Hey y’all! So, a lot has changed since my last newsletter. I had a baby! Don’t worry, I found time to hand-make some stuff amidst preparations for this major life change.
It goes without saying that my life is completely different now, but my desire to make things by hand has not changed. In fact, the limited time I do have has spurred me to make more. Since the baby arrived, I have already made three blankets and a poorly fitted crochet sweater vest. But that’s not the topic of this newsletter.
This newsletter is a round-up of everything I made while I was pregnant—specifically for the baby. There are so many cute patterns and ideas out there, and what I managed to crank out is only a meager sampling of what I wish I had made. I hope you get some gift inspo, or simply gather some motivation to make something new for yourself. Enjoy!
The Berry Blanket by Melanie Ham
First up is a baby blanket, obviously. What crocheter HASN’T made a blanket, baby or otherwise? I found this pattern on Pinterest and was thrilled to learn that it was free on Melanie Ham’s blog.
The pattern is easy to learn, and the color combos are limitless. It’s repetitious, but in an engaging way. (If you’re a fellow crocheter, I know you know that makes sense.) I made my blanket with sage, mauve, and light gray yarn for the accent stripes. I ran out of the cream-colored yarn I was using as the background, so I turned it into a gradient with some beige and brown yarn. This blanket now lives on the back of our nursery chair.
Della Duck Lovey by Mod Threads
Crochet loveys are sooo cute. I agonized way too long over what kind to make for bebe. I finally settled on this crochet duck lovey by Mod Threads. I made a few alterations to the eyes and hat. I made her a beret instead of a bow headband. She’s vaguely French (she was born in the IE and studied abroad one time), and she only drinks orange wine—never cocktails, ew.
I will say that my baby loves this gal now that she’s grabbing things to put in her mouth. So, this pattern is baby approved!
Granny Square Sweater
Have I mentioned that I’m really bad at making crochet garments? It’s, like, really difficult imo. I whipped up this sweater vest thing with some leftover mini granny squares. I knew it was going to be way too small even before the baby was born, but making is about the process, right?
I intended to make it a little over-the-head vest with side ties, but I forgot midway (pregnancy brain) and added sleeves. Which makes it even more difficult to put on a baby. So, yeah, she’s never worn this lol.
Jumbo Wizard Frog by Clover Crochet
You’ve probably seen the Jumbo Wizard Frog by Clover Crochet on your socials. If you haven’t, then I guess we just have completely different algos and interests because this thing is EVERYWHERE on my feed. Of course, I had to make one. He’s so donky and cute! The cape comes off, and he looks even cuter when he’s nakey. 🤭
Personally, I am obsessed with him. I hope the baby loves him when she’s a bit older! As of right now, this jumbo frog is, indeed, jumbo. I’ll wait until she’s bigger and can sit up before I introduce them to each other.
Embroidered Initial Ornaments
I want to get better at basic embroidery, so these initial ornaments were the perfect opportunity to practice. I made ornaments for everyone in the fam, including our dog. The stuff I see on Pinterest looks way cuter, but I think they came out alright!
Bubble Tea Sweater by Off the Hooks & Co.
I’m really trying to get better at crochet clothing, okay?! This sweater was a bit more of a success. The Bubble Tea Sweater by Off the Hooks & Co. is a pretty approachable pattern that was super fun to make! It didn’t quite fit the bb, but I at least got some photos before she outgrew it. This sweater would have been more comfortable and stretchy if I had used a thinner cotton yarn. But I’m trying to work through my stash of worsted weight acrylic, so this is what I came up with. 😵💫
