Small Wooden Birdhouse

Small Birdhouse
This is a really fun project to do with your child. I took my 3 1/2 year old daughter to the craft store (Hobby Lobby) and got all of the supplies for this quick project under $15.00. First, we picked out the small wooden birdhouse (if using outdoors, think finch sized). Of course there are larger birdhouses available for decent prices, but I wanted a quick project. Next, we picked out some wood paint, stickers, brushes, and varnish. I let my three year old help paint the two coats of paint and attach the stickers (after the paint was dry of course). The only thing she didn't help with was the varnish which I used to coat the outside with to secure the stickers on and also to protect the paint.

Supplies
1 small birdhouse available at Hobby Lobby or other craft stores
2 colors of wood paint small size (we used the outside/yard paint and only about half of the bottle of each color)
1 bottle of varnish/finish (ours had a bit of a sparkle to it which was intentional and this, too we only used about 1/3 of the varnish)
Decorative stickers - I let my daughter pick out the ones she wanted and she went with Butterflies and Bugs.
Craft Brushes

Directions:
1. Paint the house as desired, making sure to add two coats of paint, letting the paint dry between coats. Let dry.
2. Decorate with stickers
3. Apply the varnish over the entire project.
4. Be SURE to wash the brushes with warm water in between use with colors and the varnish to preserve them for other projects.
5. Be SURE to keep the project away from prying hands, pets, husbands, children while drying.

Inside Ball - Crochet

Inside Ball
This is a nice 1-2 hour project which yields a mom-friendly indoor ball. My daughter likes to throw things and I want to encourage her hand/eye coordination, but during the colder months, it's not as pleasant playing outside. So, I made this ball partly as an experiment to see if it would work and partly because I had some remnant yarn left over from a hat and I wanted to use it for something.

Supplies:
Lionbrand Vanna's Choice yarn (about 1/4 - 1/3 of a skein depending on the size)
Size I crochet hook (Can do this with knitting, I thought that a crochet stitch would be tighter)
Polyester filling for pillows

Directions
Create a ball shape by knitting/crochet as if creating a hat. Can go top to bottom or bottom to top. I started at the top and worked toward the (would be) brim. Once size becomes the desired size of half the finished project either work in reverse, decreasing instead of increasing or create another hat to crochet/knit/sew together. Add desired polyester filling (I used a generous amount so that the ball would have enough weight). Using a crochet hook, pull any extra "strings" down through the ball to finish it off cosmetically.

Other variations: Use multiple colors, make various sizes

Basically, this is a simple way to create something that will entertain your child for a while and make sure that Grandma's china doesn't crack in the process of play. My daughter loves her so much that she takes it to bed with her and it does make a suitable soft snuggle toy for the bed.

Will be making more for friends and for the new baby expecting in April 2011!

A monogrammed baby blanket for our new addition

So me and my husband are expecting a boy (Cillian) at the end of April, and I'd like to get to work on a monogrammed baby blanket for him. No one really likes to stitch/sew together squares (at least no one I know), but this project will include separate squares which I will then knit together using a very simple method - using a crochet hook - which is mentioned in Teach Yourself Visually Knitting Design: Working from a Master Pattern to Fashion Your Own Knits (Teach Yourself Visually) (One of two knitting pattern books I use).

Using the concept of smaller squares, dishrag sized, I will include his name Diagonally in the design, creating a 7 Square X 7 Square blanket, with the average square measuring 36 stitches X 55 Stitches. The rest of the squares will be alternating dinosaur squares as well as blank squares, so the end effect isn't too "busy". While I included the dinosaur patterns under "sources", I am going to change the patterns to fit the 36X55 stitch requirement.

Dimensions
7 Squares by 7 Squares
Each Square average 36 X 55 Stitches
Final product: 252 X 385 Stitches + boarder
Total Blanket Dimensions:
approximate: 45 inches X 65 inches
approximate: 3.75 feet X 5.4 feet

Basic Pattern w/o "filler squares" marked:

C X X X X X X
X I X X X X X
X X L X X X X
X X X L X X X
X X X X I X X
X X X X X A X
X X X X X X N

Basic Pattern w/ "filler squares" marked:
X = blank, B = Brachiosaurus S = Stegosaurus T = T-Rex

C X B X S X T
X I X B X S X
T X L X B X S
X T X L X B X
S X T X I X B
X S X T X A X
B X S X T X N

Yarn:
Peaches & Creme 4 ply Worsted Weight 100% cotton
(light weight, not scratchy, easy to wash, and no risk for skin allergies).
1 Cone White
1 Cone Lemon
1 Cone Baby Green
2 2 oz. Lemon Lime (for boarder)
2 knitting needles in size 5.

Color Design:
A Tri-color design of alternating squares in threes with a basic border all around in the color way Lemon Lime.


Sources:
Letter patterns are gathered from this link:

Alphabet Squares Here

Dinosaur Patterns (Brachiosaurus, T-Rex, Stegosaurus) are from this link:
Knitted Kitty's Dishcloth Patterns

All colors can be viewed/purchased here:

Peaches & Creme Balls and Cones

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Progress
* 2/49 squares done
* No pictures taken yet

Dishcloths

Looking for an easy craft to gift to people for Christmas? Try one of these dishcloths from a site that looks like it was made in the 90s. Still, tons of patterns, guaranteed to find one that will suit your needs:

dishcloths directory
Dish and Wash Cloth Mania

Beginner Socks

While I've found many sock patterns on Ravelry which are more or less beginner socks, this has been the most helpful tutorial for a person who already knows: how to read patterns, and how to work with dpns (double pointed needles) or at least have a grasp of the concept (I never did until I tried it is why I put it that way).

I suggest if you have a free afternoon (or hour depending on how fast you knit), you could try these in super-small first just to prove to yourself that you can and once you get that part down, move on to a size that you (or the person you're knitting for) would actually wear.

Basic Sock Pattern for Knitters

Baby Blanket Pattern

Here is a baby blanket pattern that is more than awesome conceived of and posted by minhers. The original pattern is posted here, where she used a self-striping yarn (Bernat Baby Jacquards in Boo Berries). Following her pattern as a beginner knitter or an advanced knitter who would just like to make a blanket quickly - either way is fine. Her blanket turned out great and I was looking forward to making the yarn purchase, but I live in a small enough town where the Barnat yarn in particular wasn't sold. Wanting to start working on it right away, I've chosen to use her pattern with my own variation (really, I'm going to only change it to match the colors that I did purchase, so hardly a change at all). In addition to this, I am going to include a set of baby hats that match and if I have enough left over, a pillow.

Materials: All in Baby Bee's Sweet Delight
Blue Baby Camo - 2 Skeins
Baby's Blue - 2 Skeins
Teddy - 1 Skein
Chocolate - 1 Skein
Meema's Blue - 1 Skein

Alternate instructions for my project
Cast on 53 sts.
Row 1: K1, inc1, k23, k3tog, k23, inc1, k1
Row 2: K across
Repeat these two rows, switching colors of your choice at the rows indicated beneath until you reach 320 rows in length.
Cast off.

* This will increase the pannel's width without compromising the wave. The added stitches to cast on will cause the blanket's length to be increased from the original pattern and will also increase the blanket's width.

Making the Stripes for the Wave effect
Knit first 75 rows in Baby's Blue
Knit next 75 rows in Blue Baby Camo
Knit next 15 rows in Meema's Blue
Knit next 20 rows in Teddy
Knit next 20 rows in Chocolate
Knit next 15 rows in Meema's Blue
Knit next 50 rows in Blue Baby Camo
Knit next 50 rows in Baby's Blue

*picture of yarn, and progress will be added once I've knitted at least one pannel as well as instructions for matching hat*

Test post:

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