Santa's on his way

Didn't do a lot of crafting today, but I used sealing wax and sealed all of my christmas cards and got them off into the mail today. And it's before christmas!! I finished this 3-d paper santa and reindeer from the canon website.
http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/index.html I've been having a lot of fun making these items. Santa will be residing outside my office at work preparing us for the holidays.

Worked on my christmas cards tonite and finally settled on using a spirelli template. You place the metal template on card stock and using an exacto knife, cut it out. I had some holographic thread and used that to wrap around the points. It's just like spirograph but with thread. I purchased the template from http://www.ecstasycrafts.com/. They have other shapes and sizes and precut cards. This is a great site for paper crafters.
Here is what my finished design looked like. I used a rubber stamp of a snowflake for the inside design and for the outside envelope. This design covers all people on my card list. I finally hit on using 527 multi-purpose cement to attach the elements to the sparkly cards. I think the recipients will enjoy these holiday greetings.
I cast on the correct number of stitches for a men's size sock in the tiger yarn. It met with approval and now it's on to 9 inches of leg to knit.

Sock do-over

Cast on for a new sock today. Have to rip it out and recast on with less stitches. I think I'll cast on the "Tiger" yarn instead on work on those tall ones next.

Working on my christmas cards. One design has bit the dust. I was using a pattern template called"incire" that you cut the paper and fold tabs back and it looks really cool. The paper cutting is going great, but the cards I bought to mount them on are sparkly. I can't get the cut out to stick and stay on the sparkly cards.

They do look cool in the double-sided foil origami paper.

Finished a pair

Finished this pair of socks tonite. They came out really nice using a k2p2 ribbing thoughout. They should wear well for who ever is the lucky recipient.

Worked on my christmas card design today and am rethinking the project. I am almost ready to just purchase them at a store, but my craft vibe says NO, you have plenty of time to make them.

Socks, wonderful socks

Worked on the second sock today, turning the heel and now decreasing down to the foot.
These are giving trees that will be filled with candy and then either hung on a tree or sit on a table. To make these go to www.marthastewart.com/giving-tree and print off on cardstock. I didn't have all the required supplies (1 inch circle punch or silver paper) put I think they turned out okay. I don't think I'll be making more though. I have more socks to knit!!

Socks

Cast on and worked on the 2nd sock today. It is coming along quite nicely. It's mate is waiting for it in the bottom of the sock bag.

Santa's coming

Not a lot of crafting done today. I printed out a paper diaorama from the canon website.
http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/event/santaclaus_e.html
of santa flying off in his reindeer in his sleigh. I love to cut and paste these together. So far I've cut a lot and pasted a little. It doesn't even look like any thing yet. Tomorrow though it will look great.

The canon website is great if you like to do paper crafts. The instructions are easy to follow pictures and the projects work. You have to be patient, use tiny scissors to cut out the fiddly bits, score all the fold lines with a ruler and stylus and use fast drying paper glue. Print the parts out on card stock and you'll end up with a lasting project. The website is always being updated with new projects.

Happy T Day

Had a great thanksgiving celebration with friends and family. Worked on my stripy sock and need to sew off the toe and one half of a pair will be done. On to another cast on.

The pirate has been put on hold for a few days. I did get some hair spray, $1.99 the cheapest I could find, to stiffen up his hat. I'll work on him later this week.

Our library received the book "Knitted icons" and it is really cool. You knit a basic people doll and then dress it to took like your favorite icon. I knitted the pieces but all they look like are tiny beigey knitted rectangles. Some assembly required in this piece too. They have a cute "Gojira/Godzilla" to knit and I found some green yarn in my attic stash that will be perfect for a city crushing knitted pal.

On my way home from Thanksgiving this morning I stopped in a local yarn store and got 3 skeins of sock yarn. I love knitting with Opal yarn. The color waves are so interesting. The one on the left is really rainbow colors and will knit up into larger bands of color. The middle one will be more animal patterned. The jitterbug yarn on the right is lovely to knit with. I love it's feel and softness.

Posing a Pirate

Worked on the pirate tonite and he's almost ready to go out to sea. His hat needs stiffening so it will look less lumpy. The parrot needs grooming and blending. The jacket needs some adjusting so it won't fall off. I need to find my doll stand so the pirate can stand up on his own two feet. He likes to sit and slump now.

Worked on my sock today and am almost ready to start the heel flap.

Hat

This is what the pirate's hat looks so far. Not much to look at but wait until it's shaped. I also knit on my sock and am up to 4 inches. 2 more and I'll be turning a heel.

Parrots Progress

Worked on sewing the pirate together today. Here is is with his coat attached.
Here he has his coat with arms and cuffs attached. Soon his parrot will join him on his shoulders. I still have to knit his hat but he'll have some legs attached soon. The parrot needs some eyes and a little shading to come to full parrot potential. The mermaid says she's pining for her sailor.

Wee bit of sock

Not too much crafting at all today. Just a bit of a sock started on during my lunch break. Instead I got caught up in reading "On strike for Christmas" by Sheila Roberts. A fun quick read, just in time to temper my over the top crafting and cooking spree for the holidays.

He's got legs

I worked on the pirate today and got his legs and boots assembled, his sash and his jabot (scarf). Next up is assembly of the coat. There is a lot of work on just that part. He's coming out nicely though and the mermaid is looking forward to having a friend.

I stiffened the reindeer pin and added a pin back so that project is completed.

My mom purchased a kit for a watch. You cross-stitch teeny tiny quilt blocks using one strand of floss over one strand of fabric thread. Using these tiny designs you make covered buttons that are then glued to the watch links. I got the kit out, substituted better fabric (the one that came with was not the greatest), organized the threads and started stitching. This is one project I'm going to need to use my magnifying headset for.

Beaded Reindeer

Worked on beading this tiny reindeer. After a pin back is attached and a coating of clear nail polish for stiffening he'll be ready as a nice gift. His antlers are very fiddly to bead so I don't think I'll be doing another one of him.
I am borrowing my son's camera which does close-up pictures better. I had my kitty assistant Sailor helping me by him try to abscond with the tiny reindeer in his mouth. Sometimes good help is hard to find or shoo away.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Was busy at work all day so I just started a beaded reindeer that will be a lapel pin. It's from the Jill Oxton magazine. http://www.jilloxtonxstitch.com/
I stiffened the gold beaded box and finished the top with a sand dollor charm that looked nice.

Blanket and Box Lid

Worked on the beaded box and finished the lid. It's really small. Next up is some charms for the top and a dose of clear nail polish to stiffen up the sides and it's done.
I picked up and knit for an hour on a basketweave baby blanket. The yarn is Plymouth Encore Colorspun. It changes color as you knit and makes the finished item more interesting. Because you can machine wash and dry the finished item it makes it practical for baby items. Soft and easy to knit with. The pattern is from the book "Never too old to knit" by Karin Strom. You do have to count the rows but the pattern is easy and the result is worth the effort.

As I was trying to take a picture of the boxes my other helper cat Sailor was picking up the box and/or lid in his mouth and taking them away. He loves to come and get brushed when I sit at my craft desk. I couldn't get a clear picture of him with a box in his mouth, and believe me I tried. They were all just blurry smudges. Here is the one clear one of him next to the scanner waiting for me to brush him.

I have my ironing board set up beside my craft desk and the end is right by a window. This is his favorite spot during the day, keeping watch over the squirels and birds that cavort in the yard and trees. He's a happy crafting cat who likes to check out all boxes, totebags and baskets that enter the house. He makes sure that everything is cat approved.

Pirates Progress

I was working on the pirate today and got the main body done, his legs stuffed and one boot started. You can see from the magazine what he's supposed to look like when finished. Mine won't match because I'm using different colored yarns from my attic stash. You have to be patient also and work on the parts in order. No hurrying a pirate.
I sewed small red seed beads on the lab rat scarf and now it's complete. I like it a lot better with eyes.

Leaves Glorious Leaves

Today was leaf bagging day at my house. The town is coming starting tomorrow so the leaves had to go. There are now 25 bags at the curb just waiting to go on a big trip to the great big compost pile in the sky. Even so I did manage to do some crafting today and even a little bit yesterday.

Here is a little bag that I knitted and threw in with the wash. It's going to be filled with tiny balls of yarn, toothpicks with beads on top for knitting needles and it will be a fun christmas ornament. I think it's going to be the only one made in this house.

This is the bottom of a beaded box from the Jill Oxton magazine. I really like the pattern and working with the delica beads.

The pirate is all in pieces. I've been knitting all of the tiny pieces for his coat, face and accessories. Last night I was knitting a parrot. All it looks like is a tangle of yarn. This is what a parrot looks like in progress. I've got a large bag of pirate parts waiting to be assembled.

Lots of pieces

I put a face on the puppet today and it came out pretty cute. It's a mouse. I worked on knitting more parts of a knitted pirate to go along with the mermaid. I'm trying to finish all of the projects I have started or in pieces before starting something new. No trips to the yarn store for me for a while. I looked in my project basket and saw lots of stuff to knit on.

Lab Rats

I've worked on a knitted scarf that is made of mice. It's been a lot of fun to knit and pretty easy. It came as a kit from Morehouse Farm. I'm doing it in white, hence "lab rats". The tail needs to be knitted on the final mouse and little pink or red beads sewn on for eyes.

The prayer shawl went out to it's recipient and was well received. That means that I get to shopping for new yarn and start another one.

It's a prayer shawl

Finished a prayer shawl today. It's soft and cuddly and I know the recipient will like it. I used Paton's Divine yarn. It clings a little to itself but will hold up nice and is washable.

A lot of assembly required

The mermaid partially assembled.
Here she is dressed and ready for a face.
Here is my sea mermaid finished and ready to play with. I think she came out just lovely. She's soft and totaly poseable. If I knit any other creatures I'm going to use a smaller needle size so the finished fabric is tighter. I'm very pleased with the final outcome and look forward to working on a knitted pirate.

I also finished a beaded box. It is only 1 1/2 inches tall! It's stiffened with clear nailpolish in order to keep it's shape. I really like this box and plan to do another one soon.

Some assembly required

Worked on the mermaid today and got her tail knitted. Here's a scan of her arms and tail. As you can see there is a lot of work still to do to turn her into a sea creature.

The mouse puppet is dry and waiting in line for a face. It came out cuter than expected.

Still knitting

The mouse puppet is drying and tomorrow should get a face and whiskers. The mermaid now has two arms, a neck and a head but needs an outfit, tail and hair. Lots of knitting and a lot of assembly required there. More pictures to come.

Knitting for Jesus

Attended a prayer shawl conference in Hartford Connecticut. A huge room full of women and a few men knitting and crocheting prayer shawls. Everyone shared their stories as they knit. People came and admired yarn and new patterns, giving encouragement and asking questions. It was very inspiring. I finished up the second ball of yarn on the shawl and am on to the third. I'll wind off for the fringe on the fourth and then its knit, knit, knit until its done.

Also worked on the mermaid and finished the main body. Cast on and am now working on the head. Lots of assembly required for her.

Prayer Shawl

Worked on a prayer shawl today. Used up 1 1/2 skeins of yarn. Still a lot of knitting left to do on that shawl.

It's in the wash

The puppet cat or mouse (I can't tell yet) has been through 1 wash cycle and needs a couple more to shrink it up. A little ear surgury may also be necessary to reattach an ear that doesn't look quite right yet. The wash cycles do change things so I have to be patient.

I cast on to knit a mermaid from the British "Knitting Simply" magazine. Alan Dart is the designer and I'm loving the pattern so far. The shaping in ingenious and looks like a flat sock with multiple heels. I couldn't find the yarn called for in the pattern so am using Bernat Satin.