Handmade Holiday Gift Recap

We all do it.  Sometime in the summer we declare:  “I am going to make all my Christmas gifts this year!”

I think we all know how this sad story usually turns out.  However, Brandy and I did pull it together in the very end, and I am proud to present to you…

The Festival of Handmade and Somewhat Appreciated Gifts!  

I can tell you that the first item, a fantastic crocheted Hello Kitty scarf for my sister, wins, hands down.  Theresa, my sister, loves Hello Kitty.  She is also a FANATICAL University of Washington sports fan (hence the purple and gold).  I really thought she was going to cry when she opened this up.  Made by Brandy, with her mad crochet skillz, of course.  Hello Kitty diagram can be found here.

(She’s sporting some toasty fingerless gloves I made as well…)

Continuing on the University of Washington theme, I made my sis a striped phone cozy, and a warm and a toasty basket weave border hat.  I wrote the pattern down somewhere for the hat, if you are interested let me know.  I held two strands together for both the cuff and the body of the hat.

I slaved over this slouchy beanie concoction from Caron for Brandy.  I used Lion Brand Amazing yarn in Pink Sands.  This was a nail biter, down to the wire.  But it turned out really cute and she loves it! (at least she says she does!)

Brandy came up with a great idea for two of her male friends who are from Viking heritage.  She found this awesome pattern and knocked out these two crocheted Viking Hats.

Brandy made me the most beautiful ripple patterned crochet cowl!  I have worn it pretty much every day.  I have asked her to make me another one immediately!  🙂  I forgot to take a photo of it – my bad!

We also made a slew of other items – see the photo montage below – crocheted cowls, knit beanies, bow headbands, and more.

Now that the holidays are over, it’s back to knitting and crocheting for ourselves – Brandy is working on a bobble bunny hat.  She is now talking about bobbles non-stop.   I finally finished my Twinkle Printmaker’s Pullover, which I had mentioned awhile back.   It looks great on my dress form, but I haven’t gotten around to wearing it yet.  And I just started designing a dress/tunic inspired by the shape of this Pinterest find.  I am doing a top down, circular construction.

So for all you gift knitters and crocheters, our hats (no pun intented) are off to you!  Did you finish in time?  What is your next craft adventure?

Until next time!

M and B

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Twinkle Trainwreck – All Aboard!

You know that excitement when you start a new project and you are convinced that it is going to be the ONE.  The PERFECT sweater.  Well I had high hopes for my Printmaker’s Pullover from Twinkle’s Town and Country Knits…

Stay with me while I rundown my flubs:

• The sleeves went super fast.  I thought they were going to be small so I added extra width in the rib (hence forth referred to as MISTAKE #1).
• I also added some length to the sleeves since I am a bit taller than most (MISTAKE #2).
• I also added a few extra ribs to the body (yes, MISTAKE #3).
• I added 4″ in length to the sweater body (my only good decision, but still not enough length).
• There was something funky going on with the sleeve ribs matching perfectly to the body of the sweater ribs so I did some magical decreases to make it work (MISTAKE #4).
• I was so anxious to try it on and see where it was at, I forced my noggin through the circulars while trying not to drop stitches (I know, I know, scrap yarn!) which of course I did (MISTAKE #5).
• I got it on, ran upstairs to check myself out in the mirror, all the while strangling myself with the circulars, and when I got upstairs, I realized I hadn’t taken the skein with me and now I had 100 ft of yarn running out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the bedroom.  (MISTAKE #6)
• I could have lived with all of this foolishness if the sweater had looked good on me, but the culmination of all my mishaps had me on the phone to Brandy, exasperated, explaining that I could have stapled a garbage bag to myself and it would have looked better.  I wish I had taken a picture for you…

So I frogged it, and I am going to start again this weekend.  The good news is, it went very fast the first time, and I should be able to knock it out this weekend – I will post a picture of my triumphant victory shortly.  The other interesting thing is I felt a sense of triumph ripping that whole sweater out –  I was getting the better of it by starting over, it wasn’t getting the better of me.

Cheers!

Mary

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Shenanigans and Finished Objects

Not to say that we all don’t love a good bargain, but there is something truly magical (especially for Brandy) about the 2 for $3 bin at our local craft store. Every time we walk by it, I know that Brandy will stop, bury her face in it, and give it a big hug.  I took this picture to prove to her that she is having a very personal and somewhat inappropriate relationship with the bargain bin.  Don’t even get me started on her behavior with the new scented Sugar ‘n Cream yarn.

On the Mary front, I finally finished my turtleneck tube vest from Stefanie Japel’s wonderful book, Fitted Knits.  I love the top down construction – it is very intuitive and just makes great sense.  I even used the same color that was pictured in the book – loving the periwinkle (not very imaginative I guess).

Up next – out of Twinkle’s Town & Country Knits, the printmaker’s pullover.  I am done with the sleeves, but I had to special order the size 19, 29″ and 24″ needles.  Love how fast the sleeves went – but I feel like I am knitting with kindling, damn those needles are big!

I guess to sum it up, knitting is full steam ahead over here – hello fall, I love you!

Mary

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Pattern : Lantern Date Night Purse

Category: KNIT
Featured Color Group: Geo / A Night on the Town
Featured Yarn: Vanna’s Choice in Black / Patons in White Twinkle

The dreaded first date – so  many things to think about!  What to wear, what to say, hair up or down?  Call and feign illness prior to date?  Show up fashionably late?  Get there early?  Well, let’s take care of your purse selection now.  If you have 2-3 hours, you have time to knock out this sophisticated and flirty purse.  Perfect size for your cell phone, lipstick, cash, brass knuckles, etc.  Would look great with your little black dress! Click here to download.

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