Knitting Patterns for Premature Babies
Children’s clothes are among the most popular crochet projects, both for new and experienced knitters. Patterns for sweaters, hats, mittens and bootees are all over the internet. But few pattern-makers have created knitting patterns for premature babies, who need them just as much, if not more. But that was a few years ago. Today, preemie clothes have a much larger presence in the knitting community. Whether it’s your child or someone else’s, there’s no better gift for these little babies than one you made yourself.
One important thing to remember is that premature babies tend to have sensitive skin. This means you can’t just use any yarn from the craft store. Take your time to choose the softest, most comfortable yarn you can find, preferably made from all-natural and organic fibers. They may be more expensive, but that’s just a fact with preemie clothing. If you’re not sure, have your project approved by the parents before starting out. It does ruin the surprise element, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Most experts recommend using thin, pure merino wool. Baby alpaca wool also works well but is a little warmer, so it may be too hot in areas with mild winters (but would be perfect for those born up north). Some babies are allergic to wool, however, so again, it’s best to ask. If this is the case, Egyptian cotton is a great alternative—as an added perk, it can insulate when it’s cold and get breathable when it’s hot. Acrylic yarn is a cheaper but less comfortable alternative.
Sizing is also important. Premature babies are small, but even then their size can vary widely. Chest measurements are usually between eight and 14 inches, and lengths are about 18 inches. You can measure the baby yourself, but usually it’ll do just to make it a little bigger than your estimate. Slightly oversized clothes are still usable, plus the baby will have time to grow into it. The length is fairly easy to adjust; you can just add or subtract rounds as you go along.
Hats and mittens are great if you’re a beginner or just don’t have time for a large project. If you think the baby has enough clothes (it’s a popular gift, after all), try making a blanket or playing mat. They’re just as easy to make and don’t require as much planning as clothing items. Stick to bright, happy colors—remember, these babies are struggling and need all the positivity they can get!
Working With Bra Patterns
Every woman can attest to one fact: it’s hard to find the perfect bra. When you come to think of it, it makes sense—we’re all built differently, so buying off the rack will always be hit and miss. Those with money to spare can be professionally fitted and have custom-made innerwear, but for the rest, there’s another alternative: making your own.
Most people think it’s complicated, and it’s partly true—for one thing, you have to be more precise with your sizes than with pants or tops. But besides that, the steps are pretty simple. Most bra patterns are more or less alike, and you can safely change them up to accommodate your size. If you know your way around a sewing machine and a pair of scissors, you can make your own bra—the best you’ll ever own—in no time.
It starts with the right sizing. Measuring yourself for a bra is harder than it sounds, but certainly doable. First, measure under your bust and add four inches to the number. Some experts recommend rounding odd numbers up to the nearest even to make for easier measuring down the road. Next, you’ll need to measure your cup size. Take measurements around the biggest part of the bust and the part just above it, then use the difference as an indicator. A difference of one inch is an A cup, 2 inches is a B cup, and so on.
You can get to work with just these numbers, but if you want, you can take other measurements such as the distance between your breasts and your preferred strap length. Make sure to write everything down; you’d be surprised at how hard it is to remember when you start stitching away. Even so, you can adjust the distance between cups by just subtracting or adding from the middle of the pattern. Straps are usually added at the end, so there’s no use measuring beforehand—although you may want to mark off where the strap holders will be attached.
Don’t forget to stock up on materials besides the fabric, needle and thread. Use fiberfill to line the cups—one layer for a soft, light look and two to give it more shape. If you need a lot of support, double the outer fabric as well. Try it on once it’s usable; if you want, you can replace the nylon lace with a wide-stretch elastic—this usually fixes the problem.
Camilla Beads
Handmade and beaded jewelry are all the rage these days, and it looks like they’re set to defy the seasons and remain popular through fall. What’s great about them is that they can have the class and elegance of gold and diamonds, but still be tempered by a youthful, playful charm. That’s why they fit just as well in formal ensembles as they do in everyday school outfits. Camilla beads, one of the most popular makers of beads and beaded jewelry online, is the perfect example of this blend.
One thing you’ll notice about Camilla beads is their variety—they range from plain, solid-colored pieces and gemstone imitations to intricate patterns on stainless steel and pewter. To help buyers navigate through their stock, they’ve classified them by theme rather than basic characteristics like color and size. Some of the most popular themes are birthstones, flowers, food, nature, animals, religion, sports, and abstracts. This makes it easy to find the right pieces if you’re going for a particular look, without leafing through thousands of images.
Materials used for Camilla beads also run the gamut, from inexpensive plastics to exquisite birthstones, colored glass, Swarovski crystals, and precious metals. Glass beads are perhaps the most popular, no doubt because of their range of colors and designs. Many of them are handmade and individually checked for flaws, so you can be sure each bead, no matter how small, is just as sturdy as it is pretty. This variety has inspired many enthusiasts to experiment with their own combinations, mixing and matching until they find a style that’s uniquely their own.
Despite this variety, there’s a certain look that ties all Camilla bead products together—some people say it’s their natural elegance, others think it’s their tendency towards bright, optimistic colors. In any case, their jewelry is sure to lift up any outfit, whether it’s a summer dress or a winter knit. They can tie any combination of items together and still manage to look unique!
Camilla beads are particularly a favorite for bracelets. Each piece is made to fall just right on the wrist, which ensures a comfortable fit every time—something that’s hard to find in most commercially made beaded jewelry. The themed pieces, which range from Celtic and tribal designs to coffee cups and robots, also make for excellent personalized charm bracelets. It’s a great way to wear your own character or give a touching gift!
Crochet Flower Patterns
After you’ve learned your basic crochet stitches, you’ll probably want to make something useful—not quite a sweater or a dress just yet, but something you can wear or show off. One of the easiest first projects is a crochet flower. You can make a whole bunch of them and put them up on your wall, or use them as appliqués for some of your existing clothes. In any case, they’re easy to make and come in a variety of styles, so they’re perfect for practicing your hard-earned skills.
The most common crochet flower patterns, as well as the simplest, are those that are done in rounds. This makes the design flexible; you can make the flower as big or small as you like. However, the center remains more or less the same size, so if you want to keep things in proportion, a good size would be two to four inches across. You can go with the standard two-color plan (one color each for the center and petals) or break away from the norm and try more or fewer colors.
Five-petal flowers are the most symmetrically attractive, and work well as decorations for bags, hats, scarves and tops. They also look really nice on girls’ dresses—if you’re looking for a gift, get a simple shift and just stick some of these on. They’re probably the first designs you’ll find when you start looking for crochet flower patterns. They take no more than 20 minutes to make—even less if you’re really good—so you can make an entire garden with just a day’s work.
A typical crochet flower pattern starts out with a chain-6 ring for the center, then surrounds this ring with about 15 single crochet stitches for the petals to hang on with a slip stitch. The sides of the petals are made with about three chain stitches and joined with a double crochet running down each one. There are variations to this pattern, of course, and if you’re brave enough you can even tweak them on your own.
More complicated designs often include several layers, so you have a more “three-dimensional” finished product. You may be able to find patterns for these at a craft store or a knitting specialist, sometimes even as part of a kit. These usually require light yarns, as the work is more intricate and thick strands will just drown out the design. You can use them as adornments for headbands, women’s hats, or sofa blankets, or even give them away as souvenirs for parties.
Needlepoint Christmas Stockings
Few things can raise the holiday spirit better than a candy-filled stocking on Christmas day. It’s one of the few traditions that transcend age; whether you’re five or fifty, Christmas stockings are sure to bring a smile to your face. They’ve become iconic even in cultures where they’re not traditional. And if you want to give something that really touches the heart, you can’t go wrong with handmade needlepoint Christmas stockings.
Many people find needlepoint designs too complicated for a first project, or aren’t sure their work is good enough to give away. But Christmas stockings can go either way: you can find designs you can probably do on your first day of learning, and those that take years of practice to master. Most of the time, it’s really just a matter of finding the right design.
Start by looking for Christmas stocking kits at your local craft store, if you don’t have supplies yet. Most of them will include the stocking fabric, threads and needles, and a pattern with detailed instructions. Some will even include a few spares to make room for mistakes, or a variety of patterns you can choose from. If you’re a bit more advanced, you can tweak the design as you please, but you can usually get good results just sticking to the original pattern.
You can also create your own design, of course, but this will take a lot more time. One of the first steps is deciding on the size of the stocking, and after that, the fabric size—most needle point projects use 13 or more, but that can vary depending on your specifics. You can then cut out the pattern from both the cross-stitch fabric and whatever you’re using for the back, lining and trim. Once you’ve got your pieces, you can incorporate your design into it, whether by hand or using a computer program. Then you can choose your thread colors, buy the threads if you need them, and get started.
For some people, this process can take months, so you’ll need to start early if you want your stocking in time for Christmas. Most experts recommend starting at least three months in advance and working on it at least an hour a day. This will give you enough time to choose your design, create your pattern, and shop for supplies—and do things over in case you slip up or change your mind.