Christmas Crochet Giveaway

Robin's hosting this giveaway at her blog- you should check it out! It's Edie Eckman's Christmas book, and Robin's added a few things of her own to the mix! Only 4 more days left to enter!

End of the Season

Weather's getting colder, and the craft show season is over for me. Last weekend, I went to my last show for the year. I'm scoping out a few more, to see if I can add a few closer to home (as I'm still going back to my parents' town for the others).

I am hoping to move stock, so I can have more new product next year-- check it out-- Mary's Crocheted Creations! My hats are posted right now, but I'm hoping to get my scarves up soon.

Since I'm back to teaching, I really have only been able to restock between craft shows. These are my only real FOs in the past few weeks.

Baby Monster

Baby Owl

Baby Snowman

Snow in Progress

Four half finished snowman hats. These two are more complete than the others, as the others don't even have snow yet! The two above still need their second earflap. 

I really want all four done for my Saturday craft show. We'll see if it happens. 

The prototype is pictured above on my son. I'm not planning on a three dimensional nose on the new ones. 

I also have some penguin hats to finish but again, we'll see. Work and baby consume a lot of time. 

New Titles

I'm still getting used to being 'mom'-- my little one isn't even close to talking, so it's mainly others asking about him and reminding me of my new role. 

He's doing well, even with my going back to work. It's hard to leave him, but he's becoming very socialized at an early age with all the babysitters. 

Yes, I'm back to work, but even as a two income family, I'm still looking for ways to cut costs. 

Luckily we have friends who destashed their fabric. Burp cloths, nursing pads, and cloth wipes are all on my pile of things to sew. My sister-in-law also cloth diapered, and is passing her supplies onto me. Even though I won't ask my babysitters to use cloth when I'm working, weekends & evenings with cloth can still save us some money. 

My sister's calling me hipster and crunchy now, because of these changes. 

Why save money now? We're looking at a house again, and it has amazing potential. Prayers that it works out! 

Mickey & Minnie

This is my last week of maternity leave. I'm crocheting like crazy, knowing that as soon as I go back to school, my time will go way down.

I mentioned a week or two ago that I was having my little one's photos taken. The photographer is an acquaintance, and we ended up creating a so of partnership. She gave us digital copies of all JT's photos, and in return, over the course of the next few weeks, I would give her the equivalent in crocheted photo props. She also said she would order any future props from me as well.

Not more than two days after we came to this agreement, she messaged me asking for sibling Mickey and Minnie hats. A friend of hers is apparently a huge Disney fan, and she wanted a gift for them. I'm excited about this opportunity to stretch my abilities and see if I can work within a deadline (other than the self imposed ones).

Two Shawls

Both of my Wednesday projects were finished!

Ends are waiting to be woven in, only because they needed a light blocking. 

The rainy weather is preventing me from taking outdoor sunshine photos, but hopefully I can once it lets up. 

Out of my Element

I've been sewing. Which is so not me. I never took up sewing when single because my mom had this older sewing machine that she was convinced my sister and I would break. So I took up yarn arts because that was different from what my mom did. But with a little one at home comes the need for sewing projects. I feel silly paying for someone to hem fabric for me-- ala nursing cover or car seat canopy. Several internet searches led me to some DIY designs for both of these items. I didn't even need to buy fabric, because my mom has a friend who used to work at a fabric store and was destashing her fabric a few years ago. There are several large bins of it in my parents' basement now. 

very geometric fabric- so my lines are straight!

Luckily when this idea to do some sewing hit me, my mother-in-law was able to provide. I'm currently borrowing her machine, which apparently she rarely used.

the instruction booklet stays close!

All the hemming done!!

sewing machine problems

I made it most of the way through both my projects before the tension on the machine decided to go wonky. What's left on my two big projects is mainly hand sewing anyway, but 'breaking' the machine really dampened my morning. 

I was able to switch to my crocheting projects though. Both are CAL patterns from the CSW Ravelry group.  The first one I've been working on since July, but was motivated by the September CAL to get moving on it. 

nearly finished

I'm using KnitPicks Stroll and Candy Skein Yummy fingering. The colors are not showing true due to the overcast weather we're having.

My second one is the October CAL, modified to be more of a scarf size. I'll try for better pics when my arms aren't occupied by baby J. I'm holding two strands of Lion Brand Sock-ease together for this one, the second ball being one I dyed a while back. Hopefully the Sock-ease will soften, as it feels a bit stiff right now. 

new project

Pink Shawl-- desperately seeking shallow crescent
Blue-green scarf-- Nena

Wednesday link-up with Ginny