Project 024: Tommy's Entrelac Blanket

I apparently didn't learn my lesson, because I decided to make another blanket for Christmas. I started on Labor Day (earlier than last time) and finished on 12/1. 

Pattern: Entrelac. I adapted it from a scarf pattern. When I'm not lazy, I'll write up the pattern and post it here.
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo in Aran and Bon Bon

There was a point in time where I hated this. I hated the blanket. I hated the yarn. I hated myself for deciding to make it.

Watching my mother-in-law open it on Christmas Eve made it all worthwhile. I think my sister-in-law wants a blanket now too..

Close up!

Another close up, in different lighting

It's HUGE. Jake is holding it up for me!

It looks lovely on my bed too.

Project 023: Christmas Art

Some from this year, some from last.

Santa!

Making a List... Checking It Twice

And a faery. Because nothing says Christmas like a faery.

Stained Glass Christmas Faery

Project 022: Mom's Basketweave Blanket

From 2012.

I decided to make my mom a blanket for Christmas. Very ambitious, considering I decided at the end of September to do this.

My Pattern: Striped Basketweabe Afghan
The Yarn I Used: Lion Brand Homespun in "Ocean"

This was wildly frustrating. It was the first blanket I ever made, which was part of it. Another part was my short time frame to work on it. I felt that another month would've made my life a bit less stressful.

Either way, it was lovely when it was done. My mom loved it (it lives in her living room now).

It covers my entire love seat. Everytime helped.

A close up of the stitches. It doesn't really look like much, in my opinion, but you can tell that I used big needles

And a fringe!

Project 021: Beaded Ornaments

More Christmas goodness. Some of these are several years old, but they're still lovely.

A few years ago, we did an ornament exchange as part of my at work Christmas party. Being a crafty person, I didn't want to just buy something and hand it out. I wanted to make something. So I nosed about a bit on the internet and found instructions on how to make a beaded net for a spherical ornament.

And I was hooked. I've made a ton of these now. I did a set of 6 shatterproof ones for my mom for a Christmas gift in 2009. Jake's mom has a bright pink and silver one. Many of my friends have them as well. I even got around to making one for myself at some point.

Two of my more recent ones (from 2012)

Same as the last two, just different lighting

Same as one of the above, while waiting for the "glue" to dry over the connecting knots (it's really clear nail polish)

In progress

And finished. 

This one has a slightly different pattern, so the mesh is denser.

Maybe I'll do a tutorial for these before next Christmas.

Project 020: Christmas Gift - Joey's Scarf

Another oldie from last year.

Caroline's husband, Joey, also got a scarf. I wanted something fun, but still masculine. I stumbled on this yarn, Jake thought it would be suitable, so I got it and then went looking for a pattern. I found this on Pinterest: Easy Mistake Stitch Scarf

It knitted up fast, was quite easy, and looks great. If I could get Jake to wear a scarf, I'd make one for him too.

Close up of the stitches

Here's the whole thing. Fun, but still masculine. I like that the yarn self striped.

Project 019: Christmas Gift - Caroline's Scarf

An oldie from last year.

I decided to make some gifts for some of my friends. This scarf was done for Caroline. Her favorite colors are red and black, so when I found this yarn on a discount rack, I knew what I'd do with it. She likes skinnier scarves, so skinny it was. It's just a basic garter stitch, so it whipped up fast.

A close up of the scarf for the colors and I suppose the stitches?

The whole scarf. Lovely!

FRINGE!

Project 018: Ramping Up to Christmas

I like Halloween.

But I LOVE Christmas (even though I'm pagan and don't celebrate "religious Christmas", but that's a post for a different blog).

Bracelet and earring set... made from mini Christmas tree ornaments.

Headband with a bow. Because that's how I roll. I did eventually move the bow to a different headband though since this one didn't work.

A tissue paper wreath, with shiny blue poinsettias and a glittery ribbon!

Project 017: A Bunch of Random Jewelry and Such

Dump post!

I love the braided bracelets so much I made a necklace. With some fun twist dangly charms.

Rainbow mobius rings at the end of boxmail bits. So much fun to wear. People can't believe how light they are.

These beads remind me of fruity pebbles.

Of course, another braided bracelet.

The last of my elemental series. This is "Earth". The weave is called "wolf weave".

Another jangly anklet.

I found this nifty rose pendant at a street fair this spring. It just begged for this.

White suede leather bracelet with a giant glass donut? Yes please.

Not technically jewelry... watermelon buttons made into hairclips!

Neon pom-pom earrings!

Project 016: St. Patrick's Day Bracelet

Jake and I had the opportunity to see our favorite Celtic punk rock band on St. Patrick's Day this year. So I totally needed some bling for the show.

I new I wanted to do something with chainmail. I tried several different weaves, but nothing was working.

Then I decided to stop and re-think it and went back to something I had done way back when I first learned to mail and hadn't done since then.

Euro 6-in-1. It makes a lovely bracelet. Nice and flexible, but not so flexible that it falls out of shape. I did it in orange, dark green, and plain aluminum (as close as I have to white). It also mimics the Irish flag.

And check out that super cute shamrock charm I found in my collection.

Just wonderful.

Project 015: Chemo Cap

In November of 2012, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. By February 2013, her hair was gone and she was complaining her head was cold.

I decided to knit her a chemo cap.

I learned how to knit in the round for this. It's much easier than it seemed.

  

Me, trying on the hat to make sure it fits before I finished it. I still had long-ish hair then (I chopped it all off about 2 weeks later)

Mom loved it.

This was actually a super easy and fun project. Hats are fun. 

The best part? Mom finished her chemo and her radiation and has been in remission since July 2013. Her hair has come back as well. :)

Project 014: Halloween Spell

Made some Halloween art... (back in 2012...)

I went back to black line art for this one.

Halloween Spell at deviantArt

Project 013: Cabled Arm Warmers

I love arm warmers. I decided to make some.

With cables. That's right. I finally taught myself how to cable.

I made them flat, then stitched them up the side.

One done!

Both done. And look at those cute buttons!

The colors work well together (I like green and brown). If I had to do it again, I think I would figure out how to do these in the round, because my stitching job on the inside isn't very nice.

Well, you live, you learn I suppose.

Project 012: Steampunk

Have I ever told you how much I like Halloween? I have some friends that stay decorated for Halloween all year long; I'm  not quite that in love with Halloween, but any excuse to make lovely things is good to me.

I bought a tiny hat, removed the terrible flower that was on it and replaced it with clock hands, gears, and a peacock feather.

Some medals. I made more, but these are the only ones I photographed.

I knew those extra cameos I bought ages ago would come in handy!

The full costume, the first time I wore it

And the 2nd time (at work this year). I also made some sweet earrings.

I love making things with a theme!

Project 011: Fairy Party Garb

So, since I suck at posting, some backlogged items.

Back in the spring, Jake and I were invited to a fairy themed party. Since I had a done a fairy costume for a Mardi Gras party only a couple months prior, I decided to do more of a generic nymph/tree spirit type costume for myself. I made myself some jewelry.

Leafy earrings! I've gotten a lot of use out of these other than just wearing them with the costume. There's a "matching" necklace that I don't have a picture of. The necklace also has wooden beads and bronze bells.

Leafy, flowery ear cuffs. I didn't wear wings with this costume, so I included a wing shape on my ear cuffs instead.

A jingly, jangly anklet. It fit wonderfully without my shoes. With the shoes I wore, I had to add a chainmail ring to make it just a tad longer.

 I also made a shredded bottom shirt decorated with wooden beads. But it needed just something a little more. Since Jake's been puttering with leather working, I asked him if he'd make me a leather bodice. He agreed, if I'd make him a mask.

Challenge accepted.

I started by making a paper mache cast of Jake's face. Then I built the horns with paper cups, wire, newspaper, tape, and more paper mache. Here we're trying to decide which way the horns should face. Up and back... 

  ...or down and forward?

We decided on up and back. I did some more touch up painting and glued everything together.

And then I glued on some leaves, attached several ribbons to hold it on someone's head (the horns are heavy and it wants to fall back), and then took a terrible selfie to send to Jake for his thoughts.

He put it on when he got home that evening. And wanted more leaves.

Here's his finished costume. See more leaves on the mask. Also, I made that leafy tunic/tabbard.

All in all, it was a pretty fun project and I learned a lot about making paper mache masks. I haven't used any of it since then though.