Sew I See!

When the last entry closed, I was thinking happy thoughts of playing around with the sewing machine, right? Then I thought maybe I'd tidy up the craft room first, because clutter's been accumulating.  A quick tidying up and then craft-time as reward for a job well done!  Sounded like a good idea. Of course there were a few minor distractions along the way: -- moving things to another room, seeing stuff that needed to be done there , and oh, it'll just take a minute... -- going into full purge mode in the closet of another room and ending up with a stack of board games and puzzles that we never-ever use... -- writing an e-mail on the possibility that someone else in the family might want the games and puzzles before they are donated... -- composing a list of a few other items that might be worth selling online...  Then I got really started in the craft room. Ugh.  Lots of stuff that needed to GO somewhere-- but where?  Decided to roll up my sleeves and...

I hinted in an earlier entry that I was working on yet another "Summer Splendor" doily.  (That makes four!)  This one was for my paternal grandmother.  The thread is Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread (size 10) in "Delft Blue".  I still like the pattern and recommend it to other doily enthusiasts, but four times is probably enough.   Actually, I think I've had enough thread projects of any description for a while.  Maybe it'll be time for thread again when summer rolls back around. - - - - - It's been a while since I did much with polymer clay, and even longer since I made miniature food, but a few days before Christmas, I dug out the supplies and played with the clay.  It's still fun, though I'm out of practice.  I'd forgotten how "fingerprinty" clay can be-- especially when you least want fingerprints. I made these little goodies for my mother, with the idea that she could use them with her miniature tea sets/...

I haven't taken the photo(s) mentioned at the end of the last blog entry.  The day was dreary and dark-- not ideal photography weather.  Besides, I was too lazy to clear the table and snap some photos.  Sad, isn't it?  ;o) This morning, I weaved in the ends of my latest crochet project, but since it's a Christmas gift, I'll save the details. Having that done (all but the blocking) means I'm free to return to work on one of the WIPs.  The Catherine Wheel scarf, maybe.  However, even if the Christmas crocheting is done, that doesn't mean there aren't other crafty distractions of a holiday nature.  I have a small decoupage project at the top of the list, along with plans for a tiny dalliance with polymer clay.  (It's been a while since I've done much with clay.)  Then there's a very small possible hemming project (for something to go along with a Christmas gift)... I'm excited about all of those small projects-- and yet what I really wan...

This year, we had our Christmas get-together with my maternal grandparents (and assorted aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) earlier than usual, which means I can post photos of the doilies I crocheted for Granny L. After initially planning to make a large oval or runner, I found myself at the end of November with limited time and an even more limited desire to crochet something complicated.  So I went simple this year.  Tried and true patterns that I've made before (but not for the intended recipient). First up was Denise Augostine Owens' "Summer Splendor" .  This was my third time crocheting from this pattern, and I've enjoyed it every time.  (~whisper~ I may even be working on version number four right now...~)  It's a simple pattern with nothing more complicated than 3-dc clusters.  Now, there are a lot of the clusters, but they're not bad.  You may even find yourself loving them.  For such an uncomplicated pattern, the resultant doily makes ...

Sometime during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday jumble of sales, I bought a new sewing machine!  My old machine is a super simple Singer model bought at Target on Black Friday 2006, I believe.  It still works-- better now than at some times in the past, since I've gotten a little more comfortable with sewing-- but it has some rough miles (of stitching) on it, and at its best it's an extremely bare bones machine, so I've been thinking about getting a nicer one "someday".  Then Donald saw this new machine on sale... and someday came sooner than expected.  (I'll keep the old Singer, too, for now.  As long as it works, I'll use it for messy projects like rag quilting, to save the new machine from that wear and tear and flannel fluff.  It wouldn't be worth much second-hand, and I don't know anyone who is in desperate need of it, or I might have passed it along.  Fortunately, there's plenty of storage space in the craft room's double-closet.) ...

I realized after posting last time that I actually had finished something "photographable" recently.  It was a silly little impromptu crochet stuffie that I started, oh, two years ago . (*unfocused saucer-eyes*  If there's one thing I hate most about projects that go into hibernation mode, it's the way they highlight the relentless passage of time.  Good grief, Charlie Brown!  Two years.  Gone.  Just like that.  *starts humming "If I Could Save Time in a Bottle*...) Anyway, as I was saying, I decided on the spur of the moment (two years ago) to make a little stuffie in the shape of  a piece of Åhlgrens bilar for Donald, to give him on his birthday. (Åhlgrens bilar is a brand of Swedish candy-- my husband's favorite candy ever.  They traditionally come in three colors-- pale pink, pale green, and white-- and are in the shape of cars.  "Bilar" means "cars" in Swedish, by the way. The singular "car" is "bil".) ...

Just posting to stay in the habit and keep the cobwebs from getting out of hand.  ;o) No photos today, I'm afraid.  I still haven't blocked anything, and the only project I've made any progress on, lately, is a gift item, so I'm trying to avoid spoiling the surprise with photos here, there, and everywhere.  I'm really, really trying to keep my gift-making to a minimum this Christmas, but there are at least two people who'll get handmade gifts.  ...And every now and then I start thinking about making a small amigurumi animal for each of the two little kids in my family (my niece and a first-cousin's son, whatever the technical name for that relationship might be... "first cousin once removed", I think...).  Not that they need more stuffed animals, I'm sure.  And not that I love the process of sewing together stuffed toys and embroidering the faces.  But the finished amigurumi animals are so cute!  And handmade toys are unique...  I do...