Work in Progress Wednesday: Knitting and Weaving & Other Fun Things

Well, I'm taken my first woven hat off the cardboard loom. I took it to the knitting gathering at Fanciwerks and it was a big hit. I did the crocheted edging and now I'm weaving in ends. And weaving in ends. And weaving in ends.

Top of beret.

Inspired by that success I grabbed an old oak frame that for some mysterious reason was left sitting out in the weather and sanded it as best I could and warped it to make a new weaving. I just don't know what design I want to make yet so I stopped there. It's a big time commitment so I want to make sure I pick a design that inspires me.

Warping a frame for weaving.

As far as knitting goes I'm still working on the 2x2 ribbed 'architect's scarf'.

As far as crochet goes I did all the granny squares for my purse and now what?

I'm also making a funerary wreath from a grape vine base. I need to put that together today for the service on Oct. 13.

Autumn wreath with side spray.

I also need to get my fashion box together to send to my neice Faith, my birthday box for my grandson 'Gameboy,' and a pair of socks I'm knitting for him. The birthday already passed. That's how far behind I am.

And I have a plethora of pottery items that will need glazing when I get into the studio tomorrow. Ack!

I want to make dolls too. And I just ordered another amigurumi animal book, a paper piecing quilting book, 2 weaving books and some cards for card weaving. Yeah, I'm a bit busy. And this doesn't even include the non-crafting portion of my life.

The one from the library is falling apart so I just ordered my own copy.

The hat is in this book. I decided I better buy a copy before I wore out the one from the library.

Making a Perpetual Calendar

Today I remembered I had started a perpetual calendar years ago. I suddenly wanted to write something on it. I poked around my desk and found it. I got out of the habit of using it after we moved to Lucerne Valley. Now I'm really thankful I started it, because I moved to today's date and found that 2 years ago yesterday we drove out to Lucerne Valley to pick up the keys for this house. So yesterday was our 2 year anniversary. And that is the beauty of perpetual calendars.

Oct. 13 would have been Guy's mom's birthday. But it is the day she will be buried. So reading that in the perpetual calendar was poignant. But it makes me appreciate life more. The previous entry was in 2011. It said we forgot her birthday. Talk about feeling guilty!

So, if you want to make your own perpetual calendar, here is how to do it. Get a box big enough to hold about 400 index cards. I like using the multicolored cards, but that is up to you. I used a clear recipe card box I got at a dollar type store.

Then you need one divider for each month. I used old postcards cut to size. Then you need to put the dates on each card and keep them all in order in the box.  Then on that day of each month you write down the most significant event. I try to write it on one line, but sometimes it takes  2 lines. Put that card to the back so the next day is ready to go in front. You will miss days. That's okay. Just put that card to the back.

If you have young children it is a helpful way to keep track of those big moments like first tooth, first haircut, and so on. It's only a sentence a day, when you don't have time for the baby book or the blog post.

Boho Gypsy Style Purse

Right now I'm working on a granny square boho purse. The granny square I chose has a tutorial here: http://edascrochetroom.wordpress.com/2011/04/http://edascrochetroom.wordpress.com/2011/04/. So I made six of these (three for the front and three for the back of the purse in autumn colors. From here on out I have to figure out how to attach all the pieces and fill in the background. No one seems to call them purses anymore. Everyone else calls them handbags around here. I'm looking forward to making the fringe but that's a long ways off.

Center of granny square.

I need six of these for the handbag.