Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2017

[Harriet]

The glow of holidays is still with us, and maybe we've seen some enjoyment that hand arts brought to others, either recently made, or by bringing out items from past years. Our family was blessed by a table centerpiece of a wood basket made in '85 by my dear late uncle. We turned it over to look at his carved initials more than once!

Are you feeling inspired to express your creativity more in 2017? Do you plan to follow Nancy and work a little on year-end gifting all year long? If so, please tell the rest of us how you plan to do it! Harmony spoke for many of us when she said it's hard to capture the time for it, even when you'd love to! But hey, we're smart people! There must be a way!

Do we have photos to share this month? So much activity happening last month with creativity going strong.

Harmony made a teal colored tv remote holder that hangs on a headboard, stitching onto plastic canvas.
Sunny was Harmony's plastic canvas-er inspiration!
Nancy's needle threader broke and she figured out how to use twist-tie wire in a pinch - smart.
* With so many handmade textile gifts given by Christmas, Nancy is now checking out watercolor paper and pencils!
BookSaver finished reversible Japanese knot bags for Christmas gifts, using one pattern, another instruction.
Harriet completed a purse with fussy-cut Elf images for Christmas purse, & continued pressed-flower crafts.

Elizabeth crocheted, yes?
Cathy cross-stitched, yes?
lucylee made map coasters, yes?

We've got to round up all this good info! Goodness, how can we rest without knowing!

[BookSaver]

Sewing: The Japanese knot bags worked well as gifts. I have 2 left to sew, 1 for DF Z (didn't see her for Christmas but her birthday is coming up) and the last for myself. I forgot to take any photos but I think I will keep little snippets of the fabrics in a clear ziplock bag with the pattern & instructions to document the project. Will try to get a decent photo of the fabric snippets to post here.

Next on the machine I intend to get back to several Works in Progress. We all know about intentions, right?

Knitting hats for charity: The library's hat & mitten tree will be cleared off tomorrow and those items will be delivered to local shelters. Some hats have already been delivered to a veteran's center. The project has been popular enough that we will continue accepting and forwarding items for a couple months as winters run long here in Iowa.

I found 5 large skeins of yarn from DMIL's sewing room that I thought I had already given away. This is one time that procrastinating was a good thing because now I need the yarn myself to make hats on the knitting loom. I enjoy knitting while I'm watching videos, and it's surprising how many stitches I can do while waiting for slow web pages to load. It's a win-win situation as I can do something I enjoy, and afterwards the completed projects leave my house to bless someone else.

[Nancy]

The bags I made were a hit!

[blessedw2]

so happy for you d nancy
those bags sound beautiful as well d book

Next on the machine I intend to get back to several Works in Progress. We all know about intentions, right?

this really made me smile!!!

[Nancy]

Year round gifting - example save some $ now. I start now and plan bigger long projects like a quilt or knit a throw. Maybe finish up some things that hot put aside ladt year. Our guild is going to make hats or whatever for an as yet to be determined cause this yr. I may just give em bags to be put in.

One way I have done it for missions in a church ladies group is a project a month with she cards. Green for holidays. Jan. Hot pads. Feb. dish clothes. March hats. April pillow case. You get the idea.

I will be spinning up yarn soon as the snow chores cease.

[Harmony]

DH liked the remote holder and has been using it. He did stuff something into the bottom so it stuck out the top a bit more so he could grab it easier. I made the front shorter than the back so it would stick up but he has small-motor problems with his fingers and this is easier for him. It doesn't show. Sometimes I get the impression people have NO idea how much effort goes into things. It surprised me how long it took.

My UFO pile is getting higher and higher...

[Nancy]

Found a diff needle threader yea,