All My Chickens, week 1, Papercut Rooster

I've often admired the elaborate paper-cuts, traditionally done in red paper, that I understand are to be hung in the window during the celebrations for Chinese New Year. Somewhere, I've got a little envelope with a collection of all the animals, all very intricate, and fairly delicate, which I intend to frame one day so I can enjoy them all the time.

While trolling the web for chicken-related projects that might relate to either Groundhog Day (wasn't sure how I'd tie that in, but I was trying to keep an open mind) or Chinese New Year, as those are the holidays celebrated this week, I was thrilled to find a satisfactory paper-cut of a Rooster.

(Yes, I'm fully aware this is to be the year of the Rabbit - but I'm doing a Chicken theme, and Rooster is a long way off.)

I haven't yet found a red paper worthy of this pretty design, but as this is my first try in a long time at such delicate paper cutting, I may just work with what I've got handy before I snip into something more expensive. Not that one piece of paper could set you back too much, but I know I'd feel it was a shame to ruin it, should I botch this one up.

The idea is to cut out the white portions of the design, leaving the dark portions intact. I realize that the Rooster then is totally separated from the cloud-like and grassy pieces, but as I plan to mount this piece in a frame (I'm thinking between two panes of glass instead of on a background) I think I can make it work.

Though you probably don't need to go out an buy a fancy pair of scissors (Scherenschnitte was mildly popular in my teens, and required the use of small, very pointy, very sharp scissors, which of course I've totally lost track of), what you use does need a good sharp tip. Or, I suppose, you could use an Exacto, (on a cutting mat) if you're handy with one.

And in case this project makes you want to bust out all the colorful paper and get your kids involved, there are lots of simple, cute designs (one possibility here) that any kid old enough to handle a pair of scissors could manage, too.

*pic of my own creation added after-the-fact*

fuzzy on purpose

I have this tiger tail I created for a little yarn-bombing Fab Fibers is doing in Feb.

It was okay, but, definitely not adorable.

One of my fav designers has been known to brush her creations with one of those barbed dog brushes (the kind designed to remove all that hair Fido would otherwise shed randomly through the house) to make them fluffy and more realistic, so I had in mind to try it out on the tiger tail.

I borrowed a brush (not being a pet person, and also not sure how often I would use such a brush creatively) and my friend graciously knitted up a swatch* for testing the technique on the Red Heart we were using for this installation. The results were satisfactory, so I took the brush and the tail home and set to work.

I think this is much better,

and actually adorable.

*you can see the swatch in question, in person, at the Woodbury Museum, along with other creations by my fiber group, until Mar 5

All My Chickens

I love chickens. I can't explain it, I don't think I even know when the obsession began, or why it persists. I just love chickens. And roosters. And eggs. (Wait, is there a song in that?) And just about anything to do with chickens, including eating them. It may have a little something to do with an old movie (and book*) by the name of The Egg and I (true story, sweet movie, good read, you need to check it out). I'm pretty sure Claudette Colbert had something to do with my love of chickens, in any case.

However it all came about, the upshot of the whole thing is, when I discovered I'd only ever made a very few chickens, my most recent being the Cluck Clutch, and the others, these tiny chickens I crafted, inexpertly, in my early college years.

I thought it was high time I remedied the situation.

Because, for a lover of all things chicken, this is a pretty pathetic collection:

Sooo...

 

that's the new theme!

All chickens, all the time, various techniques/mediums. Mostly not edible, but possibly some of that variety.

52 Chickens.

A whole year of them, one each week.

Lots of them freebies from the web, though at this point, I can't promise they'll all be freebies - I've only found about half that many so far, mostly of the yarn variety. There are sewn fabric chicken patterns out there for free, too. And quilted, appliqued, embroidered, cross-stitched...basically, any way you can craft, there's a free chicken-related pattern available to you. (That said, I also have a fair few non-free patterns I've collected over the years, and some needlework kits, and I'd like to create/finish/show off some of these as I go along, so I can't promise freebies for everything, okay?)

I reserve the right, as before, to loosely interpret the theme; meaning, we may end up making some kind of egg-related crafts, or roosters (definitely roosters!), or anything with "chick" in the name. As long as it relates, it's fair game. I will, however, strive to be timely with my chicken crafting choices, relating the overall feel of said chicken to the current season, holiday, or event, whenever possible.

I'm so excited!

I'll be back at the beginning of the week to announce our first chicken-related crafting experience.

(Hint: Chinese New Year next week!)

*I just noticed Betty MacDonald wrote Mrs Piggle-Wiggle! Somehow, I never made that connection.

Do You Lego?

Ah, that wonderful sound, that sound that you make as you run your hands through a container of Lego blocks, looking for that just-right piece to complete your creation.

That, my friends, is the sound of creativity.

This is what my living room looks like right now. My boys are sorting through their Lego collection, making sure we have complete sets, and putting them in their respective containers, with instruction booklets, and all that jazz. I have nephews just getting into Lego, so we thought it would be good to pass some along.

'Course, after getting them all out like this, we don't want to let any of them go.

And that's not just the boys. I want time to play with these, too.

Most of this stuff is new to me. I guess I just didn't feel I had the time to sit and play Lego's with the kids back when we got them? I can't imagine why, now, because I generally like playing with Lego's. Except maybe the Bionicle stuff - that doesn't really thrill me. But the Harry Potter sets? Are you kidding? Can someone please explain to me, why, for the love, I didn't get EVERY SINGLE SET? These things are awesome.

Wanna come over and play?

something new (and mostly blue)

 Over the weekend, I felt the need to start a pair of baby boy socks, using my leftovers from Weekend Blues. (I'm not entirely certain why I feel the need to make baby boy socks, I just do, so I'm trying to follow the prompting, the intuition, just in case. Because otherwise I'll be kicking myself later. You know how it is.)
All my sock-sized circulars were already busy, except size 0, which I didn't want to use for these, since I live in fear of making baby stuff too small as it is. I had the double points, but, you know me, I'm addicted to making socks (or gloves, or mittens, or anything else that comes in pairs) two at a time - I can't make myself go back to making them one at a time. (I tried, but it just ends in tears.)

What to do?

Then, it came to me, breaking upon my consciousness gradually, as I sat there, mourning the over-zealous sock-making that had caused the multiple uses of all my size 1 circs. (Yes, I have more than one set - doesn't everyone?)

I could DOUBLE KNIT the socks.

Oh, yes, you read that right - double knit.

I've been meaning to try it for a while, but hadn't gotten myself worked up to it yet. I'm sure it's easy once you get the hang of it, but the learning curve has to be allowed for on a first project, and for that, you've got to have some quiet time, by yourself. And maybe some chocolate. So I've let that sit for a while. Kind of a long while.
Don't get me wrong, I want to know how, I really do. In fact, I first became obsessed with finding a how-to for knitting one sock inside the other after reading something in an old English novel, but when I searched online, the only stuff that came up related to using circulars, which led me to magic looping, and using two circulars to produce both socks at once. (I like both methods, but may be leaning towards two circs as my go-to for now.)

Until one day, I stumbled upon this article in Knitty, which I printed out on the spot. In color.

Of course, she suggests you do a practice pair, using heavier yarn than usual, in two different colors, so you'll easily see your mistakes, should you make any. The magic loop method suggests the same. (I did that practice pair, and then was compelled to make another, veiling them as "practice" while knowing in my heart of hearts that I did it so I'd have two matched pairs. It's just the way I am.) I meant to do this, because I know, while learning something new, any little trick to make it easier is well worth the effort, even if it seems silly at the time. I just hadn't gotten to it yet. (Doh! I just realized, I could have made this practice pair with the same needle size and yarns I used for my magic loop practice, and then I would have had two pairs and learned both techniques. Bummer.)

But here was this little bit of yarn, just asking to be made into baby boy socks, and me without my circs.

So I just plunged in. With both feet. (ha!)

And here you have it, as it is, so far.

In the interest of full disclosure, I worked the toes separately, as you might for any sock, switching back and forth on them so I worked them at the same time (such as it is) and then, after all the increases were done and I was ready to knit straight up for a bit, I loaded them on for double knitting.

I've worked a whole 3 rounds since then.

I am loving it.

Zombie Girl

 Isn't she adorable?

When it came to finishing off the head, I just started up on the body from there. (Just make sure you stuff as you go - the pattern doesn't remind you when to stuff.) Didn't want to sew them together later. Possibly I should have counted the last round of the head as the first round of the body, but I didn't, so she has a skinny wobbly neck.

Though...maybe that's a little more...Zombie?

I decided to use my odd 9mm safety eye here, since I had one going spare anyway. If you use one, insert it before the working the last round of the head, so you can get your fingers in there.

Then I stitched the rest of the facial features with black yarn after the whole thing was done.

I made her arms jointed, instead of sewing them on sticking straight out. All you do is stitch the top shut (um, I didn't even stuff these - they were so tiny), and stitch onto the body. I usually sew a short stitch across the top of the arm, through the other side of the body (to the point where the arm goes) and back through the arm. Then do the same with the other arm.

I sewed the legs on as directed. (I can follow directions!)

I made the dress pretty much as directed, but as I had jointed arms, I felt the straps should cross in the back to be sure they didn't slip off or put a strain on the arm joints. So, instead of working them from both front and back and joining together, I worked i-cord for each, starting from the front area.

To do it like I did, BO 6 stitches, work i-cord for 8-10 rows over next two stitches (slip the other stitches onto another needle while you work the i-cord), finish off, cut yarn, and return to dress top. BO 5, work i-cord over next 2 (slipping other stitches to separate needle while you work the i-cord) for the same number of rows as the first strap. Finish off, cut yarn, and start again back at the dress top. BO remaining 6 stitches. Put the dress on the Zombie, sew up the back, and then position the straps, crossed in the back, and use the tail on each i-cord to attach to back of dress.

Finally, I made the pants in the round, instead of flat. I was going to follow the directions, but in the end, I just couldn't make myself go to the extra work of sewing up after, when it's so simple to work in the round. I worked one pant leg (CO 12 stitches (as this is both front and back of leg), work 6 rounds) and put that on a holder. Work second pant leg, and stop one stitch short on last round. Return stitches from first leg to needles, knit together last stitch of second leg with first stitch of first leg, and continue around, doing the same when you come to the opposite side of the pants to form the crotch. Then knit 5 more rounds and bind off. You will have a small hole to sew up where the legs meet. Weave in ends, and put them on your Zombie.

Voila!

I hope you enjoyed making your Zombie, and all the other fun toys and creations over the last year. I'm still working on my Kitschmas Tree (I need to stuff it, and make a base), but when that's done, I'll post a pic of the whole second run through the alphabet. It's quite the collection!

Yarns: Cotton-Ease in Stone, Sugar N Cream in Country Mauve & Sunshine, Vanna in Black

Box Lunch

As part of an installation for the Woodbury Museum's Hidden Voices exhibit, I made this cute little box lunch.

Most of our portion of the installation is in the way of "cozies" on handrails, benches, and the like,

but I like the "object" sort of yarn bombing.

I run the risk of someone walking off with the object, but I'm okay with that.

Hey Hey, it's a flock of fish

Remember the Blue Fish? Well, now (s)he's got an entire rainbow of fishy friends! I knitted these ages ago, even crocheted their eyes, but then never got 'round to sewing the eyes on until this week. It was every bit as tedious as I'd expected, so I feel justified in having left it so long, frankly.

Aren't they adorable, though? I'm quite pleased with them.

I watched a movie while I sewed together eyes and wove in ends.

Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger.

Weird movie. Australian. And so much better than I expected, or maybe just different? It's hard to explain. Worth your time, though. Touching, funny, stand-on-your-head strange at times. While not quite a family movie (Esther is 13, trying to figure out who she is, why she isn't cool, and, well, you know what 13 was like, right?), it's not inappropriate, either. The younger set won't really get what's going on, but your pre-teens may have some questions. So I'd make this a me-time sort of movie, the first watching. It's available to watch instantly from Netflix, and I must say, I recommend you do just that.

Oh, and, the music in this movie? Amazing! I've got to have the soundtrack.

Chauncey as Yorick

I know I said I wasn't doing wool, I wasn't going to full another project. But then, it seemed a shame to make this charming Chauncey in ghastly white acrylic instead of Winter White wool.
So I washed my sheets.
Twice.
And then I washed some decorative seasonal hand towels (they mostly just hang there, looking cute, so they don't need a bleach wash).
Frankly, he could do with another wash, but I've stuffed him and sewed him shut anyway.

Here he is pre-fulling:

And post-wash:

Apparently, there were some pattern issues in an earlier draft, but they must all have been corrected by the time I printed my copy. I didn't have any problems following it as written. I did struggle a bit with the color changes. Working in the round, the yarn is at the wrong end of the section when you get back around, so I cut after each portion (I did carry across between the eyes) and started again on each round. (I once figured out a tricky way of not having to cut the yarn, but I couldn't remember how I'd managed it. I should write these things down.)

Pretty happy with this one. In fact, I think he's adorable.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Winter White and Black

Too much Christmas Cheer?

Alas, poor Yorick

I'm not overly impressed. I thought it would be somehow different. Like maybe it would actually have eye sockets or something. I don't know why.

It was unclear to me from the pattern whether the last rounds before the jaw rows were actually meant to be rounds, or worked back and forth in rows. I worked as rounds, and I felt the shape was odd.

I free-handed the eyes, nose, and teeth. meh.

I ended up stuffing mine, even though the jaw is open at the bottom. It kept collapsing.

Yarns: Vanna in White and Black

Year of Ami, week 52, Z is for Zombie!

Wow, can you believe it's been an entire year? I don't know about you, but I learned a LOT about shaping while knitting/crocheting. I feel like I could design just about anything. I could make stuff up as I work, even!

For this last project, I chose a single combo pattern. This little Zombie (rav link) is crocheted, and his/her clothes are knitted.

If you only do one of these things, I guess you'll have either a naked zombie, or some cute clothes you can display on a mini-hanger?

In any case, this project feels like a good fit for my busiest time of year: I tend to feel like a zombie after so many work hours, and, while I crave the creative time, it's more limited than usual.

*pics of my own creations added after-the-fact*

It's that time of year again

My busy season starts in January.

I process, among other things, w2's. For a fair number of clients. Maybe even for you.
It's one of those things the IRS doesn't allow you to file late.
So, for the month of January, I work a lot of hours.
Even Saturdays.
Sometimes I don't go home until after midnight.
It's just the way it is.

So, if you notice a lack of activity here on the blog? Just know that I am working hard to make sure that you get your important financial information in a timely manner.

After January, you can bet I'll be right back at it, blathering on about knitting, crochet, sewing, family, and whatever else comes to mind.

It's a chicken...I think....

Kitschmas Tree progress

So, I wanted to put you in the know about where this project is at the moment, but I hesitated, because I really want the impact of the visual when it's done. Seriously, took me a bit to realize decide that I could post something without actually revealing the fluffiness. Sometimes I wonder where my brain went, you know?

I had a few hiccups at the start: not finding my Olive Fun Fur, having to choose another furry yarn, not finding my size 10 dbl pnts (I'd pulled them out of their little box and put them in my knitting bag right after deciding I was going to do this tree...so they were right there, all the time), and then feeling like I should do some other stuff that's maybe more pressing instead of what might turn out to be a really large fluffy conical tree-like...pillow.

I persevered, just long enough, and then, the tree sorta took over.

At some point Friday evening, I realized I would need to hold back enough of the Homespun to make the base if I didn't want to have to get more Homespun, which I didn't. Yet I kept knitting, all the while eyeing the dwindling skein and wondering if I'd leave enough.

I kept telling myself to stop, but I couldn't. (It's so cute and fluffy!)

I finally pushed the fluffy tree away from me and pulled out my crochet hook to start the base, using the other end of the skein. That way, I didn't have to cut anything. So, you know, nothing was permanent. Yet.

I didn't get as far as I'd hoped.

I have a lot of tinking to do now.

Bummer.

Year of Ami, week 51, Y is for Yorick!

As in, "Alas poor Yorick...where be your gibes now?" All that's left of him is his skull. Or at least, that's all I've got of him here.

To crochet, Alas Poor Yorick. He looks pretty simple, and he's left hollow, like an actual skull.

To knit, well, she calls him Chauncey, but I'm taking the liberty of changing his name. I think I'm making him in worsted acrylic - no fulling for me this time.

Apparently, I had a change of heart. I used wool. And I shrunk him, too. I think he was worth the extra effort.

*pics of my own creations added after-the-fact*

stylishly green

I've been making up a bunch of these reusable grocery totes over the last few weeks. (Using Simplicity 2806, view B) Some for me, some for my friends.

I tweaked the pattern a bit - I like the "pocket" for these sorts of bags to be attached, part of the bag, instead of a separate little pouch. So I used the same pattern piece, but then I sewed it right onto the bag front. I just eyeballed it. Some are a little crooked, maybe.

Then, it seemed like I needed something to cinch it shut. So I folded over the top of the pocket and made a casing for a drawstring, and added a strip to the bag just behind that, open at the ends, for the rest of the casing. I used two lengths of macrame cord (or shoestrings, whatever I had that matched), about 6" longer than the casings, threaded through and looped back on themselves. So each knotted set is of the same cord, making the cords pull against themselves to shut the top (see pics - it's tough to describe).

The loop with the lobster clasp (or Mickey Mouse ears - the recipient of that particular bag is a big Disney fan) is just a short length of the same bias used to bind the top edges of the bag. I sewed that in as I made the pocket. Some of my clasps came with a ring on the end meant for this sort of thing, but others didn't. I just used a split ring for those without, joined to the bottom of the clasp.

I haunt the remnant bins at a few of my local fabric stores to get the ripstop nylon. That stuff ain't cheap, so you've got to at least get the 1/2 off remnant price. You can cut 3 sides of a bag from the width (you need at least 2/3 yd for the right length) so this meant I sometimes had one extra side. I especially like the two-tone bag that resulted from this round, so I really don't mind that.

The pattern says to cut out 4 sides, and use 2 as lining, but that seemed pricey and excessive to me, just to finish those edges and such. Instead, I sewed all seams with french seams (mock, I suppose, as I did them by machine), and added the bias binding at the top and side openings. Much better use of materials, and the bag is so much cuter. As it's ripstop, two layers is not necessary for strength.

Just tuck one of these in your purse, and save yourself the guilt of plastic bags.

I personally don't need the reminder of having it hooked to my bag where it's obvious, so mine are generally wandering loose in the bottom of my purse, but for those that aren't in the habit yet, hooking the little pouch to their purse strap helps keep it in mind.

I've been using my own bags for a couple of years now (maybe even three?), and I swear, I still haven't had to resort to buying garbage bags, because I still haven't run out of plastic bags from all the years before. Sure, every once in a while I end up with plastic. Sometimes, I've been out shopping a lot, and all my bags are full. Sometimes, I've gone out shopping in someone elses' car, so I only have the 2 or 3 smaller ones that fit in my purse. Sometimes, I just wasn't fast enough at the check-out. But going home with an occasional plastic bag, vs getting dozens every time I shop? I think that's an improvement.

I've recently found a free pattern for this cute carrot version (but now I can't find it again so I can give you the link....I'll get back to you with that) (found it! what an awesome pattern!) and then came across some orange ripstop, so as soon as I finish the rest of this plain one, I'll cut some of those. I purchased one just like it last year, and I love it to pieces.

(You can get one of your own, no assembly required, here.)

Wooly Xmas Tree

I love how this turned out!

No problems at all with the pattern/tutorial. A lot of scope for variation here, too. Vary the height by either starting with more/less ch/sc at the bottom, decreasing twice on each round instead of once, decreasing every other round, etc. You could have a whole forest of different trees in no time!

I started mine with a foundation single crochet instead of doing the chain and then putting sc in that. It seemed like an ideal project for that particular skill.

Then, I apparently went with obsessive on this, and did the (sc, ch2, skip) on every round. I wasn't thinking. So on the way back up with the scallops, after the first three rounds, I skipped up a round. I did that again a few rounds later, just to break it up a bit, give it a little character. It's still pretty dense.

I was finishing this in bed, late, and came to the last scallops at the top. I hadn't taken the rest of my supplies into bed with me, so I had no scissors, no yarn needle, and no stuffing. But I was dying to actually finish it. Preferably without having to go get into my knitting bag, which was a whole flight of stairs and a couple of rooms away. My feet would get cold, you know? I sat there, staring at it, for a while. Finally, I broke the yarn (let me tell you, acrylics don't break as easy as wool - so that hurt a bit), pulled the end inside with my hook, and then pondered what I could use for stuffing (without having to trek too far).

It dawned on me that I was near the washer/dryer, which meant I was likely near some dryer lint. But, did I really want to stuff it with that? That took a minute to decide. I snuck into my sons room (his garbage can is just inside his door, which is right across from the washer/dryer, so it's the closest garbage can, and thus where the lint ends up), fished out some greenish tinted dryer lint, and stuffed it into my tree. (Ah! dryer fresh! love that scent.)

Back into bed in just a few steps, I picked up the yarn to start the bottom. But wait - I was still without a yarn needle. (Clearly, I should have just gone for the knitting bag earlier instead of trying to avoid that.) Ideally, I don't like to sew stuff on when I could just work into the edge anyway, so I decided that was my best option. I just started doing (sc, dec) around the bottom of the tree, then on the next round I decreased around, then broke the yarn (ouch!) and used my hook to thread it through for a nice finish. Worked like a charm!

Yarn: Wool-Ease in Forest Green Heather

Here come the Weeeds!

I am just about dying over how cute these are! I love them!

Mochimochi patterns are always good, and this one is no exception. Plus, it only took me an evening to make them.

I do wish I could make them stand without leaning them against each other. Maybe I need to knit some grassy ground to sew them to? Dunno.

I'm considering drafting a crochet version. It should be pretty simple to get those same basic shapes in crochet, for the most part. The leaves might be a bit tricky, to get them to have that shape and curl. But I'm willing to give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm now in possession of just one black 9mm safety eye with a back. Not sure what I used a single eye for, but I'm sure I had a good reason for it. I have several others which for some reason I don't have backs for, which would make them un-safety eyes. Good thing my next couple projects don't want eyes of that sort. I'm having all kinds of trouble buying these things locally. Maybe I should start bugging the stores I frequent - point out that some of us use them for knitted and crocheted toys, which is kind of a popular thing right now. Maybe then they'd even put them near the yarn and such, instead of hiding them over on the kid-crafting aisle with the magnets and pipe cleaners.

Did you notice? I'm totally caught up! I've already started on my Xmas trees, even.

Yarns: Vanna in Kelly Green & White, Vanna Baby in Duckie

Wee Whale in Purple

An interesting choice of color, I know, but I was tired of blues.

Pattern is practically perfect, so go ahead and make your own, it's easy. I did have to do a few sc before starting the tail, as it wasn't directly at the corner, but as she gives you that direction, you're fine. I love that she tells you exactly where to put the eyes, too, instead of "refer to photo for placement".

I started it one evening, and finished it the next day, but you really can do this one in about an hour or less. I just got bored, I think. Or maybe I was watching a movie and it got more interesting. Maybe.

Yarn: Vanna in Purple

Year of Ami, week 50, X is for Xmas Tree!

Remember how tricky X was on the first round? Yeah, me, too. So you'll forgive me for dragging a Christmas Tree into January.

Perhaps you, like me, need a subtle reminder that it's time to defrock the Christmas Tree and put it out for pickup. Or, maybe you've already done that, and you're missing Christmas something fierce. Maybe you just like to get a serious head start on Christmas gifts. Whatever the reason, I'm sure you'll enjoy making a little symbol of the holiday season.

To knit, Fun Fur Kitschmas Tree, or, if you don't want to use up quite that much Fun Fur ($$$!)**, you can try this adorable Wee Tree instead.

(I'll probably make both, but I can't promise I'll finish by Saturday.)

To crochet, Wooly Tree,

or, more involved, a ruffly Christmas Tree

**oh no! they've discontinued the color (Olive) we needed for this! I've decided on Hobby Lobby Haute Fur in Cypress as a suitable substitute. Still pricey, but I think it'll be cute!

*pics of my own creations added after-the-fact*

Goal Met

Remember this post? Where I went on and on about how I wasn't doing enough selfish clothing creation, so my creative side was suffering? Well, I'd nearly forgotten it myself, but a few days back, or maybe a week or so ago, I remembered that I'd been lamenting my lack of self-stitched clothing in prior years, and started to wonder if I'd made up for it. I re-counted my self-stitched (and knit) items made for myself during 2010, and I found I now had a grand total of 9 (not counting socks, gloves, or my cute white purse). I recalled wanting to at least make it to 12, so I could call it an average of one per month. So, obviously, I had to get busy.

Well, I made it!

I finished up 2 pairs of PJ pants for myself (cut out one year when I was feeling super-ambitious about making Christmas stuff for everyone, including me), using my own ultra-fast PJ making process

and this rather boring, elastic waist, black skirt.

In case you're worried that I've become totally selfish over the last few days, I will also tell you that I created a pair of PJ pants for one of my brothers, and finally sewed the top which matches 2008's PJ pants for Twin1. I just don't have pictures of those items.

So I've basically been churning sewn items out like mad, and still trying to keep up with things yarn-wise. (My hands hurt.) Not bad, considering. But maybe next year, I can keep it up on a more regular basis? That'd be good. On the other hand, if next year goes something like this year, in the realm of self-stitched items? I guess I'd be okay with that, too.