FO Friday: Christmas Gift Edition

Since I have utterly failed at posting my finished objects as I finished them this month, I figured I would just put them all together in one epic post today :) Just to warn you, this is a long one, but there are plenty of pictures.

First up is my husband's birthday hat. I actually finished this in November and never posted it  here.

It's all just knit in k2p2 rib until the decreases at the top. He chose the color and everything, although he has yet to wear it, lol.

I love looking at the nice swirl going on at the top. It was incredibly easy to make and I hope my husband enjoys it.

Next up is the Hello Kitty for my sister. Isn't she cute?! Honestly I couldn't be happier with how it came out. The face may have given me some trouble, but the rest went very smoothly.

And the back shot. I love that she has thumbs! I will probably use that technique on other animals to come just because it's so cute.

I freehand-designed the dress myself. I was really going for the classic Hello Kitty and I just couldn't find any patters already out there that were right. So, I started off with foundation single crochet and made a strand long enough to go around her hips. I just went up and down from there, connecting and decreasing/increasing, etc. I'm really happy with its shape.

Also for Shannon, I made this Hello Kitty style headband, lol. She's in Japan, so I think this will help her fit right in, don't you? I used this free pattern for the headband and then just used circles overlapped for the bow. Embroidering the black took some patience, but it paid off.

Here is another requested item. My sister Marisa's Lattice Cowl. This baby has 2.3 skeins of Lion Brand Hometown USA! I had to go buy a third skein a few weeks after buying the initial 2 skeins, and do you think Walmart still had any of the same dye lot? Of course they didn't. So, the front section is a slightly different color in certain lighting. Hopefully she likes it other than that. I think it matches the inspiration photo really well :)

The buttons all come undone and can be fastened pretty much anywhere you want since it's all double crochet.

I also finished the broomstick lace scarf for my mother-in-law. I'm really loving how it came out and I really have a new found respect for Lion Brand Microspun yarn. At first i hated working with it, but I've really become attached to it now. It drapes so nicely!

I added a picot edging just for extra flare.

And the scarf was started in foundation single crochet so I was able to neatly pick up to do the edge. It looks a little different than the other side, but honestly I don't think anyone but a knitter/crocheter would notice.

In EPIC news, I was able to finish my Red Rosie Hat! It was a small miracle, and one that convinced me that I needed a set of Knitter's Pride Dreamz interchangeable needles :) I was really having a problem with the Boye fixed circular I was using, but I ordered the Knitter's Pride Comby Set to see which type of needle set I wanted for Christmas from my parents. It just so happened that the set included a size 8 which is what this hat needed, so I just switched over to that new needle and had a grand time. It's amazing the difference when you have really flexible cables while you're trying to do magic loop knitting.

This is the Rosie Hat pattern from Knit Lab: Hats Four Ways class on Craftsy. It's my first experience with magic loop knitting, cables, a purl background, blocking on a plate, and my Knitter's Pride needle :) I love how all the cables converge in the center - it's so pretty!

And here it is from the bottom just for good measure. I haven't gotten to get pics of me wearing it yet, but hopefully they are to come soon. Also, the yarn is a much deeper red than it shows up in there photos - these shots make it look red/orange but it's more red/blue. It's made in Cascade 220 Superwash in Ruby.

I also finished the ties for my latest wig :) I can't wait to unveil this project, but I have a few more wigs to make first.

And last but not least, my FINAL HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS GIFT - the Bobble Beard Beanie for my brother, Briggs. He specifically requested this, I made it all except the last 1/2 of the last round of the beard because I ran out of yarn. Luckily, I was able to swing by Joann's on Wednesday night and grab a new skein of the brown yarn, phew, and I finished this up last night.

I altered the pattern so that the beard is removable. I added button loops to the corners on the beard and buttons to the inside of the ribbing on the beanie. The result looks pretty good, I must say :) I'm excited to see he face when he opens it!

So that's pretty much what my last few months of knitting and crocheting has looked like, lol. If you want to see what others have finished this week, head over to Tami's Amis' blog!

What Is Craftsy? (Plus Get Your Free Crafting Classes!)

I know I've made no secret of my love for Craftsy classes on my blog. I'm sure some of you may be tired of hearing about it even, but I just wanted to take a minute and encourage any newbees to give them a try!

My Amigurumi Woodland Animals Class creations :)

What is Craftsy?
Craftsy is an online craft community that specializes in video classes. They also have a pattern marketplace where independent designers can showcase and sell their patterns for you to make your own fantastic creations. They have a supplies shop filled with yarn, fabric, books, tools, and class kits at discounted prices.They also have a project section where you can show off your creations to other Craftsy members :)

The first thing I ever knitted - the Lacy Keyhole Scarf - all thanks to Knit Lab Class :)

Craftsy has over 2 million members now and has really branched out in their class offerings. When I first joined, they only offered sewing, quilting, cake decorating and needlecrafts (knitting and crocheting). Now they have expanded to include photography, fine art, embroidery, cooking and much more. They are expanding all the time, so even if you had looked through them before and didn't see anything to spark your interest, take a look again and see all the new class offerings! It's coming up on the holidays and how nice would it be to include a few handmade gifts using a new skill or technique from a class you took?

All items I've made thanks to Craftsy classes: (clockwise from left: Gray Cambridge Scarf from the Knit Lab Class, Red Broomstick Scarf from the Beyond Basic Broomstick Lace Class, Amigurumi Elephant from the Wee Ones - Knit Toys Class, and my Giraffe from the (Not So) Itty-Bitty Giraffe Class.

Why should I take a class online?
Why not?! That's what I say :) The best part about Craftsy is that the classes are taken completely on your schedule. There is no time to report to a certain place on a certain day - your class takes place whenever and wherever you want, including laying in bed in your pjs (yes, I have totally watched classes in bed, lol). You get to learn all these wonderful skills in your own home, with tools you are familiar with, and there is no one around to hinder your creativity - just you and the very encouraging Craftsy community :) Also, youre class is yours forever! You can watch it over and over again, as many times as you want - there is no expiration date or monthly membership fee to worry about. Once it's yours, it's yours. I have so many wonderful skills that I have developed due to a Craftsy class, and honestly I enjoy watching the classes even if I'm not making the item right then. I'm constantly impressed by how many little things you can learn just by watching a skilled crafts person do their thing.

My gorgeous Queen of Sheba Chocolate Torte from the Decadent Chocolate Cakes Class 

I have learned so much from Craftsy, as you can see from my photos in this post. I've learned much more though that I have yet to complete an item from the class to show. A few of my "Mending Monday" posts have been results of things I've learned in classes. My sewing is so much better and things tend to go smoother lately because of little tips and tricks I've learned in the many classes I've watched. I have a few projects lined up from the sewing classes - I just haven't devoted the time to actually make them yet (shameful, I know).

Want to try Craftsy for Free?

Craftsy has 21 different mini classes that are completely free! just go here to browse the free class selection and give one of them a try (heck, why stop at one, they are all free!). You could be an addict like me in no time :) Craftsy classes may seem like a silly thing, but they have honestly made my life better. They are an enjoyable way to hone my skills and learn something new on my own terms and time and I hope you give them a try!