Summertime Projects

Let's face it - summer isn't peak crocheting season.  I don't think many crocheters crank out a lot of hot projects. However, if you want to work your craft, you'll likely find some fun, small pieces to make up. 
Our summer has been pretty packed with things to do but I was able to carve out some crafty time nonetheless.  Here are a some projects ....

Same blanket, different angles.

I hosted Bunco in June and made up these sleep masks as prizes.

I was supposed to mail a pillow case out at the beginning of June for a swap I participated in.  I just mailed it today - only two months late!  This simple pillow project caused quite a few headaches.  I'm quite glad it is done.

Here it is stuffed with one of my pillow forms, but the form stayed with me and I just mailed the cover.

Last week we attended a 10th birthday party for a boy/girl set of twins.  I was busy preparing/running our garage sale so I didn't get out to buy a present.  Instead, I gave them a "gift certificate" good for a crocheted hat in the pattern and colors of their choosing.  The girl picked this lamb hat.  I gave it to her this morning and shortly afterwards her twin brother came over to pick out his hat!  (He chose a Chief's theme.) 

I've already moved on to my next project.  It has to be done in about a week so I know what I'll be doing every night after the boys go to bed!

What have been crafting this summer?

Other Items

Aside from the headbands I've been making recently, I've also been making a few other items.  I hope I'm not repeating some things I've already posted about on my other blog!

The cap I made for Biju.  I mistakenly took a pic with the seem side up. 

Aren's Minion Hat (you probably saw this in my Halloween post)

Ajay's raccoon mask - I'm quite certain I've already posted this pic....when I posted about his school program.

Alex's SpiderMan hat.

A minion tissue cozy.

Ajay's football hat - that fits me. Oops.

Ajay's "Brain Wave Beanie" to replace the too-big football.  This, too, turned out too big but he still wears it!

See?

Alex didn't like the eyes on his Spider-Man hat so he had me take them off.  Now he just wears it with the web on top.  The mittens I made up last year.

This hat, too, came out too big.  Seems I have a problem with my gauge.  I gave this to my niece, Paige.  I've seen her wear it even though it is too big. 

This isn't crochet but it is my "Crochet Kit" - I designed it and went to a sewing friend and she put it together for me.

I love that it is so easy for me to carry and has all sorts of places for me to put everything I need to crochet in one little space.  Hooks, tape measure, straight pins, sewing needle, scissors, Clover hooks/case, button bag, stitch markers.  The outside has pockets for other things, as well.  I usually use one pocket to collect all of my scraps!

A beard!  I made another one similar in color to this one but forgot to get a photo.

Orange beard for a red-haired boy.  I hope the colors match up okay!

A spare flower.

My first attempt at a circle "flower"

A crocodile stitch flower.  I made it for a K-State headbands but it was too big for the look I was wanting.

Another spare flower

Another circle flower made into a headband for a little girl.

And now I think you're all caught up with my crocheted items :)
EXCEPT for the blankets I made the boys!  I am working on getting decent pics of them.  It is hard to make them look as good as I want them to in photos.  Hopefully soon, though - although I haven't decided if I will post about them here or my main blog.  We'll soon see!

Headbands!!

Last Spring I received a headband from a crochet swap I participated in.  I wasn't able to wear it at the time because it was starting to warm up.  When Fall came around I was ready to give it a whirl!  I loved it!
I found a pattern for it and started making some for a few friends.  Then I decided to make some for Christmas.  I love this pattern, it is so quick and easy and there are so many different options for it.

This was the first one I did.  From this I learned it is better to do a round of edging in the main color before edging in the contrasting color.  This way, I can avoid the jagged edges that you can see in this one.  I hope the recipient doesn't mind the rough look too much!

Go WSU!

A softer look in gray and pink.

I made up extra flowers and attached hair elastics to the back.  These extra flowers were for daughters so their ponytails could match their mom's headbands. 

I wasn't sure the cream would go well with the red but I love how it turned out!  The red, cream and black are to match a uniform for this recipient.

The lighting is off even though I took this pic outside in hopes of good lighting.  Cream and aqua with a brown button.

A mom from school asked that I make up a headband and hat for her pre-k daughter.

Here are the two together.  I'm afraid the hat is going to be too big.  It seemed to fit Alex okay, though, so I'm crossing fingers.

I like the color combo of this - the cream, green and brown button.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Go KU!!!!  (Red yarn never photographs well for me!)

I wanted to keep this one for myself, along with the "neck cozy" that I made to go with it.  I'm hoping the recipient takes a pic of the neck cozy because I didn't get one on my camera.

I tried a different "flower" for this one.  I like it!

Going for the KState look with this one (and the above one, too).

Here are the two K-State headbands together.  They are for the boys' teachers.  I sent them e-mails offering a crocheted item and they both happened to pick a headband in K-State colors!  I'm hoping they look different enough that they don't look like "twinsies" at school!

July Bunco Goodies

Hello? (hello...hello....)  Echo? (echo...echo...)

I've been doing quite a lot of crocheting lately.  I'm enjoying it even more than I did in the past!

Right now I'm working on Christmas presents for the boys.  I've also got hat requests from them.  Aren's is done minus one detail.  Ajay's and Alex's aren't started yet.  At least the hats I can work on with their knowledge.  The gifts I have to be sure I keep those hidden!

In July I hosted Bunco and I crocheted up a little something as the prizes.  I had spent a sleepless night dreaming up a way to make little "cozies" for the travel tissue packages.  The next day I decided to look on Ravelry just in case someone else had the same idea.  They did!  It was a lot easier following someone's written pattern than trying to do the math for my own.

Travel Tissue Cozy

This was the first cozy I made from the pattern...

....I didn't really care for the green plus it made the cozy too snug for the packet.  I ripped out the green and liked it better!

This was the second cozy I made.  I made these up at my parents house around the 4th of July...

....and I gave it to my niece, Jenna, for her birthday.  She's a big KU fan.

 The next 4 were the Bunco prizes.... (along with some hand wash from Bath & Body Works)

Here's one side....

...here's the other side

The pink one from above minus the green, with white embellishments.

I liked this one much better!

This was supposed to be WSU inspired...

...but it looks more like a bumblebee.

This was KU inspired.