Bulky Fiber Necklace: Moss

Hey, y'all!

Here's something I didn't make as a Christmas gift, just to give you a change of pace.  One of my gifts is in the photos, though...how do you like my new model?

This necklace has been crocheted by hand using a P hook and super-bulky acrylic yarn.  It's available in a wide variety of colors, and it makes a perfect accessory for those chilly months when the HVAC systems in our homes and offices can't quite keep up with our needs.

One of the next things on my list is to update my Etsy shop, which has been empty for the last few months.  If you're interested in one of these necklaces, feel free to contact me directly for pricing and options.


'Til next time,
OCB

Massaging Soap Savers

Hey, y'all!

Christmas on a budget is never easy, but I was really excited about these little gifts this year.  I made one for everyone in my office and all the gals in the immediate family.

I originally saw these on Moogly's blog and made them what I thought was loosely based on her pictures.  Turns out all I really changed was the number of bumps on the front side.  For the original pattern from Moogly, click here.

Each soap saver is crocheted by hand using 100% cotton yarn and an H hook.  They're just the right size for a bar of soap, and each one has 15 little massaging bumps on one side.  I used scraps from old projects, and one of the fabulous things about the construction of this is that there is virtually no waste.  Oh, and they cost me nothing in materials, though I did have to buy the soap to put in them.

We use ours at home for old soap chunks...you know, the ones that are too big to throw out but too small to use effectively by themselves?  We're all about reducing waste around here, seeing as how we can never even seem to remember to take our garbage cans out to the street.  :)

'Til next time,
OCB

Sam the Dragon Amigurumi Prototype

In case you haven't heard, The Hubbs is an aspiring comic strip artist - has been since he was a kid - and he's amazing (and I'm not biased at all).

My very favorite of all of the characters he's created is Sam the Dragon.  Sam was born in 1984 as a way to entertain The Hubbs' little sister, Jello, and he's been drifting in and out of The Hubbs' life ever since.  We are now working as a team to put Sam out there for the whole world to see, and I'm working on a new blog featuring Sam a few times a week.

Naturally, with Sam on the brain, he's managed to seep into my crochet as well.  Here are some (okay, way too many, but I can never choose) pics of the prototype.

I'm ridiculously proud of his fingers, toes and elbows.  They all turned out better than I had hoped, and all on the first try!

Some slight modifications are needed before I'm totally happy with the final product, but this little guy should do nicely as a fourth birthday present for Jello's little girl, K-Bear.  K recently found a book of Sam strips that The Hubbs published about five years ago, and she's been running around the house pretending to be Sam ever since.  Thanks to the wonders of the All-Knowing Internet, this post should be appearing on my blog as we are still at her party.  Here's hoping Sam and K-Bear will be very happy together. 

And if he ever gets lonely, he can always hang with the Totoro I made for her birthday last year.  :)

Olivia's Baby Gifts

One of my good pals at work is about to become a grandmother.  She recently commissioned my services to make an oversized baby blanket, and the shower was this past weekend. 

When I realized the amount of yarn I had left over after the blanket was done, I decided to contribute a couple of gifts of my own as well.

The blanket measures 48" by 48" and the dress is sized or a newborn baby girl.

Here's a close-up of the stitch pattern on the blankie and the dress.

I love working with this stitch, and I think I'll be making something for myself using it soon.  The fabric is so soft and cozy.

Olivia's one-of-a-kind dress.

The granny-to-be saw the dress and blankie, and apologetically asked if I might be able to make a headband to go with it.  Giggling, I told her that I had already started the process...it just wasn't done yet. 

I'm hoping to see a picture or two of the little one with her new loot when she sees fit to join us.  With her family's permission, of course, I'll try to post at least one here for all to see.

Super-Fat #20: Camouflage Rose

After finals were over for the spring semester, my brain apparently needed some chill-out time.  Since the beginning of last week, I believe I've made six purses.  You'd think I'd get sick of making the same thing over and over again, but I honestly don't.  I find it relaxing to work something by heart, and I love to see how each individual yarn pattern turns out.

Call me crazy if you must (you'd be right), but somehow this has become my wind-down activity.

This bag measures approximately 16" wide by 9" tall and 9" deep, and is lovingly handmade using cotton yarn and rattan handles. As with all of my bags, the flower clip is removable/interchangeable.

BUY IT ON ETSY!