Crochet All The Baby Things!

I have had something of a break from blogging, unintentional really - just life getting busy and various things happening.

But I'm getting back into the swing of crafting, and that means I have stuff to share with you :)

I have a wee bellybabe on board, and that has brought on a sudden *need* to crochet All The Things for baby.

Some of these have been made up by me; others are made from patterns from Ravelry etc - I'll reference those as I go :)

First up is this cute little newborn size vest that I made up.  It's in 4pl Lincraft Lullaby, lemon peel stitch.  It's so eeny weeny & cute!  I dc'd a couple of rows around the armholes and neck, and used front post tr & back post tr around the bottom to create a ribbed effect.

Detail of the lemon peel stitch.  It gives this vest a lovely texture, but is very simple to do at the same time.

Next is a jumper, more like 6months+, from this Ravelry pattern.

The pattern is called Devon Stitch.  I love the buttons at the top, which do actually open to make the neck wider to fit over baby's head if needed.

Close up of the Devon Stitch pattern.  I worked it with a variegated yarn, and a solid colour that matched closely.  You could use any number of different colour combinations to great effect with this pattern.

I also made some longies from this lovely pattern plus a nappy cover based on the same pattern (before I discovered that she had a separate pattern for one - perhaps another project!).

I love the way this yarn worked up for this pattern!

These just need to be lanolised and they'll be good to go!

I crocheted a cute little cotton hat/beanie, nothing special, your basic sort of beanie pattern that I can make without needing to think about.

I adore this little cotton vest, too.  The heart applique was made up on the spot (the whole vest was, actually) - it turned out just perfect, though.  It's probably sized for 6mo+.

The red is much brighter in real life - it looks like a muted dark pink in the photos.

Detail of the heart applique - the first round of a granny square, with a shell on two adjoining sides, and edged in a couple of rounds of dc.  Stitched on in the contrasting red thread, using backstitch through the outer round of dc.  Easy peasy!

And last but not least - and these get a whole blog post dedicated to them! - hexagon cardigans :)

Crocheted Baby Beanie & Vest

I made these for a lovely friend who will be welcoming her second babe any day now.

The beanie is made from this pattern.
The vest***, I made up myself.  It hasn't actually been tested on a newborn, so I hope it fits!  Here's what I did, though.  Please note that all patterns I write are in UK terminology.
You will need: 1 x 50gm of 4ply wool, 3.5mm hook, 3 buttons, darning needle, matching thread for sewing on buttons.
Foundation Chain: ch 73.  The 3ch used for turning always counts as 1tr for this pattern.
Row 1: 1tr in 4th ch from hook, tr in each chain until end (70tr), 3ch, turn.
Row 2-11: 1tr in each tr of previous row until end (70tr), 3 ch, turn.
Row 12-13: dec 2tr together, 1tr in each tr of previous row until last 3 stitches.  Dec 2 tr together, 1 tr in final tr (68tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Now you'll start to shape the right front neck.
Row 14: dec 2tr together, 1 tr in next 6 tr of previous row, dec 2tr together, 1 tr (10tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 15: 1 tr in next 6 tr, dec 2tr together, 1 tr in last stitch (9tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 16: Dec 2tr together, 1 tr in next 6 tr of previous row (8tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 17: 1 tr in next 4 tr, dec 2 tr together, 1 tr (7tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 18-21: 1tr in each tr of previous row (7tr). Ch 3, turn.
Row 22: 1 tr in each tr of previous row (7tr).  Fasten off.
Now we go back and make the back section of the vest.
Row 14: Skip 13 tr on Row 13.  Join yarn in the 14th tr with a slip st. Ch 3.  Dec 2 tr together.  1tr in next 20 stitches.  Dec 2 tr together. 1tr in next stitch (24tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 15-21: 1 tr in each tr of previous row (24tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Shaping back right shoulder.
Row 22: Dec 2 tr together.  1tr in next 5 tr.  (7tr) Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing shoulders together.
Shaping back left shoulder.
Row 22: Skip 8tr on Row 21 of back.  Join yarn with slip st in 9th st.  Ch 3.  Dec 2 tr together. 1tr in next 5 tr.  (7tr) Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing shoulders together.
Shaping left front neck.
Row 14: Skip 13tr on Row 13.  Join yarn in the 14th tr with a slip st.  Ch 3.  Dec 2 tr together. 1 tr in next 6 tr of previous row.  Dec 2 tr together. 1 tr.  (10tr) Ch 3, turn.
Row 15: Dec 2 tr together.  1tr in next 7 tr (9tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 16: 1 tr in next 5 tr, dec 2 tr together, 1 tr (8tr).  Ch 3, turn.
Row 17: Dec 2 tr together. 1 tr in next 5 tr (7tr). Ch 3, turn.
Row 18-21: 1 tr in each tr of previous row (7tr). Ch 3, turn.
Row 22: 1 tr in each tr of previous row (7tr). Fasten off.
Sewing together & finishing off.
Using tail left from back shoulders, with right sides facing, stitch vest together at shoulders.
Join yarn with a slip st at any stitch of Row 14 on an armhole. DC evenly around armhole, joining with a slip st into first dc. Fasten off. Repeat on other armhole.
Join yarn with a slip stitch at Row 1. DC evenly up the front right side of the vest, continuing around neck, and back down the left side. When you reach Row 12 of the left side, ch 3, skip a stitch, dc into next st, dc evenly until Row 6, ch 3, skip a st, dc into next st, dc evenly until Row 2, ch 3, skip a st, dc into next st, dc evenly around bottom of vest. Continue dc up the right front again, slip st in first dc on Row 12. Fasten off.
Stitch buttons on matching rows on right side of vest. Weave in ends.

Please alert me if you find any errors in this pattern.  Writing up your own patterns is always a little hazardous...especially when you're doing it based on memory & looking at the finished work! :)

*** This pattern is my own.  Please give credit where credit is due.