Patterns – a hippie with a minivan

Cat Ears and Tail… (Crochet Pattern)

Wilhelmina is often a cat… or a horse.. but mostly a cat and can spend hours being one.

Now that I am crocheting, I thought it would be a great way to make her some ears and a tail.

I looked for some patterns but I couldn’t find anything that looked like what I wanted so I decided to make it up as a went along.

I am going to do my best to write this out because as I said, I made it up as I went along and I am still not 100% sure how to write one yet and am doing this from memory, but I will try my best. Hopefully at least it will be a starting point.

The tail was quite easy. ( I used worsted weight yarn and a 5mm hook)

Round 1 : Make a magic circle (or chain 3 and join with a sl st) chain one, and then HDC (half double crochet) six stitches into the circle and join with first stich. (6 hdc)
Round 2 :chain 2, 2hdc in each hdc and sl st in starting stich (12 hdc)
Round 3 : chain 1, hdc in each sc and do not join or turn but continue going around and around until you reach the desired length. (I made it about 19 inches)
When you are the length you wish, with the working stitch completely to one side, squeeze the circle together and sc across the top so that is closes the tail. chain one, turn.
HDC the next 4 rows and TO leaving a long tail (you will use it to sew the tail on the belt)

The belt…

Chain as many stitches to achieve the desired length for the waist plus another inch or two for where the button-hole will overlap, chain 2 and hdc into the second chain from hook.
Row 1: HDC across the whole row, chain 2, turn
Row 2: HDC in 2nd stitch, sl st through next two stitches this will create the button-hole) HDC until you reach the end, chain 2 and turn.
Row 3: HDC in 2nd stich, HDC until you reach the stich before the 2 sl st in the previous row. 2 HDC in that stitch, skip the 2 sl st and then HDC in the next stich and to the end. chain 1, turn.
row 4: SC in the next 6 stiches and then join to the 3rd row with a sl st (this is reinforce the top of the button-hole without widening the whole belt… though you can HDC and go to the end if you want and have a wider belt)

Sew a button onto one side of the belt and then sew the tail into the middle of the belt.

Now the ears…

The headband was actually a knitting mishap where I messed up half way through and did the opposite that I was supposed to. Instead of unravelling it, I made it into a headband. It is about 4 inches wide and tapers at the ends where they meet and is K, P for half and just P on the other.
You can use the same instructions for the belt to make the headband though, minus the button-hole it you don’t want it… just chain the length you want it to be and then crochet the rows in sc or hdc until you get the desired width.

For the ears themselves… (make 2 in the inner ear colour and 2 in the outer ear colour)

Round 1: Make a magic circle or chain 3 and sl st to join. SC 6 in circle, tighten the circle (where the magic circle comes in handy)
Round 2: [SC, chain 2, SC] in same stitch, SC in next, [SC, chain 2, SC], SC in next st, [SC, chain 2, SC], SC in last stitch. Join with sl st to first st. chain 1.
Round 3: SC in same stitch, SC in next stitch, chain 2, (should be above the last chain 2) SC in next 3 st, chain 2, SC in next 3 st, chain 2, SC in next st and join to first st and TO. ( I then tied both loose yarns together in the back of the ear and cut the ends off)

Place the inner ear and the outer ear together and SC around the whole outside to join the two together and make the outlining ear. TO leaving a long tail.

Sew the ears where you want them to be on the headband.

Isn’t she adorable?

Writing the pattern out was actually easier than I would have thought, but I might have made some mistakes so don’t hesitate to point them out if you see them 🙂

note: please do not sell items that are made from this pattern unless you buy the License, and if you do make something please give due credit and send people back to this page. Thank you!

___________________________________________

Not everyone can crochet or has the time to do so, so if you want to make these items and sell them, you may purchase a license to do so.

-One Limited Commercial License = One pattern / tutorial

One License must be purchased for each person who makes or sells the tutorial / pattern (so if two people are making them for an etsy shop of craft fair, both must buy the license)

I still retain copyright on the tutorial / pattern itself.

Lastly, when selling or listing the item, design credit must be given to A hippie with a Minivan with a link to this site or pattern.

Also, if you wish you may send me the link to your shop so that I can send people to you!

By purchasing the license, you agree with the terms

Thank you! and happy sewing!

20.00

One-wet Trainers (for EC) Tutorial

Wilhelmina has now been diaper-free and using one-wet trainers since she was about 5 months old. One-wet trainers are great, they are underwear with a bit of absorbency so that a miss doesn’t mean a mess. They are however quite expensive between 15$-20$ each. Because I can sew, I can’t justify buying them.

I made quite a few pairs before finding the perfect design for us and I am really happy with the ones that I now make. They stay up well, have no bulk, and fit and look like underwear.

The underwear itself is made from a stretchy knit fabric (I have even used old onsies) The Soaker has a layer of flannel, a layer of Zorb or another absorbant material and a layer of PUL. You also need braided elastic for the waist and fold-over elastic for the leg openings.

You can download my pattern here. (I don’t mind sharing, but please don’t use this to sell unless you buy a license which is at the end of the post) These fit Wilhelmina at 5 months and were still fitting at 18 months when we stopped using them…

First cut the pieces out… giving yourself a 1/2″ seam allowance around all sides except on the fold. (btw… If you want to make these bigger just add more seam allowance.)

Next cut out the pieces of the soaker. One flannel, one PUL and one of your absorbant material and then a smaller rectangle of the same to add a bit more absorbency without adding bulk.

(here is the flannel, I forgot to take a pic of the other pieces…sorry )

Sew the absorbent material together and add a few lines of stitches going across the middle. This makes it less stiff and contours the body more instead of the soaker sticking out…

Put the soaker together by placing the flannel on top and the layer of PUL (shiny side in) on the bottom and sew the pieces together (serge or do a zig zag stich around the edges)

Now that the soaker is done, it is time for the underwear.

Sew the three pieces together. (the largest part of the crotch piece fits onto the back piece)

Next is time to put the elastic in the leg holes.

(This is Fold-over elastic if you are wondering)

Fold the elastic over one end of the leghole edge and stich it down, then using a zigzag stich pull the elastic slightly while sewing it down the leghole edge.

It should look like this when done.

The do the same on the other side.

Next place the finished soaker on the underwear piece with the round part on the front of the underwear. Using a zigzag stich, sew it in.

Now the soaker is in…

With the right sides of the underwear together sew and/or serge the side edges.

Almost done!

Measure your little ones waist and then subtract about 10% and cut the braided elastic to that length. (Wilhelmina’s waist is about 17 inches so I need about 15 inches)

With the underwear inside out, sew the elastic around the top edge. Again using a the zigzag stich, and stretching as you sew. (the ends of the elastic should meet or slightly overlap)

Finally, turn the underwear right side out, fold the elastic over and sew it down, stretching again as you sew.

Your done!

Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!

___________________________________________

Not everyone can sew or has the time to do so, so if you want to make these One-wet trainers and sell them, you may purchase a license to do so.

-One Limited Commercial License = One pattern / tutorial

One License must be purchased for each person who makes or sells the tutorial / pattern (so if two people are making them for an etsy shop of craft fair, both must buy the license)

I still retain copyright on the tutorial / pattern itself.

Lastly, when selling or listing the item, design credit must be given to A hippie with a Minivan with a link to this site or pattern.

Also, if you wish you may send me the link to your shop so that I can send people to you!

By purchasing the license, you agree with the terms

Thank you! and happy sewing!

20.00

DIY Babywearing coat

Oversized old coat….

New Babywearing Coat 🙂

I have seen instructions online, but like many things, I like getting the idea and rolling with it my way. The main thing that I saw in other instructions was to buy a coat a size or two bigger and cut a panel out but not all the way down to the bottom.

My coat was a bit snug on me so cutting all the way down to the bottom and adding some material made it fit perfectly. It also gives more space for her growing…

So… my first step was to put Wilhelmina on my back and see where her head was… then draw a line on the coat were I thought it should be and check it in the mirror… The width of the opening was about 10 inches and then the panel extended all the way down to the bottom of the coat.

This is an important step: sew two parallel lines around the panel and cut between the lines so that the coat and stuffing and all the layers that may be in the coat remain intact.

This coat had a bottom drawstring and a waist drawstring, so that I could keep on using the drawstrings to cinch the bottom and waist, I sewed over the string at the back a few times to secure it. In the hole that the drawstring passed through in the bottom panel, I took out the cut string and replaced it with an elastic… That way there would be no air going up the back of the coat when it was done.

In the opening that was on the coat at the top I put in a double layer of a thick ribbed knit (same as with the side panels) this small panel is just to make the opening warm and comfortable for Willa… It is about two inches high (folded) and sewed in and topstiched. I stretched it a bit while sewing so it closes the opening slightly so that there are no drafts that can get in…

Now, working with just the panel itself that has been taken off the coat, I figured I needed about 4-5 inches of material on each side to make the pouch, so I cut out 4 pieces of ribbed knit, about 5 inches at the top and then tapering down to about 2 inches at the bottom. The length is a bit longer then the length of the panel (so that you can hem the bottom).

I then put 2 layers together and serged the edges, finished the bottom and lined them up with the bottom of the coat panel and sewed them to the sides of the panel and topstitched.

For the last piece (the top of the panel) I cut out another two pieces of the ribbed knit about the length of the panel + the width of the side panels… and about 5 inches high (so that it would end up about 2 inches when folded and sewed in) I serged the raw edge and then sewed it to the top of the panel, stretching it slightly as I sewed. Then I finished it by topstitching.

The last step was to sew the finished panel to the coat. Starting at the bottom, I sewed each side. The top part of course extended past the opening so I sewed it down and then folded it over and topstitched it so you could not see the rough edges.

I also added a elastic so the panel behind her neck would be more snug and again, protect from any drafts… it also helps keep her arms in the coat.

This is the finished back….

The bottom and middle drawstrings are still usable from the pouch forward. The elastic at the bottom keeps out drafts and the top pocket is all warm and soft for Wilhelmina…

I just put her on my back in the carrier of my choice, slide the coat over both of us and we will stay warm together. This will definitely last for at least two winters of growth if not more…

Not bad for a 15$ thrift store find, about a .5 m of ribbed knit and about 3 hours of interrupted planning and sewing… 🙂