Afton's Afghan

---Revised---
Jan. 8 2013

I made a video tutorial and posted it on Youtube here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FIHaz9cvw&feature=youtu.be

It's my first video tutorial so be patient :)

----Revised----
Aug 28 2012


This is the Blanket Grandma Turner (Tyson's Grandma) made for Afton when she was born. Since then I have been trying to figure out the patter because it's so amazing!

Yes, it would have been easier to just ask for the pattern but it was fun trying to figure it out on my own.

Well, I finally did it so I thought I would share because it really is one of the neatest patterns I have ever seen. It gives the afghan a 3D look and I love it.

So I kind of came up with a pattern but it was kind of hard to explain so I decided to do a picture tutorial. (also, I always wanted to try a picture tutorial) It's not the best but here it goes.

This is the actual pattern I came up with:


Here's the revised version to try and make it easier to follow

Grandma's 3D Baby Afghan

Hook Size H

Lion Brand Pound of Love: pastel Pink

Row 1: Using this technique of a no chain foundation, 122 dc. Turn

Row 2: ch 3 (does NOT count as dc), 3 dc in next dc. (ch3, sk next 2 dc, 3 dc in next dc) 40 times. DC in last dc. Turn

Row 3: ch 3, 3 Bpdc in the first dc of 3 dc set. ch 3 [working behind the ch 3 of previous round, 3 Bpdc in 1st dc of 3 dc set, ch 3) 38 times. 3 bpdc in 1st dc of last 3 dc set. Dc in last turning ch of previous row. Turn

Repeat row three until desired length

Last row: ch 3, (dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch 3 sp ) repeat to the end of the row. Dc in last turning ch. fasten off and weave in ends.

Photo Tutorial:

Starting on Row 3-

Ch 3. Yarn over,

Going behind the ch 3 of previous row

bpdc in the first dc of next 3 dc set

(Going around the front of the stitch)

(Yarn over, pull through, finish dc)

When making the next bpdc in the set of 3, do it the same way but make sure the second one goes on top of the first one, not beneath it. (which mean you may need to pull down the 1st st in order to get the second one on top of it) So the three stack on top of each other. You'll get a totally different look if you do the dc under the previous one.

Here's what it looks like when you just finish the 3 bpdc

This is what the back side looks like

ch 3 and repeat till the end. Then dc in last st (it's the turning ch 3 from the previous row)

This is what the edging looks like

And here's a few rows done

Wow that was not an awesome attempt to explain that but I hope it helped even a little. I love this blanket and I think I'm gong to make lots. It goes pretty fast too.

Repurposed shirt quilt

I finally made something!!!!  Remember how I used to make lots of things?   It is a distant memory at this point, but I did do something!

I made this baby boy quilt from his Daddy's old button up plaid shirts.

 I cut up the back piece into the biggest rectangle I could make and then cut it in half lengthwise.  Then each was cut up into 3.5" strips and sewn together to make the columns.  The sashing and backing was from a white sheet that we don't use anymore.  The sashing was also 3.5".  I machine quilted it with a walking foot-just a simple stitch in the ditch.  For the binding, I pieced together different lengths of 3.5" width shirt fabric.  If you cut up the very top of the back, right underneath the collar, the fabric is doubled, so you only have to cut once to get 2 pieces.

Pretty simple, but with lots of significance for me and it was nice that it didn't cost anything :).  I can't wait to use it when he gets here!

Newborn Hanging Nest

My SIL Celeste made a request that we figure out how to make these hanging hammocks and "potato sacs" that are SO DARLING in newborn shoots. Seriously, if you haven't seen them before google newborn hammock photo shoot or something cause they are the cutest!

Anyway, so while we were in Boise with them, Celeste and I made up a pattern. The hammock didn't work out so well (I'm going to try again when I have more time) but the potato sac turned out good I thought. But to us it looked more like one of those round hanging bird's nests, so that what it's called.

Here's the pattern I wrote out. It's my first pattern ever so if it doesn't make sense I'm sorry. Let me know what to fix so I can get better.

I'm extrememly sad we didn't have an actual newborn to try this out on cause I'm not positive on the sizing but it's easy to make bigger if needs be.

And it's really more fun to do photo shoots with a real baby instead of your two-year-old's baby doll.

So I thought it turned out fun and I want to do more designs with different stitches. And maybe embellish it with a ribbon or flower or something cute like that.

Blessing Dress

since I have no other projects to post at the moment I thought I'd post full pictures of the dress.

They're not the best pictures but oh well

Freezer Paper Stenciling

So I haven't done freezer paper stenciling before cause I thought it would be hard, But my SIL and I tried it out last weekend and I am hooked. So easy even I can do it...that's saying something.

Anyway, here's the two I had time for, but as soon as I get more onesies, watch out

{Jumping Trout for Daddy's little fishing buddy}

{Painting in the stencil}

{Chasing the little girl that loves the shirt so much she won't give it back long enough to take a picture}

{Don't worry the paint was dry}

{My favorite one}

The hardest part is waiting for the paint to dry so you can peel off the paper

Busy, busy!

I have had lots of baby showers to go to recently so I've been sewing a lot for them. It's been so much fun! I would sew all day long if I could! On a side note, my best friend Susan and I are going to start a little etsy shop selling our baby gear. I like to make slings, nursing covers, appliqued/ ruffles onesies and baby legs. Susan does great diaper bags, purses, nursing covers and burp rags. I'll let everyone know how that is going! But back to the pictures:

I made this nursing cover for my friend Katie

with a burp rag corner sewn in

Matching quilted card for her

These are from my phone= poor quality

This was for my friend Savannah

Burp rag corner

Made these baby legs for my chubby bubby.

Once again, bad photos. The colors are really much prettier!

Susan and her mom made me an AMAZING diaper bag out of these fabrics

so as a thank you to her mom, I made this quilted card out of the scraps

Made this card for my MIL's birthday. 

I made myself a baby sling to replace the one in the Yukon. I created my own tutorial for it! I'm so proud! Photos to come! 

Thanks for looking!

G-I-R-A-F-F-E, Giraffe, Giraffe, Giraffe

Isn't he cute?! Thanks to my SIL Lisa who found the pattern here

I really am loving it. This was for a friend's baby so I'm going to have to make another one for my baby

By the way, the title is a song. I'm really not crazy

Felt Song Book

Hooray! I can post my book now, little Jo opened it. I got this idea from the quiet book from homemade by jill. 

I loved it but I wanted to do it differently so I made it into a songbook. I'm actually really happy about the way it turned out. 

Cover Page

3 little speckled frogs...

Almost all of the pages have little pocket that the animals can go into

Old McDonald had a Farm...

(with finger puppets)

3 little monkeys swingin' in a tree...

3 little duck went out to play...

Here's a ball for baby

(I couldn't think of anything for this one so I made them flaps to open and see what's underneath)

If you don't know the song, you really should learn it. We love it at our house :)

All the pages together. Sorry it's a small picture.

I think if you click on them it'll make them bigger. 

Back Cover. I just had to do it. 

If you can't see the pictures very well, I'll try and do it again and make them bigger

Sweet Little Lambs

Just a quick post to show you the little stuffed lambs I've made recently. The pattern is from bit of whimsy dolls that I bought on artfire...go check out her shop...seriously cute stuff! This one I made for my niece who just turned 4:
And this one is for my own bebe:I made them with fake fur which made them harder to make, but much more cuddly than if I had just used chenille.

More Stardust Shoes

I know there have been a million stardust shoes made and posted, but I was pretty darn proud of these camo ones I made for baby Logan.

PS Sorry I'm taking over the posts. I'll try to be more conservative. 

Made: Softie lovies

I finally finished something! I can only do short projects anymore apparently. Tonight, I whipped up some new lovies after almost losing one. I made a miniature version of the brick pattern quilt (tutorial found here) Put some super soft Minkie (aka cuddle flat) on the back with some taggies out the side and we are good to go...one for the baby and one for the wash! I just adore this Woodland Bloom fabric still...if only I could have bought a whole bolt of all of the fabrics in the line. *sigh*

My love of Freezer Paper

I discovered the art of freezer paper stenciling and dyeing your own clothes! I don't think I'll ever buy another logo-ed article of clothing again!! Very fun and very rewarding. A little time consuming for me because the exacto knife and I are not very chummy... but that's another story. I of course couldn't find the camera until the whole process was finished but here are the end results!

My baby is going to be born in the year of the ox... saw this for $35, figured I could do it for a whole lot cheaper! Dyed it blue and stenciled away!

Front

This is red. I know it doesn't look that way in the photos but trust me it's a heathery red. Nate is peeved because he thinks our baby is going to be confused for a girl.

California for me with a little heart over San Francisco and....

Back

Arizona for Nate with a little heart over Tucson. This has to be my favorite out of the two onesies! I told Nate we'll just put blue jeans on him, blue socks, blue blanket and a blue binky wherever we go in this top. :)

This has nothing to do with freezer paper, but I wanted to share the blanket I made for Chelseas darling baby Afton. It's just two pieces of fleece and I crocheted the edges. I was very excited to make a girl blanket!