FO's: Non-Knitting Ones

As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm trying to make most of my Christmas gifts this year. For a variety of reasons that I won't go into. But I'm lucky enough that I have family and friends who really appreciate handmade items...and often request them from me. Work is so tough right now so taking time to make all my gifts should be stressful. But in all honesty, I'm really enjoying myself (outside of the fact that accomplishing all this stuff means giving up some sleep!). While I was in school last year, I pretty much didn't have the flexibility to do anything other than knit. And while I love that medium, I missed the gourds and the drawing. After I got back and could pick it back up, I found that I just didn't have that creative urge and so continued to keep knitting as my sole crafty activity. Deciding to make my gifts forced me to take some time away from working 16 hour days 6-7 days a week and tap into that creative part of my brain again. And I'm having a blast. It feels so good and satisfying. I really hope I find the way to keep it up after the holidays.

First up is a gourd I made for my Aunt. Technically not a Xmas gift, but a belated birthday gift that will go into the mail this week. She had a substantial stroke last spring and recovery has been very slow. During the summer, she asked mom if I'd make her a gourd and they decided on a hummingbird one. Months later, I don't know if she'll remember the request, but I knew I wanted to do it for her. This is pre-protective coat spray...always makes it look nicer but is a bear to photograph with (if I'd just make a light box, I wouldn't have the glare problem!). And note that the flowers seem to be a neon, glowing pink...they aren't! The are more of a bright red that just isn't photographing well.


A couple months ago I ran into a blog about paper-cutting (I think I found it through WhipUp). It intrigued me so I've been sort of searching out stuff on the topic ever since. I've found so many different variations to the theme of 'simple' paper cutting that I was pretty interested in trying it out. The first piece below is for my brother and is fairly simple in construct-yet in my eye, very sharp...I started with an idea that I wasn't quite sure would work and it just evolved into something I'm actually pretty pleased with.

I also wanted to try to do something that added color (because while my brother and I both love all things black and white, other folks appreciate more color!). Both my mom and a good friend of mine quilt and they have the addiction to fabric that I have to yarn (although I admit that though I rarely sew, fabric tends to follow me home sometimes too). So I found an idea that merged paper cutting and fabric. The leaves/bird one is for my mom...it is long and narrow for a reason. I was working on filling a specific 'hole' in her kitchen. The horse is for my friend. I'm pretty pleased with how these turned out as well and I definitely see more in my future.

I will say that the paper-cutting technique is addicting but not quite as easy as I first thought--even for the simple designs I've done so far. Especially switching between the black and white one to the fabric ones. In the former, the picture develops from what you leave in the paper while in the latter, the picture develops from what you cut out. It took my brain a bit to make the switch!

I've got a couple more things that are close to being done. I'm leaving for an elk capture next week and will hopefully be able to post again before I leave.

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Now playing: Winter Birds by Ray LaMontagne