Handmade Holiday

Greetings...

A quick update on the christmas gifts that I am busily working on.

I am almost halfway done with an extra long wool scarf for my sister. I made one of these a couple of years ago for my husband, and since he has been away I have been using it, and it has become clear that I must also make one for myself. I love it!. The secret is to make it extra long. It is very simple yet time consuming; I cast on 36, and then knit 3 purl 3 and so on. I think I will use 3 skeins of the Lambs pride bulky weight yearn to complete it, maybe even a bit more.

I am also in the process of making a special woolen blanket for Kaleena. I am loving using felted woolen sweaters and I am using these for her blanket. So far I have cut perhaps half of the squares that I will need. I need to find a few more lighter colored sweaters to complete the look I want for her.  I will share the finished product once I have it ready

I also finished two more pairs of fingerless mitts for the youngest girls of the house, I may add a scarf to these, I have not decided yet..

 Today at the homeschooling group one sweet mama gifted me with this bunch of soft delicious alpaca wool, straight from her friends farm. I don't know what it is about wool that makes me so happy, but it does!! I am continuously amazed at the generosity of this wonderful community we share, and will surely miss this amazing group when we move on!!

As for this lovely wool, I have plans to make a couple of knitted animals that will need stuffing, and who knows what other lovely projects will spring from this gift.

~happy creating y'all~

Handmade Holiday

I have finally gotten started making christmas presents.  (Far ikke kigge)

I am determined to make most of my christmas presents myself this year, it just feels so much more meaningful, and it gives me great joy to not participate in the consumer frenzy that permeates the holiday season, it is also more kind on the wallet and as an extra bonus the children were so inspired today when I sat creating that they started making gifts also. For me there is nothing like receiving a handmade gift, a gift made with thought, hand and heart, and nothing quite like giving it either.

 The link to this pattern was passed on to me from this lovely and talented mama, and I will be giving 

a lot of these for christmas this year. I used a bulky weight yarn, which made them slightly bigger than expected, so now this pair will make a lovely gift instead of being for me.  I love them!!

Nest ones I will use a worsted weight yarn instead though..

 Ahh, and my new favorite craft material is felted sweaters. I have found some great 100% wool sweaters at the thrift store, washed and dried them and voila a great natural material to work with.

I made these "oven gloves" (goodness what is the proper name for such mittens to handle hot pots with?)

for my dad who loves to cook. I made them from one sweater, and still have some left over, cut around an older one of my sisters, sewed it up and needle felted decorations on them. 

I had not quite considered the issue of washing them prior to making them, but I suppose he will have to hand wash them, and anyways he is a very clean cook, as oppose to me:)

and from one of the sleeves from the same sweater I made this handle for my black pan, or cast iron as they are called. I LOVE this pan and use it for everything, and as anyone who uses these will know, they get very hot. Some time back I saw these handles over on A Handmade Life, and loved it. It has taken me till now to finally make one, and I love it. She did knit hers and then felt it, but I used a felted sweater instead, and needle felted the flower on, yes well the flower still needs a little work:). I love how it came out and I love how useful it is. I will certainly be making more of these lovely little ones.

~Happy creating~