TuTu Madness

 So, like any good crafter, I like to completely overdue every new craft right out of the gate. I wanted to make a tutu, but once I was half through the first one, I knew I would be making more. In fact, I had to run to the store before I was finished with #1 because I knew what I wanted #2 to look like.

My lovely niece is modeling #2 for you; I think if I made one of these for her birthday gift she would be quite happy. She does love it when I sew for her; however, she likes to give everything away, too.

Number 1 did not have yellow in it. I am not sure it was a necessary addition but it's cute too. 

The rainbow is pretty...

Meet #1; I like the pretty colors and full it is.  I tied two colors at a time which I didn't do on number 2 but will be doing from here on out.

It's full and fun!  I will try to update this with more pictures of the tutus on, maybe one on each girl.

My Rag Rug

When I as younger, one of my aunts made beautiful rag rugs. I have always wanted one; as I got older, I wanted to make one.

 So, I used fabric-I-own to make it, so I can't take much credit for the colors.

I cut about 2 inches into the fabric and about one inch wide so I could tear my strips. Wow. What a mess! 

I like the look of the torn edges but it takes so long!

My mom asked: "Are you using my rotary cutter to cut your strips?"

Me: "No. Brilliant!"

The strips came along much quicker when I used the rotary cutter.  The main difference, besides time, is that when I tore the strips, the mess occurred at that time.  When I cut the strips, I made a mess everywhere I crocheted. Sorry Dad.

 It was easy to make.  I made a chain the length I wanted (to fit in front of my couch) using the biggest crochet hook I could find and single crocheted till it was as wide as I wanted.

Once I had finally tied off, I noticed that I had gotten a little wider as I went along.

Oh well.  I love it anyway.

The kids liked it. It worked well to put Baby Dale on when I propped him up in his boppy.

Perfect.

Another craft well done. 

Ben and Nick Birthday Gifts

Here are the boys's gifts: 

 I have been following a lot of blogs with the help of Pinterest.  I found both of these patterns through there.

The frog will get a crown tomorrow if I have time before the party at 2.

The spider's link is here:
http://craft-with-confidence.blogspot.com/2010/09/spider-bug-buddy-tutorial-bug-3-of-3.html
The frog, here:
http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/07/a-stuffed-frog-prince-a-tutorial-and-download.html

Daddy and the Babies

Here are a few pictures of Chris with the kids.

 Chris held Dale on his lap and shared his hat with him.

 They were busy getting stuff done.

 Daddy holding Dale after a bath. Dale was all wrapped up in his fuzzy blanket...all warm and snuggly.

 Jess was helping Chris whisk the rue for dinner.

Chris had cooked down the ham bone to make a stock; 

He made ham and potato soup for our dinner last night.

 Jessica was a happy helper.

Here are the two of them in the kitchen.  I love our little family.

Jessie's Poncho

Last year, I started to crochet myself a poncho is this very subtle orange.  When I finally finished it, my daughter and niece both wanted to run around in it.  They were sticking their hands through the holes in mine for sleeves.  I still had at least a skein of the orange yarn so I thought that Jes would like a poncho of her own.  I finished it last night.  I based it on the pattern linked on the bottom of this post.

 Lion Brand makes you sign up for access to their patterns but it doesn't cost and they have a pattern for almost everything.  

When I finally finished the poncho last night, the pattern wasn't handy so I made up the finished edges myself; I like my finish better then the pattern.

I would have taken a better photo except my camera battery died at this point; when I find my charger, I will take another better shot.  It really wasn't very hard and would have been done by now if I hadn't started it right before the Christmas season.

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/chs-scallopEdgePonchoKids.html?r=1

Rooster Potholder

I saw a rooster pot holder in the kitchen for my mother-in-law's church; I knew when I saw it that I had the fabric at home and had to make it.

I did some searching on line where I found this link: 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5884442_sew-chicken-potholder-crafts-fun.html

Why go through all of the trouble to draw my own pattern when someone else has done the hard part?

 I over stuffed the first one which caused it to bow out at the sides.  That's all right, though, because my daughter fell in love with her chicken and wants to sleep with it.

 "Puffy" Chicken

 After talking to a few people (Mom, Husband, and friend Sarah), I decided to stuff less, sew down the center back so it would fold easier, and use binding to finish it.  

 I like it and may have to make one for me.

 My friend Sarah is in the background here.

 The bottom.  My camera's back screen doesn't work so I have a hard time centering pics.

Wreath Revealed

I believe that this is the finished product.  I like the unfinished edges and the free form.  The grape vines for the wreath came from my sister's fence; the neighbor's grapes are out of control and were flowing over her fence.  I was able to get enough vines for 2 wreaths.  I will make a second one just for fun.

 This is supposed to be a flower bud.

 I used some beads and some buttons as the centers of the flowers.

 I didn't finish the edges of the petals as the fabric doesn't fray very easily and wont be "washed" so it should stay nice just the way it is.

 I'd like to take credit for the bow but I can't. My friend Sarah made it.

This seems to be finished.  I can't think of anything else that could/should go on it.  I hope she likes it.  It was made with love just for Susie Welt.  :)