The bomber jacket style which emerged during World War 1, is traditionally a waist length outerware with ribbed waistband and matching cuffs.  Typically, bombers are made with leather, but other materials can be used as well. The childsized bomber jacket is a crocheted version using worsted weight  (#4) yarn with a J hook (6.0 mm).  The bomber jacket pattern featured in this article was developed by Heart Hook Home and comes in sizes 3/6 months to 12/14.  Since this sweater is shorter and narrower than most patterns. use the chest measurement chart to determine the size you will make.

The pattern link is connected to a specific size, but once you get to the sweater page, you can scroll down until you find the size that you need. See: https://hearthookhome.com/bomber-cardi-for-kids-size-6-8.  I used the size 4-5 pattern for the beige sweater and the 6-8 size pattern for the aquamarine zippered version.

A wonderful feature of this bomber cardigan is that it is almost seamless. Start with the Foundation Half Double Crochet stitch for the entire width of the sweater, including both sides and the back. For directions on making the foundation HDC, see a You Tube video by Moogly:  How to Crochet Foundation HDC Right Hand.  The advantage of using the Foundation Half Double Crochet Stitch is that you combine the initial chain with the first row in a single step. At this point you will chain 1, turn, and use a regular HDC until the end of the row. You will do this at the end of each row.  Just follow the size pattern for the correct number of rows.  If you want a longer jacket, just add a couple of rows before you separate for the front and back sections.

Then continue for the right front.  Instructions show how to form the armhole and neck shape. Fasten off and leave tail for attaching sweater at the shoulder. Reattach yarn to crochet matching number of rows for back.  Finally, form left front as you reverse for armhole and neck. Sew sweater together at shoulders. I preferred to used a slip stitch or SC on these seams. Follow directions to form a flat round collar that is typical of most bomber jackets.

To achieve the ribbing at the collar, waist, and sleeves, crochet alternating Front Post Half Double Crochet  (FPHDC) with Back Post Half DoubleCrochet.  The number of rows depends on the sweater size. See You Tube Video Crochet Stitch:  Front andBack Post Half Double Crochet.

The sleeves of the bomber jacket are also seamless. Pick up the required number of stitches at the armhole and HDÇ in the round.  Directions for number of rows and decreases are given in the directions for each size.  At the end of the sleeve, you will use the FPHDC/BPHDC technique for the ribbing.. 

While my cardigans were made for girls, the style can be changed for boys by reversing the sides for the buttons and buttonholes. Adding a separating zipper is a wonderful sporty look for both boys and girls. Doing a professional job when adding a zipper to a sweater has its own set of challenges.  Again, I went back to You Tube.  See:  How to Add a Zipper for a Crocheted Cardigan.  
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The pattern directions called for a plain edge, but I added two rows of HDC to each front edge to make a band that enabled me to sew in the zipper.  The video shows you how to add in two rows of HDC behind this band so that you can encase the zipper neatly. Although the video was easy to follow, I found myself replaying it a few times and pausing when I reached tricky steps.

I really enjoyed crocheting the Bomber Cardi for Kids.  Many thanks to Heart Hook Home.com for their wonderful pattern. The sweaters came out much narrower than I expected. My petite size 4-5 granddaughter was able to wear the size 6-8 over her sweatshirt.  Perhaps, I may try using a K hook (6.5mm) to get a looser stitch in the future. Anyway, this little miss was pleased to give us a fashion show and strike her delightful poses.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  I hope that you enjoy making the bomber cardigan as much as I did.  Thank you for joining me on my stitching journey.

​The sweaters in the book were adorable, and the baby models were so huggable. Crochet in a Day for Baby by Candi Jensen, published by Leisure Arts, presents quick and easy projects.  I was intrigued by the prospect of producing an attractive piece in such a short a time period.  ​However, as my granddaughters are growing (2, 4, 5 1/2),0 I called a friend's daughter-in-law to make her an offer.  I would crochet and gift her a sweater for her little one in exchange for a couple of photos of her toddler wearing the sweater.  She understood that I was including the picture in my blog, but readily agreed.  Since my daughter had already passed on a few of the sweaters that my granddaughter had outgrown, this delightful mom knew about the quality of the garments first hand, and was happy to accept.  I should add that my daughter and the baby's dad had been friends since high school.  Their baby is an engaging model, and I am proud to show her wearing my crocheted jacket.

  Color was simple as I had plenty of a bubblegum pink yarn left over from my knitted hooded cardigan that I had made for my youngest granddaughter.  The light purple was a large scrap from her oldest sister's hoodie.  Directions for the sweater came in 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.  My newest model is just 12 months old.  The sweater is roomy, (size 18 months), but I wanted her to be able to wear the sweater for several months. While the directions called for an I hook (5.5mm), I found that the stitch was quite dense, and hard to monitor. The basic stitch is a Double Crochet followed by a Single Crochet in the next stitch.  In the next row, we are told to make a Single Crochet above the Double Crochet stitches, and a Double Crochet above the Single Crochet stitches. After several attempts, I moved up to a J hook (6.0mm). The piece was softer and made for better draping on a baby body.  The sweater was larger for the same stitch count, and that is why it is even bigger on this little girl.  I did not have her exact measurements before I started, and decided to make the larger size.

The pattern contains a schematic diagram that helped me picture what the directions tried to tell me.  While the written steps were clear, I still needed the extra hint.  The sweater was crocheted from the bottom up.  The entire body was made in one piece with separation for the armholes.  Once complete, I sewed (single crocheted) the armholes together.  The sleeves were made separately, and then the side seams were sewn to make a tube. As I had followed the directions carefully, the inserted sleeves fit exactly into the armholes without any gaping spaces.

 For the trim, I worked two rows of Half Double Crochet from the midback (starting at the neck) down, the front, around the bottom, up the second side, and across to the mid back again. It is important to add a second stitch in the same stitch at the point where the body decreases to the side neck (on left and right front).  Otherwise the sweater will curl and not lay flat.  You also need to add 3 stitches to the lower front corner on each side.  Pretty purple buttons completed the sweater.

So how long did I take to complete this baby sweater?  Although I worked rather steadily and ignored most of my household tasks, I was sewing the last button at the end of the second day. 

Was the project worth my time and materials?  I would say "yes".  I learned new stitch and construction techniques.  Plus, the little girl is a joy to behold in my latest crocheted piece.  
Many thanks to her mommy for the picture and permission to publish.

Please note, Crochet in a Day for a Baby contains 20 designs, including pullovers, vests, hats, booties, and baby blankets.  For knitters there is a companion book Knit in a Day for Baby.

As always, I welcome your comments, and reflections.  Thank you for joining me on my stitching adventures.

The instructions for both styles can be found in Knit Hoodies for Kids by Jeannine LaRoche, published by Leisure Arts. The book includes 5 designs for patterns in sizes 6 months to 8 years.  The camouflage and purple cardigans were in the "Buttoned Cardigan Design," using worsted weight yarn.  Needle sizes were 5 for the ribbing and 8 for the sweater body. The solid and the variegated yarn yield dramatically different results with the same pattern.

The purple cardigan was made for my 5 1/2 year old girl who is tall for her age.  While she usually wears size six, I knitted the sweater in size 8 so that she could wear it into the fall. I knitted the camouflage piece for my petite 4 year old and made it true to size.  It is roomy enough wear for many months to come.  Besides, when she outgrows this sweater, she can pass it down to her younger cousin for a second life.

I chose a bubblegum pink for the "Mock Cable Cardigan." The 4 row repeat replaced the typical ribbing at the sweater bottom, on the sleeves, and at the hood opening.  In all there were 12 rows.  The mock cable also extends from the bottom of the sweater to the neck in two parallel columns.  Since there is a small space in the center of each cable, there is no need to make button holes.  Just attach 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch buttons at evenly spaced intervals.  I used six buttons for a size 3.  The pearly hearts were a perfect accent.

Hello, My Readers!  After a hiatus of so many months, I find myself drawn back to Lil Creates.  I hope this crisp, sunny day finds you folks healthy and safe.  An important advantage to being a crafter during Covid is that I am rarely bored.  There is always one more project to start or another technique to learn.  Fortunately, I am gifted with family and friends, large and small, who are pleased to receive my pieces.  Crocheting and knitting have truly been a blessing for me.  You may have wondered why I paused writing and posting.  While I have have completed many projects, both simple, and more complex, I underestimated the appeal of my articles.  I felt that I did not have significant ideas and themes to share. Also, I felt pressured to produce the pieces that formed the basis for my written work.  As I develop a more workable schedule, I hope to publish on a more regular basis.


Then two events took place.  First, I received an e-mail from my blog host, Weebly, alerting me to renew my blog.  While I had stopped writing for some time, I realized that I did not want to give up Lil Creates.  Later the same day, I was scrolling through the internet to locate some of my favorite crocheting and knitting blogs and websites.  Top 100 Crocheting Blogs and Websites and Bloggers to Follow in 2021 (https://crochetpenguin.com/crochet-blogs/) caught my eye.
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Happily, I ran down the list of websites, copying down my favorites in my phone list.  When I was about 1/3 down my mouth gaped open in surprise.  The words Lil Creates by Lillian were before me in bold print.  My photo, cuddling my preemie granddaughter, gazed back at me.  The author of the 100 Blogs post caught the essence of my blog.  "Lillian loves experimenting with new designs, colors, and yarns.  Crocheted flowers or a cuff with button are  a feature of her designs".  In the What we Love section, she stated, "Lillian loves to share her crochet projects, and she clearly loves to write.  Her posts are engaging."  It couldn't have been more complimentary had I written the words myself.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Jodie Morgan. You have given me a wonderful present and have renewed my blogging inspiration to write about my crocheting and knitting adventures.

Where am I now?  I have already photographed many of this years projects and plan to upload them to my website gallery. You will find several pictures of my work throughout this article.  I have not been idle.  

​I am going back to my original theme list as I add new titles based on current and future design trends.  I am lucky to have 3 granddaughters  2, 4, and 5 1/2 for whom I can create garments , accessories, and toys.  Once I decided that I preferred to crochet and knit for pleasure, for gifting, or for charity rather than for sale, I became much more relaxed and creative. During 2020, I have crocheted about 60 hats for homeless shelters.  I also created about 75 comfort dolls or Peace Pals to add joy to children who needed a doll to hug.  The Power Nighttime Fairy keeps my 4 year old granddaughter company at night and holds back forces that might frighten her. (You can see her wings if you turn her over.)

was My teenage grandsons haven't been neglected.  I made a striped afghan / throw  in navy, gray and off-white for my college bound boy,  He was polite when he received the piece.  However, I later learned that his dorm room was cold at times, and he was quite happy to wrap himself up in his personal cozy blanket.  I used a half-double V stitch to construct the blanket, and I felt that the project would never end.  When I decided to make a blanket for his high school age brother, I went back to my favorite extended granny square. However, I chose masculine navy, medium blue, and white to feature a dramatic, but cozy piece fit for an adolescent boy.  I can not wait to give it to him..  We are on hold because of covid social distancing.

I filled my time with several crocheted and knitted matching sweaters.  Some even had matching hats.  I even persuaded my 4 year old grand daughter to modele me. When asked to chose between a flower or pompom for the hat, she chose "pompom."

Currently, I am knitting hooded sweaters for the three girls.  I have completed 2 out of the three.  When I am done, I will photograph and apply my experiences toward a theme for a
future article.

I look forward to communicating with friends in the crocheting and knitting worlds.  As always, I welcome your comments and reflections.

  The dude in the "man shawl" or "dude wrap" is my is my handsome. husband, Bert. The last time I crocheted and wrote an an article about the man shawl or blanket scarf, the piece attracted more readers than any other I had published to that date.  In fact, I am thrilled that readers are still drawn to the article that I wrote more than 18 months ago.(Http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/mens-crocheted-shawl-or-blanket-scarf) It takes a special kind of guy who is willing to take risks to wear the dude wrap as a fashion statement.  My smiling husband was willing to model, however, I don't see him willingly wearing the blanket scarf as an accessory.  Instead, I am happy to donate the man shawl to my Threads of Love Group. 

The crocheters and knitters from Threads of Love create shawls and baby blankets for patients with cancer and other severe medical conditions at Yale New Haven Hospital.  We get ample donations of women's shawls and baby or children's blankets, but relatively few pieces for men. These shawls are 70 inches long and about 20-22 inches wide.  They take a long time to produce and require several extra size skeins of yarn.  When our group leader handed me handed me a bonus skein of bulky, Royal Blue,  Big Twist yarn (615 yards) and an accompanying skein of Brights and Black (447 yards), I decided to undertake the project.  Little did I know that I would have to buy an extra skein of each so that I would be able to finish the piece.  I probably used about 1/3 of the second set of skeins.  Luckily I was able to find the same colors since it was Joanne's house yarn.

I now had two decisions to make.  1) What stitch should I use? 2) How should I incorporate the solid and varied yarn in a shawl that was suitable for a man?  I did not want a fussy stitch, and a regular half double or double crochet was too simple.  The "V stitch" would provide just enough interest and texture.  Readers who are not familiar with this stitch can find directions in a tutorial, "Crocheting the Basic V-Stitch" by Amy Solovay on The Spruce Crafts website. A helpful video is Easy Tutorial by Hopeful Honey:  "How to Crochet the Double Crochet Stitch"  To crochet a shawl with a V-Stitch, you need an even number of stitches. The V- stitch pattern is achieved by crocheting Double Crochet- Chain 1, Double Crochet in a single space.  In the following lines, the V is made in the chain 1 space. The stitches line up to create a pleasing texture.

To crochet a men's shawl with chunky yarn, 26 inches wide, I began with a 76 stitch foundation chain. To decrease the width, reduce the chain size.  Just make sure to have an even number of stitches.

My color sequence continued as follows:
Royal Blue 14 rows 
To change colors, leave 2 loops on the hook of the last stitch.  Use the contrasting yarn to complete the stitch before making a 3 stitch chain to begin the new row. Leave a 4 inch tail of the old color (to weave in later). Clip off old color. Knot with new color and continue.  The knot will not show when you weave in the ends and crochet a final trim around the shawl.
Brights and Black 2 rows
Royal Blue 2 rows
Brights and Black 2 rows
Royal Blue 4 rows
Brights and Black 4 rows
Royal Blue 4 rows
Brights and Black 4 rows
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 6 rows
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 6 rows
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 16 rows   At 8 rows you will have completed one half of the shawl.  After you complete the other 8 rows, you will be reversing the color sequence.
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 6 rows
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 6 rows
Royal Blue 6 rows
Brights and Black 4 rows
Royal Blue 4 rows
Brights and Black 4 rows
Royal Blue 4 rows
Brights and Black 2 rows
Royal Blue 2 rows
Brights and Black 2 rows
Royal Blue 14 rows.  Fasten off.

The project was 70 inches long.

Finally, I wove in the ends.   There were many ends, and I really dislike this process. However, the final product was looking good, and I only had to complete the trim of this gorgeous shawl.  I used a Half Double Crochet Stitch to provide a neat and stable finish.  I like to start and finish in the middle of one of the short ends.  Be sure to make 3 stitches in each corner so that the piece lays flat.

At our next meeting, I will be sewing in our Threads of Love Label, making a gift pack, and inserting a message of caring, hope, and healing.  Lots of love went into each stitch. 

Hi Folks! I'm back!  During the winter months our family welcomed a new grandchild. She is an active adorable bundle who is growing so fast that she is already too big for the newborn sweaters I made her.  We mourned the loss of a beloved sister-in-law, Cheryl.  I will miss her terribly, She was a gracious women who was one of my biggest supporters. My husband and I battled never-ending  colds from December through February.  A week in mild Florida climate helped our spirits and improved our physical conditions.  After consistent posting for two years, I just hit a writer's block During the winter months I have been crocheting and knitting up a storm,  but I was not able to translate these creative efforts into a blog posting.  Spring is just around the corner, but there are still several inches of snow in our back yard, and my husband is getting in his last cross-country skiing.  I set aside my to-do list, put away my IPad games, and hid my yarn projects.  This is it.  I am not aiming for perfection, I just have to start my writing motor going again.

Several weeks ago, I found a versatile, comfortable beanie pattern that is suitable for both men and women. The beanie is crocheted  with worsted weight yarn and is stitched from the top down. The crown is crocheted with double crochet stitches.  The sides and brim call for alternating front post double crochet alternated with back post double crochet.  For  specific directions, see:   The Lakeside Beanie is designed by Chellie Plummer of 5 Knots North.  It can be located on Ravelry or on the 5 Knots North website as a free download. 

While the basic construction is simple, it is easy to alter the design with color blocking, and button decorations. After crocheting the basic hat,  I tried a 2 color block with a red crown and a wide black band.  For my third hat, I crocheted the crown in grey and used white and red for the color blocked band.

My favorite is the hat with the grey crown and the black and white striped sides.

This versatile patterns offers so many options. The hat is generally featured in solid colors for men.I have enjoyed playing with solids and stripes.   I crocheted the hat with both a H hook as instructed and an I hook for a looser fit.  Although the hat was originally designed for a man, the hat crocheted with a H hook was a bit snug for the two men who tried it on for me. I found this hat comfortable for me.  I wear an average women's size hat.  The hats I made with the I hook were slouchier.

I have one more hat project left for this winter. My oldest grandson likes to wear black.  I am thinking of a crocheting a hat with a black crown with one narrow grey and one narrow black stripe at the bottom.   He wants it subtle, but I need to add some creative interest.

I hope you enjoy this stylish, comfortable hat pattern.  Please post your hats and suggestions.

I am so excited to be back blogging after a couple of months of many activities.  Traveling, celebrations, family dinners, and preparing for holiday fairs  were engaging, but distracting.  I did manage to to do quite a bit of crocheting and knitting, but these projects were not new or educational for my blog.  When my daughter asked me to crochet a few more short sleeved cardigans for my granddaughter, I thought I might have the right content.  Several months ago I had fashioned a couple of these sweaters, but alas my granddaughter had outgrown one of them, and the other was not to be found.  These short sleeved sweaters work so well for my little one.  They keep her core warm, but allow her the freedom that long sleeves don't.  My daughter even uses them for naps or at night since my granddaughter kicks off the covers and wakes up when she is cold.

Several months ago, I crocheted 2 versions of a Chevron Spring Baby Cardigan in  solid blue as well as in a two colored dusty pink and white.  As my our little girl is growing up, I knew I had to made the sweater bigger.  The largest size for the pattern was in 24 month with a 20 inch chest and an 11 inch length.  To enlarge the sweater I went up a hook size from H to I and added a couple of rows to the length.  The sweater was crocheted in pink, her favorite color.  The link is https://www.crochetforyoublog.com/2018/03/crochevron-spring-baby-cardigan.

Sweet Abby's Baby Sweater, published by Red Heart was crocheted in  aqua with a white trim.  The top was stitched in double crochet and the bottom was done in a 3 double crochet shell.  White shells separated the bodice from the bottom. As i was running short of the aqua, I added a couple or rows of white to the bottom.  As with the pink sweater I used a larger hook so that my two year old would be able to wear the sweater beyond the 24 month size.  The sweater was created without any seams. I was delighted that she agreed to pose and waved to show that she was in the sync with me.  I located the pattern on Pinterest.  Red Heart suggests using the Baby Hugs LIght, but I prefer the worsted (#4, ) for warmth.The Red Heart pattern number is LW5022, and the free pattern is an easy download.

The third pattern that I tried out will probably be used next year as it is a size 4.The Easy Way Down Crochet Cardigan (Crochet) was created by Yarnspirations. As the authors suggested it was crocheted with a varigated yarn. The top yoke was crocheted in a double crochet with V stitches to provide increases. The one piece yoke is divded into front, sleeve, back, sleeve, and front sections.  Since I found the instructions for the lower body confusing, I substituted my own version of a shell stitch. The bottom is crocheted in one piece. I crocheted around the entire edge for the trim.  Three stitches were placed in each corner.  A placket was stitched the length of the bodice to provide button holes and opposite rows.The authors provide a diagram to show how the cardigan should be constructed. 

I found two additional short sleeve cardigans that I am tempted to try with our new granddaughter who is expected before the end of December.  The Crochet Girls Short Cardigan (http://justcrochetblog/crochet-girls-short-cardigan) is crocheted in #3 DK or Light Worsted.  It is a lacy piece designed for 6 to 12 months. The Crochet LiLDarlin Baby Cardigan Pattern in multiple sizes goes from newborn to 24 months.  This Granny Stitch creation can be crocheted in solid or two toned styles.(https://www.crochetforyoublog.com/2016/09/crochet-lil-darlin-baby-cardigan-in-multiple-sizes)

When I started these projects, I never dreamed that these sweaters would get so much use.  I hope that my readers enjoy these sweaters as much as I have crocheting them.

The rich browns hues of autumn draw me in. Just give me a luscious skein of dark brown or rust, and I am driven to create a set of fall accessories to accent my wardrobe.  A ball of varied shades of green, gold, brown, rust, or beige calls out to me, and before long I have completed a shawl to drape over a sweater or jacket.  I am keeping to my promise, and I will take the time to coordinate these pieces and wear them when I venture out from my cozy cocoon or mingle with friends. They are too exciting to leave in a drawer, and they will represent my new style.  If I spend so much of my week with my hooks and needles, my passion should be represented in my new look.

The open weave of the Lydia Shawl by Denise Crawford can be downloaded as a free pattern from Ravelry.  I have crocheted this pattern before , but it was a perfect medium for the exciting pallette of colors in Lion Brand's Landscape in the Rain forest color view.  This worsted weight  (#4) yarn is luscious and works up easily.  After the initial set up, the triangle pattern is basically two alternating pattern lines.  The first is mainly double crochet. The second is a triple crochet chain 1 sequence.  The designer suggested an H hook, but I was more comfortable with an J hook. I can wear the shawl  clasped in front with a broach or tied on the side  over one shoulder. The piece took three skeins of  yarn.

My hat and fingerless glove set helped me to master the bubble stitch. The Crochet Gradient Beanie Hat Puff Stitch, posted on Pinterest, delivers the hat pattern in video form.  There is no verbal audio, but written instructions appear on the screen from time to time. The video shows how to execute the puff stitch as you make the hat. Lion Brand's Heartland (worsted weight #4) in Sequoia color view gave me a rich dark brown and that was highlighted by a tawny lighter hue.  The hat was comfortable and fit perfectly.

To create the matching bubble stitch fingerless gloves, I had to improvise and adapt my pattern for mismatched  fingerless glove pattern. These directions are general.  I plan to make a step by step pattern in the near future, and will write down my procedures at each stopping point. I started with a cuff, chaining 14 stitches with a H hook. Crocheting half double crochet stitches into the second stitch from the hook gave me a 12 stitch wide cuff.  in each succeeding row I crocheted into the back stitch of each chain.  When the piece was large enough to fit around my wrist, I crocheted my ends together to make a circle. To create a base for the puff stitches, I crocheted 21 HDC stitches into the cuff. When I completed the foundation row, I chained 3 and began my first puff stitch.  After a couple of experimental tries, I found that 14 puff stitches gave me a snug , but comfortable sizing for my hand.  I crocheted 6 rows of puff stitches before making my thumb hole.  While my mismatched glove with 3 stitch cluster stitches could tolerate a vertical thumbhole, the puff stitch glove needed a horizontal thumb hole.  I chained 9 stitches and skipped two puffs before crocheting a puff stitch into the space between the next two stitches . I continued stitching around until I came to the chain and created two puff stitches on the  chain  before continuing onto the body of the glove.I made three more rows of puff stitch and transitioned into the final trim. Since I like the glove to fit more tightly around the upper fingers, I switched to a G hook to crochet 3 rows of HDC (Half Double Crochet). Then I repeated the process for a second glove.  I placed the gloves so that the thumb holes faced one another.  Then I sewed a decorative button to the top of each hand. 

As I repeat the process from  this posting, I will be able to execute exact directions that can be replicated by my readers. Then I will post them in this blog and on Ravelry.In the meantime, I lookf orward to wearing my stylish autumn accessories.

-The pattern calls out to you and says your name.In addition, there is a suggested yarn, that the independent yarn store has in stock.(The Yarn Barn, Woodbridge, Connecticut)  Nirvana!  I can see myself knitting the piece and can even imagine how it will look the baby or child who will wear my work.  I am an avid knitter and crocheter, who enjoys searching Pinterest and Ravelry for free patterns, but when I see a purchased pattern that I can take home with me right away, I am taken.  The pattern in question had been tested.  There was a diagram showing how the knitted pieces would look.  Best yet, there was a full range of sizes so that I could make the pattern for a new granddaughter to be born in December as well as a 21 month old who wears anything that I can make. 

The pattern was designed to go with Baby Blossom DK by Hayfield (#4841).  The yarn featured bands of color in varying shades of one color.   Inaddition, one of the bands featured snips of pink and green that worked out to look like like  blossoms when knitted.    I bought a peachy apricot for the younger baby and grey tones for the toddler. I used a 3 1/4mm for the ribbing and a 4mm for the body and sleeves. Although I usually knit with worsted (#4), this DK (#3) yarn worked up easily and quickly.  The pattern could be knitted with a round neck or a V-neck.  I chose the round neck for the new infant and the V-neck for the toddler.

I made the infant style first.  As I began knitting I surprised to see that I would knit the body and sleeves first and add bottom, front, and neck trim when the pieces were sewn together.  The only exception was the sleeves.  I began with the rib here and knitted the rest of the sleeve.  While most, baby sweaters seem to have a i knit-1purl rib, this sweater called for a 2 knit-2purl rib.  I liked the way this rib gave slightly ruffled look to the piece.  I will be attending the baby shower in November, and I will be proud to include this sweater and hat with the rest of my presents. I added a roll knit cap to go with the sweater.  It is seamless and is worked on doubled pointed needles.

My granddaughter was pleased to wear her gray tone sweater. The grays will go well with any outfit.  Besides the DK weight is just right for wearing indoors on a chilly day.  She can also wear it under a jacket or in the car without the bulk of a heavy jacket. 

My next projects are worsted weight hooded cardigans for this sweet girl and for my new step-granddaughter.  My needles and hooks are always clicking.  It is a pleasure to have such wonderful children to make sweaters for.

It is good to be back at blogging again.  After 18 months of consistent posting I found myself, traveling, preparing for the Jewish New Year, babysitting, and engaged in obsessive preparation for the fall Holiday craft season.Despite all of the activity, I found myself with a large collection of new inventory. In the past my creativity and production were partnered with interesting and informative articles.  However, for the last few weeks I was unable to put down my hooks to write and share with my Lilcreates audience. 

On Tuesday I delivered my latest  specialty doll from my ANNA line to my synagogue for their Comedy Night Silent Auction.  I laid her out and wrapped her in a large transparent gift bag  secured with white and silver ribbons.  This doll was truly a labor of love.  I had made a few ethnic dolls, but since this little lady was going to the synagogue, I decided to accessorize her with fittings for a girl who was experiencing her Bat Mitzvah.  The dolls in my ANNA line are made with acrylic yarns and stand about 17 inches tall.  They all have names beginning with "A." These creations were inspired by my mother ,Anna.  With each new addition, I keep her in my heart and mind.  My niece named Adina, is a mother with a daughter of her own.  Who ever wins the bid on this doll will rename her make her her own.  For now this creation will always be with me as Adina.  Her design and creation were a journey.  When we arrived at our destination, it was hard to let her go.

My ANNA dolls follow the same basic pattern that I wrote about in an earlier post.
http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/all-dolled-up-designing-and-crocheting-a-line-of-dolls-for-little-girls
I have made a few changes that make her neater and eliminate a few steps. I plan on editing the pattern to include these revisions.
*Instead of adding a crocheted pair of panties, I crocheted the entire body in the same contrast color for the dress,  The top part of the legs was crocheted in this same color. 
*To fashion the dress,  I crocheted the last few rows of the body in the facial tone to create a neckline. For the arms, I crocheted the first 6 rows with the flesh, facial tone.for the hands.  Then I switched to the dress color for the remainder of the arm.  When both arms were attached to the body, the bodice part of the dress was precise, and I did not need an additional layer.  As with the previous dolls, I began the skirt by crocheting a line of single crochet right from the doll's waistline.   While the rest of the doll is done in single crochet, I use a double crochet with strategic increases to make the skirt.

To create and complete my doll on time, I had to crochet the basic body, head, arms, and legs before, we left for our vacation on Cape Cod.  The tasks that remained were the crocheted face, the dress skirt, the accessories, and the doll's mane of hair.  I find the crocheted eyes to be one of the most challenging parts of every dolls.  It usually takes me several tries to get the eyes to be the correct size, spacing on the face, and focus with an appealing expression.  This detail took me most of one evening.

After I finished the skirt, I set out to make the yamulke (hat)  and tallit (prayer shawl).  I did not have a specific pattern, but I worked with the doll to get the dimensions correct.  The yamulke was crocheted from a magic circle as I used single crochet and made increases and added rows until the crown was the right size for the doll's head.  Then I crocheted a couple of rows with the same number of stitches so that the curve of the yamulke would sit on head.  I used the same hairclips that many adults use to keep their caps in place.  The main color for the yamulke was white, and I used stripes of the dress blue with some silver threads to spruce it up.

The prayer shawl was basically a rectangle that draped the figure.  At the end I added another pearl heart button that I had used on the dress bodice and sleeves.  I overlapped the bottom pieces so that the prayer shawl did not fall off the doll.

The mane of hair is the signature feature of my ANNA Dolls.I usually use Lion Brand Homespun for the hair.  Its soft and crinkly texture makes my dolls unique. Despite the fact that we were on vacation, my husband was willing to scout out a Joanne's or Michael's store to get the supplies I needed.  Alas, a realistic shade of brown in Homespun was not available.  We scanned the shelves and found 3 possible choices.  I ultimately decided on 2 skeins of Unforgettable. Designing and executing the head of hair is a painstaking and time consuming job.  Each strand is cut and secured individually to the doll's head. I usually start by making a running stitch around the area for hair.  I have to decide where to place the hair on the forehead and how the hair will fall on the sides.  When I am finished I easily remove these loose threads.  With each succeeding doll, I have learned some tips to make the hair more realistic and to cut down waste.  I generally start with strands that are 12 inches long for the first row on the back of the neck.  When the strand is folded in half to knot onto the doll's head, it generally falls to the middle of the back. However, as I go up the head, I add about half an inch to the strands so that they will lie at about the same length at the bottom.With this technique, I had less wastage than when I used to make all of the strands 14 inches.  When the hair was done, I only had to clip some ends a bit to get a pleasing look.

My Adina doll was almost complete, but I needed one small detail to complete her.  I wanted a small Star of David necklace that would be just the right accessory to complete her look.  We searched craft and jewelry stores on the Cape.  We scanned the internet.  We found a few of these pendants, but they wee way to expensive for a doll.  Finally Goody Beads proved to be my salvation.  The 3/16 inch charms were $1.00, but were on sale for 40 cents.  I ordered 30 as I did not want to go through this process again with future custom orders.  The beads were $12, and the express mailing was $13.  The package arrived on the morning I was to take my doll to the synagogue.  I loved this tiny accent, and the pursuit was worth the effort.

The story is not over.  The silent auction will take place on Saturday.  Everyone who has seen this special doll has admired her.  However, the retail price is $75 with a minimum bid of $45.  Hopefully,  some thoughtful mother, grandparent, friend will want to buy this wonderful gift for a special young lady in their lives.

I took the opportunity to advertise my ANNA dolls as a custom order and left a descriptive letter with business cards so that any future patrons could order dolls with specific hair color, costume, or special interest.  In September, I completed a special order for mom with an adopted Chinese daughter who was an avid ice skater.  I will keep all of you posted.  Please think positive thoughts.