Stocking Stuffers...not just for the kiddos!

Stocking stuffers aren't just for the kids...My husband and I typically don't exchange gifts, but Santa usually leaves a little something for each of us in our stockings. Here's what I'm hoping to find!

First, I love this listing! Coffee cozy of the month club! I love it! From Blue Room Creations on Hyenacart:


Pumpkin Spice soap bars from The Rumor Mill Soaps:



Swarovski Crystal Moon Beaded Bookmark by Adorn:




Now "Santa" needs to go look for some things for the hubby...

Adjustable Hat

So I was making one of Valerie Whitten's hats from ValliesKids.blogspot.com, and it was working out great. Until I messed with the pattern.

A wise group of knitters I know are wont to say "trust the pattern".

I don't always listen to wise knitters.

This hat is crocheted flat at the crown, so you increase until the hat is a certain size around, then you work in rounds down the sides. The brim is worked as a part of the last few rounds.

When I first began the hat, I added an increase row, because it just didn't seem big enough. When I got down to the brim rows, I tried it on. It was waaaaaaay too big. So I tried going back to the pattern as written (duh) and it was fine. Then I washed it.

Ok, you all know how wool grows when you wash it, right? Well, if you didn't know, here's a little fact about wool: it grows when you wash it. By the time the hat was "done", it was huge, again! So then I had to figure out how to make it fit...

I decided to add a strap across the front, similar to another of Valerie's hats, and add some buttons to the sides that would make it adjustable. It worked! I'm so proud of myself!

But next time, I'll follow the pattern.

Superwash Sucks...

Sucks up the dye, that is!

Holy cow, I could hardly pour the dye on fast enough, before it was sucked up and absorbed by this yarn! That's why they both have bare spots in them. I didn't think I'd need so much dye, so I didn't mix up any extra!



It doesn't help that I literally tripped over my two year old trying to dye it up yesterday and spilled dye all over my counter top...but I digress.

I love my Primary Party colorway, and decided I wanted to dye up some superwash and make something fun for a friend's baby. But now I may have to keep it, because I'm not super thrilled at the bare spots. I'm sure it will be fine, but it's just not what I wanted.

Then there's the Pinkie Pie I was attempting...



The yellow didn't turn orange in some places where I was hoping it would, and now there's some green in there...I sometimes forget the basic laws of color mixing: blue + yellow = green. I was using the technique I like to call "dump and prod", where I just plop the yarn in a big glass bowl, dump the dye on, prod the yarn where I want it to soak in, and set the yarn in the microwave. But the yarn sucked up the dye so freaking fast again, that it just didn't work out they way I was hoping. So, Pinkie Pie 2 was born. I think this will become a scarf for my daughter. Shhhh...it's for christmas!

Retro Brite variation

Retro Brite variation
Originally uploaded by s_gilly_5

I love these colors! This one is a variation of my Retro Brite colorway. Less pink, more yellow, so it turned out much more orange-y brown than the original. Dyed on Peruvian highland wool.

This is available at Gillyweeds on HC, stocking Monday, Nov. 15 at noon.

Why handmade?

I have always had a cheaper is better mentality. When you don't have any money, cheaper means you can afford more. It's basic math. But is cheaper any better? Do you really get what you pay for?

I have been trying to adjust my thinking, here over the last several years. Here's some of my math:

I can go and buy a pair of pants from Walmart for $4.00 for my daughter. They will get stained, most likely, will maybe shrink, and will be thin. They will likely wear out before she has outgrown them. They will be machine washable, and can be worn for about a season.

Or I can go spend upwards of $40 (probably the most I would be willing to pay) for wool yarn. Then spend a few days to a few weeks making them into pants. Then have to wash them by hand forever. But, they can be worn indefinitely. As long as I have a wool shaver, and water, these pants could last generations. My grandchildren could wear these same pants.

So which one's the real value? To me, it's a no-brainer. After having been crocheting and knitting my daughter's woolies for so long, I completely understand how some women would be willing to pay $75-$100 for a pair of pants for her child that will probably outgrow them after a few months.
That same pair of woolies will last long enough to fit their grandchildren. Not only that, but each stitch, each join, each detail is lovingly created. Who can spend hours upon hours, thousands of stitches, producing a garment without loving every minute of it? And, as most of us knitters and crocheters knows, most of what you make is for someone else!

I know that I will be doing my best to support those men and women out there using their hands and hearts to create products that are good for the environment, and using the money they make to support their families. I will still shop at places like Walmart and Target, but I will think twice.

From now until December 20th, I will be posting links to those places in the wahp world where I find handmade, environmentally friendly, and gifty ideas for the holidays.

Today, one of my favorite places, Wonderland Congo on Hyenacart.

Only open from around Halloween, until after New Year's, it's always got fun, seasonal and environmentally friendly gifts. Stop by today!

Check out these earrings from Calico Kitty!

Bonita hat

Bonita hat
Originally uploaded by s_gilly_5

This was a fun hat to make! It is crocheted from Patons wool in the Worn Denim colorway. It is going to a new Facebook fan, as part of The Spotted Box's flash giveaway I participated in last week.

Go to The Spotted Box on Facebook to see what other flash giveaways might be coming up!

http://www.facebook.com/thespottedbox

SEWsational Sarah...

Sarah is a wonderful wahm. I recently did a trade with Sarah on Hyenacart. In exchange for a set of Wahm sample Calling Cards, she sent me a wonderful set of her kitchen cloth napkins. They are adorable!


(This is a photo from her site of another set she's done -- mine are in the wash!)

The package was wrapped beautifully, she included several samples of other wahms (which I always love!) and her sewing is perfect. I told her to pick a print, and I love her choice. They are cotton woven on one side, and flannel on the other. Each one is approximately the same size as a standard paper towel. They wash beautifully, they are super absorbent, and I know I will be buying more of these.

SEWsational Sarah can be found at Sweet Retreat on Hyenacart, at SEWsational Sarah on Hyenacart, and at SEWsational Sarah on Etsy.

Hardly collab longies

Hardly collab longies
Originally uploaded by s_gilly_5

These were so much fun to make! I had a skein of Purewool 3 ply, in the Hardly colorway, with matching trim. I have a pair of longies for K knitted from this yarn, and the matching shirt for her came from Lilikoi Lane. So I thought it would be fun to do a collab with Crystal again, using the same colors and the same fabric for the shirt.

So, here are the longies, sized small, and the onesie from LL will be photographed soon.

Muggabug will be making a matching pair of shoes to match. I'll be getting photos up of those when they come. I can't wait!

Coming up to stock at Crunchy Congo later in November!