Christmas, Projects and Ideas...OH MY!

Christmas is coming way too fast. What seemed like plenty of time, is slowly but surely turning into not enough time. I will have my Mom's gift done, possibly by this coming weekend. So her, I am not worried about. Other folks on my list to receive crocheted goodies may not get what I have listed for them. At least they don't know. I need to make a better plan of action for making stuff throughout the year for Christmas next year.

My lunch quiltghan is coming along nicely. I haven' worked on it during lunch this week simply because I have been working on "ideas" instead. I haven't done any other crocheting other than these two projects for a few weeks. My snowflake-a-day plan flew out the window about 3 weeks ago when I began working on completing Moms gift.

smartsmiley.com

A small idea that started as "hey...I can do that..." has turned into something bigger that I am going to try. I've mentioned one of my favorite ebay sellers many times and have her store listed on my blogger links...Sara's Colorwave Yarns. She has become quite the popular lady in the past couple of months! If you don't hit her store the moment she posts new items, you may have to wait until her next "feeding of the store" as she calls it. I have missed some incredible colorways she has posted because I have to think about it and how I can use it and for what...and by the time I make up my mind...*poof*...it's gone. As shown in my previous posts I have experimented with my own dyeing, initially just so I could see how it works, and I had fun with it. Sara also provided some good feedback when I asked and gave me safety precautions when taking on dyes, which I have found invaluable. My daughter, who is expecting in early May '08, is looking for a way to be able to work from home, and get away from being a server. When I told her I am going to have to start dyeing my own thread in order to get the unique colors I have come to enjoy working with, she said we should start doing that and selling on ebay. It was also suggested on the 'Ville that if I ever decided to sell my thread, there would probably be buyers for it. So it planted the seed, and I am seriously considering it. I've made lists of supplies, costs involved, ideas that would make it different than Sara's ebay store, but in the end is still a similar product. I am going to experiment some more, maybe put up the colors I have made to see how they go, and then move forward from there.

Oct 23-24

smartsmiley.comI didn't work on Mom's gift at all. Tuesday night I bowled (like crap, but that is another story), and Wednesday I went out to a movie. I would have been better off in both instances had I not gone and stayed home and crocheted instead. I did get some more done on my "side" project, but no pictures to post. Maybe I will have more to report on tomorrow.

I did get my vacation days nailed down, so I am hoping to get a bunch of crocheting and maybe even some thread dyeing done in November! Errrrr...after I clean my house. Ick.

Oct. 17-22 update

So much for "daily" updates...

I have completed a bunch of motifs on Moms present in the past week. In fact, I only have one corner left to do, then I have to do edging. I might even finish it this weekend if I keep at it! Of course, I have not worked on anything else for Christmas, so my list is not getting shorter.

WHAT IS THAT?!?!=================>

*cough cough* I don't know what you are talking about...what afghan that I am working on at lunch? Oh...that is just a project to keep here at work so that I don't have to transport back and forth each day. Not a Christmas project at all. Although, I should have brought in a bunch of scarf yarn and been doing that instead. But no...what fun is that? That would mean I wouldn't have anything to complain about in my crochet world if I was actually doing what I was supposed to be doing and whittling down my Christmas To-Do list.

I may have been a bit ambitious in thinking I could get that much done. So, I probably need to sit down and come up with an alternate list. Maybe I can start on stuff for next Christmas? Yeah...right...as soon as Christmas is over, I will probably not look at it until this time next year, who am I kidding? Well...I am off to my Procrastinators Anonymous meeting...more later!!!

Oct. 16 - No crocheting done but...

I did get my Svanhild doily blocked finally. Here it is still on the board...



I used Aunt Lydia for the purple and the colorway "Ocean" from Sara's Colorwave on ebay. When I started this I was looking for a pattern that would have a peacock affect, and one of the first comments I got when I posted the pic on Crochetville was that it reminded her of a peacock...so mission accomplished!

Oct. 15 Progress

Five more motifs done. I cheated though and didn't weave in ends on 4 of the 5. So I have to weave-in before I can do anymore. It goes a lot faster when I don't weave, but I HATE weaving in ends (I believe I have mentioned that before), and the only thing worse than weaving them in as I go, would be to have a whole bunch to weave in when I am done. I was trying to get 6 done to complete an area last night, but I had taken some nighttime cold medicine to try to help with the nagging cough that just won't go away, and I had a hard time keeping my eyes open on the 5th one. This is also why I allowed myself to not weave ends. So I could get as much done as I could before I got drowsy. I think I have about 50 more motifs to go, and 8 half-motifs, then the main part will be done, and all I will have to do is the edging. The project uses 208 whole motifs and 18 half motifs...damn...why did I go and figure that out? Because 158 motifs just doesn't sound like all that much. Still, it is about 75% done...I guess that sounds better.

Oct. 14 progress

I lost count of how many motifs I got done yesterday. I worked on cleaning my house most of the day, then around 5:00 I decided I was done and sat down to watch TV and crochet. I would say that I have completed about 75% of this project. Once I picked it back up, it has gone really fast. I would say it was maybe a little over half-way finished when I started on it again, so I feel pretty good about the progress I made over the past week. Of course, I haven't worked on anything else, but thats ok. I think this was the one "big" project I had. The other stuff is fairly small and can be completed (in theory) fairly quick.

We shall see...

Long time no see

I hand-dyed some thread back in July and worked up bookmarks for each color. I have already given away 2 of the bookmarks but here are the results of 4 of my custom threads...

Oct. 11-13 progress

I completed 13 motifs over the past 3 days on my Mom's gift. It is coming along slowly but surely. Not sure how much I will get done today, as I have promised myself that since I do not have to work, I am going to clean my house. It needs it. I didn't work on any snowflakes this week, at all, and if I plan on fulfilling my list, I need to try to do 1 a day. I need to find more hours in the day.

Snowflake Pics

Finally got around to taking some pictures of my snowflakes I have completed. Twelve so far. My camera doesn't like taking close-ups, so they aren't as clear as I would like, but you get the idea...

Oct. 10th progress

Three more motifs done. I don't know why these are taking so long. Probably because I am watching TV while doing it. I am also weaving through ends as I go. I hate weaving in ends, and this is a HUGE project, and the idea of having a whole bunch of ends to weave in after I am through is not at all appealing to me. I have to weave in at the beginning of each motif and the end, because of the way I am doing the starting round. It gets way too loose if I leave it while I work. I also have a bad habit of admiring my work after each motif is done. So it is taking me about 30 minutes a motif, and I know when I had timed it when I worked on it in the beginning that I had them down to about 10-12 minutes per motif. I have the motif memorized now, so I don't have to keep refering back to the pattern, but I do watch TV as well, so that distracts me. At least I am getting it done slowly but surely!

I did not get my crinoline girl put together last night. I need to get some fabric glue or see if Hobby Lobby has an inexpensive hot glue gun. So, she may not get completely finished until this weekend. I have to weave in all then ends too. Ick.

Oct. 9th Progress

I was able to get 3 motifs done last night, which is better than nothing. I haven't worked on any snowflakes this week. Need to do that.

I have all the pieces done on the Halloween crinoline. I just need to press it and attach the hat and mask. I did end up using embroidery thread. Since it was such a small amount it worked well. I used 3 strands. Will have to remember that for future needs when there is just a small amount of thread needed in a certain color. This turned out smaller than I thought it would, but I am pleased with the results of my first crinoline girl. *sigh* Another thing to add to the growing projects that need to be photographed!

Daily Progress - Oct. 8th

Didn't get home until 9:30pm...but I did get 3 pieces of Mom's present done.

Worked on a Halloween Crinoline Girl during lunch. Once I figured out I made a mistake very early on, and ripped the whole thing out and started over, it went really fast. Something about only repeating 3 times instead of the ohhhhhh...12 repeats I was doing. I guess it helps to actually read the pattern and see what you should end up with at the end of each row. It's not quite finished, and I need to find some orange thread, which does not seem to be a popular color. I'm thinking I might have to resort to embroidery floss since I only need only a little bit, should work just fine. What? Halloween Crinoline wasn't on the Christmas list?!? How did that happen? I don't know. Ummmmm...I have to practice on one before I decide which one I am going to make for GG for Christmas? Yeah! That's it! Whew...it almost looked like I was side-tracked for a moment.

Not sure how much progress I'll make today since I bowl tonight and don't get home until late.

Making progress

Ever since I realized that Christmas was "sneaking" up on me again, I have been a busy girl. I pulled together all my Christmas crochet books, so I have them handy. I made a list of what I want to make for who. I ordered and received 4 books from an ebay store ('Tis the Season, All Wrapped Up, Simple & Fun Footwear, and Welcome to Winter Wonderful Wearables)to help make what I want for who. Hobby Lobby fed my addiction by having a WONDERFUL .99 sale on their Yarn Bee yarn. I got some beautiful yarn to make scarves/gloves/hats with. I love when they have these sales...the yarn is normally anywhere from $5-$8 and to get it for .99, well I just can't pass that up. They tempt me, I can't resist. But...but...no...I can't resist...leave me alone....it was a good deal, I don't care if you give a lick about crochet, or yarn or not...a good sale is a good sale...that's my defense, and I'm sticking to it! LOL! So now I am ready to tackle my list...

I finally finished my sons afghan (ok, I need to add the fringe...but finished... mostly) which was his Christmas present last year. He was very pleased. And now I can crochet other stuff without feeling guilty that his present isn't finished. He isn't sure he wants the fringe on it, I am waiting for him to let me know. Of course, he might be worried that if he gives it back for me to put fringe on it, he won't see it for another year. He might be right.

I have stitched and starched 11 snowflakes. I have a list of people I want to give these to which is still growing, but is at 50 right now. I may have to modify this, but I am still going with the idea that if I can get 5 or 6 done a week, then I might just make it. Maybe. They take about an hour to make, so in theory, if I set aside a couple of "crochet days", where all I do is crochet, then I could really churn some out.

I got out my Mom's Christmas present, which I have not put any "in progress" pics on here in case she decides to check out my blog. I was further along than I remembered being, so this was a good thing. After working on it for a little while last night, I got back into the groove of the pattern again, so I didn't have to keep looking at it. Took me a little while to pick the pattern back up, since I haven't worked on it all summer. Also, after working with thread for the past several months, since yarn is just way too heavy and hot to work with when it is 90-100 degrees outside, it was strange working with a "thick" medium again. That took a little getting used to as well, but it's all good now. I should have this done and ready to ship in plenty of time for Christmas.

I also want to do some charity crocheting for various organizations that I have come across through the Crochetville website. I was part of a Charity a Month thread that I kind of fell out of after the May charity. All of the organizations they supported throughout the year are worthwhile, but I was just stressing myself out trying to get stuff done, so I decided to take a break. Of course, trying to work on this in between my other projects might be stressful too, but I would like to do a little something to give to those who are not as fortunate as I am to have family and friends around them. It may not be a huge contribution, but if I can make a difference, even if it is just to one person, then it is worth it.

So, my spare time is pretty much going to be spent working on Christmas presents over the next couple of months. I found a new fire over the weekend, and I am motivated and ready to jump in. I am trying to only have a couple of things going on at a time, do a snowflake each night, then work on completing something else before moving on to the next big project. As it gets to crunch time though, I'm sure I will be thinking "Who can I get a gift card for instead?"

I also have a bunch of pictures of completed projects I need to to take before I forget. I have fallen behind on those too. I have the snowflakes, 2 or 3 doilies, my son's afghan, some bookmarks made from my hand-dyed thred I did, and probably some other things too. I should have those for the next blog.