Monthly Challenges Updates

In November, did I make the sixty Christmas trees that I set as a challenge for myself?

Nope.

I started out doing fairly well with a simple pattern, that I can no longer find because it is that simple.

I crochet up a whole bunch of them…and then I started to look at them and decided…I was making them too fast, without enough attention to detail, and I wanted something more, something … less simple, I guess.

Which is when I found THIS pattern.

I became absolutely addicted to this pattern.

It is quick, easy, and looks so lovely once it’s done.

I ended up making 43 Christmas trees by the end of the month. I didn’t stop making them then though.

For the record, our youngest loves the simple trees (with no trunks) that I made originally. They are all hanging on our actual Christmas tree. His next request: make little stockings to hang on the tree (sigh—as if I don’t have enough to do yet).

With the flat Christmas trees pattern, I have created a garland for our front door (in bulky weight Christmas yarn I bought from Joann Fabrics a few years ago and found in my stash). I made a garland of white sparkly Christmas trees in worsted weight yarn that we have strung across our front window…and that my cats and I are locked in battle about keeping all the trees on the garland string. I have the trees simply tacked on with safety pins at the moment. I have a garland of these flat Christmas trees made in Loops and Thread Charisma yarn (remnants from other projects) strung across our mantle. And there are even some random flat trees hanging…on our actual Christmas tree.

I highly highly recommend this pattern. There is the free version…and a paid version if you prefer. I made so many of them, I bought the pattern. There are photos to help you along at first if you need a little help. The pattern is easy to remember. The trees work up quickly. You can do just about anything with them: make garlands, decorate packages, decorate trees or your home, use them as appliqués on sweaters or hats or whatever.

Now, as for the December challenge, snowflakes, I have not made a single one as yet. I do have a nice pattern to follow and I do mean to make some, but I took on too many other projects this month, including testing a pattern for one of my favorite designers. I simply do not have the time to dedicate even to the most simple of designs.

I do have a list that I will work on next year, as in at the beginning of the year, not waiting for next December. Snowflakes, snowmen, little stockings for the tree…all on the list of things that are yet to be, but that are coming. I have project bags set up already, with the yarn and the patterns needed tucked inside. It is just a matter of time.