Meet Harold - the newest toy in the basket

Why do I create? Do you ever ask yourself that question? I think the reason for that question changed when I had Liam. Before it was because it made me happy. Now - after having Liam - creating things - especially creating things for him - doesn't just make me happy... no it fills up my cup in such an amazing way. Being able to pour my love into a hand crafted item and then to see that item used and loved just makes me feel so blessed.

We have a small basket of toys for him - some are handmade by me, some by local craftsmen, and some store bought but given to us with much love. All different materials. Wood, plastic, rubber, and now - the newest addition: cotton.

Meet Harold. Our shy little monster and newest addition to the toy basket. He has a loose tooth that either needs to get pulled or sewed on better... but he's a happy little guy.

Currently Liam likes holding him and then dropping him while running around in his little walker. The pattern came from here  and it was actually really easy to follow! I made him during an hour nap session. It was my first time using a yarn needle and it actually wasn't as intimidating as I thought it was going to be. It makes me want to tackle more projects that need joining now! Have you seen all those amazing crochet granny square blankets? One for the list might need to be added. Well, what is really nice about this project is that the cotton yarn was left over from Liam's baby blanket. Oh how happy it makes me to be able to create something with things that we already have on hand!

Happy creating everyone! Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. 

For my sister

Happy Wednesday everyone! This set of six crochet coasters was intended for a mother's day present for my sister... but I had my heart set on finding a wooden bowl for them, and it just wasn't coming together until now. Either the bowl was too small, or too shallow... but now - with the perfect find, this present has come together just like I saw it in my head. Isn't it wonderful when that happens?

I'm so excited to be able to finally gift these to her. She doesn't have coasters in her house (to be honest I don't even know if she'd use them) but it is nice to know that they're there if her family or her guests wants one.

These are actually the same pattern for ones that I made for myself in aqua a month ago.

Now we both have a set on our homes... and that makes me feel a little closer to her somehow. Do you like the kitchen towel in the picture above? It was a present from one of my closest friends here on Big Island. She is an amazing crafter as well... she had actually bought the same fabrics that I had bought when we first moved into our house to make handmade touches. 

With these fabrics I made 

 the patchwork pillow with the appliquéd turtle for our living room... 

 our first set of coasters! 

and an unfinished project of six placemats... I ran out of fabric to back them with... so unfortunately they are still in the sewing basket... ::frown:: need to finish those! 

And now I can add my pretty kitchen towel to the mix, and it makes everything seem so nice and loved and handmade. That's the best kind of cozy feeling isn't it? 

Well I better get going - Happy crafting everyone! 

K. 

Baby's first blanket finished!

I started working on this baby blanket a few weeks back. The weather has been so cool and rainy - the perfect weather to play with yarn. The blanket is made with 100% cotton, and it is very soft and drapes so nicely. It has been nice to be able to crochet. Crochet was the first craft I ever picked up so it was nice to work with something so familiar. I can't believe that the first baby project is finished! It makes me excited to work on something else. I've been writing to do lists of everything I want to make to get ready for the baby, the list keeps getting longer too so I better get on it.

Did you have a good mother's day? My first one was so very memorable. Ross made fried rice to take to our church brunch potluck. What a wonder not having to cook on a potluck day! I ended up spending the free hour catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs and it inspired me to start making and crafting for the baby.

I also got these precious cards and warm wishes. Do you remember your first mother's day? What a wonder!!! I know that the baby isn't here, but Ross reminds me that I am a mother because I am working so hard at taking care of baby now. We are in our third trimester and along with that came lower iron levels. I've been doing so much reading up on it and didn't realize that a lot of what I was doing before was wrong! For example, did you know that caffeine blocks iron absorption? I didn't. So when I was taking my prenatal vitamins with breakfast, which included my morning cup of tea, it wasn't helping as far as iron went. So, I've made a few changes, like taking my prenatal vitamin with dinner, eating more iron rich foods, drinking and eating more vitamin C rich foods (which helps with absorption!) and also taking a natural iron supplement. I've actually had more energy so it has been so nice.

This pregnancy has seemed to go by so fast. I can't believe we are in our last trimester. The baby has been getting more active in its kicking and I have enjoyed taking to it... telling baby how excited I am to meet him/her, what I want for baby, what I hope for baby... singing songs that my parents sang to me... precious.

I'm so grateful for the chance to become a mother.

New Coasters

Remember when I started the baby blanket and told you about how crochet was my first crafting experience here? Well, the baby blanket wasn't turning out as I had planned. 

I grew up crocheting with acrylic yarn - I think that's why I didn't like crochet for the longest time. I always thought it was an itchy craft. It wasn't until I started reading about others who crochet with different materials (like alpaca and wool) that I started to see that the craft could be modern and beautiful. 

Well, getting back to the baby blanket that was - I went to our local craft store and I was determined to take advantage of this snuggly raining weather we've been having and start a crochet blanket. Well, at our craft store all they had was acrylic yarn and 100% worsted cotton yarn. So I figured lets go with the cotton because cotton is suppose to be soft right? Well, I started crocheting the blanket with my yarn and I got serval rows in before I realized that there was little to no drape and it felt very very stiff. Like bathmat stiff. I must admit it was a bit disheartening since it was baby's first project and it ended before it really got off the ground. But I got over that as I started using it for smaller projects like these coasters. There is something so thrilling about a finished project that is put into use! And here is a finish! A set of beautiful new coasters for the house.  Next will probably be pot holders and then I'll probably make my sister and mom and set for mothers day. 

Happy crafting everyone! 

K. 

First baby project

It has been rainy and cold here. A strange thing for Hawaii. But this invigorating cold and gloomy damp has my fingers aching to play with yarn. Crochet was the first craft that I ever learned as I stated here. I didn't learn it correctly (by reading patterns) and I mostly did afghan projects that were very repetitious (thus not needing to count very much but just do it by route memory).

Since I learned how to crochet, I have made a crochet blanket for each of the babies in church. I remember when I bought yarn for the first time here when Ross and I were dating to make a baby blanket for one of the soon to be mothers in our assembly. I don't know why, but I was slightly embarrassed for Ross to see me. He is a pretty cool guy - jock type, surfer, fisherman. I was a bit embarrassed for him to see me doing (what I had deemed in my head to be a 'grandma' craft) crochet. The first time I sat next to him when he was playing video games on a friday night with my yarn and my crochet hook, he kept glancing at me while playing. With heated cheeks I asked him, "do you think I'm a grandma?" He shook his head, "no, just wondering what you were doing." When I told him he said it was "cool." Wow - never thought he'd use that adjective! Now I get excited to show him what I'm working on. His praise keeps me steadily stitching - even more so now that I am working on a baby project for our baby.

Every baby blanket I've ever worked on has been a blessing. While stitching I have been able to sit and reflect on my relationship with the parents-to-be and to think of this blanket being used during nap times and play times other adventure times. Now, while I sit and stitch I think about what this child might be like. What the baby will like to do, the books that I want to read to baby, the dreams and hopes I have for baby, and the love I can't wait to share. During these quiet times I also wonder what type of father Ross will be like. With how caring he is I can't imagine a sweeter one.

It's nice isn't it - the ability to craft and create and pour our hearts into a tangible item. What a blessing!

A bit of functional crochet

Sometimes when you have the most time to do big sewing projects do you feel the least inclined to do them? Maybe that's just a me thing - but that was how I felt yesterday. 

Ross left after work on Friday to go night hunting with a couple of his cousins on the southern part of the island. So that meant a whole day to work on the projects in my sewing basket. I could have worked on a wall hanging for a friend, made cushions for the living room with my new fabric, or worked on my blocks that I'm doing for a virtual quilt along.... but no. 

I wasn't in the mood to set up my machine, the ironing board, my cutting mats, etc... I wanted quiet - and slow hand movements where I didn't have to measure or cut or to be honest think very much. 

So I found myself making very functional although very boring crochet potholders while watching Call the Midwife (one of my favorite series right now!!!) on Netflix. 

They're about 27 chain length, all done with a single stitch. I made them double layered and then closed off the layers with a single stitch border. They're very thick and don't burn my hands when I take stuff out of the oven which is a plus!. They were a very much needed addition to the kitchen seeing as how I've been using folded dish towels to take stuff out of the oven... and when I find myself rushing and not folding them correctly they tend to get singed on the burner at the bottom if they graze it. I have many a singe marks on my towels to testify to their abuse.... 

I plan on doing perhaps one more brown one seeing as I have the brown yarn in my stash. Don't you love it when you make something useful with things that you already have? I find it as one of the best feelings... it's right up there with a chocolate paired with a creamy cup of coffee.... ahhhh.... happy moments.