Craftaholics Craft Exchange :-)

I just want to say thank you to Ann from Denmark who sent me a wonderful package in our Craftaholics gift exchange.
(Please excuse the dreadful photography, we have a house full of sick and ailing persons so things have been a little fraught for the last week)
She sent me a lovely selection of origami Christmas decorations; Moravian stars. And the instructions for making many more :-). Also a beautiful rolled paper bead necklace in shades of greeny gold...I have a perfect blouse to wear it with. And last but not least, four handmade Christmas cards which shall be jealously kept for decoration in my home, and not sent to anyone.

Thank you again Linda, for hosting such a wonderful event. Happy Christmas and Happy Crafting to you all!

Christmas Gift Exchange

Most years I take part in a crafty Christmas gift exchange hosted by the lovely Linda of Craftaholics Anonymous . This year I was partnered with Ann from Denmark and these are some of the bits I sent to her. There was also a second pair of crocheted boot cuffs made with mottled red yarn that I forgot to photograph and a bar of chocolate for a Christmas treat.

Crocheted grey boot cuffs

A blue brooch in hyperbolic crochet.

 A cream knitted cable mug rug

 A cream knitted cable mug cosy with antique leather buttons

I hope Ann enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them :-)

More Nålbinding

I've done a few bits of nålbinding over the last few months and taught several people the basics to get them started. One lady is flying with it and she is making hats for her children and small pouches. I am no longer part of an organised re-enactment group. The club I was with was morphing from a living history society into a dress-up and play Vikings group. That has its place but it is not my thing. Instead, a couple of friends and myself have set ourselves a winter challenge; to research and create a set of clothes which might have been worn by Viking people in Waterford a thousand years ago. There is a celebration of the city's 1100th anniversary and we hope to put together a little display based on our work which we can show during the anniversary year.
The upshot of that is that I will be making some nålbinding for that... a lady's hat for under headdress, man's hat, two pairs of short socks, one pair of leggings and maybe a pair of mittens. I'll be busy!

Anyway, here are some bits and bobs that I have made over the last few months.

Experimental dolly made with left over yarn. She is stuffed with sheep's wool that was damaged by iron in the water so is now no use for spinning.

 A hat out of my imagination, modelled by my daughter's balloon.

 A fine lady's hat for under a headdress - this was a trial effort which came out a little small. The second one (made for a gift) fitted perfectly.

 Detail of the twisted edge.

 My first mittens - They are thumbless and the finger section can be folded back and buttoned. I will sort out some wooden toggles but they are buried somewhere in my button box.

 Socks for myself - I will felt them by wearing them in the shower so that they will fit me well.

 This shows the detail of the sole.

 A hat with a contrasting turn up.

 Braid - needs blocking

 A hat for my daughter. The yarn is so soft!

Woolliness

Shirley got a hold of some raw wool so I bought quarter of it and started cleaning it. I pulled out any obvious stuff like twigs, burrs and gorse needles and then set to washing

Look at all the yuck that came out of it.

Sadly, it felted because our water was salt and iron laden (due to a malfunctioning water filter), and apparently iron damages the structure of wool fibres. Live and learn....Sigh
I will try again soon, with non-irony water.
In the meantime my wool combs are taking shape.

And I have made 2 naalbindning needles. The mother of my friend Marianna inspired me to give it a go.