Thursday, November 29, 2012

Angel Baby Diaper Pattern

Large Size Angel Diaper Pattern


Made with Caron simply soft yarn - F hook
Large size outfit - typically fits 20-22 week angel babies
Estimate number of diapers needed: 35% large, 50% medium, 15% small



I downloaded the sewing pattern for the tiny diapers from the Teeny Tears blog and then I crocheted until I had a similar size and shape. Please note that Teeny Tears calls this pattern the small size - for crochet this is going to be the large size.






Chain 14 - turn

Row 1 - 13 sc - 1 ch - turn
Row 2 - skip first stitch, 10 sc, skip second to the last stitch, 1 sc in last stitch {total of 11 stitches} 1 ch - turn
Row 3 - sc all the way across - 1 ch - turn
Row 4 - skip first stitch, 8 sc skip second to the last stitch, 1 sc in last stitch {total of 9 stitches} - 1 ch - turn
Row 5 - sc all the way across- 1 ch - turn
Row 6 - skip first stitch, 6 sc skip second to the last stitch, 1 sc in last stitch {total of 7 stitches} - 1 ch - turn
Row 7 - sc all the way across- 1 ch - turn
Row 8 - skip first stitch, 4 sc skip second to the last stitch, 1 sc in last stitch {total of 5 stitches} - 1 ch - turn
Row 9 - sc all the way across- 1 ch - turn
Row 10 - skip first stitch, 2 sc skip second to the last stitch, 1 sc in last stitch {total of 3 stitches} - 1 ch - turn
Row 11 - sc all the way across- 1 ch - turn

This is where the diaper will fold. 

Row 12: 2 sc in first stitch - sc across - 2 sc in last stitch - 1 ch - turn {total of 5 stitches}
Row 13 {7 stitches} - 14 {9 stitches} - 15 {11 stitches} : same as row 12
Row 16: 3 sc in first stitch - sc all the way across - 3 sc in last stitch - 1 ch - turn {total of 15 stitches}

Note: When you 3 sc in one stitch it will kind of try to round out the edge. It will look funny on this row just a little bit.

Row 17: sc all the way across - 1 ch - turn {15 stitches}

Note: this row will make your previous row look right. Make sure to catch all three of the sc on the ends so that your row will straighten out.

Row 18: 3 sc in first stitch - sc all the way across - 3 sc in last stitch - 1 ch - turn {19 stitches}
Row 19: sc all the way across - 1 ch - turn {19 stitches}

Row 20: 3 sc in first stitch - sc all the way across - 3 sc in last stitch - 1 ch - turn {23 stitches}
Row 21: sc all the way across - 1 ch - turn {23 stitches}

Now you need to edge the diaper with sc all the way around. You can switch colors here or you can keep the same color. Make sure to do a sh stitch (3 sc) in all the corners that need to be pointy. To make the crotch as tiny as possible (a good thing!) slip stitch instead of sc around the edge between rows 8 and 13.

Fold the diaper in half. Use a safety pin to pin the long two flaps together.

Here are a couple pictures that show about what size the diaper should be in relation to our large kimono outfit:





And here are the differences in the sizes of the diapers








Medium Size Angel Diaper Pattern


Made with Caron simply soft yarn - F hook
Medium size  typically fits 17-19 week angel babies
Estimate number of diapers needed: 35% large, 50% medium, 15% small



Chain 11

Row 1 - sc 10
Row 2 - skip first and second to last stitch {8}
Row 3 - sc across
Row 4 - skip first and second to last {6}
Row 5 - sc across
Row 6 - skip first and second to last {4}
Row 7 - sc across
Row 8 - skip first and second {2}
Row 9 - sc across {2}

Fold


Row 10 + 11 - 2 sc in the first and last stitch on each row {4} {6}
Row 12 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (10)
Row 13 - sc across
Row 14 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (14)
Row 15 - sc across
Row 16 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (18)
Row 17 - sc across
Row 18 - 2 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (20)


Edge with sc except the 2 stitches across the crotch and a stitch or two on each side of those stitches - if you do slip stitches through there then the crotch will stay as tiny as possible.


Small Size Angel Diaper Pattern


Made with Mary Maxim Baby's Best sport weight yarn and a B hook
Small size  typically fits 15-16 week angel babies
Estimate number of diapers needed: 35% large, 50% medium, 15% small
Same as medium pattern - just smaller yarn and hook





Chain 11

Row 1 - sc 10
Row 2 - skip first and second to last stitch {8}
Row 3 - sc across
Row 4 - skip first and second to last {6}
Row 5 - sc across
Row 6 - skip first and second to last {4}
Row 7 - sc across
Row 8 - skip first and second {2}
Row 9 - sc across {2}

Fold

Row 10 + 11 - 2 sc in the first and last stitch on each row {4} {6}
Row 12 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (10)
Row 13 - sc across
Row 14 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (14)
Row 15 - sc across
Row 16 - 3 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (18)
Row 17 - sc across
Row 18 - 2 sc in first and last stitch - sc across (20)

Edge with sc except the 2 stitches across the crotch and a stitch or two on each side of those stitches - if you do slip stitches through there then the crotch will stay as tiny as possible.


For more angel baby info and patterns (including best yarn types and colors) click HERE




Monday, November 26, 2012

Scrapbook Pages


New pages: (well this first one isn't new - I just wanted to show the two pages together)


I made this bath time page to go with the handsome page. I think they're cute together.


Rainbow at Beaver Dick Park


Brothers - August 2012

Calvin and Hobbes - Halloween page


Sam's graduation

Emmett 8 months

Emmett 3 weeks old

Emmett 9 months

Halloween 2011 - page 1

Halloween 2011 - page 2

Halloween 2011 - both pages

And I updated a page about when Caleb was on the bili light:


Tree lighting - 2011


Christmas Eve - 2011

Contest page

For a Template Challenge


using Give Thanks by Sweet Pea Designs

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Fall's End

I decided it's definitely time for an update post. I've had several posts over the past few days for angel baby things. You might even notice a new page on the blog all about angel baby patterns and info. And   before that a post about my own angel baby.

The main thing that sparked that post was a project I was working on for the first birthday of my friend's twins.





20 outfits made to send for stillborn babies. Each outfit takes around 2 hours. It seems so small of a gift for them since they were the ones whose lives got me started on this project. It's been incredibly healing for me and this project has changed my life. 

I always thought it so strange when I heard people go on and on about a cause they believed in. Now I'm one of those people. And suddenly it's not so weird any more to me. I've made around 50 outfits so far this year. I love this project.

Not to say it's always easy. Especially lately this has been extremely emotional. Granted, I feel like everything's been emotional lately. 

The second week of November we gave the prayers in Sacrament meeting - and call me crazy - but that totally freaks me out. I always forget what I should say. I know it's crazy - but it's really draining.

The third week of November we spoke in Sacrament meeting - about challenges we face. Again - really draining. When I got done my hands were tingly for a long, long time. I guess the blood hadn't gone to them while I was speaking. 

This week - the fourth week - I taught the lesson in Relief Society - about service.

On the second Wednesday I also taught a pie demo for Relief Society. I totally shocked them because I was the first person they asked and they were totally asking me to say I didn't know how to make a pie. It was so funny - I was laughing about it weeks later when I actually did the demo. However, it was even funnier to watch the Relief Society president and another lady in the ward argue about who was going to steal the pie behind my back. 

I think all these things are some sort of punishment for missing Stake Conference the first weekend of this month. Emmett and I both had horrible colds. We went through an entire box of tissues in 24 hours. 

Adding all this to the already emotional angel baby project basically made me an emotional wreck for weeks now. Sam almost getting hit by a car and trying to learn to drive our new stick shift car hasn't helped either. 

I love the angel baby project - I really do. I don't like speaking in front of groups though. It seriously renders me basically useless for the next day. But hopefully I'm done now for a while. I'm ready for a break.

In other news:
Emmett is walking EVERYWHERE, climbing on EVERYTHING, and putting EVERYTHING in his mouth. So excited for his first birthday later this week. I'm feeling like it's an accomplishment that I've kept him alive this long. At least he is cute even if he is into everything lately.

Caleb's starting to figure out Christmas. And it's so cute. He sings "Puh-lease on your noggin" and he thinks he's singing Feliz Navidad. He's starting to get the hang of what Santa Clause does. And he loves watching White Christmas. The other day he picked it up off the shelf and said, "White Christmas is my FAVORITE movie!" I was so proud. He's also started saying "The good news is...." which is something Sam says and it totally cracks me up.

Sam's doing much better than he was right after his bike got hit. He's still nervous to have me walk with the boys on 19th though (the street where he got hit). He's loving work though and finally got through his 3 months probation and got a raise. They're already talking about his next raise - a job title change, going on salary and other great perks. That will be sometime in the next year. Life is good.

Still no word on the house we put an offer on. But we're still hopeful.

All in all - we're all safe - and alive - and loving life. And hoping things calm down a little in the near future.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Angel Baby Diaper Dress Pattern



This pattern is almost exactly the same as the Diaper Shirt pattern - just with ruffles on the sleeves and a little skirt.



Start a diaper shirt using the pattern above. We won't make any changes until row 9.

I switched colors so you could see where the changes will happen. You can either do Row 9A which will be like the normal diaper shirt - or you can do 9 B. Don't do both! Pick one! If you do 9A you can skip down a ways to find Row 10.

Row 9A (Normal): sc 10 - skip 16 - sc across till the next turn - skip 16 - sc 10 - chain 1 - turn


Row 9 B(Ruffles): sc 10 - in the next stitch *sc 1 - ch 1 - double crochet (dc) 3 - ch 1 - sc 1. All of those stitches should be in one stitch. Skip the next stitch.* 




Repeat from * to * until you have gone the length of the sleeve. With 16 stitches across for the sleeve you should get 8 little ruffles. 


Then you'll need to close up your sleeve. You'll basically be doing a sc but going through two stitches - one on the front of the shirt and one on the back. The cream stitch is on on Row 8 and the pink stitch is Row 9. You need to do a stitch through them both. It will make a kind of weird stitch but it will work and no one will see it under there. It should look like this:








This is what it should look like from the inside after you put on row 10


sc across what will be the front of the dress. Usually about 20 stitches. When you get to your sh stitches that's where you'll start on the next sleeve. In the next stitch *sc 1 - ch 1 - double crochet (dc) 3 - ch 1 - sc 1. All of those stitches should be in one stitch. Skip the next stitch.* Repeat from * to * until you have gone the length of the sleeve. With 16 stitches across for the sleeve you should get 8 little ruffles. Then you'll need to close up your sleeve. You'll basically be doing a sc but going through two stitches - one on the front of the shirt and one on the back. This one may look a little different than the one you did on the other sleeve - but it should be ok. SC the rest of the way across the back side of the dress. It should look like this:


I switched colors again here - mostly so it was easy to see. 
Row 10: sc in each stitch across - ch 1 - turn. This is the row were you can make your strange stitch under the arm in row 9 look perfect. Just crochet over the top of it as if it were a regular stitch. It might feel weird - especially with the ruffle added - but the trick is to make this row look good even if the last row wasn't good. This row will set the rest of your rows.




Row 11 - THIS ROW ONLY - sc in each stitch around but only go through the back part of the stitch. It should look like this:

Notice the funny little stitches (front stitches) on the front of the outfit when this row is done? 

the inside will look almost exactly the same as the other rows. You just need those little stitches to attach the skirt.



Now finish the outfit with the normal pattern. These skirts have tiny holes you can see through so for the babies privacy we add the diaper anyway even though most of it will be covered up. 


Once you have sc around the edge (making sure to leave button holes) then you get to start working on the skirt. You can start on either side but I usually start on the right hand side when the outfit is upside down. 

Start on the first of your little front stitches.


Skirt Row 1: sc 1 - ch 1 - dc 2  in the first stitch (the single crochet and a chain will look almost like a double when you're done).


Skip one stitch
sc 1 in the next stitch
skip one stitch

dc 3 (like a dc shell) in the next stitch. 


Go all the way across with this pattern: dc shell (3 stitches) - skip one - sc 1 - skip one
The end may be a little off but that's ok because we do still want to be able to get to the buttons later. And this will be the back of the dress so if the dress doesn't come to a complete close on the back side it will be ok. The shirt under it will. You should end up on a sc. Ch 1 - turn.


Skirt Row 2: dc sh in the last sc on the row before. It should look like this:



then do sc 1 in the middle stitch of the dc sh on the row before. Like this:


Go all the way across the dress doing a dc sh in each sc and a sc in the center of each sh. When you get to the end you should end up on a sc in the center of your first dc shell. Ch 1 - turn.




Now you just keep following that pattern until the skirt is as long as you want. You don't need to make a full length skirt for these outfits. They take a LONG time and they're really not necessary. I did 10 rows for this skirt to make it so it ended about the same place the diaper folds.

When you get to the end I do a slip stitch and tie it off. 

Then I tuck the end of the yarn in through the back side of the design. With designs it's sometimes harder to hide your yarn tail - so try to just hide it on the back like this:



Here's what the outfit should look like finished:


Here's the back - see how it looks like the dress doesn't close all the way?

But if you put the sides of the shirt together like they would be with buttons (or if you have buttons to add now is a good time to do those)



Here's a close up of what the pattern should look like upside down - the way you crochet it.



And here's the pattern of the skirt when you're done and you turn it back the right direction.



I know the skirt directions are a little hard to see in the pictures - but the pattern works really well and it makes a lot more sense when you try it. If you get stuck let me know and I'll try to walk you through it. And send me some pictures when you have an outfit that's done - I'd love to see how this turns out for you!

For more angel baby patterns and info click HERE