That time of year

Yep, it's getting to be that time of year...when I begin obsessing over Christmas shamefully early, listening to Christmas music on Pandora, and trying to order my scattered thoughts into one comprehensive list. I adore Christmas. It makes me happy. The cold weather, snow, sparkling lights, adorable little ornaments, the family and friends, the repetitive music...eggnog! Christmas cookies! Stockings! Garland! Charlie Brown! The Nativity! I don't care how people commercialize Christmas, or what they do with it. To me, Christmas is magical and always will be. Soo...I've been really into crocheting lately, and there are a surprising number of free patterns on the web. I've been getting mine from the Lion Brand web site I shared last time, and altering them slightly to suit me. I made a whole little family of owls, that will soon be dispersed among my family members, a snowman for my Mom, and a tiger for my sister in law. I'm going to make another snowman for Dan's Mom, who thought the little face was adorable. I have to agree with her, as that part was one of my alterations. ;) I have started another project I'm really excited about, but I won't give away all the details until I'm ready to blog about it. I'll just give one little hint...it involves snowflakes!

Crocheting Dominates Sewing

There are several factors which prevent me from developing a sewing habit. The first of these is that I have no designated sewing space. I have a nice little Singer, but it languishes away in a box in my hobby closet (yes, I have a closet completely filled with various hobby related supplies. I liken it to Dan's closet filled with various computer related empty boxes.) The second factor is my intolerance of mess. I have a mania about cleaning. My house must be tidy. I've accepted it about myself. As you can imagine, dragging the sewing machine and it's accessories, thread, cloth, scissors, stitch rippers (my most important accessory) creates a huge mess, which cannot be neatly put away at the end of a day of crafting. I had a grand scheme to create a Christmas stocking for Dan, who is in need of one, by which I mean I need for him to have one, by which I mean I want for him to have one. I was going to quilt it. I cut out all the pieces, dragged out the sewing machine and appurtenances, wasn't pleased with the way it was going, and left it and its accompanying mess lurking in my office for several days before I gave up and put everything away. Perhaps I'll get it out again one day. But in the mean time, I crocheted some little owlies. Crocheting is such a nice, clean, portable hobby. Everything fits tucked away in a little bag. I did two, the pattern for which can be found here. I think they're adorable, easy, fun, and I'm going to collect owl ornaments from now on.