Planning a woolly Christmas!

First of all I ought to say "Hi" and introduce myself.  I'm Claire, and have been taking part in Spinspirations monthly get togethers since the offset, but now am helping with Spinspiration in a more formal sense.  I blog over at Simply...Life as well as at Aisling Designs.  I'm a mother to four children, and have been spinning for what will be two years this coming Christmas.

As a crafter, my mind is already turning to Christmas, things to make, mainly for others, and possibly a little for myself. I am currently spinning up more wool (Zwartble/Suffolk cross from Dawn) for a macBook cover commission, based on the iPad cover I made for someone.

 Earlier this year I was making a couple of rings for the Guild Exhibition that was held in July.  The Robin was the one that was eventually sent down there, and it has now made it's way back home, and yesterday I was able to give it to my Mum for her birthday present, as she was rather taken with it as I was making it.

 I also made a seascape one, which has had lots of interest in it over on Etsy.

 As I enjoyed making them so much, and as I had so many other ideas going round in my head for designs, I bought the rest of the rings from our local guild, so that I can continue playing with spinning, felting, knitting, crocheting, all to create new pictures (hopefully some in time for Christmas)

 More woolly goings on for Christmas include a batch of soaps and wool!  I think I will have very clean hands after felting this lot (and that's only half the soaps!!)

 

I've also been approached by our guild to see if I have any small things that I can sell at a show they are at in November.  I haven't been able to think of many small scale things to make, but the other day I came up with the idea of some embellished flowers using handspun wool.  These will be turned into brooches, hair clips, bobby pins and hair bobbles.  A nice satisfyingly quick thing to make amongst the bigger projects.

 

 

As ever, with me, so many ideas, so little time.  But it is safe to say, I will be spending the next couple of months working with alot of wool!

Off to see what everyone else is up to.

Dawns Woolly Wednesday for December 2011

Hello December. No spinning! Forgive me spinning wheel(s) for I have neglected you this month (again!), but I promise that you and I will be reacquainted after the festive period, if not before.

In light of there being no spinning this month, I will share what I have been doing with wool this month. I have been doing a lot of felting - items for ourselves, gifts for others and a few additions to my etsy shop. I made this Father Christmas for our home, I think his hat is a little over-sized but we like him, I made another for the shop but with a better sized hat. I have another of these in the making with legs this time but he has no beard or hat yet!

Needle Felted Father Christmas

 

in need of a hat and beard!

In other felting I have made an item for a gift swap amongst a few friends, I'm pretty sure the recipient doesn't browse this blog so I will share a couple of pictures here. It's a felt journal using a lovely art sketchbook as the book being covered. I had lots of fun with this and plan to make more soon.

 Felt journal cover

Moving onto knitting, there are (as always) more than one project on the go. Some started long ago and really left for too long, now I need to get on with them as they are gifts for Christmas. (note to self: stop getting distracted by other projects!).

I have this little project on the go and coming together now in making up the items for my daughter for Christmas ... maybe I'll reveal the finished result at Christmas! Any guesses? Answers on a postcard please ...

mystery project 1

Another project for another member of the family, although no doubt my daughter will acquire these one day, and yes you've guessed I'm not saying what this is either! Please no guesses as the recipient may read the blog and comments ;-).

mystery project 2

There is still the handspun handknit socks for the husband (he knows about these!), it really is time to turn those heels. Hoping these will be finished soon.

And another one, although not a Christmas gift, but a winter hat/scarf combo for my daughter and as it is getting colder now I really should get on and finish this ... nearly there.

 Hat/Scarf combo for Imogen

There are other things I've so nearly started recently, only to shout STOP at myself, not until the other things are finished. I've still to finish some felting gifts too and there isn't long left until Christmas. Am I the only one who can't stick to one thing at a time? Are you disciplined at finishing items? If so, how do you do it?

Merry Christmas to all, or seasons blessings if you celebrate the season or Yule rather than Christmas. I've enjoyed this space this year and look forward to sharing it with you all in 2012!

See you in the New Year!