More Ladybugs! Just in time for Spring and Valentine's Day

Since I am just working away on that pair of socks I started and don't really have any new projects going on, I thought I would share some more LADYBUG patterns I found lately. Maybe somebody will be inspired for Valentine's Day.

Here is an absolutely adorable ladybug cardigan for a little girl on Petite Purls:

Another cardigan:

Little Bug Cardigan by Laurel Young

published on her blog Strings and Rings

 

  

  

 

by QuirkyLaurel Flickr

view QuirkyLaurel's Ladybug Set

by QuirkyLaurel Flickr

And if you want to knit something even smaller.
How about these Ladybird Shoes by Zoë Mellor.

The pattern is in her
spiral-bound book
50 Baby Bootees to Knit
on Amazon.com.

Next I have a really cute ladybug scene with flower:

 

The pattern is from

Susanne Fågelberg

and available on Ravelry. 

She also sells the patterns to her creations on Etsy under: Tilda and Filur.

Another cute ladybug also sold on Etsy:

  

This one is also crocheted and then felted.

  

Adorable, isn't it?!

 

copyright © Vicky Lewis

And crawling right along:

copyright © paparazzimama

by craftyshanna Flickr

crafty-shanna is kindly sharing her patterns, including this one, on her LiFEJOURNAL Thanks for sharing!

Okay, so the next one is not technically a ladybug pattern. These car seat belt covers just have the cutest ladybug buttons. The "Carseat Shoulder Strap Covers" pattern by Sylvia Schuchardt is available for free on her website hook candy.

by sylver Flickr

.

Back to real ladybug patterns. Here is a cute blanket:

Ladybug Afghan and Pillow PA273 by Maggie Weldon

by MaggieWeldon Flickr

How about a ladybug coaster?

Found on Ravelry. 

Available on 

The Crocheting Commuter.

A cute little hat and bootee combo:

"Ladybugs Bring Good Luck" Beanie and Booties

by Mary Triplett

 

  

by ClickClick Flickr

 

Found on Ravelry, does not seem to have a website, but gives her email address.

Last one for today. Also technically not a ladybug pattern but it's called

 

"Ladybug" by Jennifer Lippman-Bruno

I am going to include it, because it's just too cute!!! 

 
Is that a doll or a baby?

Precious!!!!

I don't know what I like more, the hat or the baby!!!

Available on knowknits.

Hope you enjoyed our little trip down ladybug lane...

Confessions of a Sporadic Knitter...

I can't believe I have not posted anything since March. I have a lot of different excuses.

Let's see...

Excuse # 1:

Somehow, knitting, in my old German mind, is for cold days, long winters. And since I live in Texas, I have a hard time getting the knitting needles out in the summer.

So, at least I made some summer fare. Technically, not knitting, but at least some form of handy-craft. Flip-flops for all the summer visitors (Alicia modeling a pair):




Or...

Excuse # 2:

I have been working longer hours here and there and had less time for knitting...

But you can always use some shopping bags (and they also make great gifts - one of them was for my lovely friend Jane):







Okay, so technically, those were not knit, either. Maybe crocheting is for summer and knitting for winter?

Or...

Excuse # 3:

First, we had summer house guests, and now we have an exchange student from Germany (a permanent house guest for a year), and I have just been too busy. Here is another one of my lame excuses (the excuse is lame, not Theresa!!!) as we pick her up from the airport:



Which brings us to...

Excuse #4:

What with all the rearranging we had to do to accommodate the extra people in the house...

Or, how about...

Excuse #5:

We have been fostering puppies and dogs...

Here are Inuit, Tammy, and Penelope:



And this is our current foster dog, Woody:



Or...


Excuse #...

Oh well, enough with the excuses.

As you can see, I actually have been working on the occasional project (as you can see me sitting and knitting with my daughter):



I actually have been knitting, or crocheting, or whatever. I just have been really bad about posting. And I have an excuse for that, too:

FACEBOOK!!

But to catch you up, here are the other things I have been working on:

I crocheted a small cell phone holder for around the neck, because I have a wireless blue-tooth (is that redundant?) headset that doesn't reach if I hold the phone in my hand or have it in a pocket or purse. And I listen to music on my cell phone, so I need a good connection.

I finished another little baby blanket (squares are knit, border crochet) with the remainder of the yarn I had for my co-worker's baby blanket. This one will be for Karen:



Of course, with the obligatory lady bug!!!



A little baby/toddler hoodie. I have another one (much smaller) in the works, but am not sure if that one will ever get finished :). You know how that goes... But here is the one that did get done:



With pocket, of course :)




And remember, I had all those different kinds of Sugar'n Cream from all kinds of different projects.

I crocheted a little hat for a very old doll (almost as old as I am):



And I little iPod cozy with lipstick holder:



I tried to use all the remains up with this pillow cover:



It was also a nice chance to try out all kinds of different patterns.




I also made another attempt at felting:





As you can see, lots of little projects. But nothing really earth-shattering. Just lacking the right motivation (and time). But, Austin temperatures are finally below 100 degrees and maybe the slightly cooler and more pleasant ambient climate will help me to take a closer look at my stash...

HATS HATS HATS HATS or Ode to all my bald friends...

When I found out that my friend Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer, I called her and asked her if there was anything I can do. Everybody feels helpless and wants to do something. But there is just not much to do... I had seen a few women at work go through similar experiences and knew the routine.

Anyway, in my desperate attempt to DO SOMETHING, I started knitting hats...

First of all I knew from my husband, who is bald by choice, that bald heads get cold easily. Also, it's one thing to shave your head as a man, especially right now, when it is fairly fashionable; it's a whole other story to loose your hair as a result of horrific chemicals being pumped into your body... Ot seems as if bald heads on women are just not quite as *IN* these days. And, from what I understand, wigs feel awkward and are not very comfortable, so many cancer-battling women are not too crazy about them.

Which brings us back to hats.

I started with Robin's Egg Blue Hat. I could not find a button large enough that matched the colors of the yarn:

Sugar'n Cream Cotton Ombre Yarn-Country Side.

So I crocheted a little flower-thingy for the spot where the button would go. Here you see my daughter sporting the hat, before they all go to Lisa's.


I like the feel of the Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn. I had some more around the house, so I started another hat in different colors. I had my eyes on that pattern for a while. Since my friend Lisa has a good sense of humor, I dared to offer her this "Berry Hat" (again, my daughter is modeling the hat for my blog):



Isn't that just the most adorable little thing?! I have a feeling I might use that pattern again some time in the future.

And on to the next project...

I was kind of going for the ruffle look and found this really nice pattern. But then the Bernat Softee Chunky (color: Nature's Way) yarn was too chunky (that's my excuse, and I am sticking with it!), and the ruffle look turned into a bonnet look. I wove a little string (made of a crochet chain) around the hat where the ruffles start, but this seemed to only strengthen the bonnet look. Here is my daughter again...



She turned the bonnet into a French baret:


Much better, isn't it?! We will have to see what Lisa thinks of that one...

Since the weather here in Texas was still warm most days, I made one more hat that was a little lighter. Not sure if Lisa will like the fact that the crochet pattern is a little hole-y. But it looks cute.


The yarn is once again Lily Sugar 'n Cream, I think the color is called Butter Cream Ombre.

Now I just can't wait to see how they look on Lisa!

Btw, she is amazing!!! I am blown away by her wonderful spirit in the light of this challenge! While she will be the first one to tell you that having cancer can be a real "ball-buster" at times, she handles it wonderfully! Way to go girl!!!!! I love you!