Yep, that describes me this week.

I added a ClosetMaid cubby shelving unit to my craft room hoping to continue in its progress.

I did get a couple of teddy bears finished before the state of confusion set in:

The second one is from a book entitled: Knitted Bears: All Dressed Up! (Twenty to Make) . I still have trouble bringing personality to face of the bear.

Oh, and along with my teddy bear fetish, my daughter and her friend Krista came over. Krista had 2 1/2 week old Sebastian with her. While talking a Build-A-Bear bear dressed as a Jedi was spotted on s shelf. We took the outfit off the bear and tried it on the baby (with 2 babw light sabers).

I added several more patterns to my digital library.  You know, it would take several life times to complete all the projects in my possession, but I still add to it and dream.

Maybe one day I will make this. (sigh) Oh well, on to the next project! Until next week,

Death Star found at: http://www.yarnydoom.com/2011/04/free-death-star-pattern/

wanted it to be small for baby mobile. Used F hook and I Love This Yarn W.W.

Petite Brimmed Cap: http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Hats-Scarves-Gloves/Easy-to-Crochet-Petite-Brimmed-Cap-from-Red-Heart-Yarn

My grandson and I started having our tea parties when he was 2 years old. Now approaching 8, he still looks forward to our tea time. As a Christmas gift this year I received a clear pot with flowering teas. I can’t wait for our next tea party.

In the meantime, I am considering making some Tea Cozies. What is a Teapot Cozy?  According to CarefreeStore dot com they are sweaters for your teapot, to keep the contents warm. There is nothing worse than your hot tea turning cold during your tea party.

Here is a list of just a few of the tea cozy patterns I have found that I like the best. I thought I’d share them with you. Some are knittted, some crochet. Why not brew yourself a pot of tea and sip while you browse these patterns.

Daisy Teapot Cozy.  This one also has coordinating apron, dish cloth, and place setting. Start now to make the complete set as a Christmas gift next year.

Ridge Tea Cozy. This set includes patterns for 2 different sizes and has ridges to set off its beauty.

Tea for One. This pattern is for a set with the teapot that sits over the teacup.

Granny Tea Cozy. Using the granny stitch, this teapot stays warm.

Coffee – French Press Cozy.  If you are into french press coffee you will like this wrap for your press.

Your Favorite Teapot.  Not all teapots are shaped alike. Ginger Schatz, in her blogspot post, show how to make the right cover for your teapot.

A Little Girls Teaset: Red Heart offers up this cute crocheted playset, including crochet cookies for your little girl and her imaginery tea party.

She faithfully blogs every day and is planning now what daily entry she would make in 2012. She blogs about crochet books and artists. She reviews various yarn and highlights crochet in the news. If crochet is involved, she blogs it. Looking back over her past entries, she has decided in 2012 to photograph what she is wearing each day and how crochet is part of fashion.

I am impressed by this and want to do the same – posting regularly, not offering pictures of myself, I am not photogenic and I have the pictures to prove it.   I need to make a commitment to myself and move forward. Pain has brought a stop to much of what I do, I need a goal to help get back on track.  I may try to make it 52 things and see if I can manage to post once a week faithfully.

Now the question is…. what to focus on for 2012.

Any ideas or suggestions?  What would you like to see?

You still have a few days, and I am sitting here typing instead of knitting those final projects.

A Christmas Muff: these tree decorations can also offer surprise gifts.

Fingerless Gloves and Pedicure Socks: stay warm get a mani/pedi.

Cancer Survivor’s Ribbon Shawl: A project for someone special experiencing the pains of cancer.

Earbud cover: Decorate that plain wired earbud.

Toddler hats and Baby Sweaters: these work up quickly for little ones on your gift giving list.

Loaf Pan Totes:  since making these, I determined cotton would be better than acrylic for the heat.

Towel Toppers and Character Stockings:  These work up quickly and make great gifts.

Cat Hat:  every cat needs a hat.

Toddler Purse:  Little girls need purses too! Here is one I designed for my granddaughter.

Scarves:  Add a pocket to a scarf from these fun patterns.

Looking back I found references to projects I need to finish, projects I wanted to make but haven’t started and even reminders of projects waiting to find a recipient.

And now…..

back to the pedicure sock.

   Merry Christmas and happy stitching.

Instead, each year they made “muffs” and hung them on the tree with each child’s name on it.  Inside each muff was a dollar bill (hey, 50 years ago that was big money to a kid!)

Over the years this continued, my grandparents passed away and the muff went away.  Every so often my parents would make muffs and place them on the tree.  My brother and sister and I were excited, we knew what muffs meant. (yes, over the years the muffs also followed the cost of living raises and the amount increased)

Last year I decided to revive this tradition with the younger generation now in our families.  But I made a change.  Instead of money I placed small gifts, like jewelry for the girls and hot wheels for the boys.  This year it is Legos for the boys and craft kits for the girls.  I might change it up next year, we’ll see. 

The kids loved the new idea and are already commenting looking for them this year.

So, what does a muff like? Like this!

A muff, years ago, was used instead of gloves.  It is a round piece of warm fabric you wore with a string around your neck. Place your hands inside to keep warm.

So how do you make this small muff?

You need:

empty toilet paper roll

quilt batting

glue and/or tape

card stock if desired

ribbon

I used white card stock and cut it to fit inside the toilet paper roll.  This gave it a clean look.

Cut batting and roll it around the paper roll.  Glue or tape it on, lightly tucking inside if desired.

Cut ribbon to length needed to go through and hang. Tie together.

If desired, add cut out letters for name, or Christmas stickers or tags.

Slip a small gift or currency inside.

Hang on the tree and watch for smiles!

Added 12/15 – This post is part of a FAVECRAFTS BLOG HOP !  December 15 – 21. Check out the other Christmas crafts. Be sure to vote for this post by clicking LIKE on the entry at the bottom of Fave Crafts post.  You will see a picture of the Muff I have posted.  It is titled “A Christmas Muff”.  Thank you beary much.  It will help me win more craft supplies. More supplies equal more crafts. More crafts equal more blog posts. It’s a crafty circle.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, one more project.

I have finally finished 1 of the 2 pair of Pedicure Socks! Socks without the toe.

I started these socks just after Christmas last year.  My daughter and her friend each handed me 2 skeins of sock yarn along with the Patons pattern, and said “I want this”. 

I have only used double point needles (DPNs) once before, so I resisted. I tried to talk them into a crochet version, but no, they wanted this pair.

I purchased the necessary DPN size 3 needles, and got started. Because DPNs are new to me, I kept getting frustrated and setting these aside. But after 6 months I got the first pair finished. I was so excited. Until I tried it on. The toe bind off was too tight and could not be worn. Bummer!!  Knowing I would have to undo the bind off, pick up the stitches hoping I didn’t drop one, try to get these back onto a needle, work a couple more rows then try a looser bindoff.

I started on the 2nd set of socks but kept putting it aside, thinking of the frustration of the first pair.

Last week I finally picked up the socks and snipped at the bind off, hoping to catch all those small stitches. Remember, this is worked on size 3 needles.  I managed to pick them up, work one row K1,P1 ribbing on these needles, then switched to a size 5 where I did 2 more rows in ribbing then I did a bind off where I knit 2 stitches, slide the 1st over the 2nd and off the needle, then I slipped the remaining stitch off the right needle onto the left needle. Now I repeated the process. This essentially knits the stitch twice.  I learned this method a long time ago, but I cannot find it in an internet search to link to.  The end result is a looser edge for the foot.

(I tried to find this method on the internet to no avail. However, I did learn a number of different ways to bind off and achieve a stretchy affect. Try doing a google search on “loose knitting bind off” and see what I mean.)

I hope to have the 2nd pair ready by Christmas so when the girls are together again they can visit their favorite pedicure place and show off their new socks.

I don’t expect the same problem with the 2nd pair. Both girls handed me Patons Sock Yarn, but this particular yarn is not stretchy. The other sock yarn is stretchy so I should not experience the same problem with the 2nd pair.

I just might make myself a pair when I finish.  I decided while trying these on I really like it.

Recently I went for a haircut wearing these:

The receptionist like them so well, she requested a pair.

Then a friend who often works outside in the cold wanted a pair made in a denser yarn.  That turned out like this:

I extended the finger section and the made the wrist section a little longer. I also added a ruffle to the wrist.

You can’t see it clearly in the pictures, but all of the above have clear beads stitched into the glove in a line from the middle finger.  There are many ways to attach beads, for these I string the beads onto my yarn before beginning the project by first put the beads on a long needle.

Then I put the yarn through the eye of the needle.

Once threaded, I slide the beads off the needle onto the yarn.

I keep the beads on the yarn and work the project, pulling up one bead as needed. Then I include the bead in the stitch.  It stays firmly in place and will not fall off.

Today I finished another wristlet.  This one is used in my knitting classes at Michaels where I teach knitting and crochet. This is used to learn the cable stitch.

The prerequisite for the cable class is knowledge of how to knit, purl, increase and decrease.  Check your local Michaels stores if you’d like to learn new stitch patterns or techniques.

I made a pink ribbon shawl for a breast cancer fund raising event.

This shawl was made using Red Heart PINK.  Though a bit rough at first, after completing the project I tossed it in my washer and dryer where it came out softer.

I love the pattern for this shawl.   It includes a chart to make the ribbons only or you can add crosses with the ribbons.

The pattern also includes a list of various cancers and the colors used to represent each. This will help you create a shawl for any cancer survivor.

You will find the pattern at Inspired Crochet Design. (click here)

This project worked up very quickly.  I enlarged the chart to reflect one ribbon and kept that with me, making a note of the number of rows to add before beginning another. I found it easier to follow the small squares with my over 50 years old eyes.

I would bet you know at least one person who has faced this terrible menace that you could share this project with. And if you are one who faced or is facing the battle, keep on fighting and wear this shawl with pride and confidence.

Do you need ideas? Perhaps these will help. (unless it is posted on my site, I have no connection at all with the pattern, designer or website – you may need to sign up for a free membership in order to access some content)

Thomas the Tank Engine (or any of his friends):  My grandson was a big Thomas fan a few years ago. Here is a link to a step-by-step description of how we created his costume Henry.  It later passed on my granddaughter who loved it just as much as he did.

Pirate:  Red Heart Yarn has crochet patterns for a pirate hat, eye patch and belt.

Pumpkin:  Berroco Yarn has a pumpking pattern in sizes 2,4 and 6.  It is knitted and considered an intermediate level project.

Fairy:  What little girl doesn’t want to be a fairy, dancing with Tinkerbell?  This crochet pattern will have her dressed up and ready to go in no time.  And wouldn’t this petal mask be a great way to finish off the look. Perhaps you could add this headband and wings .

Cat:  Lion Brand Yarns is offering this intermediate knitting pattern to make a cat headband and wrist warmers. Add a black leotard and you have a precious little kitty.

Airplane: Any kid can dress up as a Pilot. Yours can be a pilot in his own plane!  With a box and paint, your child will be flying high this halloween.

Pooh Bear: You may have everything you need around the house to make this costume.

Robot:  With some foil, paint and a cardboard box, your little one could be a robot.

Harry Potter:  A trip to the thrift store could be all you need to complete a Harry Potter costume (from his younger years)

That’s a start to the Halloween costume ideas. Leave a comment explaining what you crafted up.