On Baby Booties

There is one thing I am sure of when it comes to crocheted baby booties (or shoes): they should be comfortable!

I don't know much about babies but I know they have sensitive skin (especially newborns), so I guess it is ok to assume that choosing the yarn with the right fiber is key. The yarn has to be soft and lightweight. Do take note though that the kind of booties/shoes I am talking about here is not for walking. I am talking about booties/shoes for newborns and infants.

People have been asking me what types of yarn I recommend from my store for baby projects such as these. I am only confident about recommending if I have tried the yarn, have gotten feedback from those who used them before, or have read reviews on them. 

I have crocheted with two types of yarn for baby booties/shoes that fit the description above: Red Heart Baby Sheen and Hamanaka Paume.

This one was crocheted with Red Heart Baby Sheen in Pink and Hamanaka Aluminum Crochet Hook 5/0 (3.0mm). This is a free pattern designed by Ashlee. This is 100% acrylic, but it doesn't feel like your typical acrylic yarn. First off, it's thin (with a Fine 2 yarn thickness) and you don't get the usual visible loose fiber with it. I shaped the sample below with some paper filling to highlight the shape of the booties. You can learn more about this yarn in this blog post I made last year. This pair consumed only a small amount from the compact skein of Red Heart Baby Sheen.

Crochet Wrap Around Booties with Buttons for Infants Desgined by Ashlee

It was a treat working with Hamanaka Paume. This yarn is made of 100% organic cotton from Japan. These shoes were made with Hamanaka Paume 93 (Yellow). This is an original design by Hamanaka. The pattern is available upon request when you purchase a ball from my store.

This yarn is really soft! It has a very smooth texture and I kid you not when I say the yarn just went gliding through my fingers and hook when I was working with it. It consumed only a ball for this pair for a newborn. I used Hamanaka Aluminum Crochet Hook 5/0 (3.0mm). There are 5 pretty pastel colors to choose from. Good news is, they are on clearance sale!

There are many free patterns for baby booties/shoes available on the internet. Here are 2 more free patterns I like:

Everyday Set from Yarnspirations using Lily Sugar 'N Cream Yarn

Crochet Rain Boots by Sarah (Repeat Crafter Me)

I also found this simple measurement chart for babies' feet for different ages. This should help you figure out the length of the sole if you want to make something in advance.

Other yarn alternatives available in my online store for baby projects are:

Red Heart Baby TLC

Lily Sugar 'N Cream

Caron Simply Soft
Red Heart Soft
Kuka Summer Mercerised Cotton
Lion Brand Cotton Ease

Happy crocheting!

Crocheted Baby Beanie Workshop with Red Heart Baby TLC Yarn

Do you need help in crocheting a beanie for a baby or a kid? In this workshop, you will get guidance from me on how to crochet the Baby Bobbles Hat designed by Linda Permann for Red Heart. The yarn provided in this workshop is more than enough for you to make a few more beanies (up to 5, to be conservative) which you can give away as handmade gifts for friends or relatives with babies or kids - and for your own as well, of course!

Participants of this workshop, at the very least, must know how to do a chain and single crochet. For beginners who want to join, come an hour earlier (1:00 PM) to learn some basics.

I have 2 available sessions this September (2:00 - 5:00 PM):

Sep. 25 (Wed), PIPINO Malingap St., Teachers Village, Quezon City

Sep. 28 (Sat), PIPINO Jupiter St., Makati City

We will be crocheting with your choice of 3 skeins of Red Heart Baby TLC yarn.

Participants of this workshop also get an Inox Pompom Set. We will use this to make the pompom on top of the hat. This is also a good addition to your craft kit - because you'll never know when you might need pompoms! :)

There will only be 5 slots per session. Fee is P1,650. As mentioned, each participant gets 3 skeins of Red Heart Baby TLC yarn, Inox Pompom Set, printed pattern, and snacks from Pino and Pipino Vegetarian. Participants are required to bring their own crochet hook with size US F5 or G6 (3.75 mm or 4.00 mm). If you do not have any of these hooks, you may purchase this with a set from me for P460.

The Baby Bobbles Hat pattern by Linda Permann is a free download from Red Heart.

To know more about Red Heart Baby TLC yarn, please go to this LINK.

To know more about Susan Bates crochet hooks, please go to this LINK.

To register, please fill up the form below:

Oooh, Baby (Sheen)!

Last week, I posted this work in progress of a vintage baby bonnet pattern using Red Heart's Baby Sheen yarn (yep, it's already available here in the country!).

I wanted to test this yarn. The label says it is 100% acrylic. It felt like cotton though! According to Red Heart, this yarn has a soft cottony feel (I agree) with the wash performance of acrylic and is perfect for light and lacy baby items. A skein of Baby Sheen yarn is approximately 281m (307yd) and weighs around 100g (3.5oz). The color I used for the bonnet is Pink (Color Code 700).

I just finished the bonnet today! Well, technically, the crochet part is finished. I still have to add lace ribbons. I still had so much Baby Sheen left so I decided to make bootees! I still have to add buttons on the side of the bootees though. Next week, I will be featuring these projects with their embellishments and with a baby wearing them :)

So I managed to make a bonnet and a pair of bootees and I still have some Baby Sheen left! I think the remaining yarn is still enough to be used to crochet another pair of bootees or some accents for the baby.

As promised to those who have seen my post on my Facebook Page, go to this LINK to get a copy of the bonnet's pattern (just zoom in to be able to read it clearly). With the Baby Sheen yarn, I used 2.5mm aluminum hook (equivalent to 4/0 Japanese and 12 UK/Canadian - no US size equivalent though). On the yarn label, the gauge used is done with US F5/3.75mm hook (check out my entry on how to read yarn labels HERE).

This booklet is my source of the pattern. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the creator of the pattern. This seems to be a common case among published crochet patterns especially those in the 1950s up to the 1970s. This was published by Patons and Baldwins, Limited (Toronto). I followed the pattern as is and did not make any adjustments to it. The pattern has instructions if you want the bonnet for a 3-month, 6-month, or 9-month old baby. I used the 3-month pattern here (but I think it can fit a 6-month).

"Beehive for Bairns" 

The baby bootees came from a free pattern by Ashlee of "I'm Topsy Turvy." I used Susan Bates Silvalium crochet hook size US F5/3.75mm for this. It's a simple pattern but an adorable one :) The pattern says that the output can fit size 4 feet.

Screen grab from: http://www.imtopsyturvy.com/crochet-wrap-button-baby-boots-girls-boys/

I still have to add buttons on the bootees I made! I can't wait to see how they'd look like on a baby.

Red Heart Baby Sheen will be available in my soon-to-be-launched online store this August. But if you can't wait to get your hands on these skeins, you can just send me an email at gantsilyoguru@gmail.com or send me a private message at my Facebook Page.

Not in picture (but available in stock): Pistachio and Baby Blue. Home decor provided by Torch.

I have stocks of all the colors of Baby Sheen: Baby Blue, Lilac, Pink, Pistachio, Sunshine, Turquoise, and White. I love all the colors! It's tempting to make a granny square blankie out of these colors and use the white for the lining. By the way, the yarn labels on Baby Sheen have a free pattern on them!

A skein of Baby Sheen yarn is PhP 250.

I also sell another baby yarn from Red Heart called Baby TLC. It's like a "fluffier" and lighter acrylic yarn compared to Baby Sheen. Check it out HERE. I also have all colors!

I would like to thank Torch by Scentimentals, Inc. for providing the lovely setup with their home decor for the yarn. You will see more of their products in my website!

Baby Blankie With Red Heart® Baby TLC!

It's my first time working with Red Heart® Baby TLC Yarn. And wow, this yarn is soft. Rightly so since it's for babies. I checked out the "Shop Red Heart" site and found a description of this yarn:

"This light-weight yarn has a soft hand and shimmering luster that makes it great for blankets, sweaters, and booties for your special little one."

A skein of Baby TLC yarn is approximately 328m (358yds). Got excited to work with these 2 colors: Lilac (7555) and Powder Pink (5737). Of course, I went to the ever-reliable internet for free patterns to find out what I could do with these. I looked for patterns of baby blankies and I found this free one from Crochet Today! (click on the picture to go to the page with the download link for the free pattern):

Pattern by mayae published in Crochet Today! site: http://www.crochettoday.com/crochet-patterns/simple-baby-blanket

I wanted the blankie to be simple so I got rid of the circle motifs around it. Yes, people, you don't have to follow the pattern (unless you really want it to look like that) :) I used my Susan Bates Silvalium® aluminum crochet hook (which you can pre-order here) size US H8 or 5.00mm for this.

Here's my version of the baby blankie. Ta-da!

I put my own little twist to it by interchanging colors for every 2 rows. The pattern is actually very simple: just HDCs (half double crochets) in every row! If you look up close, there's an added texture to the blanket.

It even looks knitted. The HDCs are crocheted interchangeably in the front and back loops of the preceding stitches (HDCs), thus the "ribbed" effect. This small difference in where to place the stitches is able to change the character of the entire blankie. This pattern is so simple, a beginner can make it.

This would make a lovely gift for a baby. I did this blankie within the span of a week (with breaks of course). If you're a pregnant mom and have lots of time, why don't you make one for your baby? (I'm not pregnant, by the way) :) It's a piece for keeps. The size achieved by crocheting 2 skeins of Red Heart® Baby TLC to make this blankie is 26in x 28in.

If you're curious on how this yarn really feels, feel free to drop by GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes in the Felina Corporate Plaza lobby in Eastwood (just beside the Citibank building) on May 4 & 11 (Sat), between 12NN-2PM. This is actually my free time between my 2 workshops on those days. I will have stocks of these Baby TLC yarn which you could also purchase on site. A text message informing me in advance of your visit would be greatly appreciated. You may reach me at (0906) 269-5192. You may also order this yarn from me and I can have it delivered to your place, just send me an email at gantsilyoguru@gmail.com.

Available colors are: Lime, Lilac, Powder Pink, Powder Yellow, Powder Blue and White. You can check these colors in the swatches available here. A skein of Baby TLC is PhP 355.

There are also stores within Metro Manila that carry Red Heart® yarn. You might want to check the store nearest you to see if Baby TLC is available there. Go to this link for a list of these stores.

You may also pre-order a 6-pc. set of Susan Bates Silvalium® aluminum crochet hook from me here.

Block Party

It's a block party of sorts when you combine pretty blocks with pretty colors. I like pretty things. The result is a 3D block. Obviously, it's for babies or toddlers, but I just wanted to make one! Can't help it, especially when it involves many colors.

Pattern for this 3D block is from "Baby Crochet" book by Lois Daykin ("Building Blocks," p.15).

Aren't stuff for babies amazing!?!? You can apply these patterns on pillows, bedspreads, even clothes! I'm obsessed! There's the classic granny square and a triangle pattern.

There's a block with a cute star and also one with multi-colored stripes.

And of course, who wouldn't want a heart? There's also a block with wavy patterns.

I would like to thank my mom for sewing up the block for the filling. Although it's a chubby block and it looks like it's going to burst (and obviously our first attempt in making one :p), I think it is still awesome!

Check out the storage pots I crocheted by using patterns from the same book this 3D block came from by clicking this link.

Baby Maya + Crochet = Super Adorbz!!!

This is adorable baby Maya wearing my crocheted headband and flower accent. Believe it or not, it's because of her that I decided to crochet baby headbands and beanies :) Thank you, Louie Arcilla of *nyaps for the lovely pictures! This is definitely not your average baby picture :)

She's too cute!

Reminds you of an Anne Geddes picture, noh?

The crocheted headband and flower is definitely not getting in the way of her sleeping :)

Definitely.

She's too cute. Yeah, I said that earlier already :p

 Again, I would like to thank Louie Arcilla of *nyaps for the wonderful pictures. Of course, my thanks also goes to Maya and Marga! Great job! She's a pro! :)

Also, check out baby Lima Bean having fun wearing my crocheted pieces here!

For orders, proceed to this link for details.

Crocheted Beanies and Headbands with My Story Photography

This is somewhat my "soft launch" for my made-to-order crocheted beanies and headbands for babies and kids.

My Story Photography captured all these images of (uberly cute) baby Lima Bean wearing my crocheted pieces. Warning: You might experience an overdose of cuteness here. 

Lima Bean is wearing a white headband piece with a medium-sized flower. Photo courtesy of My Story Photography.

Adorbz. These flowers are detachable from the headband or beanie. They have clips on them so you can interchange flowers (using the same headband or beanie) to get different looks. You can even clip them directly to your kid's hair.

Lima Bean is wearing light khaki (left) and white (right) headband pieces with the large flower (left) and the small flower (right). Photo courtesy of My Story Photography.

Her cuteness makes you want to cry. She wore this beanie for the longest time during the shoot and probably forgot she was wearing one. The yarn used is soft and won't leave any marks on your baby.

Lima Bean is wearing a fuschia beanie with a large flower. Photo courtesy of My Story Photography.

More beanies with Lima Bean!

Lima Bean is wearing lime (left) and light khaki (right) beanies both with large flowers.
Photo courtesy of My Story Photography.

Yep, she even played with the flowers. The colors seemed to have gotten a lot of her attention.

Photo courtesy of My Story Photography.

I am already accepting orders for the beanies and headbands. They are sold in sets. To get more information on these, please click this link which will direct you to my Facebook album.