Gifts with Bad Pictures

The biggest problem with finishing gifts at the last minute is that you rarely get good pictures of them. Here are some pictures that get the idea of what I made across but don't capture the real beauty of the project. Both projects really were spectacular.

 Pattern: Eleanor - Crochet Elephant Puzzle (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Burnt Orange and Caron Simply Soft in Passion

Hook: 3.75mm/USF

 Timeframe: December 15 - 28, 2013
Mods: I made 4 wedges, then one leg ring and attached the wedges without breaking the yarn, then stuffed the legs and attached the feet. I worked the wedge caps for the face/tail ring and attached the wedges without breaking the yarn there as well.

Problems: The head didn't quite line up right at first, but it worked out in the end.

This is a puzzle ball in three pieces. I really love the ingenuity here and the details are just excellent. There's even an adorable little tail on the back! It fits together really well and the puzzle ball animal patterns from this designer may be my go-to stuffed creatures for little kids from now on.

I was also trying to use up the last of my Cascade 220 Superwash with this project. Of course, I ran out of yarn and had to order more, sending it to my grandparent's house so I could send the gift home with my mother instead of shipping it for my niece's birthday. Now I have most of another skein of Cascade 220, which I hesitate to use. This yarn just keeps on running out on me!

As much as I love looking at the backs of cross stitches, I apparently keep finishing them before getting pictures. Sigh. Here's a bookmark-or-ornament for my uncle who owns Belgian Tervurens. You can kind of see the borders and the dog outlines:

Design: My own

Fabric: Black 14 ct. Aida

Thread: DMC #321 Christmas Red, 2 strands throughout