Knitted bacteria lady has kindly sent me her site address for any interested in also trying. Thanks!

Also working on thing for Sis's 20 something birthday but bogged down by pattern errata...

More Bacteria!!

These for the children of two nurses. My husband kept the pink one. They are so fast and easy to knit! The kids are still patiently waiting for theirs.

There is this sweet little boy I know who is expecting a new little sister next month. This is for him.
Pattern: Oli's Baby
from anapaulaoli.etsy.com
Yarn: Red Heart (!) Supersaver No Dye Lot buff for baby
Hook: F for baby, G for hat and diaper

I wanted it completely machine washable and dryable for easy care. Also created a birth certificate to go with it. Made one for my daughter and she definitely needs a mini daiper bag to keep the baby's things together. Also added straps to hat cuz kept falling off!

Picked up some supplies today because of Ben Franklin Craft Store sale. Oh my gosh! It was packed! I stood in line with my things for half an hour! Good thing I had stuff to work on. Sewed the purse handles I was planning to purchase on, sewed up one side of the purse, and started sewing the velcro onto the diaper of the second baby I am working on for oldest daughter.

And Cascade 220 went on sale for $5!!!! I picked up some beautiful brown for a sweater for my husband for when he travels to mainland on business. Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd in Interweave Knits Summer 2006 issue. (Pic is of sweater not hubby, although he is juicy!)

Not enough skeins so gonna check tomorrow to make sure had enough of same dye lot. The bubblegum pink color beckoned but I couldnt reach it.

Wala!
For all those i am pretty sure I will be seeing very soon this holiday season, all gifts for the young 'uns are done. DONE! This year the mom-friends gifts were mostly ...ummm...put on back burners as I raced to finish their children's gifts - all handmade, I am proud, and exhausted, to add.

Sushi Puff (pronounced poof like that english thang) adopted from Sushi Roll by MK Carroll (it's the same thing, i just renamed it for the kid and put a bottom on it to make into a cushion)
pattern: Sushi Roll on crochetme.com
yarn: Caron Simply Soft
hook: G for rice and size 4 dpns for knit nori
time: kind of long for a kid's thing but it is SO CUTE and squishy!


Scarf for the Sis
pattern: Shelly by Emily Nelson on Crochet me
yarn: 2 skeins CascadeYarns Dolce
hook: K
time: 3 hours? FAST
The hook seems too big but the drape is wondrous! Yarn so soft!

Shhhh. Don't tell but I actually had to use this thing while camping. It was so cold at night I draped it over my head to sleep, right after completing it! Wowie! I am so glad I got to use that softy drapey thing.

And the last handmade thing has been delivered!!! On to something fun and purple I saw in the most recent Knit Simple magazine. That purse on the cover - sans the puff balls. I think I'll line it too. For me this time.

Kid Lei
Time to complete: 2.5 hrs.?
Yarn: flowers in Lily Sugar 'n Cream, swimming pool (used more than half the ball)
centers in Lion Brand Micro Spun french, vanilla
Pattern: Pansy (Paneki) from Fancy Hawaiian Lei in Crochet by Roberta E. Wong
Hook: G
This is my new favorite kid project. Kids play dress-up all the time. And with the time invested in one of these yarn leis, the color does not have to match the actual flower, and recipient will wear it more than on that one special occasion. Plus, it is completely washable , gently, like other yarn confections, and very one of a kind. If you have not checked out the yarn lei pattern books out there, you are really missing out. They are AMAZING. Beautiful, easy, and long-lasting. My friends use their leis as decorative items, but the kids actually WEAR them. So I have not regretted gifting any to a child. By child, I mean at least 4 years old, with some amount of common sense. Shorter length is better for a kid, less likely to catch on something and choke. Of course, remove lei when involved in active play with anything that can catch on something around the neck. Or you can just leave the lei untied so it is more like a scarf.

Two things

Finishing last minute girl gifts (gifts for girls between the ages of 7 and 12) and working on last-minute little boy gifts (between 1 and 4 yrs.). Those little boys are hard to knit for if I've already given them my standard wash cloth and soap set! I guess I could always change the design of the wash cloth and the book given with it.

First pic of a choker, using the fastening button as the centerpiece.

The second pic here is of a knitty thing that looked fun to knit. I used big yarn and a FUN color! It still needs a face and neck shaping, but my older daughter has seized it for her very own and refuses to allow it a face. Could be disturbing...I thought initially to gift these critters to the little boys, but worried about long appendages causing some choke/barfing episodes and changed mind.

In any case, a purple one with lime hair and tail is in the works. Hopefully, with a face.

These are both Walmart yarns. Bernat, i think.

Gifts for older girls
Finished two of these. This is what i did:

Simple Crocheted Chokers
12" length (for best results, measure the neck of recipient and make a gauge swatch. multiply gauge by neck length for starting chain number. any soft yarn can be used if this is done.)
size 1.65 mm hook
size 10 crochet thread, NOT South Maid - it feels too stiff against skin
gauge: 9 sc/1"

Directions:
leaving a long enough tail to sew button on, ch 97
sc in 2nd ch from hook and all the way to end
turning ch 1
sc to end
make total of 3 sc rows
last row can be slip stitch to end for a nice finish.
when get to end, make button loop by chaining to fit around the button and slip st to choker
sl st again to choker
go back and sl st in each ch of button loop and finish off
weave in end
sew on button with tail and weave in end.

Optional:
String on a bunch of beads (5/0 strung easily but smaller possible if you have a dental floss threader to assist) then begin and just place them randomly throughout.