Things 359 – 365

It’s New Year’s Eve and the night is resounding with a constant barrage of fireworks. It will continue to get louder and crazier until midnight, at which point the Netherlands will sound like a war zone.

For now I’m taking refuge inside, though we’ll join the craziness on the streets later. First I need to finish this blog.

Tonight I wrap up this blog project with a random collection of Things from all three categories: beading, crochet and sewing.

Let’s start with beading. The first piece of jewelry is a three-strand elastic bracelet with an assortment of pink glass beads, finished off with a lock and key charm set.

 

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The second is a simple slip-knot necklace, made with white leather cord and a big flower pendant from my stash.

 

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The last piece of jewelry of 2014 is a necklace with some kind of stone (agate?), freshwater pearls and metal seed beads. I made a mistake the first time I made it. Can you spot it?

 

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I thought the section with three stone beads was in the middle. This evening I restrung it, removing the extra bead and adding some more seed beads to compensate.

 

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That’s better.

 

The next category is crochet. This Thing was a gift for a young friend, Rebecca. Earlier this year I made her a yellow toque and scarf with the yarn left over from a blanket from her Oma.

There was still enough left for one more gift. For her birthday, I crocheted a bag to hold her crocheted turtle, Pumpkin, that I made for her last year and that she sleeps with every night.

 

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I improvised a pattern and finished it with a drawstring cord with tassels.

 

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I included another little turtle that I crocheted earlier this year. He can be a little brother for Pumpkin.

 

The last three Things of 2014 fall in the sewing category.

The first is another bra for Martina. (Sorry, darling. This is the last time I will post your underthings on the internet.)

 

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She needed a black one to go under her Christmas gala dress. I used the Ohhh Lulu pattern I’ve been using all year. The fabric is from an old t-shirt of mine (the one that I cut the sleeves off of for Esther’s shirt) and the straps are the wide black elastic left over from that project.

 

The next item was a gift. Some months ago Esther made a pillow for her dear friend. There’s a 70-year age gap between them but they get on fabulously. He’s from South Africa so Esther used a fabric that I picked up for her when I was there two years ago. This was her pillow.

 

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He loved it so much that his wife asked me if we could make another matching one. Last week I made this.

 

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I didn’t position the fabric as well as Esther did, but the pillow was well-received nonetheless and together they make a nice set.

 

My last project of 2014 was the fulfilment of a promise to Esther made a couple of months ago. She requested a cloak, but I kept telling her I needed to finish a bunch of other projects first (flower girl dresses come to mind.) This past Monday I kept my promise.

Presenting Thing 365….

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That’s Esther’s solemn, cloak-wearing expression.

 

I found instructions for sewing a walking cloak at the Jane Austen website. The fabric is silver stretch velvet from my stash (from the same shopping trip as the white velvet of the angel costumes).

 

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I lined the cloak with the champagne satin from the flower girl dresses. A gold button from Esther’s stash and a white ribbon loop serve as a clasp.

 

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Due to fabric limitations I couldn’t quite make it the length Esther wanted (sweeping the floor like Darth Vader) and the hood is a bit smaller than anticipated, but it’s still delightfully swishy and full.

 

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So that’s it, folks. 365 Things in 365 Days for 365 Euros. I did it! I think this calls for champagne.

Happy New Year!

 

 

Cost of these Things:  7.91USD for beading wire = €6.52
Cost of all Things to date: €363.98

 

Would you look at that? I have €1.02 to spare. Time to go shopping for craft supplies!

 

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  3 comments for “Things 359 – 365

  1. cora
    December 31, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did it !!I I’m proud of you. I still wonder where that sewing gene came from. Certainly not from me.
    I get irritated already when I’m sewing on a button. I once read that the Queen of England loathed anything to do with a sewing needle. We’re buddies in that respect…yes your Majesty we are!
    Honey,you and Sandor, Martina and Esther a Happy New Year.

  2. Linda Rook
    January 1, 2015 at 6:12 am

    Congrats…well done Melanie! The four of us (N,H,S,L) are willing to give you many suggestions for 2015!

  3. Heather Bylenga
    January 1, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    You did it – congratulations!!

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