Finished hat 3

I'm almost finished, I just have to tack the brim down so it doesn't unroll and I'll be done with that tonight. So here are the pics. I added a little loose pom pom on top and I actually like it a little bit better now. I think the pom pom on top sets it off nicely.

Side view:


Top view:


Close up:


I'm fixing to start on my skinny scarf now, YEAH!

Home for the Holidays

With Christmas and New Years just days away and my vacation starting tomorrow. WOOHOO!

I did start on hat #3 and I just have to finish it off and I'm done. Honestly, I don't like it. I thought the yarn would be pretty but nooooooooo. Don't get me wrong, the yarn is pretty just not for this project and it's to delicate to painstakingly take it apart. I have decided that i'm going to give it to my youngest brothers baby's mama. MUWAHAHAHAHA!

I bought more yarn, something even more fun than the yarn I had picked out for my 5yr old niece. I also pulled out this ohhhh so extremely soft yarn by phentex that I got from the Big Lots store for a buck that I'm going to turn into a skinny scarf. Sometimes I can find good yarn cheap there, like the bulky black chenille I made my 1st hat from. I also bought myself another kniffty knitter loom (flower loom) and a kniffty knitter loom project book. I had a few coupons so I took advantage of them.


I won't be back until after the holidays and I really hope I have more projects to share. It's been so long that I've actually made more than a few things and still desiring to make more. It feels good but I just don't seem to have enough time in a day. I will over the holidays because this year, sadly, won't be driving to see family. My car is not in any condition to make the 3hr drive and I really don't want to risk it and plus, don't have the funds for gas and stuff. So, we are going to have a belated christmas (income tax) gathering. LOL! I will be at MY home for the holidays this year instead of at family.

Hat #2

I finished hat #2 and will start on a 3rd this evening when I get home.

Progress pics






Finished hat

I finished, I finished!

I think i'm liking these Kniffty Knitter looms. I finished my chenille hat Sunday night and started on another one using Lion brands Wool-Ease thick and chunky yarn in Wheat which I may be done with tonight or by tomorrow atleast. I'm so glad I finished that hat cause a cold front came in overnight on sunday and the wind was whipping monday morning. My new hat kept my ears nice and warm. So without further ado and sorry for the late post with pics









I have another color ready to go for another hat. I think I'm going to make several and send then as christmas gifts to my family.

Kniffty Knitting

I have a couple of the Kniffty Knitter looms. My daughter was the one that wanted them and okay, so have I but they are a bit expensive for my budget. We bought the small so that my daughter could make scarves or leg warmers or even a baby hat. Her first project was a hat. Here you can see a pic of her cat Lira sporting said hat (HOOK'EM HORNS)


She started on a scarf for herself but unfortunately she chose a yarn from my collection that I only had one of and it's a Joann's fabric exclusive type yarn. I'm hoping that when I go to Joann's on saturday that they still carry this particular yarn cause I can't even find it on the net. If we can't find it, we may just have to take apart all the work that she's done and repurpose the yarn to another project.

Speaking of taking apart stuff. I decided that I wasn't real thrilled with #4 scarf so I took it apart and haven't decided if I'm going to restart with that yarn or do something entirely different with it. I decided that I really wanted to try out my new Kniffty knitter looms and attempt to make a hat. Ugh, unfortunately for me I don't have a lot of any one color which I need atleast 2-5(maybe even more) depending on the skein and the project. So I decide i'm definetly going to attempt this hat thing with thick black chenille. I'm going along just wonderfully and every now and then I hear this noise and I think it's one of the pegs because every time I hear it, it's right around this one peg. Low and behold, nope it was the thread BREAKING. I should know better about the strength of chenille. To much stress on the thread and it breaks. So here I am about a quarter of the way into the hat and fixing to finish up on the brim portion and I'm almost, so close, to finishing that part when SNAP I break the thread completely in 2. UGH! ! ! As I am taking apart the hours of work i've already spent, I find that the noise was broken threads and now have about half a dozen different lengths of chenille. Obviously my tension was way to tight so I start over using a lighter touch on the tension, so far so good. I might just be done with this hat by the end of the weekend, just in time for the weather to warm up into the 70's.

Wee Update

Didn't get much done over the weekend. I did finish getting Celebration of Dance doll sewed up, beads chosen and a face. I've decided to go with a mirror face instead of a polymer face. Right now I just don't have any polymer faces that fit the doll. I figure that a mirror would be better suited. When you look into the dolls face, you see your reflection, your inner you dancing. I'm hoping to start the beading process tonight. I tried over the weekend but nothing wanted to cooperate.

I still need to finish the 4th scarf I started working on. I still need to do some mending and alterations. Some of my clothes look like I'm wearing a tent or that my butt sags down to my knees. LOL! I did manage to repair the seams on my tennis shoes. I hate when the threads pop and there isn't anything else wrong with the shoes.

I just have so much stuff to do and not enough room, but I'm trying. I'll try to get some pics up of the doll before the end of the week and anything else I've managed to work on other than mending/alterations stuff.

Here is what I'm working on

Okay, I got pics of the stuff I'm working on.

Here is the fish, which I'm debating to bead and decorate or just leaving it as is.



Here is the doll on both sides



I haven't decided which side yet will be front and which will be back. I need to finish stuffing and sewing up the hole. Now I need to decide on what kind of face to put on her. I don't plan on doing a lot of beading because I want the fabric to show.

Wee Update

No lack of ideas, not much in the way of creating. I had really hoped to get something made over the Thanksgiving holiday. I did manage to get a stuffed fish sewn up that has been sitting for about a year. I also got a doll form sewn, turned and started the stuffing process. I drew the doll about a year or so ago, inspired by a wonderful beader in Italy. I double stitched the seam on the doll so that it would have less stress after being stuffed. I definetly need to make some modifications to the pattern but over all, I like it. The pattern somewhat resembles the goddess symbol and dance all at the same time. You might think, oh she'll call the doll, Goddess of Dance, nope that will be one name but I've decided to call the current doll, Celebration of Dance. She has a very cool fabric that is blue and swirly looking, it evokes the feeling of movement for me when I look at it. This particular doll pattern was also inspired by a beaded face that I have yet to finish. I wanted the pattern to evoke movement and I feel that is portrays that.

I think that I'm going to try and work on old WIP's and get them done and out of the way to hopefully make room for more. LOL! Maybe this slump is telling me to finish things before starting something new so that I don't have those half assed projects hanging over my head, weighing my shoulders down. Somewhere in the back of my head they nag at me on a subconcious level. I don't have to many WIP's at the moment but I have a few.

Make it STOP!

No wait, don't make it stop, just give me some energy and UMPH! Ugh, this is driving me nuts. Last few nights I've been playing around with a skirt idea, then another one popped up and then another one. Of course some of these ideas I'm sure that they've been done before. GRRRRRRR, I really really need a dress form, dagnabit. I thought about just making a form from just below the breasts to past the hips because that is where I need the most assistance with things. If I do that, I might as well do the whole form then. Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post of new creations after the Thanksgiving holidays! I hope to have atleast 1 skirt done and maybe a wrap as well.

Down to the Wire

Thanksgiving is the week and Christmas is just around the corner. No lack of ideas but still in the energy slump. I have one present done, one I'm thinking about doing but not sure yet and no real idea for any others. My 15yr old daughter wants to make some tube scarves and we just bought a knitting ring to do that. No lack of yarn that's for sure. LOL!

Yesterday I sat down and was doodling with a skirt design for belly dance stuff. The design is fairly simple using a stretch fabric. I have some fabric I bought some time ago, just for that and didn't get around to it then. I seriously need to make myself a duct tape dummy or buy a dress dummy and soon. I have ideas busting out of my ears for sewing and plenty of fabric and even new attachments to make my sewing eaiser.

I think other than not really having the room, I don't want to upset the SO. I just need to tell them to kiss my butt, I'm going to do what makes me happy. I'm so worried about causing friction at home in our cramped apartment that i'm not helping myself and my current blues. I think that will all change this weekend because i'm going to get some durn sewing in or something. I need to get out of this slump. I keep buying material for the ideas but not doing anything with them.

Having Christmas just around the corner isn't helping any cause i'm broke and have made so many thing over the years for my family that i'm kinda lost as in what to make now. I have a few ideas but i'm limited because of space, time and money. So very frustrating.

I've lost my energy

So I was really on this thing for making scarves. I have numerous color combos I want to do but I seem to have lost the UMPH to get them started or even finished for that matter. I'm working on #4 and have only done like 4 rows and I started it about a week ago. I need something, I just don't know exactly what it is. I'm tired of this funk. I'm tired of the whirlwind spurts of creativity that are gone as fast as they show up. I try to force myself to finish something when i'm not in the mood for it and I get frustrated over it, mess up or whatever. UGH!

Scarf Crazy

So I finished one scarf but not sharing pics cause it's a christmas present and if they saw it, they'd know it was for them. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I have oddles of yarn, mostly the pain in the ass stuff to work with. I also have some red heart yarn that I've had for years. It's a lovely varigated color of purple and I bought it probably 10yrs or so ago and at that time only made a pair of slippers. I wanted to do a purple scarf and use the red heart yarn and came up with this.



It's definetly an interesting combination and I even added fringe. I was originally going to knit but the main purple boucle yarn (I think that's what it's called don't have the wrapper at the moment) didn't want to cooperate. I have a crochet hook that is a size 15.50mm, largest hook I have. I worked 2 strands of yarn in double crochet on this one. The only thing left to do on it, trim the fringe up.

After finishing up the varigated purple one, I was still on this purple kick. I have this extremely fuzzy fun fur stuff in purple with bits of silver reflections in it. I was going to pair it with a dark shade of purple chenille but it just wasn't working for me, the colors where way off. Instead, I paired this crazy furry yarn with 2 strands of thin black chenille instead. I had planned on knitting this as well but once again encountered the not wanting to cooperate syndrome. The yarn was way to fuzzy and kept catching and making it hard for the knots to slide. I figure, I'll crochet it with the big fat crochet hook. Worked out much better and atleast I can "see" with my fingers so I'd know where the next stitch went. I worked this one up in single crochet and added black chenille fringe to the end by pulling it through both corners of the ends of the scarf. I think my daughter will like it for it's fuzziness and that it's purple and black. It really is furry. The only thing left to do to this one is trim the fringe and lightly brush the fun fur up so it's even more furry.





This is the most creative I've been in a long time. I have other color schemes that I want to do. I've started now on #4 scarf using Chenille thick and quick prints with size 12.75mm (US 17)knitting needles. I normally use the 15mm (US 19)size knitting needles to make scarves with. I thought I'd try something different and a bit more challenging.

Knit and Crochet

I finished the knitted scarf I was working on as a christmas present. PHew! One down and a few more to go. I have about 5 different color combinations I want to work on. I started a new scarf last night but the yarn didn't want to be knitted so I had to resort to using the largest crochet hook that I have. The yarn combo I'm using doesn't like to slide over itself very well, so that's why the knitting wasn't cooperating. I think I like it using the crochet hook better. On the other hand the crochet hook is a bit awkard to use, it says it's a 15.50mm size hook. It's much bigger than what I normally work with so there is a bit of a learning curve, but it's interesting to use. So far I like how it's turning out, shouldn't take me to long to finish this one so that I can start on the next one. I was thinking of doing something in UT colors next but not sure yet.

Artist being sued by Copycat!

Please read this and pass it on.

John T. Unger

We as artist's and consumers need to be aware of this. It happens more than you realize. Most small buisness artist can't compete with companies that have money and therefore they don't try and give up or judgment is deferred to the real criminal because the artist doesn't have the funds to FIGHT! We all need to fight back against bullshit like this.

Sewing machine attachments

I have a very old sewing machine, vintage, antique, whatever you'd like to call it. This machine is made from metal, not plastic parts and is probably about 50+yrs old. I only had a couple of feet for the machine and never really paid it much mind as to the uses. I've used the button holer foot and the regular foot and that's about it. I decided I needed more attachments and went on an ebay hunt. I found some, low shank, WOOHOO! I had no problem finding numerous attachments for my brand of machine but they were all long shank and totally don't fit. My grandmother had given me some attachments for doing embroidery with my machine but they were long shank and didn't fit. No big deal really, I don't plan on doing embroidery by machine anyways. If ever I do decide to do machine type embroidery, I want a machine that is designed to do that, specifically.

I get the parts from the ebay seller and it has a little booklet with it, AWESOME! They fit my machine, doing the happy dance. Only 1 foot attachment wasn't in there that should have been but no big deal because I already have that particular foot anyways, don't need 2. I'm happy, oh so happy to finally have parts that fit my machine to make some of my sewing ever so much easier.

Looking at these new attachments I'm scratching my noodle wondering how the heck they fit on my machine, consult said 1940's looking manual and get the ahh HAH feeling. The pleating/ruffler foot looks like some alien contraption or torture device. LOL! I'm almost scared to use it, hahahahaa. I open up the booklet and begin reading and realize that some projects I have done could have been sew much easier if I had known how to use the attachments, even the few I had.

One of the projects I'm somewhat working on is going to be so much easier to do because it calls for a very small hem. I now have a rolled hem attachment that will make that much easier to do. I can now do dainty and delicate materials with nice hems.

I still have to make a duct tape dummy but with my weight currently fluctuating, I'm wondering if I should wait. I do want a nice dress dummy that has adjustable nob things all over it but that's going to cost a bit and with car problems, that'll have to wait too. Glad, I'm not having to make things for other people that would require a dress dummy. Now to just find time to sit down and play with my new attachments. I still need to finish the other arm cuff too.

Sewing

Well, I finally finished one of the cuffs and will probably start working on the other one tonight. I've already gathered the ruffle part of the matching cuff. I like them, except I made them a we bit to big for my wrist, so they are a bit loose. I think I may need to change the method of closure to maybe a button and elastic cause threading the 2 holes and trying to tie it on yourself is a pain and pretty much impossible.





I didn't get to the duct tape form this weekend but I did manage to clean off my kitchen table, which about killed me. Okay, I'm exaggerating but the amount of stress I felt from doing that, was horrible. The S.O wanted to use the table for some of his stuff. First he just wanted to move all the loose stuff off the table that was piled a mile high, into a box and even brought out a box. I felt anger, tears in my eyes, lump in my throat and just anxiety. I was in the middle of cooking breakfast and started the clearing off process and by the time breakfast was done, I couldn't eat it I was so upset.

I tried to figure out why I was getting upset. Everything on that table hasn't been used in months, if not years. I have been in a creative funk for several years now and having to put that stuff away just reminded me even more of how much stuff I have. I have a lot of crafting stuff but at the same time I don't have enough room not only to store it but to create with it. I think that is the core of the issue, not having the room to feel free to create without someone complaining about the stuff laying around. I still feel a little hurt about it but at least the feeling sick to my stomach is much better.

Sew Me

A little update, I've been sewing, well attempting to. This is the current project i'm working on, wrist cuffs. They are made from scraps that I have. Right now I have only one just about done, playing around with some decorating ideas. I didn't finish the edges on the grey cotton material because I want it to fray and have that kinda tatty look. I need to find get some black ribbon or rattail cording to tie them with.
Close up:




I have other projects in the sewing category but I seriously need a body double or something. I need to break out the duct tape, old t-shirt and bra and duct tape myself a double. I need extra hands though, I'm sure my daughter and J would look at me like I was nuts, then again they already think i'm crazy. LOL! :)

I need to get some newspaper or some of that expand a foam crap to fill the double with and maybe some kind of contraption to hold it up. Right now I feel that not having some kind of sewing dummy to work from is hindering my work progress. I have numerous sewing projects on the board but really need that double since I'm not a contortinist. Guess that will be my project this weekend, duct tape double!

Chainmaille

Hello to my readers (listens for cricket chirps). My significant other and my daughter have both been going to this role playing game called HeroClix once a week together. It's great cause I get several hours to just veg out, go shopping (when I have money) or sleep if I want to. At the comic book store where they game, they have dice bags made using chainmaille techniques. The bags are cool, kinda wide and use aluminum and rubber rings. The use of rubber rings is kinda new and kinda cool. I don't know many people that actually buy these bags but they seem to sell.

The S.O asks me why I don't make any and try to sell them. I'm like to who? Even big gamers don't buy chainmaille bags. So on a bored whim last night, I pulled out some anodized aluminum rings I have and played around with them. My bag is not exactly like some of the patterns I have saved but then again I really wasn't working off of one, just fiddling around. My little bag looks a bit more like a tube than a bag. LOL!

Still Alive n Kickin

Well, I'm still here not much to report on the creative front though. Most of the time I just don't feel like myself, tired and bummed mostly. I did finally get some mending done and I finally after months of it just sitting, sew the ties on the wrap pants I made. These:


I have ideas for other wrap pants and even some other sewing projects but when I get home, I really don't want to do anything but sleep. I know this creative slump started years ago but the fire that happened just a few short years ago was the kick in the pants. Since that fire, I haven't done much at all in the way of making things even with the non-stop ideas. I know that there are other factors contributing to this continued slump. I just keep telling myself it can't last forever. I try to keep telling myself that things will get better even though the little voice in the deep recesses of my mind tell me other wise. I keep getting thrown ideas left and right and then I make the mistake of opening my eyes and reality drains any energy that just happened within that spark of creative thought.

So here I sit, fondling my pretties, my precious treasures and telling them that some day they will create beauty to just be patient a little bit longer. Some of my lovelies I know I'll have to say goodbye to for whatever reason, okay the demands of money to pay the demands of a sustainable life.

Destashing

It seems like I've been working on destashing, cleaning out and getting rid of crafting supplies for years now. Okay, it has been years. LOL! Yesterday, when I got home from work, I pulled out one of the boxes of crafting supplies that is marked to get rid of. I was just throwing stuff in there, no real organization to it. While trying not to think about the crap that is continually going on in my life, I sorted the box. I pulled out numerous items that I figured might go quickly on Etsy cause well, some of that stuff I've had since like the 80's. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I should just give it away but right now I need money. If I didn't need money, I probably would just donate it all to goodwill, salvation army, kids, etc. I still have another box of stuff to get rid of, the FABRIC box of doooooom... LOL! No, just kidding, it's not doom but it has lots of fabric in it.

So for those of you who read this blog, if your interested in seeing the stuff I've listed on Etsy, go here

OdetteDesigns Etsy

Fascinated with Hair Accessories

I'm having a little bit of fun playing with makeing hair fascinators. Right now i'm just doing bobby pins cause well the hands and brain still aren't wanting to cooperate with each other as well as i'd like them too. I made these 3 last night.

FINALLY!

I have some new stuff to show. I made these over the weekend. I did the beading on the one and I have several more ideas and patterns and stuff emerging from this. I also finally finished my first pair of wrap pants, too.

A trio of hair fascinators: I did a picot beaded edge on the hair clip. I wrapped and used a bit of glue for the bobby pins.



What they look like in the hair:



My 1st pair of wrap pants. I made the basic pattern and cheated by using double iron on interfacing to do the hemming. I still need to sew the ties on and voila all done.





I'm so happy to be making stuff for a change. WOOHOO!

Updating

Hi, it's just me, still alive and kicking. Sometimes I really don't feel all that alive, more like a zombie. LOL!

Well, not much to report. I did try to do some sewing this weekend. I did get one shirt mended. I tried to work on a pair of wrap pants and some gauntlets. I'm not sure what is going on with the damn sewing machine. I'm using a zig-zag stitch to do the hemming on a stretchy knit like material. I have no problems with the first few inches then it starts skipping, not picking up threads, sewing a straight line instead of a zig-zag. UGH! I checked the needle to make sure I was using the right one for the material, checked the bobbin tension and the top thread tension. I made adjustments, test strips and it's still doing the same thing. I'm ready to give up and do the easy hemming with some iron on interfacing strips. The only thing I'd have to sew then is the top with ties. Yeah, I think I will do that.

On the guantlets, I'm going to have to make a few adjustments to the pattern but the idea is cool and will work, that's what matters.

My next project will be to finally finish my grandmother's apron and then I can work on some more belly dance stuff.

I still have lots of sorting and organizing to do but I'm taking a break for the moment. I have enough stuff sorted out to keep me busy for a bit.

Spring Cleaning

PHEW! I think I'm done with my Spring Cleaning. Okay, probably not.. LOL! I did just recently come across some more stuff, AHHHHH! I think I'm just about ready to start taking pictures for posting. I had planned on doing that this past weekend but I never got around to it. Just thinking about all that photo taking, editing, descriptions, listing, my head started hurting. I think it's my allergies and not so much the huge task before me. HeHe!

Right now the only thing I seem to have on my mind creatively is sewing projects. I have a pair of wrap pants to sew and hem. I also have a pair of arm warmers I'm making and I have an apron to make. I should have made that apron like a few years ago. It's supposed to be for my grandmother. I know shame on me, no really SHAME ON ME! I have several projects I need to do for my grandmother.

The urge to create is there, just still not much UMPH! to get the projects done, much less written down. I've been in this funk now for about 5-6yrs, the last 2-3yrs being the worst. Le' Sigh! I'll get back to my creating sooner or later. I just think I really need this purging of materials to get things back into a better perspective. I have so much stuff in such a small place that it literally becomes overwhelming trying to find or create something.

Hopefully by next week, i'll be at a point to either sit down and make something and show pictures or atleast being able to sit down and make something.

Mags 4 Sale

Okay just a quick update..... I've listed a bunch of beading magazines at photobucket under the name winterdreamdragon.

http://s638.photobucket.com/albums/uu109/winterdreamdragon/Mags%204%20Sale/

That link should take you directly to the album. Pricing is in the title of the picture.

Now that I have all the magazines listed it's time to take pics of the rest of the things i'm getting rid of.. FUN!

Mags for Sale

Hi everyone! I'm getting things together to sale so I'll be posting more stuff until I get it all posted. I'll update when I have new things listed.

Right now I have polymer clay magazines listed

Polymer Clay mags 4 SALE Not sure why this link isn't working. Just type in winterdreamdragon and it'll bring up my albums.

Still Kicking

Yes, i'm still here. Nothing creative lately, still no lack of ideas though. I'm working on getting reorganized and doing some spring cleaning, destashing and all that other goood stuff. The last few weeks, I really haven't had time for much of anything. Each weekend has been busy, each evening busy and when it's not I'm so tired from the rest of the days that I just don't want to do anything. I have been focusing a bit on losing weight and that is going well. I would love to lose more and faster but I'm not pushing it because I want it to stay off, not come back in a few months. So, hopefully within the next week or two I will have some destash stuff up in my Etsy account. Those of you that still come and read this blog, I will also post notice here that I have new stuff listed. I really need to declutter and pair down not just in my crafting supplies but my life as well. That is where my main focus is at the moment. I'm crossing fingers and praying that in the next couple of months I will be able to move. I'm prepping for that, yeah I know it's early but one can never be to early when packing for a move. LOL!

I'm still here

I know it's been awhile. The past few months have been a bit hectic to say the least. As far as craftiness goes, it's been about non-existent production wise. I have plenty of ideas which I really need to write down before I forget them. Right now I'm somewhat focusing on getting some things organized and sorted out. I started belly dance class about 3-4 weeks ago and i've been focusing on that some. Most of the ideas and designs coming to me are belly dance related. I'm hoping that in the next week or two that life will slow down a bit and give me some time after I get some things sorted. It's time for some spring cleaning and I want to get that out of the way before I start working on things again. So, I'm still here and I miss creating but other things are taking precedence right now.

It's going to be awhile

I know it's been some time since I posted and it'll probably be a bit longer before new stuff comes up. I've put my Etsy account on vacation even though I'm not on vacation. A lot of things have come up over the last few months and it's been one helluva emotional roller coaster of a ride. Right now I'm trying to focus on picking up the pieces and slowly put things back together. I'm doing okay, just need a bit of time. I need to get my head back on it's axis cause it's off kilter at the moment and feels like it's spinning out of control.