I know it not cold enough for mitten and hats yet, but it will be–even though somehow every year I try to convince myself that it won’t get that cold, what am I thinking? I live in wisconsin! We better make some cute things while they are little enough to actually wear them (unlike teenagers) and I’ve scrounged up some pretty fantastic tutorials for winter gear. I’ve made the martha stewart hat a bunch of times and if you can get the sizing right it is quick and stylish and warm to boot.

beautiful handmade hats, mittens and scarves

1. Dog Hat I made today toddler, 2. Handmade Holiday: mittens for Avery, 3. 12-09 Brown OrgFlwer Cap 1 Full, 4. Felt Mittens with Knitted Cuffs, 5. Button Me Up Scarf , 6. kid’s patchwork scarf::2, 7. snarves, 8. Make It Yourself, 9. Mittens, baby variation

wonderful tutorials for warm winter gear

1. cozy slippers 2. muff 3. felt hat 4. balaclava 5.yarn scarf 6. sweater mittens 7. wool scarflet 8. felt mittens with knit cuff 9. patchwork scarf

I’ve been thinking about making a kids clothes week challenge FAQ page, so if you have any burning questions be sure to send them my way in the comments or in an email (elsiemarleyblog@gmail.com).

I’m still learning to crochet with the awesome Kid’s Crochet book, which is long overdue at the library. My son picked out the gold yarn at the yarn store to match his coat and I picked out the blue, so it wouldn’t be so matchy matchy. The pattern called for three colors and I think that would have been better, because my scarves turned out kind of school colors-y (or hogwarts-y, hogwarstian?).  But I’m happy with them anyway and the kids love them. The blue and gold one was done with single crochet into the front loop and the purple and blue one done into the back loop, just so I could practice them both.  I haven’t blocked the purple one yet and I don’t know when that is going to happen. I think blocking is to crocheting (or knitting) as hemming is to sewing: that last pain in the ass thing that never gets done, but has to and should because it makes everything look finished.

…a few warm things I made for the kids so far this winter. The scarves are made from the sleeves of an old felted cashmere sweater and the kids love them because they are so soft.  The flannel pillowcases were supposed to be their St. Nicholas day presents, but I completely forgot about St. Nicholas day.  So they were whipped up in 10 minutes on St Nicholas night right before bedtime. A couple french seams and a big hem and voila! a custom pillowcase. I might make some linen ones for myself after Christmas. And the hat is from an old Martha Stewart pattern.  I’ve used the pattern a bunch of times before, but the sizing is always tricky. I set out to make one hat and suddenly the whole family has them. Usually I just make them from felted sweaters, but for this one I made two hats (one from a sweater and one from an old stripey knit shirt) then fit them together right sides facing, sewed around the edge, turned it out, topstitched and ta da.