Wednesday Works in Progress

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us on the calender- but hopefully not in our hearts - I can get on with making things for Christmas!  Every year I have great ambition to make lots of new ornaments for the tree and gifts for everyone including the neighbors not to mention all the baking and when I don't get everything done I usually feel disappointed in myself and a little bummed out. So this year I am hoping to learn from it and give myself the freedom to make as much or as little as I want without feeling bad. Yes, there is still a long list but I've promised myself that it's ok if it doesn't all get done.  I just want to enjoy the Christmas season this year rather than getting totally bogged down in the to-do lists! So here is what I am working on:

Felt bird ornaments. I actually started these last year and they have been waiting to get finished. I wish I had a thimble as this is craft felt and it's really stiff making it tough on my fingertips to embroider. I do think they will be worth the effort though! :)  I do think I'll use the sewing machine on the outer edges.

On my needles this week:

Another simple double crochet scarf for my brother Erick.

A hooded scarf for my sister in law. I am making up the pattern as I go..

hope it turns out ok!

A red cardigan for my daughter Anaiah Grace. She looks great in red.

The actual color of the yarn I am using  is a rich crimson red.

Hope you had a wonderful week last week!

Giving Thanks.

It's Thanksgiving once again! The day we stop and pause to think about and give thanks for all the blessing God has given us. I love this day; not just the wonderful meal that comes with it.. although it is loved too.. but really counting my blessings. Naming them one by one. In all honesty it's been a really hard few weeks in our home. I have felt overwhelmed, under appreciated and lonely often. Anaiah, who I love dearly, has tested my boundaries more and more each day. Sleep has not been coming easily and my to-do list seems to be constantly interrupted by things beyond my control like power cuts and appliance break downs.  I need Thanksgiving this year. I need to stop and remember all the good things I have been given because I know they will far outnumber the difficulties. I know that God is good and that He delights is giving us good things. So here is a start to my list of things I am thankful for this year..

I am thankful for:
my daughter's good health and happy smile.
my husband's job that allows me to stay home with my girl.
my friends even if they are few and far away they are always near to my heart.
that I am almost finished making my Christmas gifts.
that the pants I made for Anaiah last night fit her!
for the time we got to spend as a family last Sunday.
my tiny toaster oven that is baking rolls for dinner tonight as I write this.
that my SIL was able to catch the earlier flight back from her meeting in Hyderabad today so that she will be home for dinner.
The list goes on...

What are you Thankful for today?

Finished this week!

I've been so busy these last few days finishing knitting projects and sewing projects and starting a few new ones.  I think I've nearly finished all the Christmas gifts that I will be sending back to MN this year.  I don't think I have ever been so ambitious when it comes to making gifts before. Everyone is getting a hat or a scarf or two. I hope they all like/appreciate them!  Today I found the perfect gift box for Lief, the pale green skinny scarf I made for my mother.  She is so lief! I really know she is going to love it!

I've also finished the fall table runner in time for Thanksgiving on Thursday! 

And last night I stayed up late sewing up this little bag. It's for my secret swap partner. I really hope she likes it. The pattern is called the Buttercup bag - by Made by Rae. It's an adorable little bag and I think I'll have to sew up a few more including one for myself really soon. The project in the bag is a new one I've started this week.

Finished things this week. It was a great week!



The cold front.

It's officially feeling more like winter in Delhi. The stores are starting to sell 'woollens' and I've spotted a few people wearing sweaters at night. It's about time! One thing I miss a lot while living here is the changing of seasons. I feel like the one season follows the next in an almost instant relay. I miss the slow changing of leaves and the crisp fall air that leads into the snow filled winters in MN. I love autumn and sadly have not had the pleasure of experiencing one for quite some time. Where are all those lovely fall colors? SO to make me feel a little better I've started working on a fall themed wall hanging/table runner. Not sure yet which it will be as I am letting it form as I go. Here is what have so far:

 I also made some slippers/booties for Anaiah this week. They are a different style to the ones I usually make for her but they are comfy. There is a great tutorial for them here in case you want to make some for your kiddo (or yourself). I, however just winged it as it's a fairly simple pattern. Anaiah is in a phase lately where she does not like to wear anything on her feet. Everything gets taken off including socks so I don't have a modelled shot.  These are made from some old jeans of mine, some red fleece scraps and non-slip material on the soles.

Are you doing anything special to decorate for the season?

Wednesday works in progress.

I've been busy knitting too over the last few weeks. I've mentioned before but I am a really slow knitter so these Christmas gifts are truly a labor of love. I hope the recipients like them.

I'm knitting a skinny scarf for my mother. She requested a long scarf that was just a few inches wide that she could wear indoors during the day to keep the draft off her neck. She does not want to look weird wearing a scarf inside but she is sensitive to getting a stiff neck. I really hope this fits the bill for her. The pattern is called Liesel. I am only making 1 line of leaves instead of the 2.  The yarn is a blend of wool and acrylic, Knit Shine by Wendy (India). It's wonderfully soft and light. The color is not as bright as the 1st picture but not as dull as the second, it's a lovely pale green.



I'm also working on a shawlette/scarf for my little brother's girlfriend. They are both fans of the TV show Bones and she is actually studying to be a forensic anthropologist so when I saw a pattern name Saroyan (after one of the characters on that show) I thought it was a perfect gift for her. I really hope she likes it.  I'm also using Knit Shine yarn for this project but held double. The color is again somewhere between these 2 pictures. (wish my camera could capture it better.) I'm about half way finished with it. It's not a quick project for me.. if I was a faster knitter it probably would be. I like how it's turning out.

Are you working on any Christmas gifts?