And then there were Christmas lights..

Wee you aware of the fact that it's freakishly difficult to get good photos of Christmas lights out in the dark? I can tell you that it is, very, very difficult.

I have a new bag! (plus a crumpled dress..)

I needed a new bag, the one I had was a bit too summery for this time of year. So I took some wonderful Michael Miller fabric (that I got from Hawthorne Threads, when they were still on Etsy). Then I cut up some fabric and started sewing. And a few days later I had a new bag. It's not perfect, apparently I wasn't thinking at all when I was sewing it together, but it'll do. Here it is
I wanted a flap on this one, so that it's not an open bag like the other one. I think I still have to add abutton, so that I can close the flap. And so that the bag wouldn't be too boring, I made the inside with bright polka dots. :)
And I added a pocket! Altho I sewed it on the wrong side.. Oh well, maybe I'll remember next time on which side I have to sew it on.
Plus I have the coolest reflector ever. :)
The crumpled dress I mentioned is this one
It's a Christmas dress for the tiny one, the same basic pattern I used for this dress, modified a bit. I still have to add the zipper (my very favorite part!) and maybe add some sequins or something to hide fact that somebody cut the fabric very crookedly.. Oh, and I plan on ironing it before I show you the finished item. ;)

Wheee, a.k.a. I have an FO

I know you haven't heard that in a while. :) I have an FO, how cool is that? :D Ok, so it's only a pair of teenytiny socks, but still, I'm very happy to be showing you something else than just WIP's for a change. (Altho I do have a new WIP too..) Oh, btw, the title of this blog post could also have been: Chapter 78, where we learn about the difficulties of taking a photo of a pair of socks, while an 18-month-old is wearing them. But that would have been a way too long title. :D But here's a pic to prove that it is difficult to take a photo of a small child wearing her new woolly socks
Here's a better photo :)
And one more photo of the socks, without feet in them
The new WIP I have is a scarf for an orphan boy in Estonia. A bunch of friends on mine have been making handmade Christmas presents for all the kids in an Estonian orphanage. The boy I'm knitting for is a soccer-fan, so I thought it would be fun to make him a black-white-green scarf, because the ball is usually black and white, and the game is played on green grass. :) I'm making it in a simple 1x1 rib, and I'm knitting the yarn held double, to make it nice and warm. I hope the boy will like it. The yarn is Sisu by Sandnes Garn.
And finally, the Chrissie pressie monster is almost finished, I just need to sew on his eye and make the mouth. And bind off a couple loose ends. So soon I can start working on the Hello Kitty-doll that I'm also making as a Christmas present. :)

Shopping therapy :) (and half a sock)

As I still don't have anything finished to show you (I know, I know, shame on me), I thought I'd show you the pretty fabric I bought yesterday. These will become Christmas party dresses for the girls, at some point..
Yes, I realize that the colors are a bit distorted, the two last ones are black, the first is a kinda strange purplish pink, very pretty in person tho. :) The first and last ones are taffeta, the middle one is velour. I'm planning on using the black ones for a dress for the older girl, altho the husband couldn't understand why I'd make a child a black dress. I think it'll be pretty, as it isn't completely black. I still haven't decided if I'll make a balloon dress or not. I might. Or I might not. The tiny one's dress will get a very simple dress, maybe with a little bit of ruffles or something. And now if I'd actually have time to make these dresses..

And now for the sock. The tiny one lost the green socks I made her, so obviously I have to make her another pair. I'm using the same yarn I used for the 5yo's socks, as I had lots left over. I'm at the heel of the first sock, maybe I'll finish the first sock this weekend.

No FO's to show off, Part II

Nope, none, not a one, zip, zilch, zero. So instead, I'll show you a bunch of WIP's and some stash enhancement. :)

Let's start with the monster. I have all the knitted parts ready, I just need to stuff the limbs and sew all the pieces together, and make the face.
I do have one problem with the monster tho, one leg is longer than the other, should I frog a couple rows on one leg, or let them be different lengths? I'm thinking I'll leave it the way it is. It is a monster, after all.

Next, we have a skinny scarf I'm knitting for myself. I bought one skein of this new yarn, Sandnes Garn Mini Palett, just to try it out. It's 75% wool, 25% nylon, but I definitely would not use this for socks, as the yarn is very thin in places. I'm using 5mm needles, so that the scarf is nice and soft.
Next we have two sewn pieces of clothing, but you can't really tell what they are, as I haven't gotten much further than just cutting up the fabric. I'm hoping I'll have time to do some sewing this weekend, because these need to be finished before Christmas. :O The first is a tunic, the second is a shirt for a boy. I got really stuck when making the slit (is that what it's called in English?) at the front of the tunic, I just didn't understand the instructions in the magazine. Good thing I was making it at my sewing course, otherwise I would probably have thrown the whole thing in the rubbish from frustration. Our teacher didn't understand the instructions any better than I did, but I did get it done, it just took me about two hours.

And now for the stash enhancement, I only bought three skeins, one of which was the Mini Palett, pictured here
I just love the colors in this yarn! And the two other skeins? I was just going to buy one skein, but the I remembered that I had this card in my wallet that allows me to get 30% off on my purchases, so I ended up buying two skeins of Noro sock yarn, whee! :) These will become a pair of stripey kneehigh socks when they grow up.