12:08 pm 15 December 2016... missed it only by one!
The Lizard was able to get a better screen shot for me than I could a little while later...
15 December 2016
Ta da
12:08 pm 15 December 2016... missed it only by one!
The Lizard was able to get a better screen shot for me than I could a little while later...
Headless
I couldn't wait to finish this year's Christmas quilts so I could make something for me. Specifically, I cut out a dress to wear to my niece's wedding in April, and the pieces are still sitting next to the sewing machine, waiting to be made into a dress.
However, the annual craft fair at my office was the week after I finished all seven quilts. I didn't make much new stuff specifically for the craft fair, but I displayed a bunch of things I've made over the last few years, including the Noro Lanesplitter skirt I hoped to one day fit into... That was four years ago. I decided the skirt is so beautiful, it deserves to be worn. And it actually sold!
I typically don't take special orders during the craft fair because by the time I set up my little booth, I'm tired of making things and meeting deadlines for everyone but my own family, and I want to spend the last couple of weeks before Christmas with my true love and making things for him, if I can sneak a project or two in without him knowing. (Fingers crossed for this weekend...)
But how can I refuse when the request comes from a very dear friend? Or two? Or more...
My flip flop necklaces were a big hit, although they did not sell. However, one of my co-workers asked if I could make five more, with one flip flop each and a chain to coordinate with each flip flop. The flip flops work up pretty quickly, so I agreed. I thought I could be done in just a couple of hours, leaving me two weeks to make Christmas gifts for The Lizard.
Then came a request for six tiny snowflakes for a tiny tree, and could I make them pink and/or purple?
This project took another night, plus stiffening and stringing, but it wasn't a heavy burden.
I'd just finished a cute little hat for Baby Molly, and I had enough yarn left to make another one. So I whipped up a second one, and it garnered lots of interest and compliments at the craft fair, but none of my customers had baby girls on their gift lists. One of my friends, however, has a not quite as new "chunky little nephew" and asked if I could make a monkey hat, tail and stuffed monkey for the six-month-old bundle of joy. This, obviously, was going to take more than a couple of hours, but how could I say no?
I had never made a monkey or a monkey hat before. I'd thought about a sock monkey a couple of times during my crazy sock-crocheting phase, but I'd never even looked up patterns. I didn't have time to look up patterns this time. So I improvised and nearly finished a hat from the only brown yarn in my stash, not quite a full skein I received from a destashing friend. I guess it's a good thing I didn't have enough yarn to finish the project. I didn't have a clue what fiber was in the yarn, and there won't be enough for a burn test, much less a monkey, if I finish the braids and ears. I dreaded having to make another hat, but I had no choice.
I searched the yarn section of the closest craft store, and nothing was even remotely close enough to even semi-match. I bought two more huge skeins (to make sure I wouldn't run out again) and made (and finished!!!) another hat in just a couple of hours.
The monkey was going to take a bit longer. Perhaps a lot longer.
I got the mini monkey's head done but didn't like the shape of the mouth. I wasn't able to unravel the yarn to rework the head because I'd bound off so efficiently. I used the first monkey head to stuff the second monkey head. Yes, my little monkey is a cannibal. I'm sorry I don't have pictures of either of the first two heads. While walking to the park and ride, the cannibal escaped in a clandestine manner. So somewhere out there in the Denver Metro area, a body-less cannibal monkey head is roaming the streets.
I had to make a third monkey head.
By the time this project was finally finished, I never wanted to see another crocheted monkey again as long as I live!
On the bright side, all my craft fair customers said what I made was worth far more than what I charged. Some real warm fuzzies there!
On the very dark side, after I posted an Instagram snapshot of the monkey project, my aunt called to request the hat pattern so she can make one for her youngest granddaughter.
So, instead of sewing that night, I had to begin writing a pattern for the monkey hat!
Christmas might be a little late at my house this year. And I probably can't wear that long-forgotten short-sleeved, warm weather dress until spring anyway, so might as well put it off just a little bit longer.
Linking up with Busy Hands Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
14 December 2016
One More Time...
The zeroes are going to make yet another appearance! Perhaps by about 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 15!
13 December 2016
Portrait Perfect
One of my close friends welcomed a brand new baby girl last month. I was buried in Christmas quilt goals, so train commute time was all I had to make something special for the new kid on the block.
I settled on a cute little hat because this pink and white yarn is so soft and so adorable.
When I called to make arrangements to present the gift and hinted at taking some pictures of the new little cutie pie, the mom asked if I would mind getting pictures of all four of her kids.
Woohoo!
A couple of days remained before the scheduled photo shoot, er, I mean, gift-giving, so I went to work on the train again. I'd gone through my yarn stash to see if there was anything in those four remaining bins of acrylic after giving as much away as I could to charitable crocheters, and I found 10 matching skeins I'd received from a non-crafty co-worker who'd inherited it from her crafty grandmother.
By the time I got off the train the evening before the photo shoot, I'd crafted the perfect prop for my first newborn girl photo session since... I can't even remember when!
It's actually red, not pink, but that's iPhone photography for you. I even tried to correct the hue and temperature in Photoshop, but all I could get was more pink and no hint of red.
The prop is pretty heavy, and it doubles as a Cabbage Patch costume...
The next day, I got to meet this little bundle of love for the first time.
I had so much fun taking pictures of her!
I had a great time photographing the siblings, too.
Big sisters couldn't resist trying on my new wig, too!
12 December 2016
Snowflake Monday
Lexi Walker has grown up so much since the first time I saw her...
You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Size: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, 1.25-inch 2-holed heart button, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line
Noel Snowflake Instructions
Round 1: 1 sc in button hole, ch 9,[1 sc in same buttonhole, ch 9] 2 times, 1 sc in next buttonhole, [ch 9, 1 sc in same buttonhole] 3 times; ch 9, sl st in starting sc.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Round 2: * 5 sc in next ch 9 sp, ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 5 ch, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, working back down branch, sl st in next 2 ch (tri-picot branch made), 5 sc in same ch 9 sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.
Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.
If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.
09 December 2016
A Forest of Creativity
DIY Christmas trees
(several pages, if you have time and/or interest)
more
in case you're bored...
the cutest tree I've seen this week
Some repeats here, but also some genuine treats!
Oh, how this one made me laugh!!!
gotta love this one
WOW!
And finally, from my sock mania (or is that maniac?!?) days...
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