What I Made--January 2015

Not a hugely productive month for finishing projects, but I'm working several! I have several projects done that I still need to photograph but they're newborn hats, so I'll just shoot them all together one day.



I finally finished up the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014!

I worked up some amingrumi samples for our Hogwarts class at the homeschool co-op so the kids can pick their animal for the semester!



I look forward to sharing the stack of newborn hats and a few more projects for February!
~~Happy Creating, Amy

What I Made--December 2014

December was a busy creating month! Early on in the month I sprained my ankle pretty severely and was left to do little else than rest it. I spent much of my recovery crocheting and knitting. Here is some of what I accomplished :)

Finally finished a cowl for my beautiful friend Jessa after a YEAR! Now to get it to her.

I didn't snap a finished pic of this but I made a hooded cowl for a friend who moved away in 2014. Hopefully it keeps her warm and bright!

Made my son a Stampy hat. If your kid likes Minecraft or Terraria you probably know who Stampy is. It was my first real attempt at duplicate knitting. Not something I'll do often!

Made this TARDIS beanie for a sweet girl who shaved her head for her sister who passed away. 

I've got a few more things on the hooks and needles and I'm still finishing up the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014...it won't be done for a bit as I need to edge it still and it's slow going!

What did you make in December?

~~Amy

What I Made--November 2014

Here's a little bit of what I created in November!!

 Ashby Scarf. Pattern from The Velvet Acorn 

 The Failynn Fox Hood by Velvet Acorn Deisngs

 I made up this poncho pattern and will write up pattern soon!

The Woodlynn Wolf Cowl by Velvet Acorn Designs

What have you made this month?

Why Do You Create?

It's such a broad question..why do you create? No matter what you create, music, art, crafts, writing, etc....WHY do you do it? Does it bring you peace? Does it bring you joy? For monetary gains? Sometimes it is a matter of a combination of all these things and more. For myself it is a combo of them all. I need the extra money with astronomical prices of things and our rising cost of health insurance. But I also enjoy the challenge of learning new things, putting my spin on a pattern or tutorial, and trying new tasks. I enjoy the mediums I work with, collecting the supplies and the accomplishment of a finished product.

But what if you make something everyone else can make? How do you not just feel like a copycat of everyone else?

By making the items YOURS and putting YOUR spin on things. Sure, a bib is a bib. Chances are they will look relatively the same. But you can change it up a little. Use a snap instead of Velcro for a closure. Use funky fabrics. Make it waterproof. Make it a pocket bib. Add a musical button. There are likely a multitude of different variations you can put on an item to make it unique.

And maybe it won't be THAT unique. Maybe someone else makes the EXACT same thing. But unless you are directly stealing a copyrighted, trademarked, patented product, DO NOT SWEAT IT. There are plenty of buyers for handmade artisan work and you should focus on doing what YOU like to do.

Experiment, try new things, branch out of your comfort zone. You may crash and burn and fail horribly. Or you may discover a new genre you never knew you liked. You may develop haters who don't like you making something similar to what they make. Or you may develop a new customer base who appreciates you branching out and finding new items to purchase. You may make friends, you may make enemies. Let it all roll off your back!

Creating handmade work is about YOU and your individuality. It's about your creative outlet, however that may be. If all you want to do is recreate a pattern, do so! (Tweak it ever so slightly or you are indeed creating copyright infringement, at least in the case of commercially sold sewing patterns.)

If it doesn't bring a smile to your face...why are you doing it?



~~Amy

**Photographs Courtesy of: CreativeDC on Flickr