Crafty Ladies!

krex-2

I'll admit, I have old lady hobbies (quilting, crochet, etc.), and I love to make things for the nursery and other people.  Post some of the things you're in the process of making or have made!

krex-2

Last night I finished up the quilt top for EM's quilt I'm making her.  Her favorite colors are red/grey/black, so I went with that.  Red isn't my favorite color, so I'm a bit "meh" about it, but I really hope she likes it!

I'm backing it with this fabric I found, which is Alice in Wonderland.

kat0607

Following this thread because I love DIY projects!! I'm hoping to find some good furniture pieces to refurbish for the nursery. 

I used to crochet but I haven't in a few years. I want to make a blanket or something for baby boy, but I haven't gotten around to it. Does anyone have any easy patterns they like?

@krex that quilt is amazing!! I don't like red either but I really love the look of it! You did a good job, I'm sure she'll love it! And I love the pattern you chose for the back. 

LAMCH1980

It is really sweet that you are making her a quilt. I love that you guys have such a good relationship. 

krex-2

kat0607 said:

Following this thread because I love DIY projects!! I'm hoping to find some good furniture pieces to refurbish for the nursery. 

I used to crochet but I haven't in a few years. I want to make a blanket or something for baby boy, but I haven't gotten around to it. Does anyone have any easy patterns they like?

@krex that quilt is amazing!! I don't like red either but I really love the look of it! You did a good job, I'm sure she'll love it! And I love the pattern you chose for the back. 

Crochet, you say?!  Welcome to my second "old lady hobby" favorite!!

I made this bobble quilt for baby before we were even matched, the pattern is super easy (basically double crochets and the special "bobble" stitch which is a modified double crochet). 

Or there's the popular and super easy "Granny Square"...tons of tutorials all over YouTube for this one!

krex-2

LAMCH1980 said:

It is really sweet that you are making her a quilt. I love that you guys have such a good relationship. 

Aww, thanks!  We're definitely working to grow the relationship, as I'd like for the adoption to be as open as possible.  I hope she likes it!

mtvkv5

I never got into sewing or crochet, but I am super obsessed with my Cricut. I make stickers for everything, and make lots of clothes for my niece. I haven't done anything for the new baby yet though. Here is my latest project. My niece had a Princess Sofia themed bday party a couple weeks ago. 

HgPa

@mtvkv5 How do the vinyl iron ons hold up to wash and wear? Everything you've posted is
so cute! I had to look up Cricut and now I really want one

kdanjou

I love all of this!
I make hair clips and bows for DD.  I love to make special character ones that you can't buy.  I have made all kinds of animal and holiday clips too. 

ellie111227

So funny story: I made a nice knitted blanket for my brothers' first child when they were expecting him. Then when I was pregnant with dd, my sil was also pregnant with their current youngest. I was knitting quilts for both the babies, but then I didn't get them done before the babies were born. I intended to finish them, but I literally haven't worked on them at all since dd was born, and now we are both pregnant again. I'm so lazy. I'm not even trying this time. So the only kid in the family with a homemade blanket is my brother and sil's oldest son. Oh well.

CapricaAndrea

DH and I actually have a couple of small side businesses doing crafty things, and we're constantly making gifts for people/diy'ing our own wedding etc. 

The business that's definitely more "old lady-ish" involves making preserves like flavoured apple butter, and wine jelly, in addition to sriracha-infused and/or smoked sea salt, and all-purpose BBQ seasoning. 

Our other one, which is admittedly just barely in existence anymore, is etched glass mostly in sci-fi or geeky themes. We also make replica Game of Thrones eggs/wedding chests.  These aren't for anyone in particular, but they are some of my favourite items that we've made.

danij0

@krex I love your cat. I also really like all your crafty stuff!

I like anything that you can make with hot glue or modge podge. I will probably decorate some wood letters for baby if we ever decide on a name. I'm also really excited to tackle our family Halloween costumes, I always make them for myself and DH. They aren't perfect, but there's something I really love about handmade costumes. 

Which Came First?, Lilo & Stitch, Nemo & Dory and Nerds. 
I have no idea what we'll be this year, but we will 100% be dressing up as a family!

kat0607

@krex I'll have to try that bobble blanket, I love how it looks!! Also your cat is adorable! 

@danijo your costumes look so good! It'll be fun to have a LO to add into the mix. 

krex-2

Thanks @kat0607 and @danijo!  She's actually 1 of 3 cats we have.  Her and her sister, both grey tabbies.  Then we have the our older female orange tabby, she was our first cat!  I love my fur beasts!

mtvkv5

HgPa said:

@mtvkv5 How do the vinyl iron ons hold up to wash and wear? Everything you've posted is
so cute! I had to look up Cricut and now I really want one

They hold up really well if you use good quality vinyl (I use Siser) and get a good heat application on them. I made shirts for DH's racing team and he has worn and washed them 20-25 times and they are still good. I just got a heat press, so its much easier, but I was exclusively using an iron before. You have to iron on a hard surface, like wood, and press down with all your weight for 10-15 seconds in each place. As long as you can see the pattern of the shirt through the vinyl, it will stay for a long time! 

wifeinraleigh28

@krex I love that quilt you made for EM! What a lovely "thank you" gift

I crocheted this throw for our living room recently. Here's the pattern if anyone is interested, and it's pretty simple: https://www.leeleeknits.com/free-chunky-crochet-throw-pattern/




Also knitted DH a pair of socks. I've decided I enjoy sock knitting but need to do so in moderation because it is a bit of a strain on the eyes, haha!



So far all I've made for the new baby is this little hat:



I want to knit/crochet more things for her but my awful carpal tunnel has made it so hard!

Xath

@mtvkv5  Do you sell vinyl cut-outs on the side at all?  I want to label our toy bins like this, but I don't have a cricut.

Xath

My current craft of choice is counted cross-stitch.  I've been embroidering Christmas stockings for my family.  I finished DS2's just in time this year:



DH's:


DD1's:

CapricaAndrea

@Xath the picture isn't loading for me on mobile, but if @mtvkv5 doesn't do vinyl cutouts, we can do them as well. We use our cutter for making stencils for the glass work and have done the occasional vinyl stickers as well (if you've seen any of my HDBD pictures, we made the vinyl stickers on the bathroom door behind me) 

mtvkv5

@Xath I don't sell them, just do them for friends and family. I'm so busy with work and taking care of my dad that I don't have very much time to do crafty things these days, otherwise I would help you out! 

BellaO21

I feel significantly less crafty after seeing everyone else's work... haha. I've tried to crochet, but could never quite get the hang of it. 

lovesclimbing

I've sewn some shirts for both H and I. Right now, I'm making fitted diapers for the baby. I was considering sewing a quilt, but I have at least two others from when I was a baby and I'll probably get one from my grandma as well. I'm thinking about sewing some baby clothes as well. I need to find some good patterns. The nice thing is they'd be quick projects compared to sewing things for H and I. 

silliegirlie143

@Xath I love those! Mom's labor of love was a counted cross stitch stocking for each of the grandkids. I get all sentimental when i see them.

LAMCH1980

@Xath, those are beautiful. They're so detailed. They must have taken forever. It looks like the type of project I'd start and not finish because it's so time consuming.

Xath

LAMCH1980 said:

@Xath, those are beautiful. They're so detailed. They must have taken forever. It looks like the type of project I'd start and not finish because it's so time consuming.

Oh yeah, each one took over a year because I'd get tired of it for a few months and then go back to it.  I tend to rotate crafts fairly frequently; this has just been the one to stick for a while.

@CapricaAndrea Awesome!  I'll try to find some better pictures of what I'm trying to do and Pm you if that's ok?

krex-2

@Xath, those are incredible!!

c1tym0m22

@Xath Those are gorgeous!

@wifeinraleigh28 As a fellow knitter, super impressed by the socks - I find that tiny little needles just hurt my hands. I've never managed to finish a pair - more of a mitten/blanket/scarf knitter instead!

shmarpler

DD killed my creativity while I was pregnant with her, so my usually hobby of crocheting through the winter was not visited. I tried sewing after she was born, but I need more practice. They look ok, but ended up being slightly different sizes.

anitamargarita_82

I wish I was crafty.  I've tried to learn to knit several times before and it just looks like a big old mess.  I would really like to make something for this baby though.  Is crocheting easier? 

shmarpler

Wearmi1 said:

I wish I was crafty.  I've tried to learn to knit several times before and it just looks like a big old mess.  I would really like to make something for this baby though.  Is crocheting easier? 

It is to me. I could never quite get the hang of two needles, but I had a crazy teacher and had been crocheting from many years by then, so I'm sure that didn't help.

abmommy15

I'm teaching myself to sew and quilt and so far have made a simple quilt for my nephew and some bandana bibs.  I really want to make a blanket or quilt with both side minky/cuddle fabric but it's so hard to work with I'm scared to start.  Any sewing experts have some tips?

anitamargarita_82

Yes sewing ladies!  I took a couple years of fashion in high school.. what kind of sewing machine do you recommend?  Maybe knitting isn't for me but I can sew just haven't done it in a long time.  

Xath

@shmarpler I've come to terms with the fact that knitting is just not something I'm capable of... Every time I try to pick it up, disaster.

For those looking into sewing, I'm a big fan of the older, mostly metal machines without computers.  You maintain them well and they'll last forever.  Get a computerized machine when you sew enough to have 2+ machines at home.  

@abmommy15 Try backing your minky with water-dissolvable interfacing before you sew it.  It will stiffen the fabric for even stitching; then once it's made you wash it and it softens up again.  

wifeinraleigh28

@Wearmi1 Crocheting is easier because there is only one active loop you are working with (versus, well, a LOT with knitting), which also makes it much easier to correct mistakes or go back. I personally find knitting to be a more comfortable motion with my hands though. It's all personal preference!

Stankonia2014

I currently have fabric sitting waiting to be made into blankets and burp cloths, but getting a moment to sew has been impossible. 

Stankonia2014

@Wearmi1, DH bought me the Project Runway Brother sewing machine a few years ago. I used to sew with my grandmother ages ago, but I hadn't sewn in years, it's been a good re-learning machine.

shmarpler

@Xath, yep. I started knitting a scarf in college, but never finished. I've sat down, I think twice now, to try and figure it out again. If I take out a row or two, I can get going again, but usually get interrupted. So my scarf has actually been shrinking. I'm starting to think I'll just let DD pull it all out so I can reuse the yarn.

mamaraffe

Made these for little miss.

kmd0501

I'm making 2 cloud lanterns for baby boys Peter Pan/Neverland themed nursery. There is minimal table space for lamps and lights but I think these would make a great night light and use zero storage space since they will hang. 

ama7165

@ashcicle those are so cute!
@kmd0501. Love the clouds!!! Are they battery powered?

kmd0501

@ama7165 yes!  I ordered battery-powered, remote-operated fairy lights from Amazon and am using white paper lanterns and pillow batting. This is just the sample I found on Etsy but they wanted $65 each and it's costing me around $20 to make 2. I'll post a finished photo when I'm done.