Thanks Alexander. :3

I forgot to take pictures of everything, but I made a bunch of presents for my family for Christmas. I made 3 knitted scarves (including the blue one in the picture up there), a bunch of decorated hair combs and little boxes to put them in. I'm also working on a raccoon mask for one of my friends. I made the raccoon face out of felt, and I'm going to glue it onto a cheap craft mask.

Nice.

I know what you mean about not getting pictures. I had a few presents that I forgot to take pictures of before giving them away.

Blugh. I've been so obsessed with cooking since I bought all my gifts this year. =w= So lazy right now, but I should really upload and touch up my final food pictures for the FoWN food contest.

Happy New Year, crafters! I finished my challenge from last year, so I'm ready for a new list!

Chexala's 2014 Craft Challenge
★★★★★

☛ Start Date: Jan 1, 2014
☛ Progress: 6/25


☛ Current:

1. nothing at the moment

☛ Coming Up:

1. more knitted house slippers
2. felt owl softie
3. rose and skull pocket warmers

☛ Finished:

1. rubber band bracelet (Jan 1)
2. green knitted doll scarf (Jan 1)
3. crinkly catnip cat toys
4. stuffed Pretty Kitty
5. knitted house slippers
6. felt raccoon mask

Roxxi's List 2014

Goal: 25/25

Date started: 1/1/14

1. Monkey
2. Angel Set (Pendant, Earrings, and Keychain)
3. Red Dishcloth
4. Red Dishcloth
5. Red Dishcloth
6. Red Dishcloth
7. Red Dishcloth (Yep, made 5)
8. Multi-colored Dishcloth
9. Teal Angel Keychain
10. Pink Angel Keychain
11. Dark Hot Pink Angel Keychain
12. Turquoise Angel Keychain
13. Red Angel Keychain
14. Burgundy Angel Keychain
15. Purple Angel Keychain
16. Lavender Angel Keychain
17. Green Angel Keychain
18. Gradiant Green Dishcloth
19. Dark Pink Angel Set (Necklace, Earrings, and Keychain)
20. Braided leather keychain
21. Lavender Angel Keychain
22. Turquoise Angel Keychain
23. Light Turquoise Angel Keychain
24. Pale Pink Angel Keychain
25. Dark Hot Pink Angel Keychain

Wait, do we start over with the new year, or when our own year is up?

I'm planning on starting over in December... Jan 1st is just the most convenient date to remember.

You can start over whenever you want. When I started, I planned on going for a year, but with Christmas and all, I finished early. I like doing challenges like these in year-blocks, so I wanted to start a new one for January.

Same here.

It is based on a twelve month period. It does not have to follow the calendar year. You can choose the start and end date.

I did a bunch of crafts with and for my niece while we were visiting over Christmas. She taught me how to make bracelets out of woven rubber bands:

It ended up being a bit big for her wrist, so she wore it as an anklet instead.

She is also obsessed with American Girl dolls, so I knitted her a little pillow and a winter scarf out of some scrap yarn my mom had:

I'm really pleased with how the scarf came out. I did a tiny ribbing pattern on it and added fringe for the first time. My niece was impressed and pleased with it too, which was gratifying. :D (The lighting of this picture makes her doll look really creepy to me!)

I'm curious about how to do those bracelets. How do you do them, Chexala?

lol, you're right about the doll in that lighting. :P

I used those pencils as a kind of loom. I'm not sure if I can explain it without pictures, so I'll see if I can find a tutorial somewhere.

Edit:
Apparently what I made is called a fishtail bracelet, here's a tutorial. I did that but with the two pencils instead of my fingers.

Okay, thanks, Chexala! I'll definitely have to try it.

How's the crafting going everyone?

I've been training for a new job, so my crafting hasn't been working out so far. Still have time though. But I do hope to work on them over the weekend.

Oh neat. What sort of new job are you doing?

I'll be working in a factory.

I come bearing more crafts!


I made cat toys stuffed with catnip and crinkly plastic. The cat promptly obliterated the purple bird within an hour. :)


Stuffed kitty made from a simple kit. Going to give it to my nephew.


I knitted little house slippers. This was my first time following a knitting pattern, and I learned a lot from it.


Finally, I made a raccoon mask. I made the face out of layers of felt, and glued it onto a cheap craft mask. It was intended to be a Christmas presant, but I only finished it the other night. The friend I gave it to really liked it.

Those are awesome! You're so inspiring! :) I need to get organized and get my list up.

Ah, I'm glad you like.

Man, I need to figure out a new craft... we've taken in my grandmother's cat, and so I can't do most textile stuff. Maybe it won't be as interested in the threads for beadwork...

If you have a cat that needs distracting, might I suggest catnip toys? ;D

He actually doesn't seem to care much for catnip. He likes it okay, but he doesn't go nuts over it like lots of cats. He's much more interested in the cardboard mouse that came with his scratching post than in the catnip toy he has.

Haha, fair enough. My roommate's cat went berserk for the first catnip toy I gave her, but became progressively less interested in the other ones.

I was just thinking, you could make some simple toy for the cat so he would be distracted, and that way you'd be able to do your textile crafts. :)

Naah, he's nosy. If anyone's doing anything interesting, he'll drop whatever he's doing and come investigate. I have my loom set up in a room we keep him out of, but it's awfully lonely being isolated from the rest of the house.

---------- Post added 02-16-2014 at 09:09 PM ----------

I have been wanting to make some nice aprons, though, and he probably won't be as interested in fabric as he is in yarn-- he ignores us when we're folding clothes, anyway. I'll try that next week!