The Christmas RUSH!

Oh my. SUCH a busy week. I'm actually getting really sick of Christmas presents. Mwrah. Let's recap. I finished Secia's scarf...

Then I went home for my craft shows on Friday. I finished a bunch of my frames Friday morning...

Went off to the first show in Fair Lawn, NJ. It was small and my hopes weren't overly high in the beginning... but I actually did really, really well! Made back that table, the table for the next day, and some on top. The craft show Saturday morning, however, in my own little Maywood, was awful. The horrible weather probably had something to do with it, but it was really annoying. I made some money, but only because some family friends dropped by and bought a bunch of things. Technically it was a successful show, but it doesn't feel that way...

Anyway, since Sunday, I've made a lot of stuff. Here's some pictures of it.

For my friend Adina--gave it to her on Monday, and she really loved it. Win!

For my friend April (of April Smith & the Great Picture Show, if you're interested in that kind of thing). She also got hers on Monday, because I probably won't see her again 'til after the holidays. I'd been worried that it was too small, and she wasn't able to try it on for me when I saw her at her show on Monday because she had a hat pinned to her head already, but she twittered at me that it was perfectly sized. We actually talked about maybe making some others of the same, having it be her "signature hat" and selling them at shows. Dude, how cool would that be?

This is for my friend Andy, the last of the Tally Hall boys. I was worried I might not get it done in time, because I really hate rib stitching (the whole thing is worked in rib) but it's done and wrapped in time for their show tomorrow, which will be the last time I see THEM before Christmas.

Part one of a set for my roomie, Mallory. It might look similar to April's because it's almost the same. Slightly different hat pattern, but her flower is made from Mal's red yarn and Mal's flower is the leftover from April's hat. Nifty, yes?

Mallory's scarf as it was yesterday morning...

...and this morning it's finished, twice as wide. I'm just putting a border on the edge.

The other thing I did yesterday which took way more time than I thought was to sew on my personalized tags to these gifts. A few years ago one of my friends bought me some of these cute little labels that say Handmade by Angela Cronin, and so I like to put them on the gifts I make for people. I went through and attached them to all the scarves I made thus far, and then wrapped everything up.

It took a REALLY long time, it was surprising. They aren't that big, you know?

I'm kind of really sick of Christmas presents. I want to start on another real project, or finish one of the ones I started, like my sweater. I want to make another stocking cap, this time with some adjustments, and enter it in the Lion Brand contest. I want to start another afghan, punch out a few more super cute hats for YMP. Something!! Ugh. At the same time, I've just got a few more to do, just need to power through. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

The Real Christmas Grind Begins

With the completion of the hat, I've REALLY got to get on these Christmas presents. Oy. So much to do, so little time!! I started Secia's scarf late last night, here's that...

I'm actually doing something with this scarf you're really not supposed to do, so it's taking a lot longer than I thought it would. I'm using a giant skein of this yarn I bought a year ago. It's textured, and relatively thin compared to the stuff I usually use. It was making a thinner scarf than I'd have wanted, so I decided to do the stupid thing. Which is actually a smart thing... but not. I started pulling yarn from both ends of the skein. When you're pulling from a skein, you pull out the middle, and it just feeds nicely. It's not advisable to pull from the outside, because then it spins and the yarn gets twisted, which might or might not matter. But you're really not supposed to pull from both because it'll get tangled really easily. The only reason I'm actually doing that in this case is because if I wanted  to double the yarn (crochet with two strands at once to make it twice as thick) my only other option would be to pull apart the entire thing, find the middle, and cut it in half. Since this is a pound skein (read: really big) that would take FOREVER and then it would definitely get tangled. So I just have to be really careful. But the scarf is actually coming out really nicely, I'm very happy with it. It's textured and soft, but not stiff, and it should be really warm.

The other thing I did today was update my webpage. I added some new photos of new pieces, though most of the pieces I've actually finished recently are at home and still need to be shot. I also started a portfolio page, which is something I've been meaning to do for awhile. That way I can show off the pieces I've done in the past and things I've given away. But again, most of the old stuff I actually have is in Jersey. But it's a start. I'll get to do the rest of it when I get home this weekend. Have to go home for my two craft shows!!

So check out yarnmonkeyproductions.com and... hopefully I'll have photos from my shows later on in the week! Yay!