Ho Ho Ho! Christmas is Coming!

The wonderful season of Christmas is drawing in, and I am ready with some Santas, snowmen and a Christmas Teddy bear!

The Santas are my own invention, after looking at pictures of other crochet Santas and not being particularly drawn to any of them. The beard and hair is what makes mine "POP" I think. I am very happy with them and have recorded the pattern for myself so I can revisit it and polish it. If anyone is eager to try one, I would be glad to share the notes I have at present for them. The smallest Santa was the initial creation, with the larger versions being the "tweaked" Santas.

Likewise the snowmen were made very much off the top of my head. Some are 2 snowballs high and some are 3 snowballs high. I used the idea from the Mr. Melty snowman for the arms though. I like that effect more than snowball arms. And I really like the twisted chain for the nose. I think they look quite carroty!

The teddy bear is for a KAL for one of the groups I joined in Ravelry in the last few weeks. It is toy making group -- no surprise that that one would catch my eye quickly! I don't remember what lead me to the group, but it appears there are many other toy enthusiasts in the knitting and crochet world! This pattern was written by a homeless man, who made the bears to sell and to improve his position in life. It is a most heart warming story, which I believe to be true. His name is Gregory Patrick and this is his blog if you are inclined to read his story further MadMan Knitting Blog  I did not sew the hat and scarf onto the bear, so after the festive season she (or he) can sport other seasonal attire! I foresee a little sweater for the winter and perhaps a bunny hat for the spring! :D

Do have a wonderful Christmas season if I do not post again before then. I think I shall ... I am working on a few more of the 12 inch knitted dolls at the moment and I will be glad to share their pictures once they are completed!

My First Craft Show

I have survived my first craft show, thanks to much support and encouragement from my family. It was great fun, and for me it was also a little exciting. It ended up being quite a small show, so far as potential customers were concerned as it was mainly the dancers and their families who attended (it was a fund raiser for a dance group that is raising money to travel to Scotland for a competition). I learned so much from the experience, and got some good tips from the other vendors about other shows that are worth entering, and also a contact in one of the facilities in town that lets you set up a table and sell your things there for a donation, depending on how much you sell (10 % of sales, but that is not really bad since all the other shows have a table charge to enter.) I got confirmation this morning that they have accepted me to set up a table there, so now I am excited again! :D It will be on Wed. Dec. 4, from 10 am until 3 pm. That will work wonderfully for me as the nurse and the PSW both come on that day so I won't have to worry about hubby being alone for too long. Now I can hardly wait to get creating those small toys again to stock up the things that were sold, but first, to finish off the 2 sweaters that were ordered at the last sale. I just have the sleeves on the larger size to finish, then I can get them delivered.