Yarn Along -1 February 2012 -Birthday Edition

It's a special Yarn Along this week since today is Miss Ella's 6th birthday.  Wow, 6 years with our little ball of energy.  Where has the time gone?

Here's my new hat.  This is the third pattern I've tried.  I'm beginning to think I'm not meant to have a new hat this winter.  This pattern is working out well.

I whipped up this little turtle Sunday evening.  I had been looking on Ravelry for something else when Ella saw the turtle go by.  She wished to have it and talked about it for days and how her turtle from the fair was lonely.  This was a very quick knit and Ella loves 'Shelly'.

This is the first year I've made Ella a birthday crown.  I've seen them all over the internet but never got around to making one.  They are very simple.

First you need a crown shaped template.  I folded the strip in half first, so the it would be symmetrical.  The strip of paper is about 18 inches long and 6.5 inches wide.  I should have made it a little wider with the applique I chose.

I wandered around at Wee Folk Art for quite a while trying to chose an applique for the centre of the crown.  I was wanting fairy/angel/candle sort of thing and finally decided on the angel with the flower wreath.

All the pieces cut out of felt (two crown pieces).   The heart pieces are for the fairy wands for the party.  I know there are some felt snobs out there, but my selection is fairly limited.  Some of the felt is very polyester, but most of the felt feels like wool (but isn't).  The pieces are embroidered together following the drawing. 

I worked blanket stitch around the crown pieces to hold them together (top and bottom), you could sew it on the machine too.  I cut a piece of waistband elastic 3 inches long and encase it in a material tube 6 inches long.  I sew this between the two short ends to form a circle.  The crown fits Ella and fits me.  It's very comfortable to wear.

Ella loves her present from Momma and Daddy.  We got her the Calico Critters Townhouse.  It came with a few pieces of furniture.  The Grandmas gave Ella money to buy some more furniture.  She can't wait till we get to Toronto, the money is burning a hole in her pocket  :)  Ella hasn't stopped playing or talking about the house since she opened it Sunday.

Check back tomorrow for a giveaway of sorts.