Only 10 days until Christmas Eve and I’m still working on gifts. I actually have another one still to start, but it’s a quick one so hopefully I’ll have it done in no time.
The Monkey and Duck jumper production line is full flow now I’m happy with the pattern. I’ve made all of the ‘easy’ bits and I’m now onto the tricky part. I’ve not really done any work using intarsia before, or designed pictures for knitting so I’ve had another learning curve. I began by drawing on graph paper, then learned I needed proper knitting chart paper. Thank goodness for free printables from the Internet! I redrew my designs and started knitting them tonight. The one in the photo is the start of a monkey face. Given my lack of experience I decided to make only the main part using intarsia and then use Swiss darning (duplicate stitching) to add the outline, smile and eyes. Duck has a similar design but I haven’t started his yet.
Other WIPs have included threading the salt dough ornaments. For my UK readers, Lidl are selling festive ribbons very cheaply, and patterned parcel tape which is really similar to Washi tape. (I had to exercise restraint earlier when going to Homebase, which is in the same shopping park!) The children hung them all on the tree very proudly.
My daughter also decided the Christmas tree was still a WIP and added a Gruffalo to it. Apparently he now lives there, occasionally changing branches and saying hello to the decorations!
What are you working on this week? Are you on a sprint to the Christmas finish line?
Nothing like crafting til the last possible moment, right?!
I just finished up my last handcrafted gift this week — a large string art (have you seen those?) My fingers were smashed from the hammering of tiny nails, and then just as I was wrapping my last string on the state, my 2yr old (who should have been napping, and wasnt!) snuck up behind me with scissors and went SNIP.
O.M.G.
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Oh no! Hope you got it sorted!
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It hasn’t sunk in that it’s a week until Christmas yet, so I will probably be rushing quite soon! 😊
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Haha, good luck!
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Feel free to take my knitting mojo, I only have half a hat left and that should be easy!
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Thanks! The front of the Monkey jumper is done so I only have the duck one to do now and then the sewing! And the other tiny project.
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Lots of lovely crafting. Good luck with finishing. Every Christmas tree should have a Gruffallo 😉
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Thanks! The Gruffalo certainly adds a special something!
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🙂
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Knitting design will get easier with time once you get your system down and find all the right tools to do it. You are brave taking on Intarsia. The knitter’s bane! Knitting for Christmas in December can get you in the festive spirit. Enjoy the rush!
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Haha, thank you. So far it’s not perfect but I think it looks OK from a distance. It’s definitely helping me to feel festive. 😊
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I am pretty much Christmassed out now. What gets done, gets done. The rest is either tough luck or advance planning for next year (in my dreams)! Makes sense for the Gruffalo to hop about a bit. He can’t be caught napping, now can he?!
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That’s a good point about Gruffalo! I have a feeling a few projects may be carried over to next year.
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Just a head start, that’s all!
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These are nice. Hope you’re done in time!
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Thank you 😊
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Gosh! I still have so much to do! With just 7 days i still have 5 projects to go..
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Good luck! I’m on the last piece of knitting before I have to sew all of the jumpers up. Hoping I can finish in time!
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I am sure you will! I have faith in you. In myself not so much! I have a necklace and dino scoodie to finish by tomorrow, and then a balaclava, a scaff and a hat to finish by christmas day! I think i might just have to hand out 1 or two IOU’s
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Haha! I bet they’ll still be pleased, home made gifts are lovely. 😊
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