Preemie Hats and a big Thank You!

Thank you for all your sweet comments about my claim to fame!, I love to read them it's the knowing that you enjoy reading my blog that makes blogging so worthwhile. 

One of my friends has just become a grandma and although I am very thrilled for her I can't help but feel just a teeny bit jealous too.
My friends grandchild was born prematurely weighing in just below four pounds and I felt duty bound to make some little hats for her, I enjoyed it so much, I had forgotten just how much I loved making premature baby things. Then Debi announced her intentions of starting her Guardian Grandma's Group I just had to join, I may not be a granny but now at least I am an honorary one!  

So you know me, it's never a case of get on and just do it, I have to study and analyse it too, for me that's part of the fun you see.  So at the moment Preemie baby hats are under scrutiny.  I am seeking out and making every hat I can find,  the first one's to go under the microscope are these.

Preemie Hats 1

A free pattern from Red Heart
One of the things that makes it challenging is adapting the pattern to suit the type of yarn you are using,  I am using my stash baby yarn for these so a little bit of improvisation is needed but nothing that one can't handle.
The good thing about this pattern is that it gives you a crochet and knitted version, these are the knitted ones.  Very easy and straight forward and you can add your own little touches if you wish.  The pattern is written for DPNS and I am useless at using these! believe me I have tried countless times, I ALWAYS drop loops and it takes me forever! however, I did try with the little green one, the tension is awful, you can see each needle change and it took me ages to make to make but.... it is passable and I'm sure a little baby won't mind too much.  The other two I made very quickly on two needles.

I found the crochet version easy enough and very quick to make but I don't like the turn back edge. as seen in the purple/white one, I like the front/back post crochet stitch it gives a bit of stretch to keep the hat in place, but it is a bulky stitch anyway so I think think turning it back would be too bulky for a fragile little babies head. So the solution.....work two rows less and then make the edging and don't turn it back, still cute and more functional I think.

So I think the Owl obsession has now turned into a preemie baby hat obsession! Keep watching because there will be more preemie things and not just hats either, I am definitely in the preemie clothing making mode just now. :)

Why don't you give then a try, join Debi's group or donate to your local SCBU.  I also make preemie things for Preemies UK who supply hand made Preemie clothing to SCBU'S throughout the UK.
See if you can challenge yourself, see how long it takes you to make a hat and then try to beat your record, also......
Great Stash-busters for those little bits of soft yarn!

Phew, caught the Summer link party just in the nick of time, today is the last day!

Hope everyone is having a great week-end!

Stash-Buster Challenge Update and a Big Welcome!

I have been contacted by Saga magazine to tell me that they have printed a round up of the best 50 bloggers aged over 50 for their September issue, and mine is one of the 50! wow how about that then. I feel very honoured to have been chosen especially as there are so many brilliant blogs out there. Only two of us have been mentioned in the Arts and Crafts section myself and Una of great balls of wool you can see the actual article here for a limited time only.
So if you are a reader of the magazine and are visiting my blog for the first time I would like to say hello and welcome and I hope that you enjoy your visit. You can find a list of more fantastic crafty blogs in my right hand side bar. Please take a look around and I would love to hear what you think. 

Stash-Buster Challenge Update

It's the end of the month again and nearly the end of the summer :( I am quite sad because it's been such a lovely one for once.  I'm hoping that the warm weather stays with us for a few more weeks at least.
So how has everyone been doing with their stash-busting? I would say really great! just take a look at the Summer link Party and you can see for yourself all the lovely things that everyone has been making.
I would like to welcome all the new stash-busters who have joined us during the summer, you can find their names listed here and their bogs featured on the right side bar.
If you would like to join us stash-busters just leave Ana or myself a comment.

Now as promised here are your favourite June projects.

Estella's Baby Cardigan

Regula's finger knitted scarf

Eileen's granny Patches Blanket Update

Judy's Mandala's

Ana's dream stripe shawl

The Summer Link Party will be closing on Saturday evening so hurry and get those last minute Summer stash-buster projects linked up and don't forget to keep clicking on those beautiful projects, visit your friends and leave some nice comments.  I will be showing your favourites next month.

Watch out for the new September Link Party it will be up and running very soon. 

If you are counting please leave me your totals so that I can update them for you.

My totals for August = 710 grams.

Cute Baby Cardigan and yet another Owl!

One of the lovely ladies that attends the Day Unit where I work asked me if I would knit a baby cardigan for a friends daughter who is having a baby.  I was pleased to do it because Judy has donated lots of wool in the past and is always very interested in what I'm making for charity.

She wanted something white and traditional, which I always think looks good on new born babies anyway.  Judy is now 85 and used to knit and crochet prolifically herself but unfortunately she is unable to now because of Arthritis.

The pattern I used for this little jacket was published in 1995, I found it amongst my hundreds of patterns which I can never bring myself to throw away. If you would like to make one yourself you can buy the pattern here it can be made from size 14 to 22.

It was very easy to knit but the finishing was a chore, I hate the sewing of button bands and trying to get the buttons evenly placed, then the sewing of sleeves, trying to make a neat flat seam that won't rub a delicate babies skin.  But once it's all done, washed and had a rinse in fabric conditioner and is smelling fresh and feels soft and cuddly, then I love it and feel it was worth all the work involved.

I love the simple pattern detail it makes all the difference I think.

I do hope Judy likes it and it meets her exacting standards after all she is an expert, I have seen her work and her knitting tension and attention to detail is amazing.

• Do you prefer traditional white and pastel colours for a baby, or do you like a modern bright coloured approach?
• What do you like most the making or the finishing off?.

Did you spot the little owl in the first picture... I know what you are thinking, has she not had enough of the owl making? I honestly thought that I had, I really though I had gotten them out of my system but then I came across this pattern and one thing led to another and before I new it another owl was born.

Meet Orman as you can see he is a key chain Owl, he was the easiest to make so far, or maybe I have made so many owls now I can do them in my sleep!

Find the pattern here

100 grams of stash busted.

Have a great weekend !

Bens Make-Over

I would like you all to meet Ben.

Ben is a flower pot man and has been living in my garden for many years, I have three flower pot men and all have various jobs to do around the garden, however Ben took it upon himself to guard my Summerhouse and he has done a remarkably good job that is apart from the time that he let Felix the  next doors cat sneak in through the window and pee all over!  In his defence Ben did have his back turned when said incident occurred anyway, the least said about that the better..it was  a long time ago.

The other day as I was watering my plants Ben called out to me 'hey!!' To say I was startled would be an understatement because he is usually very quiet and always polite but this hey had the edge of .. pay me some attention! Well it got the required result because I stopped and stared and said 'what's up Ben?'

'Just look at me' he says, 'is this it for me then, am I just to go to pot!?' Well I did look  I'm ashamed to say for the first time in a long time and I had to admit he did look unkempt poor Ben.

His hair was almost gone, his hat had disappeared and as for the screw in his head well that didn't bear thinking about. His clothes were none existent. 

So I gathered my supplies which were pretty limited, I wasn't prepared for this so it was going to have be a make do with what you have got kind of job.  I let Ben have his own way and he insisted on a red top, which was just as well as I did have a big tube of red amongst my meagre supply's.

I removed what was left of his hair and that awful screw in his head, I've heard of having a screw loose but to have one sticking out of your head can't be very comfortable, I'm sure you will agree.

Then he insisted on blue pants and a lick of brown paint for his pipe, but he let me choose the colour of the fence, it was a no brainer really because I only had green left so green it had to be.

then I applied a coat of clear varnish to protect the paint.  I was actually beginning to enjoy myself until we started arguing about the hat.  Ben wanted a real terracotta flower pot!

Well there I was amongst my pots in the darkest messiest recesses of my garden searching for the all important real terracotta pot....I mean to say what is wrong with plastic, I feared Ben was getting idea's above his station!  Eventually after scrambling and overturning pots and finding nothing but snails and plastic pots I made my way back to Ben with three choices.

As you can just see I gave him some hair and then he wore the hat, well he did want terracotta!  It's no good Ben it's much too big!

'Don't you think that's better, it may be plastic but at least it's the right colour, and please let me trim your fringe it's much too long!,' no stubborn to the end he wanted it long and he didn't like the plastic pot but then......he spied something!

A purple pot, well for Ben it was love at first sight he just had to have it! I thought it clashed a bit but I wasn't going to argue.  Well that just left the icing on the cake as it were.

First he insisted on a  purple belt to with flower to match his hat.

Then a  flower for his hat to match his belt and then he wanted flowers growing up the fence and to his utmost delight a rare species of butterfly landed on the fence too and took up residence.  He was so delighted I almost saw him smile, he insisted on a bright orange scarf for the cooler evenings and when he actually let me cut his fringe I new he was finally happy.

I gave the decking a lick of paint to befit the new smartened up Ben and here he is at his work station looking very smart indeed.  
Matilda cow and Daffney duck were giving me funny looks...I knew what they were after but I was out of there I'd done enough for one day! 

Meet Odoh's family

I thought you might like to meet Odoh's brothers and sisters!

Oakley

Oanna

Onslow

Odele          

Oyah

Ogden

Orlando

I don't know if you noticed but Odele and Oyah are twins, it's amazing that they were born with feet that show, just cos you can't see feet on the others it doesn't mean they don't have any, they do but they are hidden in their feathers
All of these cute owls were made with Dk yarn and a 4 mm hook except for the twins they were made with cotton 4ply and a 2.50 mm hook
As you may have guessed I love these cute owls and to be honest I can't stop making them.
 Thank you Lorene at Cre8tion Crochet for the great pattern

I think it only right at this point to introduce you to Odoh's cousins

Oliver

Osbert

Ora

Ojo

There were a couple of others but they flew off before I could get them I think they were a bit camera shy. Ora and Ojo are made with 4ply cotton and are ideal for bag charms or key rings.  The others are made in Dk yarn, I'm sure you all recognise these owls 
you can find them at Bunny Mummy, thank you Jaquie for the pattern/tutorial.

Then in flew these little cuties I think they just wanted to see what was going on!

Obie,Otto and their sister Olalla

They tell me they are made with 4ply cotton and like to hang on bags and key rings too, Otto says it's great fun to hang in the car. I suppose they would be cute anywhere really.
You can find the pattern for these here.

Now just when I thought I had finished I heard a little voice shout 'hey what about us!' I
looked around and found this pair

Oberon and Oheo

Oberon is made with Dk cotton and Oheo with 4ply cotton and you can find the pattern here 
Now you may be wondering why so many owls well you try it, go ahead and try if you dare, I can guarantee once you have started you won't be able to stop! Most of these owls will be going to Siblings together you can read all about this great charity here.

I think it's amazing how well they get on together.

No fighting or anything!


So is that it then? have I satisfied my owl making cravings, well....no, I think it's about time I made a little family for Odah don't you? 

Have you noticed all owls names seem to begin with the letter O, how strange :)
Which one is your favourite?

You can read Odoh's Story here if you haven't already

Each one a stash-buster.