Hand Mitts

The receptionist at work always has a hard time in the winter being warm enough in general, but especially her hands. She's had this pair of gloves that she cut off the fingers, but they've frayed over the years and look terrible. When I saw a pattern in my new 2009 Crochet Pattern-a-Day calendar, I knew they'd be perfect for her. Here my mom is serving as my "hand-model", and she likes them so much that now I am making a pair for her.

Speaking of these crochet projects, I recently found this great knit and crochet community website called Ravelry. I signed up and got an invitation to join, and I'm starting to put these projects there. It is really great because it links to various yarn and pattern websites so they can be shared around.

Baby Bunting

This is a baby bunting I made for my co-worker, Mindy, who had a beautiful baby boy the end of April. When I started it, we didn't know the gender of the baby, so I made it with neutral colors. What is good about that is she can use it for any future babies, as well.

I forgot to take a picture myself before I gave it to her, so she took this pic. I'm bummed that I forgot, because I would've taken a close-up of the buttons - they are little bears and just so cute! It would've been cool, though, if she had taken a picture with him in it, too!

I know this - I really need to find patterns for baby stuff that are not so involved. Every time I make something for a baby, they are small, intricate stitches that take FOREVER to make. Or at least longer than I think they should being such an otherwise small item. :-/

Ravelry!

I found the coolest website recently - Ravelry. It is a community website for knitters and crocheters. You can post your projects you made or are working on, and they link up with the patterns (and if the pattern isn't in their database yet you can add it), yarn, and a whole bunch of other knitting & crocheting stuff.

I have all of the projects I've completed or are currently working on over there, but the one thing I am disappointed about is that I can't put my cross-stitch projects there, too. In the help section, they say that they have no plans whatsoever to expand it into other needlework. Bummer. Someone needs to make a Ravelry for Needlework - i.e. needlepoint, embroidery, cross-stitch, etc. Anyway, check it out if you are at all interested in crocheting or knitting!

Stocking Ornaments

I know it has been ages, but here are the stocking ornaments I've made. The one on the left with red and green stripes I made first two years ago for my friend, Cheryl, and then the variegated one last year for my Secret Santa, Cindy, at work. I used a pattern from Lion Brand Yarn's free patterns, but it was for large stockings with regular worsted weight yarn. I guessed that if I used crochet cotton and a small steel hook it would make it small enough for an ornament, and it worked just beautifully.



This year my Secret Santa was Jane, and I made this one for her. I cross-stitched the tree, which was an idea from my step-mom Viki.



And now, finally, this one I made for my friend Wendy - also this year. Obviously a variation on the last one.