Yarn things - WIPs and FOs

After I finished the Fat Bottom Purse, JP suggested I should make it a Christmas Bag by adding a poinsettia. I saw the pattern for a crocheted one by Planet June, so I started to make one. But my first problem was that I couldn't get the petals as pointy as she had them. Even after sticking the end of my crocheted hook and pulling on the petals, they still stayed rounded as you can see. Anyway, I pinned it onto the bag, but I didn't like the crochet flower on the crochet bag. Too me, for this one, I wanted more contrast. So I went to the dollar store and searched until I found some "silk" poinsettias and then took the flower apart and hot glued it to a brooch clip. Here's the purse dressed for Christmas. I think I might try to paint the yellow bracts though - they are actually the flowers and aren't really noticeable and would add some nice colour - don't you think?





The next project I finished was my neck warmer, I just had to sew on some buttons. I dumped out my button jar and had lots of options, too many, so I asked JP to help me out, he picked these large white ones. (He's my unofficial creative director.) And there was finally some good light yesterday so I took this picture of the final project outside - quite a difference in the colours from the inside photo and the outside photo, isn't there?

I have always loved these types of colours - I call them Renaissance Browns (but that's not what Berroco called them). It's nice with the buttons because the warmer stays put and I don't have to worry about re-tying or having the ends flop out of my winter coat like I do with a scarf. I saw that a boutique in Vancouver was selling something similar for $150! It only took 1.2 skeins of yarn! Some one's getting a huge profit some where.

Below is what the neck warm looks like laid flat- a short wide scarf, except just before the end opposite the buttons is a row of loops (for button holes) so you have lots of options of how you'll button it up - in the front, on the side, one button or two.









Yesterday I started on the little piggy in my new Amigurumi book (see yesterday's post) except the pink that I used for the head and body is a very different gauge than the grey I used for the arms - I may have to frog it if the proportion is too far off. But first I'll continue to make a few more body parts to see how it looks.

I just need to finish the raglan cap of the sleeve for the sweater I'm making for my mom - I'm not using the merino as suggested I'm using an Oatmeal coloured Peruvian Highland Wool. She picked it out, so I'm sure she'll like it. We're getting close to getting done, but I'm not sure how many Christmas projects I'll be doing so I may have to interrupt my progress for gift making. You know how it is.