Today I'm feeling Halloweeny. I have a handmade pumpkin ring on, my Old Navy pumpkin shirt and a brand new knotted scarf. Yes, I meant knotted not knitted! This is a little something I picked up from the new Martha Stewart Holiday magazine. I can crochet (and do! see below) and I have knit but this looked just too fun. I will definitely be trying a couple more and have to make my own adustments to the pattern before I share the idea with others which I hope to do soon. I think this would be a fun project for a bunch of us to make one night with plenty of wine or hot toddies!
I don't love the length of this in general but its great to wear around the house. Abby helped me make this one at Irish dancing class (in the waiting room) last night and she's ready to run to the store to get her own yarn.There is just something about turning your attention to warmer crafts as the outside thermometer plummets. I suppose its the same reason I start making soup on rainy Fall days.
I'm also looking ahead to the winter holiday season. My family celebrates Christmas but we are not opposed to being invited to any type of religiously affiliated or non-affiliated gathering of any sort. In this time of economic uncertainty, I am leaning towards making as many handmade gifts as possible. It is unfortunate that will all my art skills, I am still not capable of building an ipod. I can, however, crochet a little cozy for one! Hopefully Santa will come through and has his portfolio more diversified than most. I truly enjoy making things for people. I am more and more inspired by my friends. Karin comes to mind first and foremost. She has taken the handmade pledge (which I have not sworn to but secretly follow). Her gifts are so thoughtful. And I don't mean just the "oh, you remembered my birthday" kind of thoughful. I mean the kind of thoughtful where you consider the color, the texture, the use, the needs, the desires and wants of the recipient. AND THEN she enjoys the process! (the most important part!
For a long time, I was only given store bought gifts, which I have loved and appreciated. No one ever made me anything. NO ONE. Of course, I realize it can be intimidating to give a handmade gift to an artist--it should not be. I treasure the time it takes to make a gift. My time is valuable. Life is too short. If you spent your valuable time making me something, thinking of me while you made it--well, there can be no greater gift. So this Christmas, I am giving my time. Perhaps you will be gifted with lovely handmade washcloths. This one pictured here is the softest blue chenielle and I can imagine it for wiping the sleep out of a baby's eye at bath time or as a luxurious face cloth for a dear friend. I enjoyed making it and have picked out more lovely yarns to make and different patterns to try. No two will be the same except for the amount of love that I pour in them. Take that China! This year my Christmas will be Made With Love.
Oh, and because it's almost halloween, check out this blog entry by my friend Karin...BOO!
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