DIY Wood Rocker

My one year old nephew came to stay with me for a little while. I made him a few toys to play with while we were together. He loves to rock, so I made him this little rocker.

I found the pattern on the Ramblings from the Burbs blog way back in March of last year. You can find the template and some great tips on her blog. Here are the steps I took to make mine.

Needed Materials:
2'x4' 1/2" Plywood
2 - 1"x4"
1" Kreg Pocket Hole Screws
Wood Glue
Paint or Stain

Needed Cuts:
9 - 1"x4" cut at 13.5" (slats)
Template from the Ramblings from the Burbs blog (rocker)

Step 1:
Copy the template onto your wood.

Step 2:
Make the cuts. I used my miter saw to make the slats.

I used my jigsaw to make the rockers.

I used a hole saw to make the initial hole for the hand holds. If you don't have a hole saw, just use the largest drill bit you have and then put the jigsaw blade in the hole to cut out the hand holds.

Step 3: Make the pocket holes. Set your Kreg Jig at the 5/8 marking and drill into each end of the slats.

Step 4: Sand everything well. I usually wait until everything is built before I sand, but I wanted to paint before it was assembled.

Step 5: Paint or apply finish of your choice. I used Rustoleum Ultra Cover paints and I sealed it with Rustoleum Clear Gloss spray paint.

Step 6: Mark the locations of the slats (optional).
You may want to place marks on the rockers at the locations that you want to place the slats. I did not do this, but I wish I would have. My rocker is not exactly even because I did not do this.

Step 7: Using 1" Kreg screws and wood glue, attach the slats to the rockers. I started in the middle and worked outward on each side. I did not measure, but I placed them about 3/4" in from the base of the rockers. Be sure that you attach the slats so that they are at the same place on each rocker. This is where the marks would have come in handy.

Step 8: Fill the pocket holes with putty (optional).
I filled my pocket holes, sanded, and did paint touch ups. You could also skip this step and leave the holes.

Step 9: Enjoy!
I am so glad I finally got around to building this! You can not only rock in it.

You can use it as a tunnel.

You can play peek-a-boo.

You can climb on top of it.

It can even be turned on it's side and imagined that it is an ice cream stand, check out, puppet stage, etc.

This would be an easy gift to make for any little one in your life!

Leprechaun Crochet Toddler Hat and Bow Tie Pattern

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. If you are looking for some quick accessories to make for your little leprechaun, this crocheted hat and bow tie are perfect!

This hat fits my 9 month old nephew perfectly, but he has a larger than average head. You may need to adjust the size for whomever you are making the hat. Be sure to check the gauge.

Size:

The finished hat has a circumference of 19” and is 5 ½” high.

The bow tie measures about 4” long and 2” high before you tie the middle.

Needed Materials:

Crochet Hook Size I (hat and bow tie)

Crochet Hook Size K (bow tie)

Worsted Weight Yarn Green – 159 g (hat & tie)

Worsted Weight Yarn Black – 24 g (band)

Worsted Weight Yarn Gold – 50 g (buckle)

Tapestry Needle

Gauge: 

12 sc = 4” - holding two strands together. I crochet tightly, so be sure to check the gauge.

Hat

Using the I crochet hook and holding two strands of green together, make a magic loop.

Round 1: 6 sc in the magic loop. (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around. (12)

Round 3: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (18)

Round 4: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (24)

Round 5: (Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (30)

Round 6: (Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (36)

Round 7: (Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (42)

Round 8: (Sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (48)

Round 9: (Sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (54)

Round 10: (Sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 6 times. (60)

Rounds 11-18: Sc in each stitch around. (60)

Round 19: (Sc in next 13 sc, sc 2tog) 4 times. (56)

Rounds 20-27: Sc in each stitch around. (56)

Round 28: (Sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 2 times. (62)

Round 29: Sc in each sc around. (62)

Round 30: (Sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 2 times. (68)

Round 31: Sc in each sc around. (68)

Round 32: (Dc in next 10 sc, 2 dc in next sc, dc in next 11 sc, 2 dc in next sc, dc in next 10 sc, 2 dc in next sc) 2 times. (74)

Round 33: Sc in each dc around. (74)

Fasten off.

Hat Band

Using the I crochet hook and holding two strands of black together, ch 9.

Row 1: Sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (8)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in in sc, turn. (8)

Continue in this manner until the band is the desired length. Fasten off.

Buckle

Using the I crochet hook and holding two strands of gold together, ch 20. Join with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Ch 2, 2 hdc in the same stich as the join, *hdc in the next 4 ch, 3 hdc in the next ch, hdc in the next 4 ch*, 3 hdc in the next ch, repeat from * to * once, join with a slip stitch to the beginning, fasten off.

Hat Finishing

Sew the buckle on to the band. Sew the band onto the hat. Weave in ends.

Bow Tie

Using the K crochet hook and holding two strands of green together, ch 11.

Row 1: Sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (10)

Row 2-4: Ch 1, sc in in sc, turn. (10)

Row 5: Ch 1, 3 sc in the 1^st sc, 1 sc in each sc across, 3 sc in the corner sc, 4 sc across the side, 3 sc in the corner, sc in each st across the beginning ch, 3 sc in the corner, 4 sc across the side. Fasten off.

Tie Finishing

Fold the tie in half like a taco. Take a long strand of green yarn and tie a tight knot around. Continue to wrap the yarn around the center of the tie until you get your desired look.

Using the I crochet hook and one strand of green, ch 100. Fasten off. Thread the chain under the knot that you tied. You can the tie the bow tie on.

AbbreviationsCh = Chain
Dc = Double Crochet
Hdc = Half Double Crochet
Sc = Single Crochet
Sc2tog = Single Crochet Two Together
You can see more details and can download a pdf of the pattern or from the Ravelry pattern page. While you are over on Ravelry, be sure to check out some of my other projects on my project page!

Knit Z-Man Sweater

Happy New Year's Eve! Here is another project that I made for Christmas. I made this sweater for my nephew.

I found the pattern in Zoe Mellor's book Adorable Knits for Tots. A couple years ago, I made this sweater for his older sister from this same book.

I found this cute Ships Ahoy! sweater pattern and I knew I wanted to make one for Zach. I had intended to make it with the boat and fish. I ordered the yarn online. The yarn looked more blue on my computer screen. When I received the yarn in the mail, it was more green than I wanted. I decided to alter the pattern to have a Z on it, but I really like how it turned out.

If you want to see more details about this pattern, please see my Z-Man Sweater project page on Ravelry. Be sure to take a look at some more of my knitting and crocheting projects on my Ravelry project page.

Rudolph the Reindeer Crochet Baby Hat Pattern

Christmas is just around the corner. If you are looking for a quick hat to make for the holiday cards, this crocheted Rudolph the Reindeer hat pattern is perfect!

My little model is my 6 month old nephew. He does have a larger than average head size for his age, but this pattern should fit the average 6-12 month old. 

The pattern will result in a hat that has a circumference of 17 1/2” and a hat height from brim to crown of about 7”. This should fit most 6-12 month old babies. Since not all baby heads are the same size, check the size of your baby's head prior to making it. There is some stretch to this hat, so it will stretch a little bit, if necessary. You can also easily adjust the size by changing the size of your crochet hook. If you need to change the height of the hat, just increase or decrease the number of rounds following row 6.

Any bulky-weight yarn can be used for this pattern. The materials listed below are what I used for this pattern, but any bulky-weight yarn will work.

Needed Materials:

2 oz. Lion Brand Homespun (Sierra) – hat and ears color (MC)

2 oz. Lion Brand Jiffy (Caffe) – antler color (AC)

Small amount Bernat Softee Chunky (Black) – small eye color (BC)

Small amount Bernat Softee Chunky (White) – large eye color (CC)

Small amount Lion Brand Jiffy (True Red) – nose color (DC)

Size K (6.5 mm) Crochet Hook

Tapestry Needle

Small amount of polyfill stuffing

Gauge:

After you have completed round 3, you should have a diameter of about 3 ½”. Please check the gauge, as I do crochet tightly, so you may need to adjust your hook size.

Finished Size:

6-12 months

Hat

Round 1: Using MC, make an adjustable loop, ch 3, 7 dc in the loop, join and pull the loop tight. (8 dc)

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in the joining space, (2 dc in each dc) around, join. (16 dc)

Round 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in the next dc, (dc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc) around, join (24 dc)

Round 4: Ch 3, dc in the next dc, (2 dc in the next dc, dc in the next 2 dc) around to last dc, 2 dc in the last dc, join. (32 dc)

Round 5: Ch 3, dc in the next 2 dc, (2 dc in the next dc, dc in the next 3 dc) to last dc, 2 dc in the last dc, join. (40 dc)

Rounds 6-10: Ch 3, dc in each dc around, join. (40 dc) You may increase or decrease the number of rounds to change the height of your hat.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Ears (Make 2)

Round 1: Using MC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 6 sc in the loop, do not join, pull the loop tight. You may want to place a marker at the beginning of the round and move it up as you go. (6 sc)

Round 2: (Sc in the next 2 sc, 2 sc in the next sc) 2 times. (8 sc)

Round 3: (Sc in the next 3 sc, 2 sc in the next sc) 2 times. (10 sc)

Round 4: (Sc in the next 4 sc, 2 sc in the next sc) 2 times. (12 sc)

Round 5: (Sc in the next sc, 2 sc in the next sc) 6 times. (18 sc)

Round 6-9: (Sc in the next sc) around. (18 sc)

Round 10: (Sc in the next sc, sc2tog) 6 times. (12 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the ears to the hat.

Long Antlers (Make 2)

Round 1: Using AC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 9 sc in the loop, do not join, pull the loop tight. You may want to place a marker at the begging on the round and move it up as you go. (9 sc)

Rounds 2-17: (Sc in the next sc) around. You can increase or decrease the number of rounds to adjust the length of the antlers. (9 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the antlers to the hat.

Short Antlers (Make 2)

Round 1: Using AC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 9 sc in the loop, do not join, pull the loop tight. You may want to place a marker at the beginning of the round and move it up as you go. (9 sc)

Rounds 2-8: (Sc in the next sc) around. You can increase or decrease the number of rounds to adjust the length of the antlers. (9 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the short antlers to the long antlers.

Inner Eyes (Make 2)

Round 1: Using BC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 4 sc in the loop, join, pull the loop tight. (4 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the inner part of the eye to the outer part of the eye.

Outer Eyes (Make 2)

Round 1: Using CC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 6 sc in the loop, join, pull the loop tight. (6 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the eye to the hat.

Nose

Round 1: Using DC, make an adjustable loop, ch 1, 6 sc in the loop, do not join, pull the loop tight. You may want to place a marker at the beginning of the round and move it up as you go. (6 sc)

Round 2: (2 Sc in the next sc) around. (12 sc)

Round 3: (Sc in the next sc) around. (12 sc)

Round 4: (Sc in the next sc, sc2tog in the next sc) around. (8 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the nose to the hat.

Finishing

Sew the ears to the hat. Sew the small antlers to the large antlers. Sew the large antlers to the hat. Lightly stuff the nose. Sew the nose to the hat. Sew the inner part of the eye to the outer part of the eye. Sew the eyes to the hat. Weave in all ends.

Abbreviations

Ch = Chain

Dc = Double Crochet

Sc = Single Crochet

Sc2tog = Single Crochet Two Together

You can see more details and can download a pdf of the pattern or from the Ravelry pattern page. While you are over on Ravelry, be sure to check out some of my other projects on my project page!

Baby-sized Pumpkin Hat Free Crochet Pattern

My nephew is now 5 months old and every baby needs to have a pumpkin hat for this time of the year! I crocheted this cute hat in just a few hours and it took very little yarn. Here is the pattern, so you can make a hat for the little pumpkin in your life!

This pattern is modified from the following pattern: Newborn Pumpkin Beanie. That pattern is only for the newborn size. My nephew is 5 months old and he has a bigger than average head, so I had to modify it to make it larger. This pattern will probably fit an average 12-18 month old sized hat, but all babies have different sized heads, so just alter the pattern accordingly. The size can be easily altered by increasing or decreasing the number of HDC and rows. You also could just use a smaller hook and smaller weight yarn.

Needed Materials:
2 oz Orange Worsted Weight Yarn

1 oz Green Worsted Weight Yarn

Size J (6.0 mm) Crochet Hook

Hat:

Using the orange yarn, Chain (CH) 29.

Row 1: Half Double Crochet (HDC) in the Back Loop (BL) of the 3rd CH from the hook and in each Stitch (ST) across. CH 2. Turn. (27 HDC)

Rows 2 – 29: HDC in the BL of each ST across. CH 2. Turn.

Row 30: HDC in the BL of each ST across. CH 1. Turn.

Joining the two side ends, Slip Stictch (SL ST) down the length of hat through both ends. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Stem:

Using the green yarn, join with a Single Crochet (SC) at the top of hat.

SC evenly around the hat (I made about 30). The number of SC is up to you. A greater number of SC means that the Stem area is going to be larger. A smaller number of SC means that the Stem area is going to be smaller. When you get around back to the first ST, do not join. Single Crochet 2 Together (SC2TOG) around. Continue to SC2TOG until you have 5 ST remaining.

SC in each ST around for 6 rounds.

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Vine:

Using the green yarn and leaving a 6” tail, CH 24 (If you want a longer or shorter vine, just increase or decrease the number of CH).

2 SC in the 2nd CH from the hook and in each ST to the end.

Fasten off, leaving a 6” tail.

Using the starting and ending tails, tie the vine between any 2 ST on the stem. Weave in the ends.

You can get a printable pdf of this pattern here. You can also see more details on my Ravelry page.

Fleece-Lined Stay-on Baby Mittens Knitting Pattern

Now that it is getting colder outside, it is time to start pulling out the hats, mittens, and scarves.

A little over three years ago, my brother contacted me because my niece, who was under a year old, kept pulling off her mittens. No matter what my brother and sister-in-law did, my niece would get her mittens off. My brother asked me if I could make a pair of mittens that would stay on.

So, I designed a pair of thumb-less mittens that were extra long to go up her arm and were also attached to an i-cord. They could put the mittens on her, pull them up her arm, and then pull her jacket sleeves over them. That way she could not pull the mittens off. If she would have somehow managed to get them off, the i-cord would have prevented them from getting lost. I also lined them with fleece to make them extra warm.

Here is the pattern:

Needed Materials:

US 3 - 3.25 mm dpn (for the i-cord)

US 4 - 3.5 mm dpn (for the mittens)

Sport-weight yarn (about 25 g)

Small amount of fleece

Mittens – Make 2

With the size 4 dpns, cast on 30 stiches.

Join in the round, and work in K1, P1 ribbing for 2 inches.

Change to the size 3 dpns and work in the ribbing for an additional 2 inches.

Change to the size 4 dpns and work in stockinette (knit every round) for 2 inches.

Next decrease row: K4, Knit 2 together around (25 stiches)

Next row: Knit around

Next decrease row: K3, Knit 2 together around (20 stiches)

Next row: Knit around

Next decrease row: K2, Knit 2 together around (15 stiches)

Next row: Knit around

Next decrease row: Knit 2 together to last stich, K1 (8 stiches)

Cut the yarn leaving a 4 inch tail. Pull the tail through the 8 remaining stiches and pull tight.

Weave in ends

Lining – Make 2 (Optional)

With tailor’s chalk, roughly trace the completed mitten onto a piece of fleece. Trace it slightly larger to account for the seam. You will need to trace 2 per hand. You may choose to make the lining to fit the entire mitten, or just the portion where the baby’s hand will go. Fleece stretches one way but not the other. Make sure that you trace the mitten in the direction to allow the fingers to spread out as opposed to stretching up and down.

Cut the mittens out of the fleece and pin together making sure that the softer side is on the inside. Staying close to the edge, sew around the edge of the fleece, leaving the bottom open for the baby’s hand to go into.

Slide the fleece mitten into the knit mitten. Secure the top and bottom of the fleece mittens into the knit mittens.

I-Cord (Optional)

With size 3 dpns, Cast on 3 stiches. Slide the stiches to the opposite end of the needle. Pull the end of the yarn from behind. *K3. Slide the stiches to the opposite end of the needle. Pull the end of the yarn from behind. Repeat from * until you reach about 22 inches. Bind off.

Sew an end to each of the mittens.

Fleece Lining

A printable pdf of the pattern can be found here. To see more details, check out the Ravelry pattern site. While you are out on Ravelry, be sure to check out some of the other things that I have made on my project page.

How to Make a Safari-Themed Nursery Mobile

Last week, I made my nephew a safari-themed mobile. My brother had looked at a few on Etsy that he liked, but they were quite costly. He asked if I would be able to make one. It was super easy and it turned out pretty cute. The entire mobile costs less than $5 to make! Each animal costs less than $1 to make!

The past five days, I have showed you how to make a felt elephant, lion, giraffe, monkey, and snake to hang from the mobile. Be sure to click on the links for the tutorials of each animal if you missed them. Today, I will show you how to make the actual mobile.

Needed Materials:
String, Ribbon, or Yarn
Dark Green Felt
Light Green Felt
Embroidery Hoop
Washi Tape or Ribbon
Small Washer


Step 1. The embroidery hoop comes with two hoops. Take the inside loop out and use that. I used a 12 inch hoop. If you want yours to be bigger or smaller, just adjust accordingly.

Step 2. Take your washi tape or ribbon and put it on your the inside of the embroidery hoop. I used washi tape because it was quick and easy. You also could glue a ribbon around it or even wrap yarn around the hoop. Being that it is on the inside, you really do not have to decorate it, but I think it looks nicer.

Step 3. Attach the main hanging string. Cut 3 lengths of yarn or string at about 8 inches (or the length that you desire). Tie these three strings to the washer and then to the hoop. Try to evenly space them around the hoop. I then put a small piece of washi tape over it to hold it in place. Cut a long length of yarn and tie it to the washer. The length of this piece depends on what you are hanging it from and at what height. 

Step 4. Make the felt leaves. I did not make a template to make these. I just cut them at random.

Step 5. Cut a length of yarn about 2 feet long. Starting from the bottom of the felt animal, pull the yarn though the animal. Depending on the weight of the felt animals, you may need to play with the placement. If your animal is too heavy on one side, it can cause the animal to lean to the side. If the animal is top heavy, it can fall forward or backward, so you may have to experiment. 

Step 6. Put a knot at the very end of the yarn. Pull the yarn through the animal until you get to the knot. The knot at the bottom of the animal will hold it. You may want to put a small dab of glue on the knot just to ensure it stays.

Step 7. Thread the yarn through the leaves. Again, you will want to place a knot at the bottom of each to hold them up. Put as many or as few leaves as you want. Do this process for all the animals.

Step 8. Tie the animals to the hoop at your ideal length. You may need to move the animals around or change the lengths of the yarn because you need to create a balance. Ideally, you should place similar weight items across from each other.

Step 9. Once you are sure of your placement of the animals. Put a small piece of tape or glue on the place where you tied it to the hoop. This will ensure that they don't slide around the hoop and become unbalanced.

Step 10. Place the washi tape or ribbon on the outside of the embroidery hoop.

Step 11. If you want an animal in the middle of the mobile, tie that animal to the washer.

Step 12. Hang the mobile and enjoy!

If you don't want to use a hoop, you can usually find an old mobile at the local thrift stores. You can follow the same process of hanging the animals, just hang them to the mobile holder instead of the hoop. Here is a picture of the felt animals that I made hanging from an old mobile hanger.

Another option is to take a couple dowels, glue them together to form a "t" and hang the animals from the dowels. This method does require more work to get the animals to balance. I did not try this method, but it would work if you have dowels on hand.

This would make a great personalized gift for any baby shower. Simply change the animals to fit any nursery theme. It is quick, easy, and inexpensive to make!