24 gifts in 24 days!

Well I haven't posted in some time but I think I'm about to make up for it today. I decided to make a gift a day up to December 24th which is my birthday. This came about as the result of someone asking me if a snowman was a gift to me. I told her it's just decoration for the holidays but it got me to thinking it would be a hoot to make a gift a day for my birthday. I know some folks who celebrate their birthday for an entire week leading up to their birthday or maybe just that weekend of their birthday. I decided to take it a step further and do the whole month just as a challenge for myself.
I actually set rules for this challenge:

• All gifts are to be handmade (knit/crochet, sew)
• Absolutely no yarn purchases, only use yarn from my stash can be used
• Only supplies like beads, buckles, fabric for linings. buttons and others accessories can be purchased
• Multiple gifts can be completed simutaneously in order to ensure a posting for everyday (I feel short a couple of days)
• In the event of a missed posting two must be posted the next day to make up for it
• Even fugly gifts counts (we has received those on occassion)
• For the actual date of birth there most be a spectacular gift for my special day.

These are the rules I set for myself because I've never done this before. This was merely a challenge to myself to see if I could produce. I was late posting a couple of times because I was out late for appointments or family obligations. Most of the work could only be done in the evenings because I can't knit/crochet and work at the same time, though I'd love to.

My list of gifts:

1. Bejai’s Shivers the Snowman
2. Bejai’s Diamond Dishcloth
3. Facial scrubbie
4. Facial Scrubbie 2
5. Red and White Bookmarker
6. Blissful Cowl
7. Cup Cozy #1
8. Deep Blue Sea cup cozy
9. Bejai’s Smidge Headband
10. Blissful Simple Slouchy Beret
11. Simple Slouch Beret 2nd try
12. Scrubbie ryg
13. My Breast Cancer tassel Bookmark
14. My Breast Cancer Heart Bookmark
15. Bejai’s Kerstboom Christmas Tree
16. Bejai’s Glass Flip Flop
17. My Breast Cancer Peephole Cover Medallion
18. Lace Ponytail Holder
19. My Breast Cancer Car Medallion
20. Bucket List Ponytail Holder
21. Bejai’s Holiday Ornament Dove
22. Bejai’s bobble beauty hat
23. Bobble Cowl
24. Happy Birthday Tunic

What I learned from this is that I'm more than content crocheting and knitting as a hobby but I don't think I'd like being forced to meet deadlines, especially if it means something new everyday.


Keep stitchin'

Say Amen

This started out kinda of strange. I wanted to make a simple hat for someone and I wanted to use yarn from the stash I already have. I went through my bins and decided to try something with Lion Brand Incredible and Vanna's Choice. I absolutely love the way these two work together. This is the perfect marriage, I couldn't have chose two better yarns to blend. The Incredible has beautiful shades of brown, pink and gold. The Vanna's Choice being rust blended perfectly. The Incredible, because it's a ribbon/tape has a bit of sheen that just catches the light and shines. The way the light it the yarn every now I was able to see a special speck of light which guided me in a different direction. I was 'inspired' to create this hat for a totally different person and I couldn't convince myself to do otherwise so I went with it and came up with the 'Say Amen' hat.

With a completed hat I thought something is still missing...a purse! So I dug in my bag of tricks and didn't have anymore of the Vanna's Choice in rust, oh no!!! Since I have had this yarn for some time I was worried I wouldn't be able to find anymore of it. So I went to Jo-Ann's with my fingers crossed and was supposed to find plenty of it! So I came home and made the 'Say Amen' clutch. I used the same yarns to make a crocheted button rather than trying to find a button to go with it.

This set, though winter is almost over, YIPPEE!!!!! I think the colors are perfect fall/winter colors. The photo of the hat almost reminds me of pumpkin pie. It could be that I'm hungry, it's past noon and I haven't eaten a thing today.

The set will end up going to a pastors wife that I really like. She already wears just lovely fashions including hats and purses that match. To me, this is a good set to add to her collection. hope she likes it.

Keep stitchin'

Baby It's Cold Outside!

I know it's been a minute but it's so cold here. Our gas and electric company, BGE, is off the hook. Some people's bill is two to three times higher even though they have not made any significant changes in their life styles. Honestly, I keep my thermostat set at 62-65 degrees and shiver wrap in shawls and sweaters. Thank goodness for handcrafts!! I can so easily whip up a hat, a neck warmer or a pair of bed socks to keep me warm. It's been too cold to sit at the computer or do anything but stay wrapped up and wait for the heater fan to kick in. As soon as I start to thaw and cuts off and amazingly in about a minute I'm shivering again. So since it's a bit warmer today... yeah, and even warmer this weekend, I can get caught up.

I bought Doris Chan's book 'Everyday Crochet and made her sweater called Soft Serve. It was a bit sketchy in the beginning because the directions seemed off, to me. What I've learned is that I have to simply trust and follow the directions. Mine came out really nice. I used Caron Simply Soft. The book says its a good bed jacket but once I saw it I knew I wanted it for day/evening wear. It's perfect for covering my arms when I wear a sleeveless dress. The yarn drapes very well and the garment looks very feminine.

I also created a couple of heart-shaped bookmarks for Valentine's Day. They were given to two lovely sisters to use in their bibles. I used J&P Coats Royale Crochet Thread #10. I have not worked with this thread in quite some time worried that it would bother my arthritic hands, espesically during the cold weather. I guess because it was such a quick project I had no problems. One of them has hearts on each end while the other has beads added to glitz it up a bit.

Lets see what else do I have. Oh, I made a hat to match my coat. I found a pattern on the Lion Brand website that called for one skein of yarn. Since I already had some green yarn in my stash I figured it is perfect. Instead of using Lion Brand Homespun like the pattern called for I used Red Heart Light & Lofty which is another super bulky yarn that works up really fast. The hat is kinda goofy looking but very warm and roomy since I just braided my hair.

Keep stitchin'