Boxing Day CAL 2015 (charity items!)

[pineknott]

Hello All

its been slow going here.I did finish 11 granny squares for someone making an afghan

Darski,thanks for the info on the cat mysteries,I've  been hooked on the Love Inspired Suspense mysteries,they are great who done its

[babypoohsmom]

Hi Linda, glad to hear you are still crocheting despite life throwing so many things at you.

 

Here is a cat mat I made during football games last Sunday. I have been making a lot of fleece cat beds. I'll take them to my two craft shows this year and whatever is left goes to the rescue. They asked me if I could make about 30 by mid-December for a cat show. They like the kennels to look fancy. So I am going to make matching bed, blanket, pillow and toy sets (as many as I can) and let the shelter "sell" them to adopters who might want them for a donation to the shelter. And if people don't want to buy them, then the shelter will still have them for the Petsmart stores and other adoption events.

I took tomorrow off of work because I have too much vacation time accrued. No money this year for a vacation since I had two last year so the time just kept piling up. A good problem to have, I know. I think I'm finally going to go to the movies. I am not the type who feels odd about going to a movie alone. I've done it loads of times.

[babypoohsmom]

Hi everyone...well it's been quiet around here. Everyone must be in the holiday gift rush. Getting Christmas crochet projects done?

I was in a craft show the first weekend of November and I finally saw an American Girl doll. There were two vendors at the show with clothing for the dolls. One made cute outfits out of cotton fabric, but the lady in the booth next to mine had fancy dresses. Her daughter works on Broadway and her roommate is in costume design and they send fancy costume fabric remnants to her about twice a year. Both booths had a lot of sales. Those dolls are a big deal. I sure got an education!

Anyway, I hope up you are all doing well.

[babypoohsmom]

Another cat mat!

[Gardener]

Oh my,much a lot of wonderful donations. I'm especially amazed at all those doll outfits Bailey4. You must crochet in your sleep.

 

I've had a real craft slump since summer, and have just started to crochet regularly again, so I haven't accomplished anywhere near what I had planned back in January. (I think the self imposed yarn diet was to blame, but a few weeks ago, I decided to break my fast and I bought a lot of new yarn! Made it almost a whole year though.) Hopefully next year will be better!

[Bailey4]

With Darski, Tampa Doll and other people who have sent patterns and other items during the year I have six boxes going off to Aztec Wishes this week, probably Tuesday.  I want to get a picture before DH drives the stuff over it is truly an amazing pile of dolls and clothes going off to some soon to be very happy little girls.

 

I have to get stuff posted, but I have one dress done for 2016, and just need to add buttons to the Pilgrim outfit for next year and I'll have two outfits completed.  I was too tired last night to sew, so I started on Mrs. Claus' Santa hat instead.

[Bailey4]

I finally posted my first item for the 2016 doll donation.  I still don't have the buttons on the Pilgrim dress though.  After I wrap my great nephews birthday presents I've promised myself to face the buttons.

 

American Girl Sundress

[darski]

I finally posted my first item for the 2016 doll donation.  I still don't have the buttons on the Pilgrim dress though.  After I wrap my great nephews birthday presents I've promised myself to face the buttons.

 

American Girl Sundress

 

that is a sweet dress... pretty colour.

 

BTW, did you see my "Howdy Neighbour pattern?  it has been very popular and might work for your donation dolls.

[Bailey4]

Thanks I printed it just now.

[babypoohsmom]

Wow Gardner, a one year yarn diet? That's amazing. I have a bit of a "problem" when it comes to buying yarn. I don't buy more than I can afford, just more than I can store. Yikes. Kudos to you. As for accomplishments, well, I think we all wish we had more time, energy and inspiration!! Never, never underestimate the impact of any donation you make. I have learned that. I pretty much cried the first time a homeless Veteran thanked ME for making him a hat. Very humbling. Linda will never know how many little birds use her nests...things like that we just know, or I guess we wouldn't do what we do!!

 

So everyone, should I start a new CAL for 2016? There are only a few of us left, but I am not sure what I would do without my "friends" here. Probably hit the destash area and buy more yarn. Yikes. Save me from myself!

 

Anyway, let me know what you think. I am up for it if you guys still want to stop in and chat.

[babypoohsmom]

Wow, I missed several posts. My iPad has been punchy since the last operating system upgrade.

[Bailey4]

Please do I love hearing about everyone's different types of charity crochet.

[darski]

Wow Gardner, a one year yarn diet? That's amazing. I have a bit of a "problem" when it comes to buying yarn. I don't buy more than I can afford, just more than I can store. Yikes. Kudos to you. As for accomplishments, well, I think we all wish we had more time, energy and inspiration!! Never, never underestimate the impact of any donation you make. I have learned that. I pretty much cried the first time a homeless Veteran thanked ME for making him a hat. Very humbling. Linda will never know how many little birds use her nests...things like that we just know, or I guess we wouldn't do what we do!!

 

So everyone, should I start a new CAL for 2016? There are only a few of us left, but I am not sure what I would do without my "friends" here. Probably hit the destash area and buy more yarn. Yikes. Save me from myself!

 

Anyway, let me know what you think. I am up for it if you guys still want to stop in and chat.

 

I admit that I was expecting to join up next year as well.  I'm lousy at posting and keeping score but I like seeing what others do and I try to follow all the conversations.

[Bailey4]

Aztec Wishes Donations are on their way

 

I posted this post with pictures last night as DH was prepping the boxes to go.

 

DH called me this morning after he dropped everything off.  Tampa Doll's Rag doll was a HUGE hit.  Darski's clothes blew them away and they are already putting out a call for more 18" doll donations.  The two they have pledged in addition to the two I've donated just aren't enough for all Darski and Tampa Doll donated, since my two are already fully dressed with my donations.  They were so pleased with the 8" and 15" dolls Darski and Tampa Doll added.  I posted the donations pics before, but this was the first time the program director had seen them.

 

What I found interesting was how impressed the students were that everything was hand made.  They couldn't believe that just about all the clothes were made by others and donated for their project.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, while I know lots of people who craft, I also meet others who don't make stuff and I know I don't knit or sew so I always am amazed when I see crafts in those areas as well.

[darski]

I was wondering if you would like some stuff this year as well.  I don't want to overdo it but it is nice to have a place where the things will be used.

[Bailey4]

Darski send what ever you wish and I promise I have a good home for it.

[babypoohsmom]

Well, if you guys are up for it, so am I. I love seeing all of the doll clothes, baby sets, bird nests, shawls, hats....they break up the monotony of the cat mats! Boxing Day 2016 it is! I can't remember who started the CAL. Maybe it was our own Linda? Anyway, I'm glad I joined and I'm so happy to have such great on line friends.

 

I do have a new hat that I just finished last night. It's made with really soft mill ends yarn I got from Joanns. I am trying to decide if I should make a scarf or more hats with the rest of the yarn.

[babypoohsmom]

So I actually have 2 hats to show. The first one is brown and is made with very soft yarn I got in a mill ends bag at Joanns. The only bad thing about it is that it does split easily so I have to,pull through the double crochets a bit slower than I usually do. But the soft is worth it.

The other one I made on my Addi machine with some left over green yarns. I don't think I bought the variegated green, so someone must have given that to me.

I probably need to get down to the shelter soon. We've had some very cold nights (cold for Phoenix that is).

[darski]

Darski send what ever you wish and I promise I have a good home for it.

 

[Bailey4]

I am the one thanking you.  Your clothes are amazing and it is an honor to get them into kids hands.

[Bailey4]

I finally finished getting the buttons on the Pilgrim dress for next year's donation.  I've been crocheting Darski's Pilgrim outfit with a few modifications for many years now.

 

One of the changes I made this year was using off white for the various trims and accessories.  A dear friend passed away from cancer and her brother, also a close friend, gave me all her yarn.  She and her Mom knitted for years and mostly it seems in off white.  I have a considerable collection of off white high quality acrylic yarn to finish up and I've decided to make it my goal to put as much of it in to this years donations as possible.  It seems like a nice way to honor her memory.

 

I actually like the way the off white looks against the Pilgrim outfit as opposed to the bright white I normally use.  It almost has more of antique look to it.  I've got a long way to go to finish off this stash, but hopefully it will continue to appear in upcoming projects.

 

18" Doll Pilgrim Outfit

[darski]

I do like that softer look w/ off white.  Might try something like that with a pattern or two myself.

[babypoohsmom]

Here is another hat made with the knitting machine. Again, I don't remember the patterned yarn. Patterned yarn looks really different crocheted vs knitted. So maybe I crocheted with it and don't remember because it didn't look like this.

[pineknott]

the first person to do this thread was Dorothysgirls,then I did.it without much following,you are a much better Mod

I will try to get some hooking done next year,look forward to a fresh start in the new year

[babypoohsmom]

Well...I made a hat with the "waffle" pattern in it. So I started a scarf to match which is slow going because fpdc and bpdc are very short stitches. The problem is, I have washed the hat 3 times since I made it and it is not getting soft at all. I really don't want to make a scratchy scarf, so as much as it's going to hurt, I'm goin to frog the scarf.

And Linda, I don't know what a Mod is, but if I'm good at it, I'm sure it's by accident. There used to be a "charity blitz weekend" CAL every month but after that one stopped, ours got busier. I do miss the lady from years and years ago that lived in the UK and made blankets with her mom. She had a blog called The Granny Factory or something like that because she mostly made granny square blankets. She dropped out of the Ville and closed down her blog. I always wondered what happened to her. I always worry when online "friends" go missing.

Oh, sorry for the dreadful picture. It's late and I'm in my crafting room with poor light...