celtic knot heart

I am ridiculously pleased with how this afghan turned out.

It is based around a celtic knot pattern that conveniently curls up into a heart, convenient since I made it for a wedding.



I can look at it and seen a dozen mistakes and things I wish I had done differently, but I have been crafting long enough to know that while those mistakes are glaring to my eyes, most people won't even notice.



The woman I am making this for is fond of red and with my recent experience in successfully dying an afghan yellow, I was eager to see if I could turn my washing machine red.



I was quite successful and I am almost as proud of that as I am of the afghan itself.

odds and ends

I'm in the middle of about three big projects right now, but I've finished several odds and ends.

My friend was less than impressed with the cloak I made for her and after some thought, I eventually got over my pride and re-did it. I still like the effect of the yellow and black, but she's right, it's simply not her.

This cloak is very simple, a straight back, no sleeves, straight front, sewn only a few inches on either side and a hood, yellow tulle over black broadcloth, but it will look better on my friend than the flashier yellow poncho. She was right, that was more me than her. :)






I hate sewing buttons on. I haven't nothing personal against buttons, in fact I rather fancy them, but I hate sewing them on and I have tried multiple ways of getting out of using them the way the maker intended. I think I might have finally hit on a possibility. I found some tie-tack backs at the craft store and a little lightbulb went on. :) I made all the cloak pins this way, hot-gluing buttons onto tie-tack backs and if they work, several of my costumes will also be getting the hot-glue button treatment.



I was rustling through my button collection (I tend to buy them, even though I'm not real fond of them) and found some great goldish-brass looking buttons with NSEW written on them, which works out perfectly with the necklace I have already made to wear to the last HP movie, there on the right. It's kismet. :)




And finally, a belated birthday gift for a friend. I'm usually thumbs at remembering birthdays, but I am trying to at least remember the correct month, if not season. :)

My friend - she of the Hufflepuff cloak - got me a book of cross-stitch designs called "Subversive Cross Stitch", where the messages tend to fall more in line with my own caustic, abrasive personality than normal. In revenge - or thanks - I made her a set for her birthday.




I looked around and simply could not find any frames that I liked, so I got creative. :) I found some cheap cardboard mattes at the craft store and then some scrapbooking stickers for decoration. I thought they turned out rather cute, especially since the cute little stickers rather clash with the messages.