meet Kinsey

she's my newest crochet pillow

 Kinsey is made up of the Little Lady Puff stitch

she's a quick and easy pillow to make.

i started her last year

but didn't get around to finishing her

until these past couple days.

she's full of bright colors

and sports 3 polka-dot buttons to boot.

my pillows are getting better each time

and though she has a few flaws

i adore her and so do the littles.

Little Man rolls her across the family room floor

and even Rescued Dog has snuggled up next to her.

what can i improve on next time?

i'm still perfecting button holes.

her buttons are too far apart

and the white of the pillow shows through every once in awhile.

but i'm enjoying her oh-so-much.

round pillows are so fun.

granny chic stools

it has been decided

by me, ha

that i must find a thrifted stool

not the sitting kind, but rather the foot-resting kind

so that i may crochet a delightful cover

inspired by these lovely stools.

 source 

 source

i may also need a bunny to perch of said stool.

 source

i love all of these but i'm thinking a chevron one

like the top left

would be on so perfect.

and of course these two (above and  below)

are of the infamous dottie angel.

this last one is my very favorite.

i think it would be so lovely to crochet a base

and embellish with pretty fabrics and linens

and doilies of course.

a granny chic stool must have doilies.

loving : crochet ring

i do adore this ring

i think it is the sweetest thing

so whimsical and magical.

i want to move right in!

tip top tutorial : the Little Lady Puff stitch

disclaimer :

please note that i am a self-taught crocheter

i look at patterns, panic, do it 500 times

and change it until it works for me.

there are a lot of puff stitch patterns out there

but this is what i do.

if it works for you, marvelous!!!

if not, that's ok, keep searching for one you like.

if you have any questions or need help

email me at ohlovelovely at gmail dot com

this tutorial is much anticipated

especially by the lovely sarah and julie.

i apologize it has taken so long to actually post.

let us begin with the supplies

and dont forget patience.

when i try new patterns,

i always need patience.

SC=single crochet

DC=double crochet

step 1 - creating your foundation circle

chain 4

slip stitch into your first chain to form a circle.

inside the circle, make 8 SC 

slip stitch into your first SC.

you will have this :

step 2 - starting your first puff stitch

chain 3 (this counts as your first DC)

in the same hole that you slip stitched into in step 1, make 4 DC

you will have 5 "rungs", as i call them

step 3 - finishing your first puff stitch

this is where it gets a little tricky, heee

take your hook out (as pictured below)

put it through the top stitch of your first DC (i.e., your chain 3)

THEN put it back through your original working hole.

i pinch all the DC together so its easier to hold (see below).

now yarn over and pull through BOTH strands of yarn on your hook

it will turn you 5 rungs into your first puff.

step 3 - the in-between

in between each of your puff stitches you will want 3 chains.

so chain 3

. . . whew that was tough . . .

step 4 - creating your second puff stitch

in your next SC of your foundation circle, make 5 DC

now, take out your hook

and put it through the third stitch of your chain 3

yarn over and pull through BOTH stitches on your hook.

chain 3

and you are done with your second puff stitch

** repeat step 4 in the remaining 6 SC on your foundation circle.

step 5 - close off first round

once you've made a puff in each of the 8 SC of your foundation circle

slip stitch into the chain-3-hole between your first and second puff.

 if you just want one round of puffs, you can tie off here.

i did this for Sue

but if you want two rounds, proceed to step 6.

here's what the back looks like so far :

step 6 - creating round two

create 2 puff stitches in each chain-3-hole.

you will make a total of 16 puff stitches by the time you go all the way around.

slip stitch into the chain-3-hole of your first and second puff stitches

tie off.

tada, you've made a puff flower worthy of a Little Lady blanket.

woooooooo weeeeeeee.

in no time at all you will piles 

of puff flowers and puff granny squares

ready to be turned into blankets or pillows or anything.

sniffle.

Henry and Hoot will be so proud.

my newest crochet creation

Sue is a slouchy granny square pillow

with puffy flowers and

5 handmade buttons.

she's my second pillow

and is an enormous improvement over my first.

things i learned after my first granny square pillow

[ and implemented with Sue ]

- use sturdy yarn that can be washed

- make your pillowcase removable so it can be washed

- realize that your pillow will have to be washed [ ahem, children ]

my poor first pillow had to be tossed

for there was no way for me to wash it

and Little Man was an infamous drooler/spitter-upper

and she was no match for his sticky ways.

Sue, though, is prepared for all things children.

and she is slouched happily up on my couch

beloved by all

even Rescued Dog and Handsome Man.

busy busy.

the past few days have been full of the Glooms.

where has the sunshine been?

she did peek out from behind the clouds

for a moment or two today

but has been missing in action

for quite some time.

Aunt GiGi took this photo tonight

and it makes me so happy inside.

just look at my Little Lady

so grown up and beautiful.

i can hardly believe that she isn't a toddler anymore.

besides snuggling with the chickies

things at Feathered Nest

have been quite a flurry.

prepping for the holidays

wrapping surprises beneath sheets of festive paper

finishing a very lovely crochet pillow named Sue [ photos to follow ]

finishing a project involving wood and wallpaper [ photos and tutorial to follow ]

laundry as always

and YAY i finally made it to the bank today!!!!!!! 

- which is a big deal around here -

but enough chit chat. 

i'm off to bed because i am 

"eggzahsted" as Little Lady would say.

hope everything is merry and bright.


here's a sneak peak at Sue

lovely crochet : lamp shade frame

this post is for you Aunt GiGi

i made this lovely frame

from a lamp shade ring.

"i have to admit,"

Handsome Man told me upon completion,

"i had no idea what you thought

you were creating

as i watched you rip apart the lamp shade."

i knew though,

and that's what's important.

vision Aunt GiGi, you must have vision.

so go into that midterm

and be the beautiful lamp shade frame that

i know you are.
ha. how lame am i.
it's late, don't judge.

perhaps i shall post a tutorial, yes yes?

granny square love

thought i would start the day off right

with a collection of inspirational 

granny squares.

[ click on photo for source ]

i absolutely love this granny square pattern

i'm going to have to figure it out

and make a blanket...

but i should probably finish 

Little Lady's blanket first

 i ADORE the colors of this blanket

perhaps because the main color

is aqua

sigh.

such a bright, happy photo, no?

i've got some scrapbooking supplies

with my name all over them

so i'm off to my desk

[ not Winnie, she wont officially be mine

until we move into our new home

and go and pick her up.

but she does have a deposit down

so she is unofficially mine ]

granny pillow

please meet Jane

she's my most recent project.

a circular granny pillow

with bright and retro colors.

i'm quite smitten.

please say hello to Bitty Boy

his cute scowls

his squinty eyes

his soft, dark hair

his long fingers

his newbaby meows.

all mine.

update on Little Lady's blanket

having contractions

all morning.

hmmm

we'll see what happens :)

Henry happened upon a tower of flowers

awaiting their turn

to acquire a white trim

and be attached to Little Lady's blanket.

i'm so picky

i took apart all the squares i'd already connected

and redid the connection with a different stitch.

i am much happier now.

Little Lady is quite anxious to use her blanket

but i think it will still be 

some time before its completed.

i want to make it twin size

for when she moves into her big girl bed.

she's growing out of her little toddler bed

such a big girl now

when did this baby

 become this girl?!?!

such a sneaky little girl.

Last night when Handsome Man and I 

went into our room for bed

we discovered her like this.

she loves "momma's bed".

these contractions are not going away

and they kinda hurt.

hmmmm.

i'd better go lie down :)

recent projects keeping me sane

yes, yes.

i suffer from blog laziness.

its a terrible disease really.

i blame the pregnancy

which renders me utterly useless

upon the couch.

sigh.

and its sooooo hot.

i'm tired of the heat.

i have 3 crochet projects at the moment

[ i switch when i start getting

bored or frustrated]

- Project 1 -

Little Lady's lovely blanket is coming along quite nicely

Henry is quite the slave-driver.

[ i think he intends to steal the blanket as his own once its done ]

[ i shall have to make a mini one ... in more manly colors ]

- Project 2 -

i'm working on a blanket 

to keep in the family room 

it uses the granny ripple pattern

which is a breeze to learn

and quite relaxing to work on

you dont really have to think.

- 3 -

found this pattern on etsy and couldn't help but purchase it

i started it today

and so far i have the head and neck done.

its been a little hard to do with the chickies around though,

because i really have to keep count at parts.

will probably turn into a post-chicky-bedtime project.

i want to purchase her other patterns

I think Little Man would just looooooove sheldon.

we'll see how the graffe goes

hopefully not as badly as the cat turned out .

off to snuggle with the babies.

Henry

meet henry :

he's a happy little fellow

he enjoys snuggles

and summer socializing

especially with Little Lady's petshops.

he was utterly forsaken on a thrift store shelf

hiding behind some candles

when i happened upon him

i immediately picked him up

and plopped him into my life.

he's taken up residence on my nightstand

enjoying the view

as i craft at my desk

and the chickies run around.

he's much happier here than in the thrift store.

whilst exploring his new highly-perched nest

he happened upon my most recent crochet project :

he and trusty Mr. Hook had a lovely conversation

Henry has considered taking up crochet himself.

out of curiosity Henry explored some more

and found a pile of squares

ready to be connected

he set them all out

to get an idea of what

Little Lady's new blanket will look like

he quite pleased.

wished me luck on my progress

and snuck away a little square

for his own comfort

Henry did have one suggestion:

a third color.

i agree.

i'm thinking a coral pink

a trip to hobby lobby

[ "hobwe lobwe, as Little Lady says ]

is now in store.

- HA, did you catch my pun?? -