Little Girl's Ruffly Apron

Present time! I have 4 birthdays I currently am creating gifts for. And another one in my head... So some of them had to be quick... and still adorable. This is a gift for a friend of my daughter that is turning 7 years old. I had a ruffly shirt in my box of clothes to re-purpose and had just the idea for it the other day. The before mentioned little girl loves to play restaurant and house so I thought I'd make this shirt into a cute dress up apron for her. It was super fast and easy. Here's how I did it.

Little Girl's Ruffly Apron


You will need a tie of some kind. I used ribbon. And you'll need a shirt or girls dress, preferably with ruffles on the bottom of it. You could turn under the edges and have straight seams or use pre-ruffled fabric or create your own ruffles if you want. For personalizing the front I used scrap fabric and applique.

1. Turn the apron.. oh.. ahem still shirt! And it's really wrinkly by the way. Sorry. Like I said I was doing this quickly. And as much as I would like to have it look nice and ironed and maybe on a professional looking background... It didn't happen. I was actually crafting whilst watching a show with my husband whist the children *did not* sleep and my desire to get out the iron before absolutely necessary was low. My beige carpet and wrinkles will have to do today. ;) So, turn the wrinkly shirt over. Cut off the ruffle all the way around and cut up the side seams.

2. Take the back of the shirt and cut a straight line across the top. Then cut matching curved lines at each side. Now use some of the fabric left over from the front of the shirt to make a duplicate of the top of the apron for a liner.

3. Pin the top of the apron and the liner for the top of the apron right sides together along the curved sides and the top. Leave the bottom alone... at least for now. Sew along the yellow lines you see below. You want to leave the top corners and areas at the bottom open for the ribbon to run through later.

4. Turn your shirt-in-transformation-to-an-apron right sides out now and sew along the yellow lines shown below. Notice that I left about an inch along the curved sides to run the ribbon through later. So make sure openings, spots highlighted in orange, don't get sewn. I left the bottom of the liner loose, it won't fray, at least not much, being knit but you could sew it to the front now if you wanted to finish it.

5. I placed the ruffle along the edge of the bottom of the apron and pinned and sewed. I just rolled back the ends of the ruffle and they stayed so well on their own I didn't finish them.

6. I ran the tie... which was a ribbon I had up through one side and then back down the other. This creates an adjustable loop at the top for the head and loose ends to tie in the back.

I appliqued the little girl's name, Julianne, and a flower on the front with some scrap fabric I had.

Done! My daughter is modeling it. She said it made her feel like twirling. :) It doesn't get much better than that!

Twitterpated

Introducing... 

Drum roll?

Twitterpated! My crochet version of the Twitter logo bird.

Tweeting away happily at each other

Don't know what Twitterpated means? Originally from Bambie, it means "confused by affection or infatuation." Twitter + -pated ='pertaining to the head.' I like words. :) So maybe you love Twitter? Maybe Twitter has "gone to your head" so to speak. Maybe you feel the need to have your own Twitterpated. Or two so they can keep each other company. It is all about being social after all. You can find them on my store at www.bethsco.com.

And just for fun here's some Bambi Twitterpated Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qq-dGMVOzc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRhbjUzucec&feature=related

How Twitterpated came to be: A while ago my husband and I were talking about what I could make next. He said I should crochet a version of the Twitter bird. I took a look at the shape and told him I could not do it, no way. If I even tried it would take forever, said I. I complained that it was a 2 dimensional shape with curves and little details that just do not lend itself well to amigurumi (the art of crocheting/knitting little figures.) I couldn’t figure it out mathematically in my head. Well, from that moment on, I did’t stop thinking about how to make it, until I sat down and tried. The next day, voila, I did not believe it but I’d made a twitter bird. If I’m honest I’ll admit that my husband frequently inspires me with ideas that I shoot down immediately then can’t stop thinking about until I do it. That's also how Mini-Droids came about.

If you love Twitter and can crochet, check out the free pattern if below.


Twitterpated

Yarn: Simply Soft Blue Mint or Simply Soft White
Hook: G hook (if you crochet very loosely you may want to try an F hook instead)

My finished product is about 4 inches from beak to tail and 3 inches from belly to wing tip.

Tips: This pattern is a bit more difficult to understand than my usual ones because of the shapes and detail. I’ve tried to take lots of pictures to illustrate what I’m saying but feel free to ask questions if you don’t understand. It will help the appearance of the bird if you keep a fairly tight tension throughout but especially on decrease stitches (sc2tog) and details like the beak, and head and wing feathers.

You will need to know how to "sl st in back and spine loops only" of a chain to make the beak and head feathers in this pattern. Let's see if I can explain. Take a really good look at a chain first. You are familiar with the V look of both loops you usually go under to make a stitch (pic below.) The loop furthest away from you when you're crocheting is the back loop.

 Well, turn your chain over and you'll see one more loop that I call the "spine loop."

So.. put your crochet hook under the back loop (pic below.)

 Then go under the spine loop too. It'll be directly next to the back loop. Below is a picture of the back of the chain when you have gone under both the back and spine loops. Then yarn over and pull through all loops. Now you've done a "sl st in back and spine loops only." Keep a good tension while doing this and your details will look great.

  

Body
Row 1: 5 sc in loop, tighten loop
Row 2: 2sc in each around (10 total)
Row 3: *sc, 2sc* repeat around (15 total)
Row 4: *sc, sc, 2sc* repeat around (20 total)
Row 5-8: sc even
Row 9: sc, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, 2sc, sc in each
next 7, 2sc (20 total)
Row 10: Repeat row 9
Row 11: (partial row) sc2tog, sc, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, ch 1, turn (7 total)
Row 12: (partial row) sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (5
total)
Row 13: sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc in side of row 11, (rest of row will
resume working in the un-worked part of row 10) sc, sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc,
sc, 2sc, sc, sc2tog, sc in side of row 11 (17 total) OFF?
Row 14: sc2tog, sc, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc, sc2tog, sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc,
sc2tog (15 total)
Row 15: (partial row) sc2tog, sc2tog, sc, sc, sl st, ch 1, turn (5 total- including sl st)
Row 16: (partial row) sc, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc2tog, sl st, ch 1, turn (5 total)
Row 17: sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, (rest of row will resume working in the
un-worked part of row 14) sl st in stitch previously slip stitched in,
sc, sc, 2sc, sc, sc, sc in stitch previously slip stitched in (11
total)
Row 18: (partial row) sc each next 4, sl st, ch 1, turn (5 total)
Row 19: (partial row) sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sl st, ch 1, turn (4 total)
Begin to stuff
Row 20: sc2tog, sc2tog, sc side of row 18, (rest of row will resume working in the un-worked part of row 17) 2sc, sc, sc, 2sc, sc (10 total)
Row 21: sc, sc2tog, sc in each next 6, sc2tog (second part of this
sc2tog is on 1st sc of row 20th, so though there are 9 stitches total
in this “row”, if you count around, you'll count 8)
Row 22: sc2tog, sc2tog, sc, sc, sc (5 total)
Row 23: sc2tog, sc2tog, 2sc, sc (5 total)
Now stuff a little more (I poke the stuffing in with the end of a large crochet hook or an un-sharpened pencil), sew up, and finish off

Wing (make 2)
Row 1: 3 sc in loop, tighten loop
Row 2: 2sc in each around (6 total)
Row 3: sc in each around (6 total)
Row 4: sc,sc, 2sc, sc, sc, sc (7 total)
Row 5: sc, sc, sc, 2sc, sc, sc, sc (8 total)
Row 6: sc, sc, sc, sc, 2sc, sc, sc, sc2tog (9 total)
Row 7: sc in each next 7, sl st to round off (8 total)
Flatten the wing with the increases along one edge. See pic below:

Working in the edge of the wing where increases are,

sl st to join (in space shown below), ch 1, 4sc, sl st, ch 1 in same space, 

 sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st, ch 1 in next space (shown below)

sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st, ch 1 in next space (shown below)

sc, hdc, dc into space at the tip of the wing

Done with the wing feathers!

finish off, fold bottom of wing slightly and sew to body.

Beak
ch 3, sl st in back and spine loops of 2nd ch from hook, sc next ch,

ch 3, sl st in back and spine loops of 2nd ch from hook, sc in back and spine loops of next ch
finish off, sew to body.

Head feathers

sl to join to body in space between row 2 and row 3 on top back of head (see pic),ch 2, sl st in back and spine loops of 2nd ch from hook,

  sl st to space between row 1 and 2 (see pic)

ch 2, sl st in back and spine loops of 2nd ch from hook, sl st to loop on very top of head, ch 2, sc in back and spine loops of 2nd ch from hook, sl st to body in same space
as last sl st, finish off

Please use this pattern for personal purposes, gifts, or charity only and don’t sell the finished product or the pattern. Please don’t copy the pattern either. You can feel free to link to my blog or store. If you want to translate the pattern into a different language, feel free to, just link back to me please. Thanks!

Mini-Droids!

You may have seen my crochet version of the Google Android logo here. I also have posted there the pattern to make your own and a link to where you can buy them from my store. I've made many a Droid now, my fingers fairly know how on their own. Now, for something new to mix it up!

We may have been called "The Droid Family" before. It may now be true. I might have Androiditized (new word!) my little ones, myself, and my husband and laughed to myself while posing all of our mini-Android counterparts for this photo shoot. My only question is... have I now gone over the edge? Has months of making crocheted Droids made me go insane? Am I now one of those weird crocheting ladies instead of a cool crocheting lady? You tell me. ;) It is possible that I may have lost all perspective.

Now, if you want to make little Androids for your little ones or just for a smaller version of the big guy (maybe to put on your key-chain or hang from your rear view mirror or something) you can find my patterns below for Mini-Droid and Baby Droid. If you're interested in ordering a custom family of Droids feel free to contact me for info. A 5 Droid family like above would be $77 with free shipping within the USA. I have gone ahead and put the Mini-Droid and Baby Droid on my store too. www.bethsco.com.

Mini-Droid

H hook

Super Saver Yarn “Tea Leaf” color for green ones, "Light Raspberry" for pink

My finished product is 3 inches tall

Head

Row 1: 5 sc in loop, tighten

Rows 2: 2sc in each around (10 total)

Row 3: sc, 2sc, repeat around (15 total)

Row 4: sc even around, sl st instead of sc for the last stitch (15 total)

Row 5: *sc blo, sc2tog blo, sc2tog blo* repeat around (9 total)

Stuff head lightly.

Row 6: sc 3tog, sc 3 tog

Sew up hole, embroider eyes (I used a single knot in white yarn for each eye.) For each antenna I used a single strand of yarn. For antenna I stiffened it up with watered down white glue so the strands will stay together, for pigtails untwist the yarn strands.

Body

Row 1: 6sc in loop, tighten

Row 2: *2sc, 3sc* repeat around (15 total) sl st to round off

Row 3: sc blo even around

Row 4-8: sc even around, sl st last stitch of row 8 to round off (for the pink girl droid I added one more row of sc even to make her a little taller)

Row 9: *sc blo, sc2tog blo, sc2tog blo* repeat around (9 total)

Stuff body lightly

Row 10: sc3tog, sc3tog

Sew up hole.

Arm (Make 2)

Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc, sc, sl st

Sew to body

Legs (Make 2)

Row 1: 4 sc in loop, tighten

Row 2: sc blo around

Row 3: sc, sc, sl st, sl st

Sew to body.

Baby Droid

H hook

Super Saver Yarn Light Raspberry for pink ones, recommend "Tea Leaf" for a nice Android green.

Finished product about 1 1/2 inches tall

Head

Row 1: 5 sc in loop, tighten

Rows 2: 2sc in each around (10 total)

Row 3: sc even around, sl st instead of sc last stitch

Row 4: sc blo even around

Row 5-6: sc even around, sl st instead of sc last stitch in row 6

Stuff lightly.

Row 6: sc2tog, sc3tog, sc2tog, sc3tog (4 total)

Sew up hole, embroider eyes (I used a single knot in white yarn for each eye.) For each antenna I used a single strand of yarn. For antenna I stiffened it up with watered down white glue, for pigtails pull the yarn apart a little.

For each leg and arm:

Join yarn to body with sl st, ch 3, sl st in 2nd loop from hook, sl st, join back to body and finish off

Please don't copy my pattern or sell it or finished products made with my pattern. Feel free to make them for yourself or to give as gifts. Thanks!