round one of gifts

no, this isn't a gift, but we have a new washrag. it was enough to make me know that I'm going to stick with what I like - my problem with knitting is the intermediate stuff. I know the easy stuff, I want to do the hard stuff, but I don't know how to get there... since I can do the crocheting hard stuff, I keep reminding myself of all the cool things out there for that!

I can finally post some of the gifts I made - our holidays include mom's birthday (and now little g's, too!) so I wanted to get her belated gifts out.


I've been making these neat felt crowns for everyone; I picked up capes at the craft fair for niece and nephew and wanted crowns to go with them. I wasn't seeing any tutorials I liked on line, so I took things from here and there and created my own. I'm really happy with how easy, how much room for variation, how simple for the kids, and how neat they are!

so niece and nephew, my little g, and my mom all got a crown... at my parents' place over the holiday we played an awesome group game called the great dalmuti, where the play involves rank... the highest rank, the great dalmuti, will get to wear the lovely crown above. the lowest rank, the greater peon, will get to wear the loveliness below...


I really didn't mean for it to look like a pumpkin, I only realized it as I was sewing on the "p", and by then I wasn't going to go through another hat!

~
little G's birthday was last week, a very fun time was had by all. before I gave the capes away for Christmas, I made a pattern and hit the big-box fabric store for some funky fabrics for the girls. I made little g's cape and crown the night before her birthday.


she enjoys it, but I bet I'll see a lot more of it after big sister gets hers in a couple of weeks...

I'm thinking, if I get some time, I'll make some capes and crowns to go up on etsy; some sold with capes and hats together, perhaps, and some separately (all assuming that moronic Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act law doesn't go into effect without an amendment for us crafters)...

lastly, dad requested a card holder wallet for mom, so I made one up from Amy Karol's book again. these are so nice, but do require a little more width, so I always add 1/4" on each long side.