Bragging Moment...

Austin, age 11

My Son, the best little artist I know...pencil on cardstock (NO tracing!)  Isn't he just awesome?!

Sara's AWESOME Owl

Lucy wearing her big sister's hat while big sis is at school...but any picture is better than no picture! right?
FYI:  The brim is not designed to be folded up...she just INSISTED it needed to be, she's 20 months old, that explains it!

While out school shopping Sara (7) kept seeing super cute knit owl hats, but always in pink or other super girly colors...my girl is NOT a girly girl...although she LOVES dresses and skirts, it's got to be blue or teal!  SO I came home and got straight to work.  I dug through my stash and found some Royal Blue and some Turquoise yarn...with SPARKLES.  I used Red Heart Shimmer Yarn, it seems a little scratchy while your knitting it up but once it's done it's really smooth and soft!

• You'll need a partial ball, Red Heart Shimmer Yarn I'm guessing 1/3 of each, in each color...or you can do all one color, even many colors, whatever you want...go crazy!  Any light worsted weight yarn can be substituted...but I personally REALLY liked the sparkle!
• Scraps of any worsted weight yarn in white (eyes), orange (beak) and brown (eye lashes).
• Size 6, 16inch circular needles
• Tapestry needle
• Crochet hooks in size G and H
• Two buttons

To start:
Cast on 100 stitches, join in the round.

K2, P2 around for 5 rounds.

Knit in stockinette stitch (since your in the round you will knit every. single. row...yes it's boring, but goes fast) for about 3 inches from CO edge.
Switch to second body color and knit every row until your hat measures a total of 7 inches.
If you have the child handy it might be good to try it on at this point, just make sure the top can close up and still fit the head.

To finish:
Simply join the top with Kitchener Stitch.  It seems hard at first but if you just follow it step by step it's really quite simple.

I have to get my toddler down for her nap...the eyes, tassles and beak will follow soon...I promise!

Sara's a Bookworm

Sara, my 7 year old is a HUGE bookworm, so when I saw Living with Punk's Bookworm Skirt I knew she NEEDED it! 

I followed the directions pretty closely, only changing how I did the book titles and details.  Here is my version. 

Sara picked out all the fabrics and even helped me lay it all out!

She loves it and maybe someday soon I'll even get a picture of her wearing it...because as we all know 7 year old girls change outfits every 3.2 minutes!

Little Lady Sunhat

This is my very first "officially shared" pattern.  Be kind...but let me know if you see any major mistakes, I'm fairly new to crocheting!

 What you’ll need: 
Infant/toddler/child-adult sizes

Worsted weight cotton in two colors, for the infant size you can get away with one skein of the main color for the bigger sizes you’ll use just a bit of the second skein (I usually get 2 hats from 4 skeins!)

G Hook

 This hat is a summer staple in our house!  They are light breathable hats that are easy to wear, easy to stuff into a beach or diaper bag and even machine washable…and costing less than $4 in yarn you can’t go wrong!  Available in three sizes, infant, toddler (fits my daughter with an 18” head) and child-adult (fits my petite 7 year old up to many adults)

Top:

All sizes

Row 1:  Magic Loop, chain 3, DC 11, join in the round (12)
Row 2:  DC2 into each DC, join (24)
Row 3:  DC2, DC1 around, join (36)
Row 4:  DC2, DC1, DC1 around, join (48)
(infant size move onto body)

Toddler and child sizes:
Row 5:  DC2, DC1, DC1, DC1 around, join (60)
(toddler size move onto body)

Child size:

Row 6:  DC2, DC1, DC1, DC1, DC1 around, join (72)

Body: 

DC1 into each DC around
Repeat row 3 more times (4 in total)

Switch to coordinating color.

SC once around.
DC around
SC around
DC around
Switch back to main color.
SC around

Brim

Now you have to decide if you want the slightly floppier brim of the “sunhat” or if you prefer the cleaner lines of the cloche.  Both versions protect those little eyes, ears and neck from the harsh sun!

Sunhat brim

DC2, DC1, DC1 around
DC2, DC1, DC1, DC1 around
DC2, DC1, DC1, DC1, DC1, DC1 around (omit for smaller sizes)
DC around
DC around

In coordinating color SC around.

Cloche brim

DC2, DC1, DC1 around
DC2, DC1, DC1, DC1 around
DC around
DC around
DC around (omit for smaller size)

In coordinating color SC around.

Weave in ends and if desired add a flower, buttons, fruit shape…you can even clip in a pretty hairclip! 

Please feel free to use this pattern for personal use and to make as gifts or for charity.  But I ask that you do not sell them without my permission lniezgocki@hotmail.com.  THANKS!