(no subject)

[electricland]

So I've been flipping through many (OK, 5) books of DIY Christmas ornaments in search of something I could make in quantity without too much pain and anguish. Most of them were somewhat intimidating in spots, but generally they were all intimidating in the same way, if you get what I mean -- requiring large chunks of patience to needlepoint or crochet, for example, but appearing within the range of ability of any reasonably dextrous and motivated person.

Then I came to this. Holy glue guns and glitter, Batman! Not to mention etching compound and pliers and heavy-gauge foil and when I got to the bit about making a beaded fake apple with 900 (count 'em!) 1-cm straight pins I just put it down, because who has the time and energy? (You can see the apple on the cover if you look hard.) I mean. NINE HUNDRED CRYSTAL BEADS AND NINE HUNDRED STRAIGHT PINS. (And a fake leaf.) THIS PERSON IS CRAZY.

In any case, I've pretty much settled on felt as my medium. Felt is doable. I can handle felt. It has satisfying overtones of the kindergarten about it. It's friendly and it doesn't fray. From this book, which has plenty of scary stuff -- tatting, crochet, Battenberg lace -- but also, luckily, felt. In particular, the Twelve Days of Christmas in felt and gold thread and the odd sequin. A little bit challenging, but not so much as to cause me to run screaming for the hills.

Now I just need to figure out where to buy felt in non-scary colours.

Comments

[lilactime.livejournal.com]

When I was a kid, my Mom would go on an ornament crafting spree every November. Because I too, was crafty, I always got roped in. There were the beaded bells, counted cross stitch, little stuffed embroidered things, the crocheted snowflakes (which I mostly got out of for not being able to crochet, but I did get handed a can of spray starch to finish the things) and the very odd "quilted" balls where we smooshed bits of holiday fabric into styrofoam balls.

Once I moved out and she had no one to help her, she stuck with the crocheted snowflakes. Now she makes them all summer and brings in about $500 every year from selling the things to neighbours and co-workers.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Wow, industrious!

I've never done much crafty-type stuff, but the urge is growing in me. ;)

[thespian.livejournal.com]

can you knit? because if you can, you can buy some wool yarn, do a simple garter stitch until you have about 20% more fabric than you want, and turn it into felt in a washing machine. A friend of mine is doing this in plain white and red stripes with an occasional green line, and then going to cut little stocking shaped things out of it and just sew them together. You get to say 'I made the fabric', but the knitting and sewing are dead easy. It would also let you pick non-scary colours :-)

[raithen.livejournal.com]

this is a GOOD point! and she can knit. And has wool. i know this ;). YOu could even koolaid dye the wool, Robin, if you want to use the cream stuff.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

hmmmm! That sounds like a great idea! Thanks -- if Fabricland and Loomis & Toles don't pan out, I may just try that!

[raithen.livejournal.com]

you know, I have a cool sheepy ornament pattern thingy too, if you want it.... It's pretty simple!

how many do you need to make?

[electricland.livejournal.com]

10, plus one for me. I'm liking the partridge in a pear tree option -- but sheep could be cool! (And I like simple. Simple is VERY good.)

[raithen.livejournal.com]

you have email. too ;).

[electricland.livejournal.com]

not with a sheep pattern, apparently... *sad*

[raithen.livejournal.com]

dammit! I meant to dig that out last night but with the crazy I forgot.... But Stuart Maclean and Murray Maclaughlin (I've bastardized that spelling, methinks) were AWESOME!

[raithen.livejournal.com]

dammit! I meant to dig that out last night but with the crazy I forgot.... But Stuart Maclean and Murray Maclaughlin (I've bastardized that spelling, methinks) were AWESOME!

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Whee! I'm so glad!

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

oh you're going to have a lot of fun. i've a feeling 900 straight pins? meep.

how are you going to resist making scifi decorations? ;)

[electricland.livejournal.com]

omg little Rygel ornaments!

No. No. Must control self. Well, must start with partridges in pear trees, and see what happens. ;)

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

heh heh heh....i foresee you controlling yourself for...well, maybe ten minutes at the most.

in fact...by the time i'm typing this you're on you way home with visions of rgyel decorations dancing in your head. *veg*

ps. i've just started season three of due south...then season 4, then slings and arrows. *smooch*

[raithen.livejournal.com]

she DID send me a Farscape Christmas card one year.... ;)

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

hee!

ok, so now i'm imagining a line of farscape greeting/holiday cards:

"holiday greetings from the uncharted territories. dear ______, i hope that this [insert name of species holiday here] finds you well and not on the run from [insert name of bad guy/gal or gals/guys here].

if so, rest assured that [insert name of rescuers here] and myself will be along shortly to deliver you from [insert name of prison space-base here].

and now, please pull the flap on the inside of this card for the musical portion of this card brought to you by [insert name of species band here].

all the best frelling wishes, signed [insert name of hero/heroine here]."

[electricland.livejournal.com]

*cackle*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

hee!

[electricland.livejournal.com]

...oooh ooh little felt Tardises!

curse you for putting this bug in my brain!

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

bwahaha!

:::rubs hands together in evil glee while managing to bat eyelashes innocently:::

and yay for felt tardises. they could spin a bit on the thread and have mini music cards so the theme music played? *veg*

[electricland.livejournal.com]

you=evil. I know the truth, and eyelash-batting be damned!

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

as the witch in monty python and the holy grail said (while wearing a carrot thingy on her nose) "it's a fair cop".

plus it's just so much fun to imagine a whole tree full of rygels. *smooch*

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

Whoa... o_O

[pretentiousgit.livejournal.com]

God, I'm just doing baking. That's it. If people don't like it, they can pass it on to someone who will.