Red Converse Style Baby Boots

Another pair of converse style booties have found their way to a little one. I think I could become addicted to making these!

I do so love them in the red! They can be seen here in light blue on a previous post.

I also made a another little pair of boots. I wanted a really simple pattern and could not find one so decided to have a go at making one up myself.

It is not a replica of an original or anything fancy but it is still cute…… I think!

The link for the Converse pattern can be found on Ravelry, the pattern is by Suzanne Resaul

It is a very popular pattern around the globe and has been translated into Swedish byPysselkiisen,  Spanish by Duendecilla. and more recently Italian by Mirella.

Thank you to all of the above for making this pattern so accessible.

Converse Style Crochet Baby Bootees

My daughters friend is expecting her first baby in February, they have literally been friends all of their lives. Their birthdays are only 6 weeks apart and they had their first playdate when they were just 6 & 12 weeks old, they started school together at the same nursery when they were three and shared classes all the way through their senior years in education. It is quite amazing seeing this young lady that I have known all her life producing a new life herself.

I could not resist making these Converse style bootees for the little man, yes she already knows IT’S A BOY!

This cute pattern has been squirrelled away in my little stash, of ‘things to make one day’,  for a while now and I have been waiting for the opportunity to give it an airing.  I must be honest and say that it was on the third boot that I felt happy with how it was looking, it took the three goes to get the hang of making the front sit nicely – this was totally down to me being too eager to finish and not reading the pattern more carefully.

I have taken shots from all angles so you can get a good all round view so on to the side. The black trim line makes them look like the real thing don’t you think?

As I so often do I I have used good old Stylecraft DK which is always so great to work with, the choice of colours is fantastic especially for these little boots.

And the back, I still think I should be able to improve on the joins that you can see on the white sole here.

Then on to my favourite finishing touch – the laces!

I love the finishing touches on this pattern, it describes how to coat the end of the laces in glue and leave to dry before trimming so they look like real laces.

So if you have a little critter of your own or indeed anyone else’s you want to make these for……… the pattern by Suzanne Resaul is available via the home of many great patterns – Ravelry.

It is a very popular pattern around the globe and has been translated into Swedish by Pysselkiisen,  Spanish by Duendecilla. and more recently Italian by Mirella.

Please note that this pattern has kindly been made available for you to use and enjoy free of any charge, also you may sell shoes from the pattern, the only thing is that is required is that you give the credit for the pattern design to Suzanne, and lets face it, she really does deserve it.

THANK YOU SUZANNE.

Baby Booties With Teddy Bear Faces – Lois Daykin Baby Crochet

Here at last, these cute little crochet baby shoes, I just adore the teddy bear faces on them. They were really fun to make, well maybe a bit fiddly when it came to making the ears, but they are worth a bit of faffing wouldn’t you say?

Photo: Liv Cawston

You may remember I told you back in August about my colleague NG who was expecting her second child when I wrote about the Teddy Bear (thegrangerange.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/teddy-bear-for-a-baby-boy-from-lois-daykins-baby-crochet-book/). Well the expected little man has made his entrance to the world and is now the grand old age of 2 weeks. NG and son number one, Master R, brought Baby S into the office last week to see us, so sweet, so little, so sleepy.

Big brother Master R,  was so excited as he proudly introduced little Baby S as my new sister! Well, he is only three and a half himself, bless.

Anyway back to these lovely little baby boots. I used the same as for the Teddy, Rico Soft Essentials Merino Aran from www.crafty-yarn.co.uk/shop/115/175/index.htm the delicate pale blue for the main bootee colour with beige for the face and paws and a touch of cream for the finishing touches.

I am definitely intrigued by baby shoes, you see so many fabulous designs from cute Baby Jane shoes to mock Wellies, Converse baseball styled boots and trainers.

I was a bit confused at first as other shoes that I have made have always started with the sole and worked up but with these you start at the top. By making a chain and joining to form a circle then working in rounds you create the boot cuff.Then you add the top of the boot, it looks like a big blue tongue at this stage.

Then you pick up and work in rounds again the form the sides, heel and toe.

That leaves the sole to do.

So with the sole completed and a line of cream trim around the top of the bootee it’s time to make the sweetest of Teddy Bear faces, their cuteness being the essential element for these baby feet treats.

Finally stitch the face onto the bootee, I actually applied the features before stitching on the face as it was easier to manage and gave a neat finish as any ends were tucked away.

Make another one to match and you have the cutest little Teddy Bear Bootees fit for a prince, or in this case Baby S.

Photo: Liv Cawston

This is my favourite photo of both Teddy and Booties taken by my lovely friend and photographer Liv, you can probably tell that she also took the image of the boots at the start of this post. I do my best with the photography but find it quite trying at times as I get shadows and dark patches or cannot get the composition to look on the image the way I had envisaged it in my head.  I was struggling with this image when Liv just happened to pop round and quick as a flash (pardon the pun) it is done. You can see more of Liv’s work on her website www.livcawston.co.uk . Thank you Liv.

Agathi’s Handmade Crochet, Lace and Handcrafted Olive Wood – Kassiopi, Corfu

While we were in Corfu enjoying the friendly atmosphere wonderful food and of course, the sunshine, we visited Kassiopi which is bigger than San Stefanos where we were staying but still a relatively small place. The photo below, provided by Agathi as you can see was taken in 1963, this little place has definitely grown over the last 50 years.

I met Agathi in Kassiopi when we were here last year, she is such an inspiration with amazing talent and so many skills, crocheting, knitting, lace making, weaving, whatever I take to show her she can tell me more about it. Oh how I long to absorb all her knowledge.

I couldn’t wait to go back to her shop this year, it is a veritable treasure trove of wonderful things, they are literally everywhere………

……….hung are tablecloths in all shapes and sizes in featuring handmade lace and embroidery………

………more cloths, sheets, pillowcases and bedspreads are stashed and stacked on shelves along with the paintings by one of her sons………

………on hangers are napkins and smaller tablecloths………

………in bowls, on the counter in shelving.  A zillion things in this little shop, from carpets and rugs to baby shoes, bibs and Christmas Angels.

Shelves are piled high with hand embroidered sheets, table cloths of all sizes just waiting to be snatched up.

Crochet is very fashionable in Europe and Agathi makes a range of different clothing and accessories.

They are a talented family, Agathi’s other son creates with olive wood, his wonderful creations are also available in the shop.

There is an area dedicated to his work with the shelves bursting with options.

All these beauties are turned on the lathe he imported.

My favourite is this pestle and mortar but unfortunately it was too heavy to bring back, I will try to allow for the weight on the return flight next time.

For a small shop Agathi is amazingly busy. If you ever have the pleasure of going to Corfu I would definitely recommend a visit.

Crochet Jacket and Shoes For Baby E

I was away for work last week at a trade show. I don’t really like being away from home as it parts me from my wonderful family and my woolly projects, so as I packed I included some pink and lavender 4 ply, a couple of hooks and a pair of scissors.

In the evening after dinner I left my colleagues at the bar and disappeared up to my room for some happy hooking time……………..

………………. aaaaah that feels better!

What am I making?

Well, if you have been to The Grange Range before you will remember the post before the foal was Pink Crocheted Dress and Beanie Hat For Happy Little Baby E

I am making the jacket for the same little laughing lady to go with the dress, and when I get home I am going to try to make some shoes to cover those cute little toes now the weather seems to be getting cooler.

But for now back to the jacket. It is constructed much like the dress.

First you make a flower.

Make the flower into a square.

Join the squares together.

And then there were three, this is the sleeve you see. Continue making and joining the squares as many as instructed for the size you are making.

Then start working up from the squares to create the body of the garment, again this is the sleeve is shown here.

Here are the finished sleeves.

And the finished body, all worked in one piece.

And here is the finished jacket, the pretty picot edging really finishes it off nicely don’t you think?

I got about half of this done while I was away and finished it once I was back home.

It looks really flat and lifeless here but I am sure it will come to life when a certain little lady adds her smiley face.

Then determined as I was to make some suitable footwear I spent all of Sunday making and pulling apart shoes! I got so fed up, I tried so many different patterns and just could not achieve the look and finish I wanted.

Frustrated and about to give up? No way, not me, I was determined not to be beaten by this.

In the end I made up my own version and this is how they turned out.

I am really pleased with them and am hoping to make these sweet little shoes my first tutorial. Although I must say I am really nervous about doing it in case no one can understand it, “just be brave and have a go” is what my lovely hubby says.

Watch this space!