Fun with Yarn and Other Creations

   It all started when I decided to try cloth diapers with my first DD almost three years ago. I bought a few diapers here and there and was lucky enough to have a mama friend who used cloth with her three kids. She was a great source of information and inexpensive previously loved cloth diapers. Another mama introduced me to wool soakers. She loaned me a few wool items and I decided I needed to dust off my crochet hooks and knitting needles and try to make some for myself.

 
   It had been a long time since I had knit anything, and even longer since I had crocheted. My grandma taught me how to knit when I was 5 or 6 years old. I learned how to crochet when I was 12 years old in 4H. So I went to the thrift store and bought some pure wool, went online and found some free patterns, watched some online tutorials, and 'retaught' myself to knit and crochet.

   I made a few soakers, a pair of longies and a skirty for my DD. They weren't perfect, not really pretty, but they were functional....


My very first soaker. It wasn't a very good pattern but it did the trick.



My first knit soaker.



I found I really enjoyed creating things but I was a very slow and awkward knitter, crocheting was a lot easier and faster for me. When I found out baby #2 was on the way, the hooks got put away for a bit and I focused my attention on making some cloth diapers. 



My first Made By Me Cloth Diapers

 Once I had made enough itty bitty diapers to get us through the first few months I refocused my attention on yarn.

   I made some hats and mitts for my daughter and started getting requests from coworkers. I found I could make a bit of money to pay for my supplies and I really enjoyed doing it.



Hat and mitten set I made for my daughter



After DD#2 came along I started crocheting more in my 'free time'.



Baby's first hat

   It has now been almost 3 years since I retaught myself to crochet and I must say I have learned a lot. I have expanded my skills and have started selling some of the things I make. Most of the money I make goes toward supplies. Eventually I hope to have enough "stock' to put my creations in a craft sale or start an online store, but that is still a dream at this point.

   I am at the stage where I use patterns as a guideline and can make modifications to suit my needs fairly easily. I made some hats and baby cocoons for a photographer and she asked if I could make some diaper covers for her. I looked at some free diaper wrap patterns, then considered purchasing a pattern. In the end I was too 'thrifty' to pay $7 for a pattern based on a few online pictures, so I got out some old yarn and started to create. I took a few tries and a lot of unravelling before I was happy with the finished product. Now I had a prototype to work with. After a little tweaking I got out the good yarn and made the finished product. Next on to the hats, They were just a simple earflap hat, modified for itty bitty newborn size, add a stripe to the boy one and some cute little bear ears to the girl one and VOILA, photo props...

Newborn diaper cover photo props



Itty Bitty Hats to match



I have had a few people ask me for the pattern for these, so here goes:
 I have never written a pattern before so I hope this makes sense to someone other than me....

Crochet diaper cover (photo prop) Newborn :

Ch 20

Row 1: hdc in second chain from hook, hdc in each chain across (18hdc) Chain 2, turn

Row 2-8: hdc in each hdc across. Chain 2, turn

Row 9: hdc2tog over first 2 hdc, hdc next 14, hdc2tog over last two hdc. Chain 2, turn

Row 10: hdc2tog over first 2 hdc, hdc next 12, hdc2tog over last two dhc. Chain 2, turn

Row 11: hdc2tog ever first 2 hdc, hdc next 10, hdc2tog over last two hdc. Chain 2, turn.

Row 12-13: hdc in each hdc across (12hdc) Chain 2, turn

Row 14: 2 hdc in first hdc, hdc across, 2hdc in last hdc (14hdc). Chain 2, turn.

Row 15-20: Repeat row 14.

Row 21: 2hdc in first hdc, 2hdc in second hdc, hdc across to last 2, 2hdc in last 2 hdc. (30hdc). Chain 2, turn

Row 22-24: Repeat row 21

Row 25: 2hdc in first hdc, ch two (button hole), hdc in next 40 hdc, ch 2 (button hole), 2hdc in last hdc. (44hdc, 2 ch2 spaces). Chain 2, turn

Row 26: hdc in first 2 hdc, 2hdc in ch2 space, hdc across, 2 hdc in ch2 space, hdc in last 2 hdc. (48 hdc). Tie off

Trim:

Join with Sl St at front left corner of cover, Hdc in end of each row along side of cover, Hdc in each Hdc along back eadge of cover, Hdc in end of each row along other side of cover, Hdc in free loop of each Hdc along front of cover, join with Sl St in first Hdc. Tie off, weave in ends

Fasten a large button to centre front of cover for closure, or two buttons evenly spaced for a larger fit.

Crochet Newborn Earflap Hat:
Ch 2, 10Sc in second ch from hook (sl st in beginning sc)
work in the round (use a stitch marker if needed)
Row 1: 2hdc in each sc (10hdc)
Row 2: *1hdc in next hdc, 2hdc in next hdc, repeat from * around (20hdc)
Row 3: *1hdc in next 2 hdc, 2hdc in next hdc, repeat from * around (30hdc)
Row 4: *1hdc in next 3 hdc, 2hdc in next hdc, repeat from * around (40hdc)
Row 5-7: hdc in each hdc
If  you wish a contrasting stripe, join contrasting color here, otherwise continue with main color
Row 8-9: hdc in each hdc 
switch back to main color (if applicable)
Row 10-12: hdc in each hdc across
First earflap:
ch 2, turn
Row 1: hdc in next 11hdc, ch 2, turn
Row 2-4: Skip first hdc, hdc in each hdc across, ch 2, turn
Row 5-6: hdc2tog over first 2 hdc, hdc to last 2 st, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc, ch2 turn
Tie off
Second earflap:
Count 21 sts from the last st of row 12 (point the first earflap began)  join with sl st.
ch 2, turn
Repeat pattern as for first earflap
Trim:
With contrasting color, join with sl st, Hdc in each hdc and in the ends of each row or earflaps around. Tie off, weave in ends.
Use whatever method you prefer to make ties.