Sunny Stitching

Crocheted Baby Blankets

2013-05-17T10:50:00.000+01:00

I'm so excited to show the latest listings in my and my mom's Etsy shop! We've been wanting to add more baby items for awhile and we have now added baby blankets to our shop, Sunshine Makings.

They are all crocheted using the v-stitch and double strands of yarn. I love how the double strands make the blankets warm enough for a baby and the v-stitch allows breathability (is that a word?).

They are all so soft and cuddly, it makes me wish my kids were still small enough to use these baby blankets. If you've got a baby or know someone who does, here are your choices of colors: blue, blue & white, pink & grey, or the softest yellow.

If you do decide to visit our shop and make a purchase, please enjoy a 10% discount by using this coupon code: SSBLOG

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

Mayfair

2013-05-14T21:12:00.002+01:00

I know I've been silent for the last week or so and here is why...

I've been busy stocking up for Mayfair! I had a vendor stall at my first ever craft fair! Mayfair is one of the largest and most enjoyable events at our school. It's mostly fun and games for the kids, but there is always shopping for the ladies. This year, after gaining confidence in selling through my Etsy shop (Sunshine Makings), I took a leap and reserved a spot at Mayfair.

It's one of the best things I've done. I had such a great time chatting with the people who stopped at my table...and I sold stuff! I made enough to cover the cost of my table (which was my main goal), to donate over £40 to IJM, and also some to keep.

I had barely finished setting up when I made my first sale and then snapped these pictures really quickly before making a second sale (hence the knocked over sign and fallen cup sleeve and Starbucks cup missing it's sold sleeve :-)).

I made sure to have a variety of items because I had no idea what people would buy. I was surprised to find out that I had a perfect selection and sold a little bit of everything. A few of the items were made by my mom (Kay from Jerry&Kay) like the scarves and wrist warmers above (all sold!).

My favorite new items I made especially for the fair were the baby hats. They are made of the softest Bernat bamboo yarn. I sold one and took orders for about five in larger baby sizes...that was exciting! Stay posted or follow my blog in any possible way (options in sidebar) to find out when these will be available in my Etsy shop.

After looking at my booth, I see a few display improvements to be made for the next fair, but I was really pleased with it on the day, and overall, this was the best first craft fair experience I could have had! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me, and to everyone who bought something, and to King Damascus who gave me pep talks during the week leading up to the sale when I was stressing myself out!

Blue Ripple Crochet Mug Cozy - Free Pattern

2013-05-04T22:45:00.001+01:00

One of my obsessions this year have been mug and cup cozies. If you follow along, you've seen quite a few, including my recycled denim mug cozy and the variety of cup sleeves that my mom (Kay from Jerry and Kay) and I sell in our Etsy shop. Well, today, I'd like to share with you one of my latest creations - a crochet pattern for this lovely blue ripple crochet mug cozy. It is a great project for crocheters of all levels and if you don't crochet, you can find one here in my Etsy shop. I love wrapping it around my mug in the morning, knowing it will keep my coffee warm for those few minutes more.

Blue Ripple Crochet Mug Cozy

Materials:

· Yarn: Worsted Weight/Aran – 400g / 840m / 920y (I used LionBrand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton)

· Crochet Hook – US - J / 10 (6.00mm)

· Button

· Large-Eye Blunt Needle

Stitches Used: SC – single crochet and DC – double crochet

Ripple Stitch: Mult. of 3 stitches + 1 (add 2 for foundation ch)

Directions:

Ch 30 (or enough equal to the circumference of mug minus width of mug handle)

R1: 2 DC in 3^rd ch from hook, * skip 2 ch, [1SC, 2DC] in next ch, repeat from * to last 2 ch, skip 2 ch, 1 SC in last ch, turn.

R2: 2 CH, 2 DC in first sc, * skip 2 dc, [1SC, 2DC] in next sc, repeat from *, ending skip 2 dc, 1 SC in 2^nd of 2 ch, turn.

R3-7: Repeat row 2.

SC around entire edge of cozy.

CH 28, attach end of ch to sc at beginning of ch,

SC along short edge to bottom corner.

CH 28, attach end of ch to sc at beginning of ch.

Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Sew button and you are finished.

If you're interested in learning how I covered my button with crochet, please visit my blog soon as I'm going to have a short tutorial about it soon!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

I'm participating in The Crochet Challenge on JJCrochet. This mug cozy is my second accomplishment for the challenge. Have a look at her blog for more info...and a free pattern!

Headband Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-03T09:38:00.000+01:00

As part of Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, we had to do something a little bit different on one of the days. I chose to have a giveaway, which I've never done before. The giveaway was for three lovely crochet headbands of the winner's color choice.

I used Rafflecopter to run the giveaway and was very pleased with it. It was easy to set up and easy to get the results with the click of a button! If I have another giveaway (perhaps during my birthday week at the end of May), I'll run it longer so that more people can have a chance to participate. Four days just didn't seem long enough.

I'd like to thank everyone who entered and showed an interest in my blog and headbands by entering the giveaway! It is a great compliment that there were actually people who wanted to win! :-)

And the winner is...BETH F.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you entered the giveaway and didn't win, OR if you didn't have a chance to enter, you can still find these crochet headbands in my and my mom's Etsy shop, Sunshine Makings, individually or as a set of three. Hope to see you there!

☼

Kids Clothes Week Day 6: Supergirl Costume

2013-04-27T23:24:00.001+01:00

It's day six of Kids Clothes Week!

And, in case you haven't seen, I'm having a GIVEAWAY!

...you can enter it by clicking here. Now, on to KCW...

I didn't have a chance to post for day 4 or 5 because of life. On day 4, I cut up a thrifted dress using a thrifted pattern for a girl's nightgown. On day 5, I sewed the front top to the back top, gathered the sleeves, and attached them to the bodice. Boring. There are no nice pictures of that process. It's at a stand still now because we got interrupted by Supergirl!

Our local Hobbycraft had a fundraiser today and the theme was superheroes. They had a bake sale, craft sale, art sale, kids crafts, and a costume contest to raise money for a hospital. We love Hobbycraft and were excited to go to support the fundraiser today. Originally, I was going to take two Spidermen. Then, one of them changed her mind and convinced me to make her a Supergirl costume.

So, after a quick study of Supergirl's outfit, we visited Hobbycraft yesterday to get some red fabric (on sale 1/3 the regular price!!!). That left this morning for me to make the skirt, cape, and specially requested mask (this was desperately wanted knowing the real Supergirl didn't wear one). It was tough mainly because it's Saturday. Usually, there is nothing that we have to do and there is lots of time to play with the kids. It was hard to stay focused, but any time my little girl wanted me to play with her, I gave her the option: I can play now or you can have a Supergirl costume in a couple hours. She chose Supergirl every time. Miraculously, I was able to make a skirt using Made's Circle Skirt Tutorial. I used the yellow waistband left over from the shorts I cut up for the Batman T-shirt. So I altered Made's method a bit so that the raw edge of the waistband wouldn't show.

I used Georia Lee's Superhero Cape Tutorial as a rough guide to make a cape.

I simplified the applique by only sewing on the yellow shape and then stitching the outline of the "S" in red. From my costume inspiration, it looked like this was a bit closer to Supergirl's and it cut down on the time it took to make the cape, which was most important today!

Finally, I made a mask. I used some felt left over from the chalkboard party favors and the drawstring from those same yellow shorts mentioned earlier.

I got it all done in the nick of time and quickly snapped these pictures on our way to the car with Supergirl and Spiderman. Funny enough, Spiderman won the costume competition! We came home with about £50 worth of Hobbycraft kid craft supplies....how fun is that! My little guy fell asleep with a smile on his face tonight because he was so happy he won. I was just happy that I didn't have to make his costume...it was so easy to dig into the dress up box, pull it out, and put it on! But, it's also so satisfying to see my little girl proudly posing as Supergirl.

If you're interested in participating in Kids Clothes Week, click here for more information.

Or you can take a look at all the great kids clothes that people are making by taking a look at the Kids Clothes Week flickr group!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

4KCBWDAY6: A Tool to Covet

2013-04-27T16:16:00.003+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

Day Six (Saturday April 27th): A Tool To Covet
Write about your favourite knitting or crochet (or spinning, etc) tool. It can either be a tool directly involved in your craft (knitting needles or crochet hook) or something that makes your craft more pleasurable – be it a special lamp, or stitch markers. Is it an item that you would recommend to others, and if so for which applications/tasks do you think it is most suited. Conversely, do you have a tool/accessory that you regret buying? Why does it not work for you?

Hmmm...this is a hard one. I'm not that into gadgets and haven't explored enough to really have any absolute favorite crocheting tools. I still use the same hooks and scissors that I bought when I first started crocheting 8 years ago. I don't buy a ton of tools, so I don't have any that I regret buying. Think, think, think. There must be something. Okay. I've got it. Two favorites. The first is this eyeglass case that I found at a charity shop for about 50p. It's perfect for holding all the tools I need for a WIP: scissors, hook, needles, pen. It's also pretty and easy to grab and go.

The second is my needle holder. I have no idea when or where I got this, but it is the best because it holds all my needles. It also fits nicely in my eyeglass case and I never lose my needles!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here, my first ever, inspired by yesterday's topic!

☼

4KCBWDAY5: Something A Bit Different

2013-04-26T10:51:00.001+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

4KCBWDAY5 Something A Bit Different

It’s the annual challenge to blog in a way different to how you normally blog. You may choose to create a podcast, or vlog, create a wordless post or write in verse. You've already stretched your wings with an infographic, now it's time to freestyle. You can post on any topic you like, but be sure to post in a style different from your usual blog presentation.

Today, I'm going to do something I've never done before: a Giveaway! When I saw today's topic, I thought it would be the perfect time to run my very first giveaway. I'm offering one of my newest additions to my Etsy shop, Sunshine Makings. My mom (Kay from Jerry & Kay) and I started the shop at the end of November and it's been loads of fun! One of our newest items are these lovely crochet headbands. By entering the giveaway, you have a chance to win not one...but three of the crochet headbands. You choose the colors.

The colors pictures are what we currently have available in the shop, but here is a list of your choices: red, white, black, dark blue, light blue, green, grey, pink, raspberry, and yellow.

The giveaway will run until midnight, April 30, 2013. To enter the giveaway, just fill in the form below. The more options that you complete, the better chance you have of winning. I will announce the winners on May 2, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4KCBWDAY4: Colour Review

2013-04-25T07:00:00.000+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

Day Four (Thursday April 25th): Colour Review
What are your favourite colours for knitted or crocheted projects. Have a think about what colours you seem to favour when yarn shopping and crafting. Only after writing this part of your post should you then actually look to see what colours you have used in your projects. Make a quick tally of what colours you have used in your projects over the past year and compare it to the colours you have written about. Compare this, in turn, to the colours that are most dominant in your yarn stash – do they correlate? Now think back to your house animal - do the colours you have chosen relate to your animal in anyway - if you are in the house of peacock, for example, are your projects often multicoloured and bright?

My favorite colors this year have been grey, blue, and pink. This blanket has been one of my favorite color combinations that I have ever used.

I even used again in this scarf.

And then there are the many shades of grey...

Little Mouse and Elephant Amigurumi

Coffee Cup Sleeves Fingerless Gloves

Infinity Scarf Mug Cozy

Guy Beanie Recycled Yarn Cup Cozy

Headband

These colors are different from what I have in my stash, which makes sense because my stash is filled with yarn that I've bought for projects that I've never completed. There is a lot of baby colors: pink, light yellow, light blue, white. I'm hoping to use a lot of it up soon because I have a lot of pregnant friends, and I'm also going to be selling at my school's Mayfair in a couple weeks. I'm hoping to get a few baby blankets finished by then!

I don't think the colors I choose relate very well to a bee. They relate more to the weather that has surrounded me many days over the last year: grey. Also, on a grey note, they relate to the sad fact that there aren't as many bees around here as there have been in the past. Looking at the next set of bright colors in that help me combat the grey, I can also see colors of flowers that might attract a bee, so perhaps they relate more that I thought...

Wash Cloths More Coffee Cup Sleeves

...and Hats!

☼

Kids Clothes Week Day 3: Little Heartbreaker Pants

2013-04-24T16:02:00.001+01:00

It's day three of Kids Clothes Week!

And, in case you haven't seen, I'm having a GIVEAWAY!

...you can enter it by clicking here.

For day three, I made some new trousers for my son. He's about to outgrow ALL of his, so it's time for some new ones! I was as cheap as I was for my little girl's dress (KCW Day 2), so when it came to fabric, I hunted through the local charity shops and found a very large pair of women's trousers (£4) that I cut up and turned into this cute pair of boys' trousers. That was much better than £8 per metre at the fabric shop!

I made the Little Heartbreaker Pants from Sewing for Boys. They are adorable...and too big as you can see from the pictures. This was on purpose so the my little guy can wear them for a long time. They'll be baggy now, but will hopefully fit at least until the fall. That's my plan. I even left length inside so that I can bring the cuff down if he gets taller.

This was my first time using button hole elastic, even though it's something I always look for when buying my little guy trousers. I like it and it's another great way to make the trousers fit longer. The facing is from an old button down that King Damascus had in our give away pile. I snatched it out to make a shirt for my son (which I hope to have done by the end of the week!).

The brown pockets are from scraps. I love the overall color combination and think the outfit is going to be adorable with a matching striped shirt!

Today, we settled with orange plaid that matched well enough, wasn't too wrinkled, and was fresh from the closet so hadn't had time to get dirty yet. Bribed him with a lollipop to do the photo shoot and he was such a perfect model! He did everything I asked him, happily. A rare moment in time.

He doesn't love these trousers nearly as much as his Batman shirt, wont' be begging me to wear them, but I know he'll get enough use out of them that it was worth the time I spent. He's even forgotten he didn't want to put them on for the photo shoot and is still wearing them...that's a good sign.

If you're interested in participating in Kids Clothes Week, click here for more information.

Or you can take a look at all the great kids clothes that people are making by taking a look at the Kids Clothes Week flickr group!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

4KCBWDAY3: Infographic

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

Day Three (Wednesday April 24th): Infographic

There are many ways of conveying information on a blog; text and images being the two most widely used. Many infographics combine both these elements to provide a visual way of presenting text information. Make your own infogaphic (no fancy imaging software needed, you can draw it on paper and photograph it if you want) to convey any element of your craft(s). It can be just for fun or a thoroughly researched presentation of an idea/finding.

I made my infogram using Tagxedo. I enjoyed designing it, choosing the colors and shape. However, I could not get it to download in any way, so in the end I just took a screenshot. I really didn't have the time or interest to investigate why it wouldn't download because I don't think I'll be using a ton of infograms in the future. It was fun to do it today, but I didn't fall in love with the task. I had the most fun with the theme of it: Knit and Crochet Abbreviations. When learning to knit or crochet, it's like learning a new language. My infogram shows most, but not all, of the many knit and crochet abbreviations. I am happy to say that I knew what most of them meant...most of the crochet abbreviations, anyway...the knitting ones I still have a ways to go!

☼

Kids Clothes Week Day 2: Shutt Dress

2013-04-23T10:43:00.000+01:00

It's day two of Kids Clothes Week!

And, in case you haven't seen, I'm having a GIVEAWAY!

...you can enter it by clicking here.

My daughter chose this dress (Shutt Dress by SewSet.) for Kids Clothes Week. I had pinned it months ago (here) with the hopes of making it, so I was really excited that she chose it and added it to my goals for the week!

I've been really frugal about buying fabric to make anything. I just have the hardest time spending an amount of money on fabric when I know I can buy something similar for less at any store on the high street. To make up for this, I keep my eye out for anything special at charity shops. I bought a sheet almost a year ago because I thought the colors and flowers would make a really pretty dress for my little girl. It was perfect for this dress!

I didn't attempt the bunting because I know myself too well, and I knew it would make this project more of a burden than an enjoyment.

I think it is still absolutely adorable, even without the bunting, and it's obvious that my little girl feels pretty in it, which is the most important thing!

Great for spinning! Great for playing!

Even though, it was rainy and grey when I sewed this dress, it's going to loads of fun to wear in the sunny summer!

If you're interested in participating in Kids Clothes Week, click here for more information.

Or you can take a look at all the great kids clothes that people are making by taking a look at the Kids Clothes Week flickr group!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

4KCBWDAY2: A Mascot Project

2013-04-23T08:00:00.000+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

Day Two (Tuesday April 23rd): A Mascot Project.

Your task today is to either think of or research a project that embodies that house/animal. It could be a knitting or crochet pattern – either of the animal itself or something that makes you think of the qualities of that house. Alternatively it could be a type or colour of yarn, or a single button. Whatever you choose, decide upon a project and blog about how and why it relates to your house/creature. You do not have to make this project! It is simply an exercise in blogging about how you come to decide upon what projects to make. Try and blog about the journey which inspiration and investigating patterns, yarns, stitches, (etc) can often guide you through. You may wish to make a collage or 'mood board' to present several ideas, or even sketch out your own design.

My Bee Moodboard

When I search for a project, I first think of what projects I have in my old red binder where I filed projects before the invention of Pinterest. Usually, I don't think of anything from there. So, next I go to Pinterest and take a look at my Crochet and Knitting board. If that does not inspire me, I go to Google, which is where I ended up for my bee crochet project research.

My findings:

1. Naturally Dyed Merino Yarn on Etsy - I love this color and that it's naturally dyed. Favorited.

2. Bee Amigurumi - This is the type of project I love. It's super easy. It's super cute!

3. Salted Honey Artisan Caramels - yum. yum. yum. I got a little distracted from finding a crochet pattern when I came across this image and went straight to its source to read more about it! Can't you just taste it?? Favorited.

4. Yarn Ball Pure Beeswax Candle - When the caramels took me to Etsy, I thought I'd look around there for some bee inspired crochet patterns and instead found this great beeswax yarn ball candle! Isn't that clever?

5. Bee Movie - Any time I hear the word bee, I hear "Thinking bee! Thinking bee!" because The Bee Movie has been one of my daughter's top two movies for her entire life of four years (the other is Madagascar). I'm pretty sure I've watched or at least heard the movie at least a couple hundred times.

6. Bumble Bee Hat Crochet Pattern - I saw this and the next few adorable patterns before I got distracted by the caramels. I'm just not sure if my kids will be into it. They're pretty picky these days. So, I'll have to ask them and get a definite answer before I invest.

7. Bumble Bee Amigurumi - Isn't this a lovely picture? I love how they placed the crochet bee in the flower. This one originally brought me to a fabulous page with loads of free amigurumi patterns. Love it!

8. Baby Bees - I just love these. They are so cheerful. They were made as a teacher gift, a pretty unique idea. I never thought to crochet dolls for my kids' teachers. I might have to give it a try this year.

9. Crochet Covered Sea Stones - Where else but Purlbee! Very fitting. I've seen these stones before and love how the crochet cover softens the hard stones.

Source: purlbee.com via Jessica on Pinterest

This is a typical pattern search. A little flighty, right? And I still haven't made a decision on what to crochet - also typical. Usually, in the end I choose what I think will be the easiest on that I will still love. So, in this case, if I really have to make a choice, it would be the crochet covered sea stones. From looking at the pictures, I don't think they would be too difficult or take too much time. So, I've pinned the free pattern and tutorial! Now, I just have to find the perfect day to make them.

Now for the House Mascot, I would have to choose the Bumble Bee Amigurumi. It represents the house because it's a bee. It is on a flower. It looks like it's eye has just spotted something else. It's attracted. It will not be on this flower for another second, but will flutter over and away to the shine that has caught it's eye. And on...and on. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz......

☼

Kids Clothes Week Day 1

2013-04-22T22:14:00.001+01:00

"Look what I got from Kids Clothes Week!"

This is day one of Kids Clothes Week Spring 2013! I have loved this idea from the first time I saw it a couple years ago. I attempted to participate in the fall (here), but didn't have much success (here). So, this year, I actually cheated a little and started sewing early. I knew I would not have an hour a day to sew every day in a week. It's just not possible with my work & life schedule.

However, I really wanted to at least try to blog every day about things I've recently sewn. So, after I posted my goals for Kids Clothes Week, I started sewing a little bit each day. I can get in about 15 to 40 sewing minutes on an average day, with an off day now and then where I get lucky with an hour. Part of the problem is that I have trouble sewing at night. Literally every time I attempt to sew after the kids go to bed, I end up sewing pockets in backwards or the right side to the wrong side, or any other mistake that involved ripping out multiple seams. What you'll see this week are things I've made for my kids over the last two weeks. Here is the first...

A batman t-shirt. Every boy needs one of these, right? Well, any boy that's into super heroes like my little guy. He had Spiderman, Superman, Darth Vader, and Yoda, but did not have Batman.

To make it, I bought a long-sleeve t-shirt 2-pack from H&M and a pair of yellow shorts for super cheap from their sale rack. Then, I found the Batman logo in a Google images search, printed it, cut it out and used it as my pattern for the applique shape.

I cut out the logo, pinned it on and stitched around the outer and inner edge a few times to make sure it's secure. It worked for the dinosaur applique t-shirt that is still a favorite, so I thought I'd stick to the same technique.

As you can see, I've got one happy guy who is very proud of his new Batman shirt!

If you're interested in participating in Kids Clothes Week, click here for more information.

Or you can take a look at all the great kids clothes that people are making by taking a look at the Kids Clothes Week flickr group!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

4KCBWDAY1: The House Cup

2013-04-22T00:39:00.000+01:00

This blog post is part of the 4th annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

Introduction to the Topic:

Bee, Manatee, Monkey, or Peacock?

Choose your house. You may be a combination of more than one of these noble beasts, but think about which house best embodies your qualities and declare your place. Post about your crafting outlook/style and why you chose this house.

If the sorting hat had been made out of yarn, it would have most definitely sent me to the House of Bee. According to Eskimimi, "Bees are busy and industrious, but can flit from one interesting project to the next as bright and shiny things capture their interest." This is me. Mainly the flitting, which is evident in all of the unfinished projects I accumulate.

But also the literal attraction to bright and shiny things, like Glitter.

Source: boards.weddingbee.com via Jessica on Pinterest

And the Sun.

Source: summmerlovin.tumblr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Which is why I started this blog in the first place - to help make up for my lack of the brightest thing - the sun. I flit from sewing to crochet to knitting...and then quickly whiz back to crochet and then zip again over to sewing. And just today I was considering sketching again with pencils and charcoal...if this busy bee can find the time, that is.

Serger Tension

2013-04-18T21:44:00.000+01:00

My serger has sat for four months due to some intimidation and some lack of time. I finally found the time last week to figure it out. My manual was very helpful, but I was having major issues with my serger tension. I could not figure it out. After searching around for help, I found this great tutorial on YouTube that provides a way to know your serger's tension. I've written it out here so that I'll always have a record of it. If you want an even more clear and detailed description, please visit YouTube to watch "The Secret to Taming Your Serger."

If you want a quick tutorial, here is my serger tension test:

First, thread your serger, making sure to have a different color thread in the left needle, right needle, upper looper, and lower looper.

Next, cut four rectangles out of white cotton: 5 inches (13cm) x 15.5 inches (39.4cm). Fold the fabric in half lengthwise so that you now have the dimensions that are the same as the above diagram. Label your fabric according to the diagram. The lines should be spaced 1.5" (3.8cm) apart. Each space should have a number (1 to 9). Make one for the Left Needle, Right Needle, Upper Looper, and Lower Looper. Make sure to note the color of thread.

Next, start at the top with the tension of the specific strip set to the lowest tension which in my case was 1. Serge until you reach the line. Then change the tension to 2. And so on. You will feel the tension tighten as you continue to serge and adjust the tension to higher numbers, all the way to your highest tension setting which in my case was 9.

After you have serged the edge of your strip, take a look at it and decide which number has the best tension for that specific thread (this is where noting the color of thread is important). Mark a star in the space.

For my right needle, I number 3 and number 4 looked the same, which I thought a bit strange, but I marked them both anyway. My serger was bought used, so I have no idea what it has been through! I was also surprised that my right needle was 5, but that's what was best.

Once I completed this serger tension test, I made sure that all my tension dials were set to the best number, and gave it a try. It worked! I will keep these strips forever because I know that they will be a very important reference.

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

Wednesday WIP 3

2013-04-17T23:53:00.002+01:00

This week's work in progress is a baby cocoon. I've seen these around and just love them. They are so sweet and snugly.

I have quite a few friends who are going to be having babies soon, so I thought I'd crochet one to get an idea of how it's done and then hopefully design some of my own when I get the hang of it. I've pinned loads of cute crocheted baby cocoons onto my crochet and knitting board for inspiration.

I was surprised at how quickly this one works up; I forgot how tiny things are for newborn babies. Pleasantly surprised, I've worked on this one tonight and know I'll finish it tomorrow! It's almost tomorrow right now as a matter of fact (hence the dark pics). And I'm heading to bed soon, otherwise I'd finish it tonight!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

BudGrips for Ear Buds

2013-04-14T23:42:00.002+01:00

Do you ever go jogging, walking, or do any other activity and have your ear buds repeatedly fall out of your ears?? This happens to me all the time and it drives me crazy. It also really annoyed my brother, Joel, who came up with a solution to the problem: BudGrips. He explains his idea in this video...

Now, this isn't very related to the crochet and kid stuff I usually blog about, but he's my brother and I love his idea, and I really want as many people to know about it as possible! He's at the very beginning stages of manufacturing his product and currently has it up on Kickstarter. If you want a pair of the BudGrips, or just feel generous and want to help a new startup, please take a look and become a backer. You can back as little as $10 to get a pair of the BudGrips! Isn't that a great deal!

And just to show how much I want my brother to succeed, I'll give anyone who supports him two of my new crochet headbands, your choice of color, OR 25% off any item in my Etsy shop. Just leave a comment or send me an email to let me know that you backed BudGrips and I'll be in touch. Just make sure you support him before Friday May 3, 11:29pm EDT.

Click to email me.

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

Button Covers and Crochet Headbands

2013-04-14T01:12:00.003+01:00

Here are our latest Etsy listings at Sunshine Makings...

Ice Cream Cone Button Covers, made by my mom, Kay from Jerry and Kay. Aren't these so cute and just perfect for spring and summer?

The little ice cream cones are attached to button covers. You simply slide them over a button and close to secure. They were made from a pattern that my mom found in a collection of vintage crochet magazines, and we used beautifully soft bamboo yarn. Delightful!

We also have some new crochet headbands. I love wearing mine (the grey one) because it can really make a boring outfit or hairstyle something unique and special. Plus, I get compliments every time I wear it and who doesn't love those?

These are the colors currently available, but if you would like another, we can make these crochet headbands in any color of the rainbow!

I would love it if you visited my shop, and if you see something that like, please enter this coupon code to receive a 10% discount: SSBLOG

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

KCW Spring 2013: My Goals

2013-04-13T14:34:00.001+01:00

Kids Clothes Week is in just a couple of weeks. I participated in the fall and only managed to get two things made (here and here) and the second item wasn't even made during the actual week of sewing! I'm hoping to do much better this time around, but I never know what the week's going to be like until I'm in the midst of it. Here's are some of the things I'd like to make (cocoon, ninja kit, & dress were special requests)...

For my little girl:
1) Cocoon for Baby Doll
2) Summer PJs
3) Summer Dress

For my little boy:
1) Jeans
2) Emergency Ninja Kit
3) Summer PJs with short sleeves

Etsy Treasury: Shades of Green

2013-04-09T16:21:00.001+01:00

I am really excited about this treasury because it includes my organic cup sleeves!

Shades of Green by SSW from Wedding Lab

Custom handmade Vintage... dittographic $48	British Union Jack Burl... BeInspire $22	Lampwork Bead Set FHFte... AlchemyLampwor... $21.5	Handspun yarn, pure Bri... Snowberrylime $30
Green Chrome Diopside R... blossomingsilv... $40	Earth -Fresh green - Gl... JasminBlancBou... $69	Uk and Eire Clock (Gree... castlehomeware $39.99	Go For It rustic neckla... FeelingWild $24
Size UK 6 (US 2) - Gree... digforvictory $130	Colourwheel Murrini &qu... DolmairicDesig... $5	Organic Crochet Cup Sle... SunshineMaking... $14	Treehugger Series 8&quo... SashaJacksonPh... $14
RESERVED... Hand Made L... Fairysteps $209	Exquisite Grecian style... gayretro $65	Vintage Ink Bottle Wate... Inklinks $14	Green Upcycled Capelet ... BabaYagaFashio... $82

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Happy Easter Sock Bunnies

2013-03-31T15:40:00.003+01:00

Wishing you all a Happy Easter...He is Risen!

Bunnies don't have much to do with why we celebrate, but it's fun to have them around and add to the joy of Easter. My kids love their squishy sock bunnies that I made from Poundland over-the-knee socks and LiL Blue Boo's tutorial.

Something special to add to such a special day! Happy Easter!

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

DIY Chocolate Eggs

2013-03-26T22:16:00.004Z

If you've been following along for a while, you probably know that my son is allergic to dairy. This makes it pretty difficult to find Easter candy in the UK that he can enjoy. I have not been able to find any eggs, bunnies, chicks or any other Easter-themed candy that is anything other than milk chocolate. Oh, wait. I did see some white chocolate eggs, but those are also full of dairy.

So, I have solved the problem by making my own dairy free chocolate candies for us to enjoy this Easter. They are made from dark chocolate, which is totally dairy free...and delicious!

Materials:

Green & Blacks Organic Dark Chocolate Bars 70% (or equivalent)

Silicon Molds

Microwave Safe Dish for melting chocolate

Chocolate Bar Foil Wrapper (or foil)

Method:

1. Very carefully open the foil wrapper so that you can reuse it to wrap the chocolate candies.

2. Break chocolate bar into pieces and place in your microwave safe dish.

3. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring at 20-second intervals to prevent burning.

4. Carefully spoon melted chocolate into silicone mold.

5. Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Turn silicone mold upside-down and pop out chocolate candies. If the candies don't pop out easily, return to freezer for a few more minutes.

While your chocolates are freezing, cut foil wrapper into pieces that are large enough to completely cover all sides of the chocolate candies. If the wrapper isn't large enough to make pieces for all the chocolates, you can use kitchen foil. We always wash and save our foil because it is such an easy thing to reuse. So, I took some smaller pieces our and flattened them when I realized I didn't have enough G&B foil.

After the chocolate has hardened and you've popped it out, place it upside-down on a small piece of foil. Then bring all the corners and sides up and over and press them down.

If you press gently on the top of your chocolate egg, the design will show through the foil. You've now got a foil-wrapped chocolate candy!

We're stuffing ours into plastic eggs for an egg hunt we'll host on Friday.

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

End of Google Reader

2013-03-26T10:36:00.003Z

So, you may or may not have heard it, but Google Reader is not going to be with us much longer. While I'm sad to see it go because I'm in such a habit of using it, I'm happy that there are other great options for keeping up with my favorite blogs.

I've transfered my bloglist to Bloglovin' and I'm lovin' it so far! Some other options are Feedly and Networked Blogs. If you want to know more about them, take a look at Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy's review. Stacey's reviewed each of the mentioned options and has screenshots as well.

If you currently use Google Reader to follow me, I'd love for you to switch over and continue following my blog with one of these other options. Here are my links to Bloglovin' and Networked Blogs. Or you can click on any other sidebar links to follow me on facebook, twitter, pinterest, hello cotton, etc. Thanks!!

☼

Cress Egg Heads

2013-03-25T12:00:00.000Z

Make your own cress egg heads! We picked up a packet of cress seeds when we were shopping for our Easter Garden. It was the perfect activity to do today with my little girl who's been ill and resting on the couch and my little guy who's been seeking extra attention due to his sister getting more attention while being sick. Anyway, it was an easy activity to do on the couch. We brought all the supplies over to her so she could enjoy making cress egg heads, too.

If you want to make cress egg heads, here is what you will need:

Cress Seeds

Cotton Wool (Cotton Balls/Kitchen Paper)

Eggs Shells with the top cracked off

Egg Carton to hold egg shells

Sharpie to draw egg face

Water

Once you've gathered all your materials, follow the steps below...

1) Place cotton wool into egg shells until there are a couple centimeters left at the top of the egg shells.

2) Draw faces on your egg shells...very carefully so they don't crack.

3) Pour water over the cotton until it is damp.

4) Sprinkle seeds on top of the cotton...as many as you want. The more seeds there are, the more hair your cress egg head will have.

Place the egg shells back in the egg carton and near sunlight. Watch them grow over the next week. Keep an eye on the growth and water if necessary.

We can't wait to see what our egg heads will look like with their fluffy green hair...hopefully as fluffy as these mustached egg heads! ;-)

☼

I'm linking up to some of these fabulous parties.

Cotton Candy Circus

2013-03-24T23:49:00.000Z

Here is my latest Etsy treasury, once again made for the Knit1Treble2 team challenge. I hope you enjoy it! I sure did, especially with all these beautiful, bright, cheery colors and seriously cute creations!

'Cotton Candy Circus' by SunshineMakings

Hand Crocheted Jester H... CwtchBugs $14	Pixie Hat for Newborn G... TrickyKnits $41	Cotton Candy Crochet Pa... DizzyStitchCro... $4	Clown Bonnet, Photo Pro... justbehappy $24
Handmade crochet light... Buzaitingle $36	Easter Gifts / Easter B... LittleBittyKni... $10	Crochet Toy Pattern Ic... bySol $4	Mr Elephant crochet ami... AlaSascha $3.99
Super Bulky Handspun Ca... Funkyarns $25	Colorful Crochet flower... IDcrochetAcces... $27	Cotton Candy Bow knitbypearl $8	Falkland Wool tops, rov... WharfedaleWool... $12.5
Blended Merino Wool Top... Spottybunny $3.99	THE LAS 2 Circus Clown ... dollymixxx $5	Felted Wool Slippers Gr... WoolWalkerShop $75	Merino 64's 23mic N... Blueface454 $3.25

Treasury tool supported by the dog house