Homemade Felt Gingerbread Ornaments

So, I was browsing through Michaels a couple of weekends ago and saw Gingerbread Men ornaments. I immediately grabbed a few of them and put them in my basket. After some more browsing through the store, I realized that I can make similar ones for WAAAAAAYYY less. So, being the semimodern person that I am, I decided I wouldn't buy them, I would get the supplies to make a few instead.

After all was said and done, I only spent around  $4 for supplies. Here's what I bought: one bottle of puffy paint "SCRIBBLES SHINY WHITE," one bottle of puffy paint "SCRIBBLES DEEP RED," 2 sheets of brown felt, one spool of silver ribbon for the string to hang from tree (after I made them I thought it would be even cuter with white mini rac-rac?), and one bottle of Tacky Glue. Another supply item I used was a gingerbread cookie cutter for the pattern. You can also Google a pattern online.

Here's what I did:

STEP #1: Trace your pattern onto felt. Make sure that you make an even number-front and back. Then cut them out.



STEP #2: Using the Tacky Glue, run a line of glue around the edge of the wrong side of cutout. At the head, add an extra dollop of glue. Take the silver or ric rac and create a loop. Place the ends of the loop into the dollop of glue.

STEP #3: Take the partner of the first cutout and place wrong side down onto the cutout with glue.  Press down on the edges to make sure that you have a good seal.

STEP #4: Using the white puffy paint, add the "icing" around the edge of the "cookie." HINT: Have a paper towel nearby to wipe excess off the tip of the bottle or to check how much pressure to apply to the bottle to get a nice even line. Also, I put my cookie on another sheet of felt that I rotated as I drew on my icing.

STEP #5: Add the squiggles at the arms and feet and then buttons. HINT: Again, I practiced my pressure on the paper towel to make sure the buttons were going to be the right size.

 STEP #6: Using the red puffy paint, draw on the happy face. Again, practicing on the paper towl first helps to get the right pressure for the smile.

And VOILA!! All done! Super easy and INEXPENSIVE! Make sure to allow 4 hours for the puffy paint to dry.

PS. I am going to try to add a little stuffing to one of them and see if I like them a little "puffy." I'll let you know how it turns out! Flat or puffy, they look like the real thing and I can't wait to put on our tree!

Crochet Baby Converse

A friend of mine just found out she's having a baby boy and I wanted to make something fun and different for her baby shower gift. I found these!! I originally purchased a pattern on etsy, but after a few tries with that specific pattern, I gave up. My gauge was off. I wanted something for a newborn or 3-6 months, and even after changing hook size and tightening up my gauge, they STILL were too big. They fit ZACH and he's 14 months old. So, it was back to the drawing board.

I spent several hours searching the internet for a new pattern. (In retrospect, it was probably a little obsessive considering I already HAD a pattern for them.) But, I just so desperately wanted to make these for a newborn...obviously, eventually, I found a great EASY pattern to use.  I'm sharing the pattern below. (By the way, you are supposed to make a little circle and attach at the sides with a star to truly resemble little Chuck's but I was a little anxious to share them that I didn't do it.)

EASY CROCHET PATTERN FOR NEWBORN HIGH TOP SNEAKERS

(Substitute the gray for pink or red for cute ones for a baby girl)

Size F crochet hook

(I used a E crochet hook for newborn sole size of 3"-it all depends on your gauge)

Worsted-weight yarn small amount of each:  Gray, White, and Black.

(I used Caron Simply Soft)

Tapestry needle

Directions are given for small size with changes for large size in ( ).

Sole

Rnd 1:  With white, ch 12 (14), sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in 7 (9), hdc in next, 2 hdc in next, 5 hdc in last.  Working down opposite side, 2 hdc in next, hdc in next, sc in 7 (9), 2 sc in next.

Rnd 2:  2 sc in 1st sc of last round, sc in next 10 (12), (2sc in next, sc in next) 3 times, sc in next 9 (11), 2 sc in next, sc in next.

Rnd 3:  2 sc in next, sc in next 11 (13), (2 sc in next, sc in next) 2 times, (sc in next, 2 sc in next) 2 times, sc in next 11 (13), 2 sc in next, sc in next, sl st in next.

Rnd 4:  This row froms a ridge for sole.  Working in back loops only, ch 1, sc around, sl st.  Finish off.

Sides of Sole

Rnd 5:  With ridge facing you, with black join with sc in 1st st after last sl st, sc in each st around, sl st in 1st sc. 39 (43) sts. Fasten off.

Rnd 6:  With white, join with sc in same place as last sl st, sc in next 14 (16), skip next sc, dc in each of next 2 sc, dc next 2 sts tog, dc in each of next 2 sc, skip next sc, (make sure here that this is centered at toe) sc in next 16 (18), sl st in 1st sc.  Fasten off.

Tongue

Rnd 1:  With gray and working in back loops only, sc in 7 sts centered at toe, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 2-4:  Sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 5:  Sk 1st sc, sc in next 6, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 6:  Skip 1st sc, sc in next 5, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 7-8:  Sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 9:  Skip 1st sc, sc in 4, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 10-13:  Sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.  Fasten off

Sides of shoe

Row 1:  With gray and working in back loops only, join with sc in 1st stitch after row 1 of tounge.  Sc in each sc across to corresponding stitch on other side, ch 1, turn.

Row 2:  Sc in each sc around, ch 1, turn.  29 (33) sc's.

Row 3:  Skip 1st sc, sc in next 26 (30), sc last 2 sc tog, chain 1, turn.

Row 4:  Skip 1st sc, sc next 2 tog, sc in 21 (25), (sc next 2 tog) 2 times, ch 1, turn.

Row 5:  Skip 1st sc, sc in 20 (24), sc last 2 sc tog, ch 1, turn.

Row 6:  Skip 1st sc, sc in 19 (23), sc last 2 sc tog, ch 1, turn.

Row 7-10:  sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

(if you want a contrast trim in white, fasten off here and attach trim color. If not, continue on with Trim.)

Trim

Row 11: sc in each sc. Fasten off.

Circles

Make 2 for each side of shoe.  With white ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook, sl st in 1st sc, Fasten off leaving tail for tacking on each side of shoe.

Ties

With white ch 110, fasten off.  Lace strings and tie in bow.

Have fun Crocheting these cuties!! Next crochet pattern I'm sharing is the fun little skater beanie I'm making to match...