Amber's (scaifea) 2023 Crafting Thread

Hey folks! I'm here, still crafting when I can. I lurk a lot, but I do love seeing all your projects here in this group and sharing my own.

Current Projects:
-A pair of mittens for myself on the knitting needles (I haven't touched them in *ages* and need to get them back out)
-Crochet dolls for my two nieces
-Two quilts: a t-shirt one for Charlie and a king-size one for Tomm and me
-two cross stitch bookmarks, one for my mom and one for a friend

Happy Crafting, friends!

Nice to see you here again, Amber. I lurk a ton of the time too.

>1 scaifea: And I thought I was adventurous with having 2-3 projects going at the same time. You continue to awe me, Amber.

Looking forward to seeing the niece dolls (fingers and all!).

>3 MickyFine: Ha! Well, several of those projects haven't been touched in a long time. We'll see how the new year goes.

Great to see you here! I always enjoy seeing your projects.

>5 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

I remember all the cute little pyjamas you used to make for Charlie when you first started here. I bet he's not so tiny any more!

>7 tiffin: Ha! He really, really isn't. He's 6ft and has a really deep voice!! But I still make his pajamas...

Happy New Year, Amber!

>9 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

I hope you make good progress on projects this year.

Do you think Charlie will ask for another costume this year? What about you after the Strega Nona costume, will you do another for you?

>11 justchris: Thanks!

>12 lesmel: I've made his costume every year now, so probably, yeah. And yes! I plan on making myself a costume every year now that I'm working at the library.

>14 scaifea: - I can remember when my sister was working at a bank for a while. They would wear costumes too. I'd go in that day just to see what they were wearing.

>15 dudes22: Aw, that's so cool!

Wondering what Amber has been doing :-)

>17 avaland: Working on those flipping crochet dolls, that's what. Nearly have one of the two finished, though...

>18 scaifea: I'm sure they are going to love them!

>19 avaland: If I ever actually finish them. I'm half convinced I've died and am now in some form of Tartarus and these dolls are my Sisyphean boulder. Or something.

Struggling to see Sisyphus with a crochet hook. Although it might be what Northrop Frye used to term a "metapher".

>21 tiffin: I suppose I could have used Penelope and her funeral shroud, but I certainly don't have a bunch of young suitors hanging around...

I've finally finished those dang crochet dolls!

What a lot of work went into those. Very Nice!

>23 scaifea: I just commented on your 75 Books thread, but it bears repeating. Nicely done!

nice! I like the sandals.

Thanks, folks! They were a complete pain in the hind quarters, but they're done now so yay! On to other things!

It bears repeating, those dolls look great!

Have you been plotting your next project while these were nearing completion? Or do you get to have fun picking something?

>28 MickyFine: I appreciate the kind words, even if I don't 100% agree.

I have a lot of projects I *want* to do, so I'll have fun choosing. I may go back to the crochet book I was working through and do another sample swatch to learn a new stitch before taking on another full project. Soon, though, I'll have to turn to our summer library program projects; this year's theme is All Together Now, and our branch has decided to interpret that into a Community Garden motif. So we'll all be crocheting garden veggies and plants for the display.

>23 scaifea: Those are cute. My mom loved to crochet. She also loved dolls. She created a doll collection for me because I'd loved playing with them so much as a child. I'd get dolls every year at Christmas. Many times they were from some place she traveled. I went into Walmart one time and saw a crochet doll series I thought would keep her busy for a while. They had been discounted to about 50 cents per pattern, so I bought all twelve in the series. She crocheted all of them. I used to keep them across the top of my dresser, but my bedroom here isn't big enough to hold both my dresser and my chest of drawers, so the dresser is in the guest bedroom, and that wasn't the decor I wanted. I'd boxed them up. After Mom died, I offered each of her granddaughters and great-granddaughters one of the dolls she'd crocheted. Some took me up. Some didn't. I still have a few.

>30 thornton37814: What a sweet memory for you. My mom can do pretty much everything *but* crochet, so I had all sorts of dolls, too, but mostly sewn ones.

>23 scaifea: OMG, those are adorable!

>32 avaland: Thanks, Lois! Apparently the nieces loved them, or they're just really sweet about their crazy aunt's weird gifts...

I finished my Slytherin mittens finally!

Nice color combo!

>35 dudes22: Thanks!

>34 scaifea: Those are lovely, Amber!

Seeing one fandom related pair of mitts reminds me of another. I seem to recall that Tomm is more of a LOTR fan than you are but have you seen the pattern for these mitts?

>37 MickyFine: Cute! Waaaay too flashy for Tomm, though, I'm afraid.

I've finished my first batch of crocheted vegetables for the SLP theme:



On to radishes next, I think.

Those are so cute!!

nice! can't wait to see the radishes.

>39 scaifea: Cute!

Thanks, folks!!

The dolls are so cute. Mittens are also really nice.

>44 mnleona: Thank you!

>39 scaifea: So cute! Made me laugh this morning.

>46 avaland: Ha! Thanks, Lois! I finished a couple of radishes, too:

My son, Charlie, is in a home ec class (although they don't call it that anymore but I can't remember what they *do* call it) and needs to take in some fabric for a sewing project (a simple drawstring backpack-like bag, I think). This is what he picked - fans of Schitt's Creek will appreciate his tastes, I think:

>48 scaifea: Back in the last century when I was in high school, we went from taking "home ec" to taking "consumer education." Same content — sewing, cooking, balancing a checkbook — different name. Not sure it's an improvement.

>49 rosalita: Semantics, eh? *sigh*

>47 scaifea: That on is adorable, too

Yep, for my kids, who are 38, 40 & 43 it was something like Family and consumer sciences and co-ed

>51 avaland: Interesting! It's also an optional course at Charlie's school, and I kind of love that he wanted to take it. He said he wanted to both because of the sewing and cooking aspects, but also because it has units on creating a budget and such, and he is a great believer in life skills being taught more in schools.

Love that radish!

Great radish!

>52 scaifea: Good for him! At my rural school students had to take either consumer ed or shop class, but both boys and girls could do either. We had a few boys in consumer ed — they got along just fine with pretty much everything except the sewing. As if running a sewing machine is any different than running a table saw in shop, sheesh.

In junior high, my class was called Career & Technology Studies. You spent half the year on the shop side of things where you could do modules in a bunch of different things including woodworking, stained glass, and 35 mm photography. The other half of the year was then split further in half between kitchen stuff and sewing stuff. I took it all 3 years and while I still can't sew a straight line (my fault not the teacher's), I loved it.

I took Comprehensive Home Economics. Hrm. I could be wrong and it was Comprehensive Consumer Sciences. I would need to ask Mom b/c she was my teacher (heh). It was one semester sewing and one semester foods sciences.

>53 al.vick: >54 dudes22: Thanks!!

>55 rosalita: Ooof, well did he still have all his fingers? Maybe he wasn't great at the table saw, either...

>56 MickyFine: Sounds like a cool way to run the course, really.

>57 lesmel: Ha! Was it cool or cringe to have your mom as a teacher?

>59 scaifea: As far as I remember the students still had all their fingers, but the shop teacher was missing half of the index finger on one of his hands. :-0

Not sure that's the guy I'd want teaching me to use power tools!

>61 scaifea: It felt normal and average for me. I spent most of my high school career in my mother's classrooms whenever I wasn't in my own classes. I was incredibly shy, didn't have friends in my peer group, and pretty much just wanted to read every spare moment of my life. 🤣

>62 rosalita: *SNORK!!*

>63 lesmel: It must have been wonderful, then, to have Mom so close to hand at school.

It is called "Family and Consumer Science" at the university level.

Back in the 1970s, we had Home Ec, Fine Arts, and Industrial Arts in middle school. In 6th grade, you took 2 6-weeks of each. In 7th & 8th, we got to choose 2 to take for a semester each. I loved the cooking, but not the sewing. We actually did rug hooking in home ec too. I didn't mind that as much as sewing.

>65 thornton37814: I didn't like either the cooking or sewing aspect of home ec (which was the entire class for me), because my mom had already taught me enough of both that I was way ahead of everything we did. So it was kind of excruciating for me. I got in trouble particularly in the sewing section for jumping ahead of everyone else. I had my shorts done by the end of the first day of the assignment. *sigh*

>66 scaifea: Ohhhhh, you would not have like the first week or so of my mother's class. Well, you might have b/c Mom was always good about recognizing talent and skill; but our first week was sewing lines and shapes without thread. Everyone, no matter the skill set, had to do the assigned work; but Mom never said no to extra projects. One year, one of her students made her own prom dress. I think the only part Mom ever helped with was altering the pattern a little and marking the hem.

>64 scaifea: It was glorious. Although, I can't fully remember how I felt about it as a teen. Probably not much different now...I just have a lot more perspective and gratitude now.

>67 lesmel: Ope, yep, we had to do that, too. Absolute torture.

Crocheted peas in a pod finished for the summer library program:

So cute!

I love that!

>69 scaifea: Adorable!

Thanks, folks!

Ugh. Welp. I tried to make coattails, as requested by Charlie for his band concert, but none of the major pattern makers (Simplicity, Vogue, McCalls, Butterick, et al.) had one even close to what I wanted. So I ordered an independent pattern. Rookie mistake. Incomprehensible pattern and instructions. Bah. If I had had more time before the concert, I could probably have eventually sussed it out, but instead I just threw up my hands, threw out the pattern, and ordered one for him. Life's too short for sewing to be frustrating. So. On to other, better projects.

My dearest friend asked if I would make her a crochet hook cozy/caddy. Here are the results:



(I was too lazy to go get my own crochet hooks so I just used the pens laying around.):





I really like how it turned out, so I think I may make myself one...

The crochet hook case is fabulous, Amber! I have a similar case for double-pointed needles--little pockets and it rolls up with a ribbon just like yours. I absolutely love it, and I have a case in the same brand for circular needles. So handy. Nice job!

>75 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!

That's really cute!

>77 dudes22: Thanks!!

>74 scaifea: That looks like the perfect blend between form and function. Useful and pretty at the same time. Well done!

>79 rosalita: Thanks!!

I made a couple of fabric pears for the library display:

Those are cute too. I admire people who are willing to do those little, fiddley projects.

>82 dudes22: Thanks! This one wasn't too fiddly, really. I don't like those much, either.

>81 scaifea: Those look tasty!

I like that the library garden is going to include different crafts. Are people doing other things besides crochet and sewing? Papier-mâché, maybe? Or Play-Doh? The possibilities are endless!

Those pears are really cute, Amber. About how tall are they? What did you use for the stems?

>84 rosalita: They really are endless!! Once we set it up, we're going to invite out patrons to make things to add to it, so hopefully we'll get all sorts of stuff. A real community garden. I adore this idea.

>85 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! They're about 4 and 7 inches tall. The stems are two rectangular pieces of fabric, fused together with paper-backed fusible stuff, then rolled up and slipped stitched closed.

nice!

>87 scaifea: thanks Amber!

>81 scaifea: Oooh those are too cute!

>88 al.vick: >90 norabelle414: Thanks!

>89 lauralkeet: Of course!

I finished up a crochet hook case for myself and one of each of my colleagues, since it's National Library Workers' Week:

I love all the different fabrics you choose, Amber. Such a cool and handy project!

>81 scaifea: Those pears are so cute!

>92 scaifea: Very nice crochet cases. I made a knitting need case myself once....my younger daughter has it now.

>93 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>94 avaland: Thanks, Lois - I was thinking of making a longer one for my knitting needles...

Very nice needles covers, Amber. Your colleagues are lucky!
The general style is similar to the cutlery holders my mum made years and years ago for the silverware. I’ve been thinking of making some for myself, it never got around to it.

I think wisdom is realising that life is too short to try to make coattails from an unhelpful pattern. Cute needle cases too!

>96 PawsforThought: >97 tiffin: Thanks, folks!

>97 tiffin: Ha! Agreed!

Woof, I've been neglecting this thread. Well, here's what I've been up to lately:

This summer I'll be running a weekly program at the library called Teen Tuesdays, in which we'll have snacks and do crafts. One week we'll be making mini books, and I wanted to try out the instructions ahead of time. Here's the result:



chapstick for size reference:



Last week I created the garden patch for the summer library program, which involved pool noodles, a hot glue gun, an exacto knife, and some fabric. I'm proud of the result (shown here with our beginning display of crocheted sprouts, which we'll gradually replace with crafted veggies), and the fact that I made it through the process without burning or cutting myself:



And I crocheted a Very Hungry Caterpillar to keep the snail company (because what library garden display doesn't have a VHC?!):

I am so impressed by your display skills, Amber. My creative skills don't lean that direction at all, sadly.

Very cool!

I saw your garden display on your 75’ers thread. It looks great and I’m looking forward to seeing the vegetables start growing there.

I love the library display so much.

I love your little caterpillar. Looking forward to see the rest.

Thanks, everyone! I'm happy with how it turned out - I was a little unsure when faced with a mass of pool noodles, but it seems to have worked out okay. I'll try to remember to post photos throughout the summer as we add to the garden!

Like the book and the very hungry caterpillar!

You have some really great ideas.

>106 al.vick: >107 mnleona: Thanks so much!

Agree with the rest re the caterpillar! Is this the Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar? ....

>109 avaland: It *is* the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar!

Looks like he's hungry and a caterpillar to me! Dropping in to say "hi."

I recently finished a crocheted faux fur cowl:



Still working on knitting the Death Star, plus I've started crocheting a circular pillow.

>112 scaifea: Beautiful work, Amber.

I'm always intimidated by those types of yarns so I'm extra impressed with you tackling it.

>113 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

Ooof, it was hard to work with, let me tell you. I had to restart twice, and I still didn't get it perfect because it's SO hard to find the stitches. I won't rush to work with it again, even though it is really soft and wonderful to touch.

That's great looking, Amber. Looks like it would be difficult to work with. But will feel so cozy next winter.

>115 dudes22: It's very soft and it'll be *so* warm! I'm excited.

Lovely!

>114 scaifea: I was wondering about the "experience". It does look like the yarn could be a pain. I'm glad you powered through it. The results are great!

>117 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

>118 lauralkeet: Thanks! But yeah, I won't crochet with that yarn again, but I think I could handle knitting with it just fine.

Projects are slow moving at the moment, but here's a photo of the complete community garden:

The community garden looks so good! Very tasty!

What a great display!

Thanks, folks!

>120 scaifea: I love it!

>124 avaland: It turned out pretty good, right?

wow! That is really nice.

>125 scaifea: Indeed!

>120 scaifea: I love it!

>120 scaifea: Late to the admiration party, but so gorgeous! Amazing job you and your co-workers did.

>120 scaifea: - I was at the local fair yesterday, Amber, and saw some similar to this. I'm guessing it was a 4-H project.

Thanks, folks!

>130 dudes22: Aw, cool!

SO, I'm still working on some longer projects, but at work I'm also crocheting up some pride flag hearts to take to the library table at the local Pride Fest in October, so I thought I'd share a couple of them here:

Oh those are great. I was thinking of your library project (#120) when I went to the fair this year. I saw some knitted/crocheted vegetables like yours. It was nice to see them up close.

very nice!

>133 dudes22: Thanks! We've had patrons come in and tell us that we should take our wares to the fair, but I don't think any of us will. It's sweet of them to suggest, though.

>134 al.vick: Thanks!

>132 scaifea: Those are lovely, Amber!

Fab hearts!

>137 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

>135 scaifea: My daughter put a scarf I made for her in the Minnesota State Fair and I won second place. A surprise for me.
I did enter a C2C crochet blanket this time but did not win.
Enter your pieces and let people see your work and you might win. It is fun just to see them in the cases.

>139 mnleona: I suppose I'm just too lazy, really. I just...don't want to go to the trouble?

I think I've mentioned earlier that I'm working on knitting a Death Star. Well, it's nearly finished; once it's blocked, I just need to knit closed the circular opening, which will be the 'laser disc.' How does one block a knitted Death Star, you ask? With a beach ball, but of course:

I commented on your other thread already about how great this looks. I hope stuffing so you get the concave bit in there isn't too tricky.

>141 scaifea: A beach ball! Genius!

>143 norabelle414: I wish I could take the credit, but I'm following a pattern, and the instructions suggested a beach ball. I agree that it's brilliant, though!

>142 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

neat!

Well, I abandoned the Death Star for a bit in order to finish the crochet mummy I started last fall...

I have named him Montague Mumford and he will be part of a display at the library next month (I think I'll have him standing next to some horror novels or something:

That is one cute mummy, Amber!

love that!

>147 scaifea: Look at you knocking out the craft project with a deadline so fast. Nice job!

That mummy is so cute!

Thanks, everyone!

>150 MickyFine: Yeeeeah, no. I started him LAST fall.

That's adorable!

Thanks!

The finished Death Star:

I love that ball, Amber!

>156 avaland: Ha! Thanks, Lois!

Squee! That's so cute!

>158 al.vick: Aw, thanks! I've convinced my library colleagues to get to work on crocheting some Star Wars things to go along with it so that I can create a SW-themed picture book display, probably in January or so. Should be a hoot.

My sister is a children's librarian and I'm always showing her your displays and ideas. So -did just blocking it keep it's shape or did you leave the beach ball inside?

>160 dudes22: The beach ball is gone and it's now stuffed with polyfil. The blocking worked really well!

>161 scaifea: - Duh (head slap) - You can tell I don't do these kind of projects.

>162 dudes22: Ha! Honestly, I kind of like the idea of just using the beach ball instead of bothering to stuff it, but I think it would have been difficult to stitch the hole closed...

And then the beach ball would eventually deflate I think.

My latest knitting project:

The cowl:

>165 scaifea: The bobble-esque stitches are my fave, I think.

That looks fabulous, Amber!

I love the color combo. Looks really nice.

Nicely done, Amber! That red shade is delicious.

Thanks, everyone!

>166 MickyFine: That stitch was THE WORST, K5tog is my new least favorite thing. It does look pretty cool, though.

>170 scaifea: Isn't it always such a nuisance that the coolest looking stitches are often the biggest pain to do? I'm glad the results were worth the pain.

Very nice!

>172 avaland: Thanks!

hi

Charlie in costume this morning for school (he gave me a sketch of an outfit for one of his D&D characters):



I'm pretty proud of the godets in the coat:

Beautiful work, Amber. That looks fantastic!

Wonderful! He will be the envy of all! (and yes, the godets do look fab!)

Thanks, ladies!

I've been working on xmas projects lately; here's the most recent finished product, a Feathers McGraw (from Wallace & Gromit fame) for my husband (he's a big fan):

I've also finished an amigurumi version of one of Charlie's favorite anime characters:

>179 scaifea: - I love Wallace and Gromit. That's so cute! I was thinking of you the other day when I went to a craft fair and one of the booths had all kinds of knitted/crocheted amigurumi like you make. I think some of them were the same as what you made for the vegetable garden in the summer. .

>181 dudes22: Aw, I love that you thought of me! Very cool.

Wonderful! (as usual)

>183 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

>179 scaifea: >180 scaifea: So cute! My mom crocheted a series of dolls for me way back when. I've since divided the collection by offering them to nieces and grand-nieces, but I still have many in my own stash.

>185 thornton37814: Aw, that's lovely.

Another xmas gift finished: an Ahsoka (a Star Wars character, apparently) amigurumi for one of our nieces:



I'm in full present project panic mode, though. So much more to do. Gah.

>187 scaifea: - That's so adorable.

>187 scaifea: I agree with Betty:-)

I saw this on the other thread. This is awesome!

Thanks, folks!

The final christmas project is finished!! A Willie Nelson for one of my coworkers, who is a huge fan:

Wow. Just wow. That's really great, Amber!

Wow!! That's amazing.

Thanks so much, folks! Those fingers were a *mess* to make work right, so I'm happy he's appreciated!

>192 scaifea: Oh, I love that one!

>196 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I'm giving it to her today, so we'll see how it goes...

I think you are having fun doing these. So cute.

>198 mnleona: Well, yes and no. There *was* an obscene amount of cursing while working on Mr. Nelson...

>199 scaifea: Great response. You did finish so that is an accomplishment.

>200 mnleona: Ha! Very true. To be fair, with one breath I claim that crafting is relaxing and with the very next one I'll be cursing at my latest project like a sailor. What can I say; I contain multitudes.

>201 scaifea: - I think we all have a group like that.

>201 scaifea: Wait, cursing isn't part of craft therapy?? 🤣

>203 lesmel: Ha! It is if you do it the way I do...