babypoohsmom

Glad you got your dolls Bailey. Other people I know have said that they are just now getting Christmas cards but I (touch wood) have not had any problems getting the things that I am expecting. Lucky, I guess!

I got some new kennel blankets ready for my rescue. We are readying ourselves for kitten season.

So the other night after I posted, I looked around offer up and actually saw a knitting machine (they called it an "auto loom") along with some hand looms and yarn for $65. I posted and asked if it was still available but got no answer. Then....I have no idea why....I wondered in to Goodwill on my way home from work. In my defense, the road was closed and I had to go through the parking lot. I took it as a sign. Then, wow, there was so much nice yarn bagged for $3.49 instead of the usual $6.49 this location always tries to charge. I spent $27 and they had to put my purchase in a trash bag. There is something wrong with me. Particularly after the cashier told me that earlier that day, a woman left with TWO garbage bags full of yarn and all I could think was...what did I miss? So, on the bright side, I made my first hockey hat of the season and used, oh just a tiny bit of my giant stash. It is some Caron jumbo with some RH w/love. Definitely softer than the one from the other day, and better fitting. I went to a K hook. Is there an L hook? If there is, I don't have one. I also made a hat during the Packers game today, but I still have to tuck in the ends.

Hi Owlvamp! I think you were in this group a few times. Maybe back before I was even the "moderator". Glad to have you back. I have both Addi's and a Sentro. Some days I want to chuck them all in the bin and other days they just happily crank out hats. There are about 6 goodwill stores within 8 miles of my house and pre-Covid I did a lot of yarn shopping there but never saw a knitting machine of any kind. I do see the hand looms a lot and loads of knitting needles but never that many crochet hooks. I occasionally check Offer Up as well. Got a big garbage bag stuffed with yarn for $10 just before Christmas, but it's still riding around the back seat of my car, so I figure I better cool my jets on yarn buying. But my eyes are always looking for Addi's or the like. And now dolls on clearance for Bailey!!

Panda and Alex were too busy sniffing it (my coworker has two dogs) so Sunshine claimed it. She's about 6 1/2 pounds and there is plenty of room. The bigger cats fit on it comfortably too. Our big boy, Dickens, weighs about 18 pounds and couldn't be bothered to jump on the table to look at it. Now I just need some foster kittens. We're are in the lul just before the boom which will be late Febraury or early March. Thanks for letting me share. I don't really stray from our CAL that much so I didn't know where else to post it. I had originally fretted over paying $6 for the pattern, but it was worth it. I think it has 4 couch styles.

I'm gonna apologize right now because this post isn't entirely about a charity item. I gave my coworker a Caron Anniversary Cake for Christmas and she made this for me: It's a cat couch. Another coworker gifted her the pattern a few months ago because she wanted help figuring out the pattern. I guess she has it figured out! It's very sturdy and the crochet work is very tight. I am over the moon about it. It's "kind of" related to charity work because I will definitely be using it to take pictures of my foster kittens for their Petfinder listings!

Darski, it both broke my heart and lifted it a little reading your post. It must have been very difficult to part with all of that yarn and yet it's so good to know that already 17 lapghans have been made. I know when I buy yarn, my head swirls with the ideas of "what this could be". I even get "attached" to Goodwill yarn that I always buy with the intent to make cat mats, but sometimes the yarn wants to be something else. That is part of the joy of this craft I think. But I know last year we saw many examples of "what this could be" from your crafty ideas, so I hope you can continue making those kinds of projects. Bailey, that little picnic outfit is adorable. Oh my goodness, I just want to grab that little doll and give it kisses! The yarns you chose were perfect for the set. And finally, here is my hat from last week. Ends are tucked in but it hasn't been washed yet. I've been sick the past few days with what I think was strep throat, but I am on Covid protocol at work. I was tested Saturday but have no results yet. Until today I was actually too sick to even crochet if you can believe that. Luckily for me and my bathrobe, there were football games all day Saturday and Sunday. But now I feel better and I'm anxious to get back to normal life. (Well, as normal as can be now) This is just one strand of the CraftSmart brand from Michaels in black and one strand of a veriagated RHSS on a J hook. It came out kind of tight on my head. I'm wondering if I forgot an increase or something. It also has a fp, bp brim that is hard to see. Probably a good size for an 8 to 12 year old. Just before the noggin gets too big.

I guess it's nice that we all seem to have a place that appreciates our hard work. Bailey, I love that outfit and the doll does sort of have that Mona Lisa smile!! I have been making cat beds (sewed from fleece, not crocheted) for so many years now that I know for a fact that my beds last a LOT longer than store bought beds in the shelter environment where they are washed so often. I'm glad that I can still get fleece on sale and when it's marked down as a remnant for a good price. Poly stuffing is getting expensive but I guess that's ok. I actually made a hat on Sunday during the Packers game. Two strands of worsted with a J hook and it actually came out fitting kind of tight on my head. Not sure what I did wrong. I need to get a picture of it. My brother gave me a "smart receiver" for Christmas. It kind of takes the place of a smart TV. I just have a little 13" TV in my sewing room, but now I can watch Netflix and You Tube in there. Now if I just didn't have to come out to eat or go to work....I'd bet set!

Hi Segi...I am not sure if I have seen you drop in here before! Welcome. I'm glad you have a place that is accepting blankets. I get that charities are trying to be careful but store bought goods are handled by a lot of people so I don't know how hand made things could have more of a germ factor! But since this virus is kicking all normal science out the door, I guess I can understand. Tampa, I remember when I bought my first prom dress. My mom was hysterical! It was poorly made and then she made my 2nd and 3rd dresses which were amazing. In high school she let me wear jeans but still made a lot of my shirts. I remember when fabric was 3 yards for $1. Now you can't really make clothes cheaper than buying them. I was lucky in 1997 to get bridal satin for $2 per yard from a place that was going out of business. My mom was too sick by then to make my wedding dress but I had a good friend who is an amazing seamstress and she made it instead. My husband was worried that it would look home made. I got so many compliments on that dress. I loved it. But I think I digress....what were we talking about?? Ha ha.

Well, I did not take it personally and to be honest, in retrospect, I should not have been surprised. She's one of those gals that is very superficial and I was actually shocked that she was taking up a collection. My guess would be that she didn't mention that the cash donation had been a collection and not her personal donation. So I am just considering it a priceless lesson. But here is a better story! My SIL's mom mentioned something at Thanksgiving about knitting, crocheting, etc. She mentioned that she would love a hand made scarf. I made her one for Christmas but was unable to see her due to Covid, etc. I sent the scarf home with my SIL and was a little disappointed that I didn't get a text about it. The very day I was slighted at work about the lovies, I received a hand written thank you card in the mail. Some people still appreciate hand made items. So there! I think I am even.

So this is how 2020 ended for me. I had those 4 lovies in my car because I hadn't really planned out where I was going to take them. I got a cute bag at the dollar store and had them ready. On the 23rd, a girl at work said that she was taking blankets to the crisis pregnancy center and was asking for cash donations to take as well. I gave her my lovies. On the 29th when she came back to work, she gave them back to me saying that she didn't see anyone else donating "used" toys and was to embarrassed to leave them. Mind you, the stuffed animals still had the tags on them. So...1. Never helping her out again, 2. Maybe I will put them in my Etsy shop that has been empty for two years, and 3. Bailey, can your school program place those kinds of toys, or is it all based on the dolls?

Well ladies! We've made it to another Boxing Day. I can't say I am sad to see 2020 in the rear view, but I think it came along to teach us lessons about gratitude. I think we all have a tendency to take things for granted or rush through days and weeks without reflection. I don't need New Year's Eve to take stock of the things that mattered to me this year...my Dad's health, my steady job (that I all too often let take control of my moods), and my ability, no matter how small, to give back. Thank you all for everything you do, and for being such a great group of inspiring friends! I hope to see you all in 2021. Denise

Well, I have never been so excited to see the end of one year and the start of a new one. I am sure that there are millions of people thinking that very same thing this week. Goodbye and good riddance to 2020. We welcome 2021 with great hope. The Boxing Day CAL was started many years ago by another Ville member and I started hosting several years ago. It is named after the Boxing Day holiday and is a celebration of all charity work. Please stop in whenever you can and share what you are making that will become a charitable donation or tell us about your volunteerism. This group has inspired me to try, with some success and some failure, many new crochet projects. I find my attention span is best suited for small items like hats and cat mats, but somehow when items are too small, like birds nests or mini-stockings, they are beyond my reach! I am excited to see what we can accomplish this year. Denise

I think making the fidget sleeves will bring you more joy that Christmas decorations. We haven't has a normal Christmas tree for 15 years because we always seem to have foster kittens at this time of year. I wouldn't trade back if you paid me! You're a super star for doing such a wonderful thing for someone who can never really thank you.

Those outfits are adorable. I like the hoodie sweatshirt! It's great that you have a nice headstart on 2021, you know, just in case it throws us a curveball like 2020 did. 31 days to go and we can get rid of this ridiculous year! I was going to start a scarf for my SIL's mother tonight (Christmas gift) but I made the mistake of sitting down to "just watch the start of the Monday night football game". Oops. I should have known better! Better luck tomorrow maybe. I picked a pattern called The Mindless Scarf, but I think I took the mindless part too far tonight!