny-square effect, and each proceeding ro you will always do that double 3hd into the previous space between (3hdc, sc, 3hdc, sc.) This will create the length and height required on the body and arms.

Lapa by Dorris Chan... for the most part

I had seen this pattern a few times before I attempted it. You can find the Lapa Here. It's a wonderful spring to summer feel about it. I like wearing Camisoles but I actually cannot stand my shoulders being bare. Don't worry that preference only gets more awkward into the hotter months when it will be rare you will catch me in anything but pants and a shirt... possibly toque.

I had two major problems the yarn and the instructions.
I had picked up some Bernat Baby Sport yarn and thought it was going to blend well once worked into a pattern, in the ball it seemed pretty bright and worked well and for the most part gender neutral. However. That was not the case, the colour was Lillipop Drop. Anyone who has tried to work with it or, seen it understands how obnoxious and... unique it looks once turned into well, anything. So I had to balls of the stuff lying around in my stash for well over a year wondering what I should do -But I will get to that in a moment.

The second problem made me wonder if I was reading the instructions wrong or, if I was missing a key step. Looking to the help forums it seemed that almost everyone had a similar problem (not the one I was having) and people just started nit-picking over typos that were small but confusing. The whole thing was confusing and after praying to whatever god(s) one prays to in dire times of confusion. I left the instructions to the wind after I got the gist of the yoke and staggered puff/mesh of the body.

I tried this pattern with this yarn because it seemed like the right fit and may as well use an ugly colour yarn to sacrifice for learning a pattern that was more like an over glorified treasure hunt.

Yarn worked before the dye and the shirt 

after the dye.

Even this picture does justice to the incredibly horrible mish-mash of combined colours. I guess this is why I do not see Bernat selling this colour of yarn anymore...

 

Hoodies for my Boys

I made this for my son to match the hubby's skull hoodie.

Naturally I wanted to make it less shocking and well, cute compared to the man-unit's. I made it not so realistic and more day of the dead/pirate-ish. Considering we visited family for Christmas and Shocked one or two of the older relatives with this...

The pattern I used is Bernat's Sweet Baby Hoodie, 6 month version. I believe its good up to 24 months. Ironic considering its more 'bad-ass' then sweet. But not the first hoodie I made.

Buttons and zippers are useless with a fussy on-the-go baby.

I Improvised with magnetic buttons

I am always afraid that if I put anything involving a zipper on my son one false move and he gets hurt. A problem with buttons is we fumble around and the kid already knows how to undo do them.

 I found these at Wal-mart, they are kind of like snaps but hold together with magnets. Bonus is unlike buttons, he hasn't figured them out, nor has the power or co-ordination to pull them apart... Yet.

I have extra of these button and will find a use for them. Maybe a cape clasp perhaps when my son is older and on the go by his own locomotion. Just enough to hold but no draw strings to fiddle with or choke on.
 to secure it bu

Hubby's Dragon Blanket

So this beast has been worked on, on and off for over a year now. I started this before I was pregnant and well, life got complicated and busy...

I like doing it this project and I should finish it, but it is tedious at the best of times. It's in a tapestry style crochet and I am actually farther then the above picture, but you try having up to 9 strings at once hanging off of your crochet. Hard, isn't it?

After several minutes of trying not to delete pictures of  my child from a memory card even though they are saved onto my computer... My 10 year old half broken nearly obsolete digital camera still takes better pictures then anything else in the house. I wasn't going for any fancy stitch, this is all single crochet so I made this design off of free pixel software similar to cross-stitching software.

I guess this is me being master procrastinator. Or is this my irrational fear of running out of yarn...

Banana and regular sized orange yarn for scale. 

You're welcome Del Monte for the free ad. 

Oh. Right. I'd be that person where IF the zombie apocalypse were to come to fruition, I would be the one making off with yarn not weapons. 

The First Blanket

I was working nights at a cab company when I made this. During dead stretches it was hard to stay awake. No cell phones, no computer games or internet, people usually brought books but I couldn't do it. I love reading, but something about the plethora of available romances and day old newspapers looses its appeal after 15 minutes a day. Depending on the day it could be really busy and then nothing for a whole hour. I wouldn't consider myself 'ADD' but when you volunteer to update info to make everyone's life easier in the between customer times and its turned down, what else is there to do? Alejandro wooing the fair maidens in the Spanish Seas? I think not.

Productivity would have been higher if we at least had the news or weather to watch. 

Those are relevant to dispatching cabs.

 My son could have 20 things in front of him, but blankets trump all. It's a small square blanket 76cm wide. I don't think he cares its buttercup in colour. This is something that he recognizes as his.

But at least I wasn't given crayons and colouring books like my last phone operator job. Don't get me wrong, that is always fun, but we weren't going to run with scissors, pencil crayons would have been more dignified.

When you are then only one in the office for 6 hours...

Older projects

A few years back I some winter gear to cope with Southern Alberta winters. It's sooo cold in Calgary that they have car block-heater outlets at public parking lots. Brrrrr! It could be 20+ degrees one day, -20 the day after.

 It's rare that I find a store bought scarf that I like, they either are way to short or they fall apart before the season is out. I am also not sure why anyone would sacrifice functionality for fashionable but I have had a few that doesn't cut out the wind. Some times I don't need an overly heavy scarf, just a wind blocker for my neck.

 Scarf - Is blue camouflage yarn, its still vibrant after 3 years worth of winters and being in and out of washing and drying.  I made it super long at 182cm and 18cm wide.

Ninja Scarf   

 I do like scarves but depending on what I am wearing I can't have my scarf fit entirely in my hood.  

Wet scarfs are icky to ever wear and depending on where you are going and how long you are staying, your scarf may not dry in time.

Ok so this thing isn't exactly a scarf more as a wrap, but any coat with a high collar and hood its great to wear.

Made from Bernat Baby Blanket yarn it's super thick and really soft. 25cm wide and 16cm tall and the ties are about 35cm long.

 

 

 Note: The stuffed tiger is not for sale, I will put up instructions for it later, for free. But I cannot sell this item. For more information on any of these items raynecrochet@gmail.com

Hair Ties for Sale!

 Hair Ties!

These are non metal Ouch-resistant hair ties.
Sadly I cannot ask for the price I wanted.
Due to shipping rates I have to ask $20 within Canada, and $25 to the USA just to recover the cost of sending.

However, if you want more then one per purchase it will only be $7 for each additional item as the price to ship stays relatively the same up to 2.2kg (5lbs).

I can also make them without the elastic band upon request.

These are hand made, so there is no worry that a small child has made less then a few pennies making these. The elastic part I cannot guarantee. I have yet to find an elastic yarn.

Worth every penny. Hand made. One of a kind.  Product of Canada. Bernat Yarns. Machine or hand washable. 

Page will be updated when more are made.
Depending on time I can only make anywhere from 3-4 a day. Other projects and baby permitting.

4 available immediately!
-Purple
-White
-Pink
-Yellow

To come:
Light blue
Dark blue
Teal

12 in total will be made unless demand dictates more.

Please feel free to email me raynecrochet@gmail.com 

Upcoming items for sale

I will be making these in several different colours, this is the pink. I will also have blue and white for sure.I am using metal-free hair elastics. For more info contact me.
raynecrochet@gmail.com

Ianto's Blanket

People got mad at me when I wanted to know if I was having a boy or girl when I was pregnant. Yes there were minor health reasons to wanting to know but truth was I wanted more variety then sticking to yellow, green and, white for crochet. Granted, my son LOVES his yellow blanket.
 I wanted to make something special for him.

This took me hours, it helped get me through almost 3 months of horrible morning sickness and gives him a keepsake when he grows up. The first article of clothing he ever wore was the hat I made to match this. I want to keep these so that one day when he is all grown up I can pull out this blanket and hat set and say 'you use to fit this hat.'

I can see the imperfections in the work, but everyone else thinks it's beautiful. I loved working on this blanket. My son seems to prefer the stuff I have made for him, I am glad he enjoys them.

Hat and Beard

Got a good laugh from my room-mate. I had just finished this as a Birthday present when her car spontaneously burst into flames, she turned around and saw this. Hats are easy to make, I read the first line of the beards instructions and then just did what I wanted.

Project to sell

So there it is!
This was my first fillet crochet project, not bad if I do say so. However this took me forever to complete, with moving cross-country and having a baby.

raynecrochet@gmail.com to inquire about the details.