JUST A FEW MORE STITCHES

 A little fun with amigurumi critters!  It's been a while and I wanted to finish these guys that I started too long ago!  They waited for me.  Soon to be on their way to the other corner of the country where my grands live.

I tried to rest up yesterday, so that today I can go to the AQS in Daytona Beach!

IDEAS REALIZED

Yup, this is giving an outlet that has been needing expression for months--to work with wood more! I painted some scraps of 2 x 6's, cut out some lettering and added a bit of twine and a starfish!

Isn't it pretty?!  

I'm still whipping up some amigurumi stingrays--

nice and quick projects.

I forgot to post this finished idea of felt succulents to go in this pot that I can't get anything to grow in but now I don't have to--it's attractive now without any watering! lol

 

CRITTER SIGHTINGS

My waking view--I could feel Lena's stare! 

 Only 6:52 am and breakfast might not happen, you know!

Nyki says that breakfast seems like a good idea!

He's about 9-10" long and very soft and adorable.  

The sewing is easy with the plush yarn, contrary to my concerns. 

 I have ordered some more of this yarn (Premier Parfait) in more colors because I am enjoying being able to make this seaside menagerie!

 

KNOW YOUR STRONG POINT

Even when things don't go as smoothly as I had planned, I can crochet cut critters!  From left to right--those stingray, a blue whale, two starfish, a penguin, and two Flip the fishes.  All are YouTube tutorials that I made using the plush yarn and a size 5 mm hook.  I used safety eyes and just a little bit of poly-stuffing.
 

MY WORK IS PLAY

The birdbath is set up again on its platform and the water is flowing!  Bill even weed whacked around the area 

so that it is very neat and functioning again!  

It doesn't take long to overheat outdoors so I was glad to head back inside and decided to face up to a much dreaded chore....winding a new warp.  I mess up the counting and get bored wrapping all of those threads so I can only work for half an hour at a time but I am 3/4 of the way done now 

and can't believe I was such a baby! I should've remembered my Mother's advice to give even 10 minutes a day to a distasteful task and it will get done!

There are so many threads for this pair of dish towels

 but I am getting excited for the next step which is one step closer to the weaving!  

(the next steps are winding, threading and sleying THEN weaving! lol)

When I couldn't stand any longer, I did a bit of this!  

Aren't they cute?! 

WOOLLY AND FLUFFY

I am back to spinning some natural colored wool, still Cotswold, but again I am out of batts.  Guess what I will be making today?

I whipped off a school of stingrays last night--

I hope to make them for some boys to enjoy.

 

BEDSIDE STITCHING

A little R & R with a friend who likes to steal my knitting 

and lay on it!

And trying Plush yarn for an Amigurumi Whale. 

 It worked up very quickly~  not bad for a yarn from Dollar Tree! 

I will be making several more creatures with this yarn!

 (free Pattern from Mary Jay on YouTube)

 

OUT AND ABOUT

I do like the portability of dishcloths! 

 They are good car projects, too.

 I made a cat toy;  it is sprinkled with catnip inside! 

I don't like the big ears; 

 I will be remaking them but overall, it is cute! 

ADVENT PROJECTS!

I signed up with MarlyBird.com for her 24 days of Quickie projects.  I wouldn't call this pattern quickie

 but I did manage to get it done in one day!

I added his little blip of a tail just because. 

 I put a little rattle in his head--there are some young ones at church who would enjoy this guy!

 

STILL HERE, SORT OF...

I created a sea turtle--the legs become fins 

and I added a bit of design on his shell.

Another mini-jellyfish.

A new stitch called linen stitch which is a misery in knitting 

but is a delight in crochet! 

 It makes a pretty woven-looking fabric!

Best of all, it works up very quickly and no counting!

 

AN OUTING

I did something I haven't done in a month....

I drove myself to the lab in town (35 mins away) 

and then went to have my nails done!  

This is the only crafting I did yesterday;  two jellyfish bodies!  Today, I will make their tentacles!

I hope you have a very good day!

 

TURTLES!

Aren't these very cute fellows?  It is pleasant to see how just a few stitches result in these sweet little critters!

 

SO CLOSE

After moving the table and chair set out of this corner, we decided it needed a good power-washing before situating the rug and furniture!  Another delay was hard but I am glad we did it!  First thing today, we will lay the rug and arrange the sectional!!!!

This is the doorway right to my room so it will be just a few steps to the new 'room' and I can't wait!

The rest of the pieces are built and it is just waiting for me, too!

I managed to build another octopus and one is halfway done!  I will be taking some yarn in the car to crochet a sea turtle on the way to a wedding this afternoon.  It is going to be a challenge physically but it's not like I can go to it another day!  I'm bringing my pillow just in case I need to lay down on the way home!

 

WHALE SIGHTING

It is a bit addictive to make these little guys!  I followed the tutorial here which has several other creatures to make, too!

The height is about 3-4" and about 5" long.

There is a bit of sewing 

but it is a very quick crochet and amusing! 

I also learned about a neat trick to make 'safety eyes' even safer--melt down the shaft so it is like a rivet 

with your iron on high (only your teflon plated iron!!!!) 

so that the backing can't be slipped off from a gnawing child!

                                                  

I also ran into the problem of polyfil.....I didn't have any more!  I thought about emptying a couch pillow but got hold of myself!  One thing I had a lot of was strips of cotton batting from quilts!  I sliced a strip up into 1" squares and it worked beautifully!

I'm off to the doctor's this afternoon-I should be able to finish the last sleeve on the sweater while there!

****GOALS MET!

I made a small jelly fish, with eyes, just so I could have a small one to give to kids!  The bigger one will look good hanging out in the new lanai sitting area--more on that next week!  

The extra inch of the sweater body was done and then the ribbing on the front and a slightly longer one was added to the back!  I even started on the sleeves!

  The pain is letting up in  my head but I've been down so long, it is hard to be up for very long;  I fear it is going to take another few weeks to get back to full strength again. 

 A lesson on perseverance, without a doubt.

****if you set your goal low,

 you will have the encouragement of reaching it!