Happy Solstice! Gift exchange.

So I went to my Church's Solstice celebration last night. It was hard work but we managed to convince the sun to rise once more. (You're all welcome!) and a good time was had by all. Despite the spectacular tumble down the stairs I took when I got there. ( The earth shook, I swear!) and the fact everyone had to wheel my gimpy butt around to the various events. There are some very excellent storytellers in my bunch, I haven't laughed that loud in a long time! Since Labor day, as a matter of fact.

Anyhoo, there was a nice little gift exchange. I decided to crochet (facepalm!) something with a Wiccan theme so I chose this pillow design. I always get embarrassed at these things. I like the things I make, I think I have skills but I just don't have any faith that other people will like them. Lords above and below, you'd think at 41 years old I'd get over this adolescent poopie!

Unfortunately, half the pics I took of the project got eaten by the interweb spiders, so you just have what's left. I'm planning on making another in the same yarn so I'll post those later. Sorry all!

I didn't really use a pattern. I found the design on the internet using Google image search and copied the design on to graph paper. I was going to do the tapestry stitch, but with the gray being so dark, it just didn't look right so I opted for using different strands for each section. Huge Pain the Butt!. I think I had six balls of yarn all getting tangled with each other. Still, it worked up in about eight hours. Tapestry stitching would have been half that, probably, maybe less. I used a pink broadcloth to line and hold the stuffing. Sometimes the crochet fabric will let the stuffing peek through and I just think it looks sloppy.

The finished project was approx 18 inches long and about 8 inches wide. Smaller than I would have liked it to be, but the instructions for the gift exchange was a 'small handmade gift'. I had it sitting on one of the kitchen chairs and it looked cute. All in all I'm was happy with the result.

The yarn was a left over from other projects, I used Caron's Simply Soft in charcoal and rose garden. The cost on the project is anywhere between 6-20 dollars. Depending on how many of the supplies you already have around the house.

I hope the person who chose my gift likes it or can regift it of not. I'd hate for it not to go to a good home. Btw, the gift I picked is lovely, and will look awesome on the wall of my home!