Crafty mamas, come on in here! - Page 3

[Elroebot]

Can anyone give me a good size for a blanket that could be used to swaddle but also just snuggle... seeing as this is my first my only frame of reference is "babies are small" Since we're due in spring I'm just going to do double layered flannel and i was thinking square. The pieces are 45" square...this seems maybe a teense too big?

[WindyDSM]

Originally Posted by Elroebot

Can anyone give me a good size for a blanket that could be used to swaddle but also just snuggle... seeing as this is my first my only frame of reference is "babies are small" Since we're due in spring I'm just going to do double layered flannel and i was thinking square. The pieces are 45" square...this seems maybe a teense too big?

I found this website that might help, it suggests 34" or 36" square.

http://www.naturaleco.com/articles/r...waddling.shtml

[Elroebot]

Perfect! thanks! Very excited that I think I may be feeling good enough to have a very productive crafty weekend.

[MelW]

Windy, the quilt is beautiful!

Swaddle blanket sounds lovely, too

[WindyDSM]

Originally Posted by MelW

Windy, the quilt is beautiful!

Swaddle blanket sounds lovely, too

Thank you!

She got me thinking of making some swaddle blankets too...

[WindyDSM]

Ok, I'm 99% don't with the quilt now. Only 99 because I have to fasten the front, batting, and back with yarn which I discovered is a PITA so I'm gonna finish doing that tomorrow.

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...m/IMG00126.jpg

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...IMG00127-1.jpg

I bought bamboo batting for it, which is sooo soft, and bamboo is naturally antibacterial so that's a plus for being around baby.
The binding is rainbow, I had a green that matched the back but I ran out and when I tried to go find more the colors didn't match, go figure.
The back is super soft... like I wish it was my blanket soft.

I also bought yarn at the store to start trying to crochet the baby bunny hat, I got bamboo yarn which is also really soft. Most of the yarn, even the "baby soft" yarns, were to scratchy for my liking. I'm thinking "if I was a newborn, I would not want this touching me", and when I touched the bamboo I was in love. I attempted to start the hat last night but I really suck at making rounds so I'm gonna practice with some less expensive yarn and maybe a bigger hook until I can successfully chain in circles.

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by mom2sol

I really want to make this baby blanket, so when the doll is done I'm going to get started on it.

I would love to make that blanket, but can't really justify buying more yarn. Oh, wait, yes I can! As I've already decided to purchase singly ply sheeps down to make the baby blanket in the Knitter's Almanac. Figure it'll be cheaper than buying a shearling blanket, ya know?

[wobblykate]

For anyone who has crocheted/knitted soakers...do you make them extra big and then wash them? Do you not shrink them and only wash in cold? I bought some yarn at a thrift store yesterday (100% wool) and I want to make soakers out of it, but I wasn't sure how to deal with the shrinkage issue...

[jerri]

Depending on the wool I use, I just wash by hand in lukewarm water. Peace Fleece is the only one I've been able to throw in the washer without harmful shrinkage. My husband likes to make doll-sized soakers though, so this baby may have all Peace Fleece- why is it so hard for him to remember to keep the wool out of the washer?

[wobblykate]

Originally Posted by jerri

Depending on the wool I use, I just wash by hand in lukewarm water. Peace Fleece is the only one I've been able to throw in the washer without harmful shrinkage. My husband likes to make doll-sized soakers though, so this baby may have all Peace Fleece- why is it so hard for him to remember to keep the wool out of the washer?

ooh...that's not something I'd taken into account. My DH is horribly with the laundry...to the point where I've told him he never has to do laundry again...I'll take care of it all! But he's got some sort of compulsion and can't keep his hands off :. Maybe I'll dye all the soakers bright orange and he'll get the hint.

His usual MO isn't shrinking tho, it's mixing colors with white and making everything stained and dingy. If he wasn't such a wonderful man...

[Azreial]

I had some wonderful "oversized" receiving blanket that I got for my twins. I hope I still have them. If I do I'll measure them. They were the best. The boys were tiny (4lbs 7ozs and 5lbs 6oz at birth) and we used them from when they were a few weeks old until we finished swaddling; 8mths? maybe more, they liked the swaddle

[bodhitree]

Windy, that quilt looks great. I love all the interesting things on each square for baby to explore.

I went to a wool festival last weekend and got some great yarns! I found some great superwash wool that will be used to knit a sweater for the baby:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/...6c2559cfa6.jpg

And I also found some incredibly beautiful hand-dyed wool that I'm going to use for a wrap for myself:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/...9296c8642e.jpg

And I've started a collection of thrifted white onesies and shirts in various sizes. I'm going to tie-dye them, once I've collected a bunch. That way the kiddo will have some awesome bright clothes to wear that aren't pastel in any way. Not that there's anything wrong with pastels, I just expect I'll get sick of them if that's all the kid ever wears!

[wobblykate]

What a good idea. I've bought a ton of thrifted onesies and wrap tees. Anyone ever kool-aide dyed before? Does it make nice, dark colors?

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by wobblykate

What a good idea. I've bought a ton of thrifted onesies and wrap tees. Anyone ever kool-aide dyed before? Does it make nice, dark colors?

Well, it works great on protein fibers, like wool or alpaca. I've never tried it with cotton before, but that would be a fun experiment.

[WindyDSM]

Does the jacket thing I made for my dog count toward the craftiness? Fall is in full swing and he's outside most of the day without a proper doghouse (he didn't fit in the one we had). So after I realized he secretly liked the costume I put on him, I measured him out and made something for him out of spare fleece and a jeany-type scrub shirt I had. He seems to like it... DH is gonna wonder what I did to his pitty when he gets home, lmao. Big bad pitbull wearing clothes. I'll try to get a pic in the daylight tomorrow, the one I took in the laundry room doesn't show his outfit very well.

Also, I'm crocheting a blanket for baby. It's much bigger than I expected (60" rather than 40something) but it'll be ok once the kid gets bigger, and who knows maybe DH and I will be able to borrow the blanket occasionally.

[bodhitree]

LMAO at the idea of a dog secretly liking to wear a costume. Wouldn't want to admit that you liked something that undignified, for sure...

[WindyDSM]

Yeah, he's a weird dog for sure. That's what happens when you adopt strays, lol.

I got a couple pics of him modeling the jacket:

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...m/IMG00165.jpg

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...m/IMG00166.jpg

It's funny, he rips the jacket off during the day, but won't tear it up as he usually does with fabric. It's as if he's saying "nooo, people can't see me in it. Wait 'til later." Come nightfall he leaves it on, lmao. He even jumped on my lap and started giving me doggy kisses last night. I have the weirdest animals (it's a vet tech thing ).

[bodhitree]

Yep, he looks like he likes it but doesn't want you to think that he likes it.

[MelW]

I love the dog jacket, WindyDSM!

Today I bought some superwash merino to make a baby yoda sweater. I wanted to buy a bright burgundy, but my daughter was pretty set on green for yoda, so we chose a deep spruce instead. I'm having to re-learn how to knit after a summer hiatus, though (I tend to garden in the summer and knit in the winter)

[wobblykate]

beautiful sweater, MelW. What skill!