Okay, so first I made this amazing cross body hipster - I'd searched all over the internet for this tutorial, and finally found it - hard to search when you've no idea what something is called. No thanks to you, Google Images! I found the fantastic tutorial here:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=298929.0

I only changed one thing, which was to make the strap longer and sew it around the whole bag, giving it width - sides and a bottom. I just needed more space, I felt. I am very happy with the result and have gotten many compliments when taking it out - hooray!


















This is the most difficult thing I've ever sewn - it was the zipper! but really! It was the whole thing! Wow, this was hard (for me).

So imagine my pride that after no less than four completely unsuccessful zipper installation attempts and one extra zipper later - I actually managed to make it happen.

In hindsight, I would make the edges more curvy (like in the tutorial, natch) and...maybe do some drinking while I made this. No, that would have made it harder. Less watching Doctor Who at the same time? I don't know. Maybe some breaks to meditate and/or do some scream therapy in between sessions?

I digress. without further ado, and with the help of  this awesome tutorial here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=358767.0, I give you my COMPLETED and ACTUALLY FUNCTIONAL VBI Wristlet!

I knitted my first ever slippers! I haven't even knitted socks yet, but after knitting these, I am confident that I can. I am so proud of these, especially the ones for my Mom! I've mailed them to her but I'll have to wait for the post to get them to her after Christmas, as I sent them late. In the meanwhile I can post them here to share with you!

The purple ones for my Nana:



I swear they are NOT two different sizes, despite looking that way in the photo. Really! They're not!

And the Autumn ones for my Mom:



I used Malabrigo Merino worsted weight and man, I did NOT want to give them up! I LOVE how they turned out, and I cannot wait to knit mine! I LOVE Malabrigo - yummy!

I had this fantastic idea that I was going to make my son some festive flannel holiday pants for Christmas - to wear on Christmas eve and on Christmas. He loves the pants that I make for him, so I thought it would be so adorable if I made him some little red ones with snowmen or reindeer or something. So into the fabric store we go, in search of holiday fabric with which to make him some cute holiday pants. And then we saw it - I didn’t even know there was such a thing, but there it was, and there were TWO KINDS of it: the Thomas Holiday fabric. My son is OBSESSED with Thomas the Tank Engine. And it just so happened that they were on sale, buy one get one free, but only by the meter. And as it happens, it takes just under a meter of fabric to make my boy a pair of pants. So of course I bought a meter of each!




In less than two hours, I whipped up these two pairs of pants. Note that they are even lined with terrycloth for warmth and comfort (since they are not flannel as I’d wanted). Kiernen was DELIGHTED with them, and will likely be wearing them for the next week straight. He even, for the first time in his little sweet life, said “Thank you” (well, he signed it to me). WORTH IT!

They are really simple to make, too:

Just find a pair of pants that fit well and fold them in half.

Fold your fabric in half and place the pants on the fabric. Trace around he pants, allowing for a seam allowance and also for the waist to be larger so it will fit over the hips.

Cut two of main fabric and two of lining, if you are using a lining - it is by no means necessary.

Again, if you are using a lining, place wrong sides together of lining and fabric, 1 of each piece. Sew these together with almost no border, sewing all the way around.

Hem bottom of legs - I fold it in about 1/4" and sew.

Then take both sewn pieces and place right sides together, sewing the top seams together (the crotch seams).

Then do the leg seams, making sure to reinforce the seam at the crotch.

Fold waist in about 1" and sew, leaving a 1/2" hole for elastic. To size elastic, take elastic and wrap it around original pair of pants at waist and cut. Thread elastic into waist and then sew elastic together.

Voila - pants!

Let me know if any part of my sorta tute doesn't make sense, or I forgot anything. Thanks - this is actually my first project that I've posted here, after years of reading and commenting on others' wonderful work.

Our first tree in over 6 years (since our first son died). I am so happy to again have a reason to put up a tree and decorate! Almost all of the ornaments are either hand-blown glass given to us by relatives or little beanies that I fell in love with. Now I intend to add new handmade ones every year as well.


I discovered this in the BIG BIN OF HOLIDAY GOODNESS - I didn't even know we had it! It's about 2 feet high and so cute! Note the little train underneath, courtesy of my son.


Two little stockings - one for our first son (in memory of), and one for our son now. Both are handmade and cross-stitched by their grandmother, and they are GORGEOUS! She is very talented


I made this wreath YEARS ago, and I still love it.


The railing outside my house. We live in co-housing and there is a glass atrium outside my door rather than the actual outside. You can feel the outside temperatures, but you don't get rained on! (We live outside of Vancouver). So I decorated my railing.

The other three are little handmade ones just to balance it out aesthetically - I don't remember who made them, though.