suziQcreations

Jill Beanies

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Beanies don't get much cuter or girlier than this! The pattern is from Mamachee on Etsy, where I get a lot of patterns. I love her designs.

Above is my adorable niece Melody, who surprisingly didn't seem to mind the hat once we stopped messing with it.

This is my daughter Averie, who loves her hat and has worn it to school already and promised many girls in her class, "My mom will make you one!"

This is my niece Aurora, who wasn't a big fan of the hat (or taking pictures) but let me get a couple before she called it quits. :)

Colorful!

2012-01-27T17:37:00.003-07:00

This is a peek at my latest crochet work in progress. Just looking at the crazy mix of colors and fun stitch pattern called slipstream (pattern found on the Knit and Crochet Now website) makes me happy! I love the vintagey vibe of it. As it's an afghan, I've worked on it for three days straight and I'm not even halfway done. I can't wait to share it once it's completed.

I love Valentines!

2012-01-19T09:36:00.003-07:00

OK, so not so much the holiday - it's fun and I love chocolate, but it's too commercial. But there is something about Valentines decorations that I just love. I would never dream of wearing a red and pink combo, but there's something about it that I can't get enough of when I decorate for the holiday! I found this patter n to crochet hearts, and I've been obsessed for the past week with making them. They are so simple! First, I made these strings of hearts to hang in our front window. I sewed crochet hearts back-to-back, and also hand-sewed and stuffed hearts out of felt to make them reversible, so they look good front and back. It was hard to take a picture of them in the window, but I did my best.

I wanted to make a runner for the coffee table, but wanted to do something different. I chose a traditional granny square, but with a twist - mitered! These were a lot of fun to make, but I hate weaving in the ends on something like this! I think it took me as long to weave in all the ends as it did to crochet a couple of the squares. After sewing the squares together, I did a border around the whole thing: one time around with single crochet, around again with half-double crochet, and then last a row of crab stitch. This was a new one for me (you crochet backwards!) but I love the way it turned out.

I thought I was done after that, but I felt like making more hearts, so I whipped up this garland in about an hour or so. I just can't stop making these hearts!

Pink ruffled scarf

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love this new self-ruffling yarn I found the other day! It's less lacy-looking than the kind I've used before, so it makes more solid ruffles. So frilly and girly and pretty! This one is going into my Etsy shop.

Diamond lace baby afghan

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

I went to the store the other day with plans to buy pink yarn for a baby afghan for someone who just had a girl, but when I saw this light aqua yarn I couldn't tear myself away from it. Isn't it a fun, pretty color? I seem to be drawn to all shades of turquoise/teal/aqua these days. Look at this up-close of the diamond lace pattern - I love it! It looks complicated but is really simple. I've made at least six scarves with this stitch pattern, and this was my first afghan with it - but it's become my go-to stitch when I want to whip up something quick but impressive looking!

Ruffly Lace Scarf

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw this self-ruffling yarn on Knitting Daily, I have wanted to get my hands on some to try it out. Turns out so did everyone else! Red Heart keeps selling out of their version within days of putting it on their site. I found some at Hobby Lobby and didn't snatch it up, and when I went back just days later it was all gone, even in the ugly colors. So when I got to a different Hobby Lobby and they had tons in stock, I stocked up! It's kind of a tedious knit, but easy, and the finished product is pretty darn stunning. I also made one for my mom in a red variegated color she picked out, but didn't get any pictures before I gave it to her. I plan on putting these in my Etsy shop in white, gray and black.

Cabled Chunky Cowls

2012-01-06T08:00:00.002-07:00

By now I'm sure no one can tell how much I love cowls, right? These look a bit different, but they're the same pattern just crossed opposite directions. They are so soft and warm and chunky and fun! These are both for sale in my Etsy shop, hopefully they'll sell!

An aside: This was my first chance to use my photography tent that my awesome sister- and brother-in-law gave me for Christmas. I love it! I still need to get some lights, and break down and use Photoshop, but I think even without those I'll be able to take better pictures of my projects. I'm so excited!

Harry Potter "Snuggie"

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm probably not supposed to call this a Snuggie, but that sounds better than "blanket with sleeves" and everyone instantly knows what a Snuggie is! I ran across this free crochet pattern at the store and immediately thought of making one for my daughter in the Gryffindor colors. She's just recently gotten interested in Harry Potter, so I thought this would be a fun Christmas gift for her. It's really easy and crochets up really quickly with a large hook in double crochet.

Chunky braided scarf

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I saw a version of this scarf on one of the knitting/crochet shows I watch. It's big and chunky, and I want to make one in a thinner yarn too for everyday wear as an accessory. It's all done in stockinette, so it's pretty easy. Just make sure you cast on in multiples of three, and wider than you want the scarf because it will curl on the edges - I seamed the edges together up the backside of this on the non-braided sections, so it actually was knit twice as wide as it looks. Knit however many rows you'd like the first non-braided section to be in stockinette, then divide the stitches into three equal sections, putting two of them on stitch holders. Knit the first section, remembering that it will be slightly shorter after it's braided. Put it on a stitch holder, then move on to the second and third sections. When they're all knit and on separate stitch holders, braid them, then return the stitches to your needles and continue knitting in stockinette for the next non-braided section. You can repeat this pattern as many times as you'd like, making your scarf as long as you want. Those instructions are probably about as clear as mud, so feel free to contact me if you'd like clarification. If there's any interest, after the holidays I could even do a photo tutorial.

Gretel hats

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to knitting and crochet blogs, which is why my project to-do list is never-ending. When I saw this post, I fell in love and immediately purchased the pattern. I've bought a few of her patterns, and they've all been great - her designs are so cute, and the patterns are easy to follow. I had the pink and brown hat pictured in my head and couldn't wait to make it for my baby niece. The rust/off-white combo is for Averie...I had grand plans for Christmas card photos that fell through, but it's so cute with the outfit I got her that I may need to get her all dressed up and take her pictures anyway!

Basket weave accent pillow

2011-12-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

Knit pillows are all the rage in the home decor world right now. This knit pillow was another of my mother-in-law's Christmas gifts. They recently remodeled their kitchen, including a built-in seating area. As soon as she showed me the fabric she chose for the cushions, I wanted to make her some accent pillows to go with it. This is knit in a super chunky yarn using a knit-purl basket weave stitch pattern. It makes for a squishy, huggable, plush pillow!

Long stockinette cowl

2011-12-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

This cowl was one of my mother-in-law's Christmas gifts. When I saw the yarn in the store, I immediately thought of her...but later dragged my hubby in to confirm that it was the right one before I bought it! I knew I wanted to make her a cowl (she'dmentioned wanting one more than once), and after finding this yarn I decided to keep it simple to showcase the beautiful colors. I love the versatility of such a long cowl - it can be worn long like a scarf, wrapped double to be nice and bulky around the neck, over the head like a hood, or wrapped around the shoulders.

Fuzzy buttoned cowl

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the bad picture...I dream of some day having a nicer photography setup, but for now I do what I can. This simple cowl is for my grandma for Christmas. It's a nice thick, fuzzy yarn, knit in garter stitch and then sewn together. The buttons are just there for looks, but I like what they add.

Pink garter stitch Moebius cowl

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

I made this cowl for myself in October to wear to the Utah Grizzlies' "Pink in the Rink" game, which they hold every year to raise money for breast cancer research. They wear fun pink jerseys that they auction off after the game, fans are encouraged to wear pink, and usually the ice is pink...but it wasn't this year, which was disappointing because that's part of the fun of the game! Anyway, this picture doesn't do the cowl justice. It's really cute on, but I just wasn't up to taking pictures of myself this evening sans makeup and decent hair.

It's knit all in garter stitch, which makes it super easy. Then when sewing the two short ends together, I gave it a half twist to make it a Moebius - remember those paper strips with just one side? Kinda cool in a geeky way.

And since I had yarn leftover, I whipped up these easy wrist warmers to match. They're super easy: Just knit a rectangle in garter stitch with 2x2 rib on either end, and leave a hole for your thumb when you seam it up the side.

Buttoned up cowl

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone sick of cowls yet? Not me, obviously! This one was inspired by a cowl I saw in a catalog for a local clothing store. It's hard to see in the picture, but it buttons partway up the side and then folds over. I love when a project comes off my needles looking just like I pictured it in my head!

Ear warmer headbands

2011-12-18T08:00:00.002-07:00

These are just a few of the many headbands I've made in the past few months...they're addictive! Two of these are for me (the cream and rust), the green one is for my mom, and the pink one is for my niece. I've made many more, but I usually forget to take pictures before I give them away!

Diamond lace scarves

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I recently ordered this book from Amazon, and this was the first new stitch I tried (#168 if anyone has the book and is curious). The stitch patterns don't have names, so I've named this one diamond lace because that's what it looks like to me. I made the gray scarf for myself and have received so many compliments on it...which is always nice when you're wearing something you made yourself! Another bonus, these scarves are SO fast to crochet. I made two last night, start to finish, while watching TV! My sister-in-law ordered three of these to give as Christmas gifts...my first official custom order and sale.

Crochet snowflake tees

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

After seeing this tutorial, I ran right out to buy the sparkly yarn and crocheted the first two snowflakes that same night! They work up really quickly and turn out so cute. I love how they're kinda fluffy. Now Averie and her cousins Aurora and Melody will all have cute matchy-matchy snowflake tees, and I can't wait to take pics of them together.

Basket weave baby afghan

2011-12-13T21:28:00.002-07:00

This afghan was a long time in the making...and then I gave it without even taking a picture! Thank goodness it stayed in the family. This was made using a simple knit-purl basket weave stitch pattern. I then crocheted a ruffled border and added a few crocheted flowers to make it girly once I found out I was getting a niece.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

2011-11-22T19:59:00.003-07:00

Ever since before Halloween we've had this cute little pumpkin (given to us by my mother-in-law) hanging around our house. I had every intention of baking it and making my own pumpkin puree for the first time, but just never got around to it. After my mom asked Averie if she was going to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece, this idea came to me out of nowhere, and I must say it turned out way cuter than I'd ever imagined, and it was so easy and inexpensive!

First I cut out a turkey face with the Animal Kingdom cartridge on my Cricut. Then I bought a pack of feathers at Hobby Lobby - with a coupon they were barely over $1, plus we still have tons left for future projects. We used a heavy-duty paper piercer from my scrapbook supplies to poke holes in the pumpkin, and then inserted the tips of the feathers into the holes.

We did this until the whole backside of the pumpkin was covered in feathers, then I attached the turkey face with a floral pin and voila! Instant super-cute centerpiece. And I love how proud Averie looks. :)

Downstairs Powder Room

2011-11-16T15:18:00.003-07:00

Taking a break from crocheting and knitting gave me a good excuse to finish up my last couple projects for our downstairs 1/2 bath, so now it's pretty much done! I still need to find something to go on the wall above the towel rack, I just haven't found anything inspiring yet (either to buy or copy).

My first project was to make this faux Roman shade valance. I'm not a sewer, but this was so simple and kinda gave me some confidence to tackle more sewing projects. I love how it turned out!

Next, I saw this tutorial on Tatertots & Jello for a painted rug, and since I'd already bought a couple plain white, super cheap bath mats at Ikea, I had the perfect canvas to give it a try! It took two bottles of acrylic craft paint. I just made my stripes the same width as my masking tape, easy peasy, painted it with a sponge brush, and voila! Couldn't have been easier, and now I have a cute one-of-a-kind and--most important--cheap rug for the room.

I had looked around for a tissue box cover but couldn't really find one--they're probably passe and out of style and no one told me. But I wanted one anyway, and finally found an old one at a local thrift store for a buck. I covered it with Mod Podge and patterned paper. The whole thing took maybe 10 minutes.

Lastly, I had found a piece of art that I really wanted for the room at Hobby Lobby, but the colors were just slightly off. So I took a picture of it and loosely re-created it using two canvases, patterned paper, fabric, a crocheted trim, ribbon, felt, and my Cricut.

Halloween Runner

2011-10-05T09:41:00.003-06:00

I can't believe this is my first post since I quit my job...I've done various projects, but haven't posted anything! I guess I should get on that. So, chevrons are all the rage right now, and you can count me among those who are in love with the trend. It seemed like the perfect pattern for Halloween colors, and so this is the runner I came up with for our coffee table. It's just cheap Red Heart Super Saver yarn, done in single crochet. The colors didn't show quite true in the picture, it's really a bright lime green, orange, and violet.
Of course, more projects are in the works, but since most of them are for Christmas presents, I won't be able to post them anytime soon!

Crochet tea set

2011-06-10T15:49:00.002-06:00

I'd love opinions on this project. I was thinking this would be a really fun, sweet toy for toddlers. Do you think it would sell? I came up with this one from scratch so it took me a few days, but it was fun to make and now that I have the pattern written out I look forward to making one that's a little more polished.

Sweaters and blanket

2011-06-08T14:45:00.009-06:00

I've been very busy lately, but haven't taken the time to post any of my projects! Mostly I have lots of WIP (works in progress) and have just recently finished up a few.

The first is a granny square baby blanket. These were just some leftover colors I had from other projects that I thought looked fun and springy.

Next is a sweater I made for my daughter. I fell in love with the yarn and then found a pattern to try it out on. It was a really easy one for my first knit sweater, it only took me 2 1/2 days from start to finish. She loves the sweater and has worn it at least three times in less than a week.

Last is a baby sweater. I actually started this one before the yellow sweater, but wanted to get the yellow sweater done in time for yellow day at school. They're essentially the same pattern, just one is in baby size and one in child size. The fun buttons were some I already had in my scrapbook stash that matched perfectly!

Thanks for taking the time to look! I have a cabled pillow front I need to finish for a friend, but it's so intricate and time consuming that I have to take breaks to work on other stuff once in a while, but hopefully I can make myself finish it soon.

This week: sweater and wrap

2011-04-07T22:02:00.003-06:00

I made this wrap for my grandma's birthday. It worked up really quickly and I think will be a nice weight for the spring.

This sweater is the first thing I've made for Averie that she was truly excited about...she loves it so much, she wore it two days in a row! (She didn't go to school the first day she wore it, but wanted her teacher to see it. LOL)

Chore Chart

2011-03-30T20:56:00.002-06:00

I started this chore chart ages ago, but finally finished it up tonight. It's not a traditional chore chart, it's really the things that my kiddo needs to do from getting home from school to bedtime - I get so tired of telling her constantly, but now she can just refer to the chart to remind herself what needs to be done. I used the Chore Chart cartridge for the days of the week and all but one of the icons along the top - the backpack came from Locker Talk. The "to do" is from Alphalicious. I bought an inexpensive poster-size frame at IKEA, just turning over the insert it came with to the white side for the background. I used 1/8 inch crepe tape (found at Office Depot by the white boards) to make the lines. My favorite feature is that you can write on it with dry erase markers to check off each task as it's completed, so no messing with stickers or figuring out some other way to mark each task off.

White Baby Dress with Diaper Cover

2011-03-27T17:17:00.003-06:00

This set was made for a scrapbooky friend I don't see very often...but she didn't come to our crop, so by the time I see her again it will be too small for her baby! Oh, well. The diaper cover pattern is from Red Heart, the dress is my design.

Baby dress and headband

2011-03-24T18:02:00.004-06:00

This dress was an experiment, almost totally made up - I used a pattern for the yoke, but the rest was my design. I think it turned out pretty good! My sister-in-law loves the pink/brown combination, so this will be for my niece. :)

Headbands

2011-03-20T13:21:00.001-06:00

I've gone a little crazy lately making headbands, but they're so quick and fun to make! I'm hoping to get some posted on Etsy soon, but in the meantime I've had people contacting me on Facebook about buying them so I haven't had time to make any others. These are two I made for someone in California. I especially love how the pink one turned out and will definitely be making another one like it!

Baby Cthulu

2011-03-19T17:44:00.000-06:00

This is probably too obscure for most, but my hubby and brother-in-law are fans of HP Lovecraft and the Cthulhu--it's been a recurring theme between the two of them for years in gift-giving. So when I found this pattern, I knew I had to make one for BIL's first baby, due in August. We found out today it's a girl, just in time for me to add the girly touches of pink wings and a bow. :)

Latest Creations

2011-03-17T23:38:00.000-06:00

I made an Etsy store ages ago, and recently have decided that maybe I ought to use it. So these are my first two projects, baby girl sweater and headband sets. I'm not quite ready to put them in my store, but hopefully soon! I'm hoping to just make enough to fund my crafting habit. ;)

Reasons for not blogging...

2009-12-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Not that this is much of a blog post...but I've been busy! These are a few of my recent projects...and I apologize for the poor pictures, but they were all taken with my cell phone camera because I'm lazy like that!

This is the advent calendar I made for Averie this year. It was a premade little thing with drawers, but I dressed it up. I added the ribbon to hang it, but after the drawers were filled with goodies it was much too heavy! It sits on the bookshelf now.

My new obsession is knitting and crocheting stuffed animals. The kitty was my first successful endeavour and has been named Pinkie Pie Purple Pie by its cute five-year-old owner. The faceless bear now happily has a face and has been named Beary, the Good Dreams Bear. The pink bear was given to Averie's new baby sister as a gift.

So I didn't really design this logo, but I did have to mess around with it and then cut it out of vinyl...and then fight with it to get it on the dang window. Tracy is never allowed to wash her car, because I am NOT going through that again! ;)

I made this snowman birthday card for a co-worker. I got the new Snow Friends Cricut cartridge and love finding reasons to use it! I love snowmen! I made the same card but in more manly colors for my brother-in-law's upcoming birthday.

And finally, I finished these last night. It's a really simple project, but I'm good at screwing even those up. I wasted quite a few ornaments! These four are for Averie's kindergarten teacher. If you'd like step-by-step instructions, Google something like "floor wax glitter ornaments" and there are YouTube videos you can watch. Yes, floor wax. You basically take something like Pledge with Future Shine floor wax, swirl it around in the ornament, then dump out the excess. Then pour in glitter (I found darker metallic colors worked and white or light colors did not, hence the wasting of ornaments) shake it around till it's completely covered (it took a lot of glitter) then dump out the excess. Voila. I cut the snowflakes out of glittery sticker paper on the Cricut and stuck them on the fronts.

Under construction

2009-06-03T12:40:00.000-06:00

When I first started this blog, I had no intentions of actually writing. I don't really think I have anything to say that anyone wants to read--and if I did, I could never get it out in the witty way I wanted. My intention was always to use this blog to share my creations and maybe even sell a few. So, with that said, things will be changing here...I hope for the better! The changes may not come fast--I do work a lot and have a family--but change is a-comin'!

By the way...if you know anyone in need of custom invitations, announcements or scrapbook pages, send them my way!