yes, i'm still around

and i have been making things, i just haven't had the chance to post about them!

my most exciting creation lately is a new hat for molly. i wanted to make her a hat, couldn't really find any patterns that really fit the freakish image in my head, but found some felting yarn on sale and decided what the heck, i'll wing it! and behold, my (and molly's) first felted hat!

considering i made it without any sort of pattern, it turned out pretty much the way i wanted, although it was (initially) much too large. the only thing i used from a pattern was the # of cast on stitches and as soon as i started i realized that there was no way. it worked out for the best though, because then i ended up making it into a ruffled edge instead of frogging it.

i wasn't sure how much it would (or wouldn't) shrink when it felted, so i left it larger than i needed to, but then i just shaped it, let it dry a bit, then cut it and sewed a curvy seam and felted that spot. i must say, felting is sooo cool. i couldn't believe how it changed after just a few minutes in the washer! i'm hooked. and yes, i should have taken before pics, but i was too excited. i'll do it next time, i promise. in the meantime, molly likes her hat very much and (i'm told) it keeps her head nice and warm. and i LOVE the little pointy top. that's just what i wanted.

in other news, i recieved an unfinished box for my birthday and knew immediately what i wanted to do with it...this:

the red isn't as bright in real life (it's really an oxblood color), but i painted and antiqued it and it pretty much looks like it's 100 years old. but it's not 100 years old, it's new. you see how that works? clever, eh? i still have no idea what i'm going to put in it (most likely more teensy, relatively useless stuff like everything else i collect) but i really love the way it turned out.

i'm also working on a ribbed scarf which is coming along nicely, but i haven't taken any pictures of that yet. but i will, so come back soon!