February Love + New Baby Craftastic Monday Link Party

It's the first Craftastic Monday Link Party of February!  I know the party is a bit late, but I have a good reason:

 Sew Can Do baby #5 arrived nearly 2 weeks early so we just came home from the hospital with our new little one a few hours ago.

We're pretty tired after a hectic few days, so this week I'll be taking it easy and getting used to our new, bigger than before, family.  I can't wait to see what beautiful creations you've made as I recuperate.  It's the ideal time to share all the love, Valentine's Day and baby-themed makes you've done - past or present - as well as any new DIYs, recipes, sewing, quilting, crafts, crochet or decor you've done.  

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Last week I shared my latest crafty project this 
Easy Hand Knit Round Pouf Pillow:

And now for this week's Craftastic Picks:

She's Crafty Crafty showed how to make fun faux vintage decorative cans:

Apple Street Cottage shared these festive Valentine's Day coasters:

B4 and Afters had a free pattern for these pretty crochet earrings:

Zeleni Trenutki made this beautiful knit sweater:

If you're one of this week's features, be sure to grab my Featured On button over on my Buttons Page to share the good news. 

 Want a Chance to 
Be Featured Next Week?  

Link back to the party somewhere on your blog.
I can't feature your post if you don't share the party.  
  

Featured projects are also shared on Sew Can Do's Twitter feed for your creations to have MORE exposure!

Follow me there to see more great projects (and see if yours is one of them)!   

Ready to link up your crafty creations?

 

Party rules are simple: 

• As long as it's crafty, and made by you, it's Craftastic (no links to other people's work or to shops - join my Crafty Business Weekends Link Party instead!).  
• Add the link to your specific post. Product reviews, plagiarized or sponsored posts for random items will be immediately deleted.  
• Grab my party button & put it on your post, party page or blog somewhere.  If you want the chance to be featured, this is key.  The button code can be found HERE.
• Check out some of the other fabulous links and share some crafty comment love.  We all love getting comments!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Easy Project Love: Hand Knit Round Pouf Pillow

Want a quick & easy project that looks like it took a lot more effort?  Have I got the craft for you!  This fabulous Hand Knit Round Pouf Pillow.   

With baby coming any day now and nesting mode kicking in big time, I've wanted to do a few simple projects.  Things I can potentially leave at any time & easily come back to have been key - especially with a curious and active under 2yr old running around.  Now's not the time for me to be designing new things from scratch or drafting patterns with my brain & belly both a bit worn out.  I found a great video tutorial for making this hand knit round pouf pillow that's cheap, takes next to no time and requires even less knitting skills.  I'd seen poufs like this in catalogs for ridiculously high prices so being able to make one myself, inexpensively, was a huge draw.


I also wanted a cute little throw pillow for the glider in our nursery and this turned out just perfect for it:



I'm not going to rehash an already awesome & easy to follow video by copying it step-by-step in photo form here, but you can find the original here at Do It On A Dime.  

I'd actually found a different video first, but the instructions & camera work were harder to follow.  And the finished sample pillow shown at the beginning of that video was actually larger than what was made during the tutorial so when I was done it was too small and I had to unravel the whole thing.  Grrr.  

The Do It On A Dime video gives two size options and once I learned the technique I did one that was in-between to get the ideal size.  My finished pillow was 11 inches in diameter and 7 inches high, so I did 15 stitches around and 8 rows high.  



That original video tutorial I found was from a shop that also carried the 100% Merino wool yarn used.  It was crazy expensive and they didn't have the right color either, so I found a great Merino Acrylic blend over at Hobby Lobby (FYI it's called Yarn Bee Showstopper) that looked identical to the pricey one and was on sale for $7.  It literally looked and felt like cotton candy while I was working. Is it weird I totally wanted to eat it?  

I'd bought it before I found the second video, and in it she mentioned using this very yarn as a cheaper option to the 100% wool, so I knew I was on the right track.

A few tips I learned from making this were to use a little clip to mark the start of each row.  If you're easily distracted or have to step away in the middle, like I usually do, this keeps you on track with knowing how far you've gone.  It's also important to keep the stitches uniform and not too loose - if they gape too much you'll see the poly fill on the inside.  The yarn has a good amount of give so you can always stretch it a little to widen the stitches when you stuff it.  

Also, you'll need less poly fill that you'll anticipate so it's ok to under stuff it a bit - the thickness of the yarn gives it a lot of the pouf shape.  

Lastly, I learned from the first video to fold a little yarn remnant in half and stuff it in the center hole of the top and bottom of the pillow to give it a nice finish (and to stop up the hole so you can't see inside at all): 

I LOVE how this turned out and how cute it looks with all our other furniture and pillows in the room.  I'm totally going to make more of these, maybe even a giant floor sized one.  I'm also on the lookout for some thick chenille yarn to do different textures.

Craftastic Monday Link Party + Extra Dose of Features

Welcome to a new Craftastic Monday Link Party!  It's the perfect place to share all your creative projects, DIYs, recipes, sewing, quilting, crafts, crochet, decor & more.  We've got a TON of inspiring ideas from other linkers too!

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Last week I shared my latest sewing projects - 
Comfy Clothes for Active Toddlers and a great, thrifty resource for toddler patterns:

And now for this week's Craftastic Picks - there were SO many fabulous projects shared!!

DIY Vibes showed how to make these fun burlap and wood Valentine's Day signs:

White House Crafts shared this cute DIY paper chain wall hanging:

Samelia's Mum had a free pattern for this adorable love heart dreaming pillow:

Handmade Weekly offered up these beautiful free floral nursery printable.  LOVE them!

Mom Das gave us this quick & easy sew heart shaped pot holder pattern:

Claire Justine shared this recipe for sweetcorn, shallot & chili fritters with tomato shallot chutney - I can't wait to try this: 

Fresh Vintage By Lisa shared this sweet shiny brite Valentine wreath:



and Trick & Treat had this recipe for a delicious fresh apple cake:



If you're one of this week's features, be sure to grab my Featured On button over on my Buttons Page to share the good news. 

 Want a Chance to 
Be Featured Next Week?  

Link back to the party somewhere on your blog.
I can't feature your post if you don't share the party.  
  

Featured projects are also shared on Sew Can Do's Twitter feed for your creations to have MORE exposure!

Follow me there to see more great projects (and see if yours is one of them)!   

Ready to link up your crafty creations?

 

Party rules are simple: 

• As long as it's crafty, and made by you, it's Craftastic (no links to other people's work or to shops - join my Crafty Business Weekends Link Party instead!).  
• Add the link to your specific post. Product reviews, plagiarized or sponsored posts for random items will be immediately deleted.  
• Grab my party button & put it on your post, party page or blog somewhere.  If you want the chance to be featured, this is key.  The button code can be found HERE.
• Check out some of the other fabulous links and share some crafty comment love.  We all love getting comments!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sewing Play Clothes For Active Toddlers

It's feel like forever since I had new projects to share.  The holidays, being sick for weeks and the tail end of a tiring pregnancy had zapped me of most sewing interest, energy & time.  Luckily nesting mode has kicked in and I'm finally finishing sewing projects that have been sitting partially done for way too long.

First up: Comfy Play Clothes for Toddlers.  My little guy is edging towards 2 and with it his baby ways are ending and he's become a super active boy.  Climbing, running and growing like a weed.  

It means when I sew up clothes I need them to be able to take a beating and fit for a good long time - easy to put on & take off and, of course, worth the time it takes to make them (translation: non-frustrating and thrifty).  Enter these lovelies:

This pull on raglan top and jogger pant are made from patterns in the book Kwik Sew's Sewing for Toddlers by Kerstin Martensson.  It's an oldie (1992), but a goodie.  I bought my copy a few years ago, and you can get a used one for around $10 online with a quick internet search.  It's a real find if you like having access to a lot of patterns and learning how to do lots of variations to add even more looks.  Buying the same basic patterns separately would cost way more and not give nearly as many bonus options.

Don't let the dated cover of the book scare you away!  It's an early 90s publication, so the fabrics and styling of photos are super cringe-y.  Most of the designs have a slouchy design, but not only is that ideal with toddlers for fit, but when paired with the right fabrics, they totally have a modern European look:

The instructions are really straightforward and full size, pull-out, traceable patterns are included for 4 toddler sizes - in all the separates a little person could need: sweats, shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, rompers, overalls, skirts & dresses.  There are also lots of ways to do them with various closures, lengths, necklines and styles - even color blocking & appliqués.  This raglan top features a pullover rib knit neckband and cuffs, so very beginner friendly.

The jogger pant features an elastic waistband and also has fold over cuffs so there's extra growth room:

I got this fun sloth print interlock knit fabric at Jo-Ann Stores.  It was pretty inexpensive on sale and a single $7.99 yard made both pieces so it was cheaper than buying a store made outfit, which always justifies making clothes in my mind.

I made a second set with this other knit fabric (also Jo-Ann's),  with this cute dragon/castle/knights motif.

Everything can be sewn up on a regular sewing machine or serger, which is handy.

I used the bib overalls pattern from the book to make this cute outfit for Christmas too:

The sizing is also nice & true, so the fit is ideal and gives plenty of room.  I made the T1 size for my guy which translates to about 18-24 months.  

I'd cut out both sets back when he was 18 months, but only finished one.  Now 4 months later, the fit is still great for both outfits so I'm confident he'll be able to wear it through to spring:

The real challenge is taking actual photos of him wearing things I've made.  These days he's usually just a blur of movement and my giant baby bump prevents chasing after him with the camera.  Thankfully, in these outfits he can stretch out & live large, which he loves.  And it makes it easier for me to take a few lounging pics:

I'm definitely going to make some more things from this book for him this spring & summer and love that we won't size out for several more years.  Added bonus, when the next baby is a toddler I'll get even more use out of it!

Link Up Your Projects @ the Craftastic Monday Link Party

Winter is in full swing here and Valentine's Day is coming!  Time to link all those wintery & holiday projects, DIYs, recipes, sewing, quilting, crafts, crochet, decor & more at this week's Craftastic Monday Link Party.

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Last week I shared how out insane Facebook has blocked this blog because it "violates community standards" and how this stupidity and other factors are why Sew Can Do is deciding to leave most social media:

And now for the latest Craftastic Picks:

Virginia Sweet Pea showed her decorative handmade wooden sled makeover:

The Dedicated House shared how to make this roasted cauliflower parsnip soup with clover leaf rolls:

Eyelove Knots had a free pattern for this crochet heart pixel art square:

Big Green House shared this no sugar, no flour cinnamon oat muffin recipe: 

If you're one of this week's features, be sure to grab my Featured On button over on my Buttons Page to share the good news. 

 Want a Chance to 
Be Featured Next Week?  

Link back to the party somewhere on your blog.
I can't feature your post if you don't share the party.  
  

Featured projects are also shared on Sew Can Do's Twitter Feed for your creations to have MORE exposure!

Follow me there to see more great projects (and see if yours is one of them)!   

Ready to link up your crafty creations?

 

Party rules are simple: 

• As long as it's crafty, and made by you, it's Craftastic (no links to other people's work or to shops - join my Crafty Business Weekends Link Party instead!).  
• Add the link to your specific post. Product reviews, plagiarized or sponsored posts for random items will be immediately deleted.  
• Grab my party button & put it on your post, party page or blog somewhere.  If you want the chance to be featured, this is key.  The button code can be found HERE.
• Check out some of the other fabulous links and share some crafty comment love.  We all love getting comments!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter