Almost There!

I am back at working on this cross stitch Christmas stocking for my oldest child.  I have been working on this on and off for quite a few years and it is time to get it DONE!

 Before I started stitching on it again.

 I always find it so hard to actually see what has been done on one of these when someone posts a picture and I am sure it is the same with my picture.  BUT....ALL the cross stitches are done now.  YIPEE!!  Only the back stitching is left and I have been slowly working on that nightly, only allowing myself to get sidetracked occasionally :o)

 I think this picture show the best update from the last picture.  I have done a lot of back stitching so far and I think if I keep plugging along like I have been, it should be done in a couple of weeks.

 This puppy is just so cute!!

 And of course, Santa!!

Had to take a picture of the book I am reading.  This is kind of a strange book and I am anxiously awaiting to see how all the twists and turns will be ironed out.

Head over to Tami's and Ginny's for more works in progress.

Tuesday Tallies

I am sort of back on track with my hexies.  I am loving making these little embroidered ones, but they take quite a bit of time :o)

 5 hexies in about 2 weeks.  I love the embroidered ones.  The striped one is made up of yarn from several different projects:  The linen stitch scarf (orange), friendship bracelets end bits (green, red, and blue), and the end warp from my first loomed project (dark and light purple).  It's so cool to use up these little bits and bobs and I think the end blanket will have so much more meaning as I look upon it in the years to come!

 My personal favorite of the embroidered ones - the 16yo likes the one with the white flowers the best.

I love how the single stitches look like hearts - I also love that both purples are from my very first loom project!!

Noon Art

I have been lucky enough to be able to lead noon art at our elementary school this year and it has been sooooo much fun!!!  Every other Friday myself along with a few other volunteers have introduced an art project and the kids have loved it.  We have reached anywhere between 175 to 250 students each noon art and it feels great - not to mention how much it relieves the pressure of an overcrowded playground!

 Yesterday, the project was friendship bracelets and although the prep was very time consuming, it was so worth it!  The kids had a great time.

 They were all over our MP room not to mention outside making bracelets galore!

 Here are even more up on the stage.  The funny thing is that we had as many boys as girls!!  Fabulous!

 These are zoomers - you wind them up, pull the strings on either side and watch them spin.  So much fun!

 A picture of the tables after they cleared out a little.  Before this, you couldn't even get through to the tables.

 Ball and cup game.  They decorated the outside of a toilet paper tube, attached the ball and string and away they went.

 Journal making.  These are made from the covers of cereal boxes folded inside out.

 An example made by one of my kids just for show and tell.

 Totem pole making - another huge hit!

 The kids are super creative!

We did so many other things like:  pet rocks, weaving, maze making, seed cups and so much more!!  I had so many ideas, I couldn't use them all.  Well....I signed on for another year for this volunteer position!!  This is right up my alley.  Maybe I should be an art teacher when I grow up.....

Fishie Blanket

My fishie blanket is FINALLY done!!

 AND I am totally in love with it!  All 180 fish completed and crocheted together! The weight of the cotton is just perfect.

 I love the black braid in between each and every fish - I think the outline so perfectly sets each fish apart from it's neighbor.

For a border I just did one row of SC and then one little bobble row.  Now it's the hubby and I who fight over this one in the evenings!!

Check out Tami's for more finished objects!

Tuesday Tallies and Noon Art

I don't have very much to show for my hexies this week.  I managed to finish two.

 This one, made with some of the leftover yarn from my linen stitch scarf.  I actually really like embroidering on these.  It is a little fiddly - I do it before the hexi is stuffed and closed so I have to get the needle inside that little thing, but I think the effect is worth it.

 This hexi is made with size US5 needles and dishcloth cotton.  I had a vision of my blanket having many different sizes of hexis - the abundance would be the tiny ones with the larger ones scattered about.

 I actually "hate" the bigger one.  It is very wonky and I don't think it is very cute at all.  It is also not the right size to easily fit two of the smaller ones to a side to easily add it to the blanket.  Oh, well!  Gotta try new things once in awhile.

 This is a piece of cardboard that was cut off a box.  I save these along with all cereal box cardboard and any other cardboard that is flat and not too thick.

 These types of cardboard make great patterns and can be used for many, many crafts.  I am the lead for noon art at our elementary school and each craft has to work for approximately 275 students aged 6 years to 11 years old.  That is a huge range in terms of ability!!  Here I am prepping for friendship bracelets.  First, you need to cut out circles - I traced around a juice glass for the circle.

 Stacks of circles

 More stacks

 There are over 300 in this box.  Some of the children will want to make more than one and I want to encourage them to be as creative as possible.  After the circle are cut, a hole needs to be placed in the center of the circle...

 Then, eight half inch slits need to be cut into the outside of the circle.  After that, seven 24 inch lengths of thread (or yarn - I prepped both) need to be cut and knotted together - place the knot into the hole in the center of the circle and then separate the 7 strands into the different slots.  Then they are ready to be used.  I will post again about how to do the actual friendship bracelets soon, but a google search will tell you all you need to know :o)  They are quite easy (once they are prepped!!)

 These are the first ones that were prepped.

 300 prepped and ready to go - you can see that some are made with embroidery thread and some are made with yarn.  I am going to try to encourage the younger kids to use the ones with yarn because they will see results much faster.

Extra forms just in case - I will also bring yarn and thread.

This prep takes quite awhile and is why I have not gotten my hexis for the last couple of weeks done.  Now I will be able to keep up with my hexis - I won't be able to "catch up" but I should be able to get my original goal of 7 per week done.  Let's see if I can do it :o)  Or if something grabs my attention!!

Blanket for a new little cousin

We had a new little boy born to our family late last year and I made this for him.

 We saw him in December and he is sooo cute.  He lives in Canada so we haven't seen him since, but I have seen pictures and he is growing like a weed!

 I just love this fabric-so perfect for a little boy!

 Usually I do the embroidery by hand, but my machine can do it also.  I programmed the name and date in and went to town.

 I also added all our names :o)  This embroidery is just ok.  The next one I do will be done by hand.  I like that MUCH better.

After sewing the front to the back and turning it.  I added this specialty stitch all the way around.  I love variegated threads - they are so fun!

Check out Tami's for more finished objects.

Fish Blanket

I've been working steadily on putting the Fish Blanket together.

 All the vertical stripes are done and now it's just a matter of crocheting the horizontal stripes.

 Still a few rows to go, but mostly done.  A border will need to be added as the ends do not line up as neatly as I had hoped.   I'm not quite sure what type of border this needs or even what color.

 My favorite fish.  I love the fun and happy color of this one!

 The back of this blanket along with the book I am currently reading.  I am almost done with it and have enjoyed it immensely so far.

A close up of how this method of attaching pieces together looks on the back.   Kind of reminds me of Frankenstein!

Look over at Tamis's and Ginny's for more yarny type fun.

WIPs

A measly three hexis for the week.

I still really enjoy knitting these, but life has taken over for right now.  It is winding down to the end of the school year for my kids, with all the performances, recitals, extra volunteering, and tournaments that go along with that.  Such a busy time of the year!!!  At night, I seem to be motivated to sew my fish blanket together so that is what I have been working on.  All the vertical stripes have been sewn - meaning that all the fish are attached and now I am sewing the horizontal lines.  I can't wait until this is DONE!!