Merrily They Roll Along

I unstrung them from where they had hung beside the Christmas tree, took their pictures, loaded them into a box, and took them to the post office.  And just like that, my time with the Knit Ball Pit was done.  It was fun to be a part of a group project.  I had hoped to make more.  My very ambitious goal was fifty, and then I dropped it back to thirty with hopes of having one for each day of NaBloPoMo2018, but that did not work out, either.  In the end, I contributed twenty-six.  I think that is a decent offering to the cause.  I know the group goal was set at one thousand, and the last I saw, there were over nine hundred, so I think that goal will be achieved.  Anyway, here they all are.
 

 

Right now, they are neither here, nor there, but should be there tomorrow.  I hope the recipients like them, and that they can bring a little joy into their days.   

Sew it All Away

Sew, I've been sewing a little bit.  It started out with a free pattern/tutorial for a sleeping bag for L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls.  Do you know what LOL Dolls are?  It really isn't important to this conversation.  What matters (wait, I'm pretty sure none of this matters, but we carry on, nonetheless) is that I decided to sew some for the two youngest nieces.  Of course, you see this is where the auntly dilemma begins, as I felt if I did that, I ought to sew something for the youngest nephew, and if I was going to do that, I ought to sew for others.  I decided that zippered pouches would be a good choice.  I found a few free patterns on the same site but ultimately decided upon one from a different site.  I started with the sleeping bags, and when that didn't kill me and I seemed to have something decent to show for my efforts, I moved on to the bags.  My first pouch turned out well, and so did the second, and then it was time to make the ones intended for gifts.  Then one of the first trial projects became a gift for my mom.  I sewed and sewed, and sewed and sewed some more.   

The pouches substituted for stockings and I filled them with random goodies like lip balm, tissues, hand sanitizer, and candy canes.  I meant to put the sleeping bags in the pouches too, but I forgot them in another pouch at home.  I also forgot to capture a photo of them before I gave them all away.   

Most people didn't realize I had sewn the pouches, but someone who did mentioned she could use some.  I knew I would be sewing more, and soon.  I just didn't realize how many more I would be sewing.  Next thing you know, I'm sewing goodie bags for brothers-and-sisters-in-law.  I made a few changes along the way.  I added a little handle.  I changed the placement of said handle.  I varied sizes.  Here you can see some of the bags I have sewn and some (I momentarily lost one) of the sleeping bags (small knit dog included for scale, I guess, but you probably don't know its size, either).  I think I made thirteen of the zippered pouches. 

I had fun.  Most all of the fabric came from the remnants bin, so it was a relatively inexpensive endeavor.  I scored a good deal on the zippers.  I learned.  I tried different types of fabrics.  I used special, prized fabric that had been waiting for its turn.  I mailed off a bag filled with treats that will arrive only one day late.  I gave gifts I did not have to wrap and that could continue to be of use once the contents were gone.  I did not burn myself on the iron.  I'm going to go ahead and call this a win.                        

Significantly Fewer than Seven

So, you know that each year there's an annual Mochimochiland holiday pattern, right?  The pattern is free with any $5 purchase.  I've been waiting for this year's offering, and my patience has been rewarded.  The pattern is for Sugar Plum Fairies, and I adore them so! 

I have more to say about sugar plums, but that is for another day.  Today, I'm showing you my offering for the Knit Ball Pit.  I used the Sugar Plum Fairies pattern to adorn one of the balls I had already knit.  I think it turned out pretty well.  

Another Sunday, Another Seven

I stuck with a style this week.  Decorating these was super-easy and super-quick.  I certainly need more of that, as I have a lot I am trying to do right now.  

Since some of the family has travel plans later this month, our Christmas gathering is a bit early.  By that, I mean it is Saturday.  I only have to buy for one more person, so that shouldn't be too hard.  I do have a plan to sew some zippered pouches and put small prizes in them, but I will wait to buy the prizes (candy cane, lip balm, Reese's tree, pocket tissues) until I see if I can sew them all.  

Float Flash

Maybe it beats a picture of soaking mittens?  I'm not sure.  I'm unsure of many things.  I think I may have missed the mark on something, and the feelings of insecurity and confusion might be bleeding over to other parts of life.  Of course, it's one of those things I probably can't do anything about, and can only hope that the thought can be what counts.  If not, it won't be the first or last time I embarrass myself, and if it goes sideways rather than just missing the mark, well, it won't be my first shunning, either. 

Anyway, I couldn't show a photo of the mittens soaking, as I have only completed the thumb on the first mitten.  I gotta tell you, my enthusiasm is not where I would like it to be.  That being said, a lack of interest can work for me when it comes to finishing things.  I won't be looking for that spark for embarking on something new; I can just plug along.  I just have to get going on the work and let some version of autopilot operate.  At least that's what I'm trying right now with these mittens, as well as with other work I need to do, and I do have a lot of work needing to be done.          

Sunday Seven

Well, like many a wearied NaBloPoMo-er, I took off the first of December.  I'm pretty sure I wrote an entry for each day last month, but I'm not putting up a badge to celebrate.     

Anyway, I set a goal, and so far, so good.  This week I decorated seven of the balls I had knit for the Knit Ball Pit.  I think those are the only royal blue ones I knit, and I don't plan to make more in that color.  It gave me too much trouble adding the face on those.  I enjoyed working on these, and I think I'm improving.  I liked trying out different things, and the more I tried, the more ideas popped into my head.  

It was nice to see that the goal of completing seven each week is achievable for me.  I want to do so much more, but I'm trying not to get ahead of myself.