Advent Calendar Blog Hop: Day 5

Hello there, jolly blog hoppers! It is time for this year's Advent Calendar hosted by the fantabulous Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  You can go here to see the others in the calendar so far and the doors yet to come!

5 Christmas Lane

This is my ornament for this year! I picked up this little kit at a truly amazing yard sale (I love crafter sales!) along with a small box of several others of the same type (plus a plethora of other items).

a delicious house

A little gingerbread house with a good amount of backstitching to make it pop.  I really like how small and cheerful it is but that thread!  It was like stitching with crochet thread (or maybe perle cotton?) -- very twisty and thick.  I wasn't much for the single strand of gold for the loop so I cut it in half and found another leftover bit from a different kit that was the same type.  A braid should be a little more sturdy!

Technical Details

• "Gingerbread House" Item 3356, a Stitch 'N Hang ornament kit by NeedleMagic, Inc.
• 2-over-1 on a 14-count plastic canvas.
• Finished size: 2.5" x 3".
• Started ????, finished November 27, 2018, unknown hours.

without backstitching

This was one of those pieces that have what seems like an absurd amount of backstitching for such a little piece but it really made a nice difference!  I still like backstitching so this wasn't a troublesome task for me but it was a bit difficult with that twisty thread!

The theme for this year is our favorite Christmas song. This was tough for me! I like so many of them and usually sing my way through the days, especially while decorating and baking cookies.  Though it's already been in the calendar, "O Holy Night" is one of my favorites, particularly the version by Willie K.  The Hawaiian language (second verse) is beautiful!

And if I can be so silly, I will include a bonus Christmas song that I'm sure most of you have never heard before: The Twelve Days of Starcraft.  This version is from the original PC game when Blizzard (the maker) made a special map for Christmas one year, each day being sung by a different unit.  It definitely makes more sense to have played the game hah.  My favorite part is when the archon gets annoyed and makes up new lyrics. :D

Peanut wants the vent, Klondike wants to play, Oreo wants the package

That is all from me this advent!  Be sure to check out everyone else's beautiful Christmas pieces and listen to all their songs~

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*MERRY CHRISTMAS!*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

As usual with these blog hops, I've scheduled this post to appear overnight here so the people in the future (read: the rest of the world) can have the post in a timely fashion.

Advent Calendar Blog Hop: Day 21!

Hello, hello~  Are you here for Jo's Advent Blog Hop on this fine Winter's Solstice?  Sure you are!

Ooo we are so close to Christmas; are you ready?!  I can safely say all the Christmas cards are mailed and so are all the cookies!  I am now working on the "local" cookie batches, mostly the cookies that I love to make but would never survive mailing (decorated sugar cookies, etc) or that my husband loves and I have to make another batch of (thin mints).

Here is what I've created for you behind door 21!  I can assure you it took an awful lot of work to assemble this intricate piece.

almost staying still

Wait, that's not a craft...

Okay, okay, enough with the silliness and on to the Real Stuff.  Every year I've been trying to make something for the tree and this is 2017's contribution.

baby, it's COLD outside

I bought this little kit in a thrift store. I really like brass ornaments so finding a cross-stitch one was awesome!  There doesn't seem to be any images of this particular kit online, but there are stockings and wreaths out there somewhere.  I enjoyed the easy finish of it but it was a bit rough "seeing" the beginning stitches; I simply couldn't process the squares!  I just started at the bottom and worked my way up until it made sense.   Plus the 3-over-1 was remarkably tough despite the the large holes.  Back stitching required a thimble just to stuff the needle through some places!

Technical Details

• Brass Stitchables "Snowman Mitten", a kit by Bucilla.
  
• 3 over 1 on 14-count brass.
  
• Finished Size:
• Started: November ?, 2017, Finished: December 8th, 2017. Unknown hours.

I added a bit of red felt to the back to hide protect the stitches.  I thought I'd get all fancy pants and attach the felt with gold metallic floss to match the brass.  Trying to do that blindly and neatly....... Nope, not happening!  Glue gun to the rescue hah.

And because I felt this was a pretty sparse post, I will share two previous ornaments I don't believe were ever on the blog.

naughty or nice

delicious house

Both of these little kits were picked up in thrift stores (of course).  I believe the gingerbread house is the first Christmas ornament I've ever made in cross-stitch; I scribbled a date on the back of August of 2009 which is the year I started.  It was a fun stitch, although I obviously needed a bit more practice centering in a frame!  Santa  was stitched closer to Christmas that same year and was finished by being glued to cardboard, and then of course that looked ugly on the back, so I cut another piece of cardboard and used Christmas wrapping paper and a fat ribbon for hanging.  I do remember designing the M and C myself because the plain font looked too, well, plain!

Christmas... worm?

And this little guy was made when I was a tiny Rosey in kindergarten.  Our teacher cut out the little pieces of felt and we assembled them into these ornaments with glue.  Then we "sewed" around the edges and stuffed the bottom with a bit of fluff.  Such trust with a needle!  I'm sure nowadays someone would demand that children are too young and would eat the needles or some other disaster.


Jo asks: How do you plan to spend Boxing Day?  Do you have any traditions associated with this day?

Welp, like a few others on this hop, I'm also American and have no specific traditions associated with this day! My husband does actually have off the day after Christmas though, but this is more of a fluke of the days lining up just so.  It's a day for lazing around, eating cookies (and I guess leftovers), and playing with any new toys that Santa deposited under the tree.  Although after reading all the hops so far, I feel this might actually fit in haha.  I could pretend to be a milkgal and you could slip a note under the door on the way out. ;)

Okay, that's enough from me.  Thank you for visiting!  Your next stop is a Double Delight.  Please knock on Craftartista and A Snapshot of my Life's door tomorrow~

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* MERRY CHRISTMAS! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

As usual with these blog hops, I've scheduled this post to appear overnight here so the people in the future (read: the rest of the world) can have the post in a timely fashion.

An Eclectic Ensemble

I did!

Howdy, y'all! Thanks for all the interest in the blog hop post. I'm glad you guys like Frosted Pumpkin cuties too! I figured I'm well overdue for a crafty recap that doesn't have to do with holiday stuff so let's take care of that, shall we~? :D

before

after

First up, I finished the next side to the Monster Hunter cube, Zinogre the lightning doggy!  I rather like how this guy turned out.  (Have I said this about all of them? ;b)  I was worried about the lightest color blending in too much with the fabric but it turned out to have just enough texture to make it subtly pop.

Technical Details

• "Zinogre" glyph from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, pattern charted by me.
• 2 over 1 on 20-count light tan jobelan fabric.
• Finished size: 3.50 x 3.50" (9 x 9 cm).
• Started: July 6, 2017, Finished: September ??, unknown hours.  

I'm pretty sure this is a hunt

Four sides down!  Next up is Nargacuga, the hyper catbat.  I haven't started him yet; I'm not even done tweaking the chart for him!  He will be a rather dark stitch as I'm trying to keep to the main species and not the subs (this will present a problem for the last stitch).

I promise this is a flower

I have also started the next Flower of the Month -- September's Aster.   I'm still not enthusiastic over this one but it's not too terrible to stitch.  I snack on it on occasion but that has tapered off with all the holiday crafting.  I do not like that jarring orange center.  I am leaving it until the rest of the flower is stitched to see if it becomes less InYourFace but I am not hopeful!  Luckily it's only a few stitches that will need replaced if need be!

sunflower coaster

I'm kind of proud of this one.  I couldn't find a crochet or knitted sunflower pattern to suit my needs, so this was my first attempt in cobbling something from nothing!  I had to learn how to crochet the crocodile stitch (which, if you're interested, consumes a LOT of yarn), plus learn how to do it in the round.  For a first attempt, it turned out fairly well.  It's made of cotton yarn so it should work well as a coaster, though I'm not sure the recipient is using it as such!  I do wish I had written down ANYTHING about what I did for this pattern haha.  I'm not sure I could recreate it, though I think I'll give it a try at some point not-Christmas time.

front - front, back - back

I feel like I've been doing an awful lot of knitting lately too.  These are "star stitch" washcloths made as part of a Christmas present!  YAY I AM ALMOST TIMELY.  Also it is a good thing I started these rather early as the star stitch is torture for us poor tight knitters and these take me quite a while to make.  It does lovely things to variegated/ombre yarn, though, and that is why I chose this particular stitch pattern.

close up of the action

I have two more I'm going to make in "winter" colors.  I might make some for myself, but they can wait until after Christmas!  I did both a crochet cast on and bind off which have quickly become my favorite ways to start and end a knit project!  My tension is a bit better with them so they are looser, creating the slightly scalloped border on both edges.  Very much would recommend!

There was a minor annoyance with this yarn.  I bought the first skein at Michael's and it was 2oz.  This was enough to finish one cloth, plus about 7/8ths of the next one.  I bought the second skein at JoAnn's and it was 3oz!  Ugh.  3oz would've been enough to finish both, in the same dyelot (you can't tell the join on the second cloth though), with only a bit left over.  Now I have almost a full skein left to do ???? with.  I was a little grumpy over this.


Technical Details

• "Star Stitch" cloths, knit, pattern found here (free!) on ravelry.
• My ravelry project page found here.
• Cotton yarn: Lily's Sugar n' Creme in coral seas ombre.
• Size 9 (5.5mm) needles, plus a crochet hook for cast on/bind off.
• Started: October 28, finished November 10, unknown hours.  

Lessons Learned

• Crochet bind off.  
• Better tension control for purling! (!!!!)
• Where to buy yarn, bah.

I think that's all with crafts that I can show right now.  I have some small projects on the crochet hook which are turning out quite fun and really cute.  Plus I have another Christmas present on a different set of needles.  Plus plus I have some holiday cross stitch in the works.  Plus plus plus it's almost Cookie Time!!  I'm so happy to be excited about Christmas this year. :)

nyaa-p time

And even though it has nothing to do with anything I made but LOOK AT MY NEW PAJAMAS.  I don't impulse buy very often but I had to have these instantly, pink or no pink.  How can I ignore sleepy kitties and yarn balls!  These are seriously adorable and very comfy too.  They were brand new with tags, in a thrift store no less, so I got them for a whopping $6.  :D

helping

This entire post could've counted for Gifted Gorgeousness, haha.  I look forward to joining in again next year!  I hope you all have a wonderful time and those of you in the US, have a Happy Thanksgiving!  I don't have to cook for it this time.  \:D/

Gifted Gorgeousness, TUSAL - December Edition, Late Again!

click to join the fun!

I've zero stitchy progress to show, isn't that awful? :( Poor Rathian, she'll get love someday.

But I do have gifts to show! It seems they're all crochet this time. I'm typing this in the wee hours of the morning before Sir Giftee removes himself from bed, and hoping the Internet will work long enough to get some photos uploaded. Sorry for some duplicates; they're a little easier for me since they're cached. :)

almost like a snowflake

Remember this? I do have some completed doilies though not as many as I'd've hoped. I thought I would show an older in-progress picture to show how the individual motifs appear.

needs a good blocking!

Isn't it lovely? I'm glad I did choose to alternate the colors. I love the delft blue. It's such a pleasure to work with. The white is a bit more ornery. I will post finished pictures after Christmas!

is it a loafer?

Next up, a house slipper! This was an amazing pattern though I do believe my first attempt was not correct. It's not possible to really tell though, thank you variegated yarn! :D But I do really like the pattern otherwise; it works up so fast! If I didn't have to sneak and do other things, these could easily be finished in a day. The flap is not attached in this picture because I wasn't 100% sure I wanted it (it is optional in the pattern). It has grown on me but I will have to tack it down.

What you can't see is the sole on these suckers.  I'll take a picture of the next one as I piece it together.  It has foam between two pieces and I made it... fluffy. :D  I can't wait to make a pair for myself after I gift these out. If you're interested, it's a free pattern found here (Ravelry link).

Not a gift, but I did finish another couple of squares for the afghan. I'd like to post pictures but the Internet just gave out trying to upload them here. I have the gingerbread man and stocking done and am currently working on the last of the main squares, Rudolph. As easy as the stocking was, Rudolph is a spaghetti mess! The pixel square afghan has been my project in the evenings when I have time to sit down and can't fish out the gift goodies.

join all the fun!

last "strings"

Lastly, TUSAL!  Since there was no stitching and I haven't been saving my yarn ORTs, this picture is from last month.  :/ What a sad and neglected way to end the year!

Anyway!  I am boxing up cookies to send out today.  I did not make double batches of everything this year since one of our dear giftees passed away and we had so many leftovers last year.  But there's still enough for all! :D  Oooo I hear Sir Giftee stirring, must wrap this up!  If I don't get another post up before then, MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all! 

FotM SAL ~ November Edition, Late!

First of all, thank you to those who have emailed me despite my blog silence. I am okay! While I am still a bit busy with Christmas stuffs, the silence has gone on longer than expected. Our Internet is still quite awful and I cannot always load blogs. I have been reading your posts through a bare bones reader, no backgrounds, no sidebar images, no avatars, etc. and that helps a lot, though I cannot leave comments that way. I had to give up reading some blogs (MrXStitch for example) because they do not allow the full post to show in the reader.  I would feel guilty allowing comments without leaving comments of my own.

click for more info!

I must admit posting about this slipped my mind. Not that it matters much, since there was absolutely no stitching progress. On anything, really. Maybe I was subconsciously hoping that I would eventually have something to show.

before

after

This is supposed to be June's rose. Maybe that is obvious. You can totally tell it's a rose from that speck of green that hasn't changed in a month, right?

elf!

wreath!

I did finish two more squares for the pixel square afghan CAL (which has completed). I have decided I will do three extra in addition to the nine in the CAL to make a longer afghan. I don't like toes poking out when I snuggle down. The first one is the elf. I really like how he turned out. I have no idea what that dark blue yarn is, something dug up from the depths of the crafty inheritance, but it is so soft and fuzzy. The second is the wreath. It turned out about 1" smaller than the other squares. Why? I dunno! Perhaps I've somehow managed to crochet even tighter.  I am about 3/4s done with the gingerbread man who is square #7 of 12.  Slowly but surely.  With Christmas gifts being worked on, I don't think this project will be done in time for the holiday.

kitty prints

I have been working on a scarf for my next knitting project. I love the yarn (Yarn Bee Soft Secrets) but I am so disappointed with how the scarf is knitting up. It is curling something awful. One of the ladies at the knitting group said I should be able to crochet around the edge and that will help.  This project has been put on the back burner for now because there are other things that have deadlines!

I'd like to post about those things but, surprise, surprise, the 'net won't let me upload anymore. Bah humbug.  Maybe since they're gifts they're better suited for GG which I will hopefully have up in a slightly more timely manner.  Maybe I should start prepping the post now.  Until next time~!

FotM SAL - September Edition

Hi there! It has finally turned cool here (thank goodness). The cornfield has been harvested and looks so lonely now. The soybeans have turned a lovely shade of gold so they will be harvested next. I have started fall housecleaning which, if you're new to my blog, means an entire dismantling of the house and clean everything from the ceiling down to shampooing the carpet. I am allowing one week per room since this year I am also caulking around all the windows, doors, and floorboards. We'll see if that doesn't help with how drafty this place gets in winter!

click for more info!

A little late in the year, but I was playing with the GIF maker before life got hectic and made this little button for the SAL. Feel free to use it if you want. :)

before

after

I have finished May's lily of the valley, finally! I do like it now that it is finished but it was a struggle to get it done. I am sorry that I do not have a "movie" of my stitches for this one.  I may go back and make one later when I have time to sit down.  I have yet to start June's flower, the wild rose, as I just picked up the huck towel this past weekend. I did manage to get it kitted up though!

I am still considering changing some of the colors. I am missing three, the hazelnut and the two lightest apricots. I'm fine with the unknown brown I fished out of my stash but not sure the lighter pinks fit in. Maybe I will start with the other colors and buy the missing ones whenever I can get down to the store.

Technical Details

• "May: Lily of the Valley" freebie pattern by Ellen Maurer-Stroh, found here
• 2 over 1 on 14-count ecru huck towel (called for 3 over but I thought 2 looked okay)
• Finished size: 4.50 x 4.50" (11,50 x 11,50 cm)
• Started: July 9, Finished: September 13. 12 hours.  

doily by my great-great aunt

Lookit, lookit! I am so excited at winning such a stunning batch of floss from Santa Nancy! I won Mother's flower garden!!  I have left them in the box because they look so pretty and I want to keep them looking pretty and not full of cat hair haha.  When I saw that I had won these lovelies from Nancy, the first chart that popped in my head was the "Welcome" chart (just visible in the thrifty stash picture) I picked up on a trip to visit friends.  I will have to consider it some more but I think they would look lovely with that design.

Frosty!

Update on the pixel square afghan CAL: I have finished the snowman! I despise that black yarn.  It says it's the same weight as all my others (mostly Red Heart Super Saver) but it was so not.  You can kind of see the distortion of the square in this picture caused by it.  It will block out, but still!  I liked the applique star idea from the Christmas tree so much that I decided to make a little holly and berries applique for his hat. Of course, I promptly misplaced them. :) They will turn up eventually. Or, if they do not, they are not difficult to make so I will make more. And then the others will turn up for sure.  I have not yet started the next square, the sleigh.

it's almost square

And knitting: I can knit a thing!  This is my first little (and very messy) dishcloth, #3 from this freebie pattern on Ravelry.  There is one very obvious mistake that I will need to ask the ladies about at the next knitting get-together.  I am guessing I slipped a stitch but didn't notice until I was several repeats away. Let me tell you, casting off was an adventure all on its own.  I apparently knit (and crochet) tight and that doesn't work well casting off!  I could barely squeeze my needles back under the stitches let alone slide the one up and over, yikes.  Maybe I should practice that more and my tension will improve for both yarny endeavors!

PS.  I have TEMPORARILY disabled comments.  I am so sorry.  Nothing is wrong! This time of year is very busy for me and I can't make comments like I normally do.  I would feel guilty receiving comments knowing that I couldn't reciprocate.  I have been reading but staying quiet.  Thank you for understanding.  >_<

September Edition: Gifted Gorgeousness, TUSAL, and More!

Whew, this post has a lot of tags! Prepare yourselves for all the excitement and exclamation marks!

click to join the fun!

before

after

Tadaaaa~ Rathalos is finished and I am so happy with how he turned out! I showed him to my husband (stitched for him) and he got that goofy big kid grin ehehe. I asked him how he wanted it finished and he said Rathalos can't be alone. Good thing I have the Missus (Rathian) charted up already! He didn't answer my question on how to finish this so I may have made a mistake because I thoughtlessly said, "Wouldn't he be cute as a cube!?" Well, obviously a cube has more than one or two sides so I suppose we'll have to figure out four more Monster Hunter glyphs to chart up! I'm sure Brachydios will be one, as well as "The Pickle."  I hope GG is running for the next 100 years hah.

Technical Details

• "Rathalos" glyph from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, pattern charted by me.
• 2 over 1 on 20-count light tan jobelan fabric.
• Finished size: 3.50 x 3.50" (9 x 9 cm).
• Started: June 9, Finished: September 7. 12.5 hours.  

bad photo, sorry!

I have been continuing on with the Christmas afghan CAL found on Repeat Crafter Me.  I finished up the next square, the Christmas tree, the weekend before last.  I have somewhat figured out how to carry my yarn within the stitches so, as you can see, there are MUUUUUUUUUUCH fewer tails to deal with.  Also, because this is turning into a major stash-busting project, I've been changing around the colors.  My yellow is a bit on the pale side so I was afraid the star wouldn't show up.  I made a small applique star using this freebie pattern.  After the ends are woven in (can you tell I'm avoiding these things like the plague hah) I will attach it to whichever side looks the prettiest!

about 50% complete

I have also started the next square!  Here you can see the C2C method growing since it's worked in the diagonal.  It's an interesting way to crochet!  I am trying something different with the yarn since there are so many color changes (one line changed color 12! times).  I set the skeins out in order of the line I'm working on, and then rearrange them as I go.  I don't wind up with a big blob of spaghetti yarn and it helps eliminate some of those ghastly tails.  I'm also using two skeins of the same color for the background as it's too far to carry from one side to the other.

knit stitch

knit & purl!

I can knit! (!!!!!!!) I practiced casting on for about a week, then moved on to the knit stitch which got practiced for another week. Then, the purl! Knit and purl combine in various ways to make all sorts of strange patterns but this is just knitting one row, purling the next row to create the basic stockinette stitch. I was so excited by my little practice blob I ran around the house brandishing my needles with it attached at my husband who was amused.  Yay!  I found a couple of dishcloth patterns that I will probably attempt, though I'm still not sure I'd use them as dishcloths!  I will probably make them into potholders.

join all the fun!

Last but not least, TUSAL as hosted by It's Daffycat! There's a healthy sprinkling of Rathalos in there as well as the Flower of the Month SAL finish (hallelujah).

I could keep going on and on but I think it would be safer if I stopped here!  Thank you for reading and I'll hopefully ramble again for IHSW!

FotM - August Edition and New Learnings!

You know what the awful thing about data caps is? When you reach your limit, you can't use the Internet without paying extra. Yes, I am a little grumpy about this but it's a new month which means we're reset, weee~

Here's my sad progress on the Flower of the Month SAL hosted by Alyssa at Brownie's Chair. I am still not in love with this pattern though I do like it a bit more as it takes shape.  But because I'm not loving it, progress is very slow.

before

after

Even though there's not a lot of progress cross-stitching, I have not been completely idle! In the world of crochet, I have randomly found a cute Christmas CAL last week that I'm attempting to complete. I have the first square done and you can find it on her blog (linked above) or here on Ravelry.  So far, five squares have been released: Santa, a Christmas tree, a snowman, a sleigh, and an elf.

sorry for the weird angle

Santa! :D These squares are all done using corner-to-corner (C2C) crochet which makes for a kinda neat texture... and a heavy one. This will definitely be a warm blanket.  These are done in half-double (US terms) instead of the double crochet C2C is normally done in and my square wound up to be a stretchy 14" (pattern says 15").  I haven't quiiiite figured out the color changes to prevent the strange little joins.  Some are okay, others not so much. I'm trying to be creative with the tails to kind of hide the pointy bits. On the blog, it says to put a single crochet border around but I haven't done that yet. I am not sure exactly how this is going to become an afghan/throw so I don't know how many stitches will be needed (or if that will even matter).  But oh, the tails.

*cry*

Can you feel my pain? I can feel my pain. In fact, I can feel my pain down here in the basement and Santa is upstairs, in my yarn bag, haunting me. I can only take so much weaving before I get bored so I do a little here and there. I have his beard and part of his hat done.  I am trying not to think about his face.  Or that I'll have to do this on all the other patterns.  I think I will try to do two skeins of the background color in the next one though, to see if that helps to eliminate some ends.  It's hard to carry over stitches when working diagonal!  I'll get it eventually.  Maybe before the last one is released. :)

so tiny

I have also decided to learn tatting and knitting. Thanks to Preeti and Aurelia for their tatting site suggestions, I can now do a double stitch!  Sort of!  My first impression is that tatting is Very Difficult.  I am having the same problem as I do with crochet -- tension.  Wrapping the thread around my fingers and then working with them is like, oh, I dunno, octopus in spaghetti!  Another issue is that the shuttle I have might be too large for my hands.  I never thought that I had small hands but I cannot weave the shuttle over/under the thread fully.  Or perhaps I am not yet used to the movement.

practice makes perfect!

Knitting is also difficult for me, especially as I cannot watch YouTube videos often (inconsistent speed and data usage, buuuu) so I am trying to learn from written tutorials and books.  I can cast on!  I think!  There is a local knitting group that I have wormed my way into recently (with crochet lol) and they are all sweet ladies.  Their expert opinions were that my cast on stitches looked good so I will defer to their wisdom in such matters.  I think the thing that draws me to knitting is sweaters.  I love sweaters.  Crochet can make some pretty tops, they just don't compare to knitted beauties. I'm a long way from a sweater though! Maybe I'll start with a scarf or potholder, just like crochet. :)  But first I better get the knit stitch mastered...

Hooray for new brain wrinkles!  :D  My Ravelry library is going to explode with patterns at this rate.  Thank you for reading and sharing my "string" adventures!  And before I forget, Santa Nancy is getting started early (or maybe she never stops haha) with the giveaways since she has the wonderful new floss box sets.  I entered Mother's Flower Garden and the Halloween giveaways.