Handmade Gifts Fail

I promised myself that I would personally make all my gifts for this year's holiday season. I happily saved patterns I found that I thought useful. I even purchased acrylic yarn by the bulk (I planned to give home accessories, hats, and small bags).

But then... the orders started pouring in. My mom requested 15 snowflake doilies for her corporate clients. My sister-in-law asked me to make ten hats and ten bookmarks. I crocheted all of those in less than two weeks. By the time I finished them all, I didn't know if I had the perseverance to finish everything for everyone else on top of the massive orders.

And in between these, I made a triangle scarf, a shrug, and a beret for myself (yes, I put my needs ahead of others >:D). I haven't even managed to take pictures in the holiday rush. :|

So... In short, my family was able to gift hand-crocheted items to their friends. While I had to sneak to the mall to buy myself some mass-produced 2010 journals. :|

Here are some of the items I made (I wasn't able to take pictures of everything):



I hope everyone has a happy new 2010!

Feeling angelic

I finally made the angel. :)


I was depressed yesterday. Just from watching the news. So I wanted to make something to remind me that there still is beauty in the world. And that no matter how bleak everything starts to seem, I can help transform it with some yarn and a hook.

So, let me rant now. :D

1. The Maguindanao Massacre

I cannot believe that I actually live in the country where such a horribly evil tragedy happened. The day I read about this, I actually felt tears burning in the back of my eyes, from anger, from helplessness.

It's not the number of deaths that depressed me (although it is quite large -- 57 casualties discovered to date). It's the way the whole thing was staged. And how very brutally violent their deaths were. And how maddeningly rich the Ampatuan clan is -- when they live in one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. And the fact that they have their own private effing army. How could this all have happened under everyone's own noses?

2. Martial Law in Maguindanao

I think this is a good call from PGMA. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus enables the Philippine army to go about the region without further delays. I don't think the evidence against the Ampatuans would amount to much today, if it weren't for this.

The only thing I don't like about this is its name. Saying "martial law" here in the Philippines amounts to the same thing as saying "Voldemort" in Harry Potter world. Anti-administration officials and lawyers are all shooting their mouths off, saying that this is clearly another power trip on PGMA, and that this could lead to proclaiming martial law in other areas, or even for the whole country. These people are only encouraging more fear in the term.

Martial law, in today's Constitution, is not the same as it was in the Marcos regime. I'm confident in this. I mean, the media is covering the movements of the Army in Maguindanao. In the Marcos regime, media reports were heavily censored -- some stations and newspapers were even forced to close. But today, the media run alongside the government's forces as they uncover evidence concerning the massacre.

So, while there are some who reasonably question the legitimacy of the President's call, I support it. Given the way that the legislative government operates, the Army should be able to go in and out of Maguindanao by the time all of this is sorted out *crosses fingers*.

3. The 2010 elections

Amidst all the sadness and outrage that the Maguindanao massacre created, candidates in the upcoming elections are still busy campaigning. Why can't we all just set down our personal agenda, and unite against this? I mean, if all the money these politicians spent on advertisements and commercials, were spent on protecting the massacre witnesses, I bet a lot more will come forward. And people can hold all the prayer rallies and demonstrations they want, but that won't directly help bring justice to the victims' families.

I mean come on, our country's been disgraced enough. We've become the crime scene where most journalists were killed in one day, in the same place. Add to that a former president (who was ousted for corruption) seeking reelection. And the family of the man who put the nation under dictatorship for more than 20 years, all seeking office as congresswomen and vice-president. And a current president running for congress in her home province. What's happening to us? Is the nation just a carnival to these people?

So. I'll go back to crocheting now.

Haro Baggu

Haro is a handly little robot in the anime series Gundam. He's a personal assistant of sorts to his owner and inventor. More information on Haro here: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Haro

My friend and co-worker Paolo was given one for his birthday this year by his lovely girlfriend Maris. Yes, a real one! Well, as real as possible -- it can't violate laws of physics and gravity like its animated counterpart. But it does talk, and wobble, and move. And has appendages. :)

Paolo asked if I would make a crocheted pouch for him... And here it is!

He always did joke around that if I ever did crochet anything for him it would be black, covered in spikes and burning in flames. Haha. My bad--everything I crochet is girly and lacey, and he of course doesn't want that.

But he's perfectly happy with this pouch made with tapestry crochet. And so is Haro:


This is my first time making color changes in tapestry crochet with three yarns. My hands and eyes were all a-goggle from the effort. Here's Haro looking piteously at the confunded yarns:

You spin me right round, baby right round...

I just love making a crocheted item when the pattern calls for working in the round because:

1. It works up really fast.

The picture above was taken in the car, on my way to work this morning. I started working on that in the car! I was only about 10-15 minutes into the project, but it's already larger than a coaster.

2. It's so easy to hide the tail!

This is the tail of the project, the one left off at the start while making the beginning chain. I picked up this very useful technique in Debby Stoller's book, Stitch N' Bitch: The Happy Hooker. I crochet over the tail in the first round. That way, I the tail is hidden under the first round and I can just snip it off at the back!

See? Tail-o incog-neat-o! (Ooh I'm loving that pun! LOL)

3. It doesn't have to be round.

Just because I'm working in rounds, doesn't mean I'm working on a circular object. It can be any shape, with or without corners. The one I'm working on is a hexagon.

And the finished product? :)

I made the Travel Jewelry Pouch from Drew Emborsky AKA The Crochet Dude. It's a free pattern -- go ahead and give it a try! I finished mine in one morning--a work day, at that!


Two basic hexagon motifs are stacked on each other. I crocheted together the spaces in the motif, so that the little pouch could have six tiny panel pockets. I love it. I'm not sure I'm going to use it, though. It's so pink! I can't seem to stop making pink things!

This would be a nice accompaniment if you're thinking of giving jewelry to someone. I was also thinking how it would make a great organizer, if you use it inside-out.

Crocheted Lace Jewelry Frames -- thank you StitchDiva!

I was so lucky to have found this great pattern at StitchDiva. It works up very quickly. The pattern is very flexible (any kind of yarn can be used). I was also able to substitute cheaper materials, and they still came out nice (if I do say so myself). I used felt paper instead of cloth, for the backdrop of the frame. And, I only used acrylic yarn (take THAT, yarn snobs!). I do have to say though, that these will look SPECTACULAR with some sparkly yarn and satin/ printed cloth backdrop.

I also changed up the attaching part. The pattern says, to staple the finished crochet thingie onto the back of the cloth-covered background. I didn't feel so good about that so I did a lace-up corset thingie. It looks crazy in the back, but it works for me. At least I won't spend sleepless nights worrying if my gifts have come undone.

That's a wrap! (Get it? Harharhahahaharhar I am SO funny.)