Create & Decorate
generations
Kim and Terry

Crafting was passed quite easily on to my twin sister Terry and me, beginning with a great-grandmother who strategically placed a needle, thread, and scraps of fabric into our curious, four-year-old hands. We learned to sew our own doll clothes—and we stayed out of her hair.

In the same deliberate fashion, knitting needles were placed in our hands at home by our mother, who promptly and quietly taught us to knit and crochet when we were nine years old.

Many lengths of scarves and overworked, stitch-dropped sweaters later, we both moved right along into tatting, fine linen embroidery, quilting, and painting.

It seemed only natural to put all of these wonderful traits to good use and to put ourselves through the agony and joy of craft and artisan sales! So, both mother and daughters, armed with everything we could possibly gather together in a twoweek time span, began the joyful task of smiling and selling our handmade wares.

I’m happy to say that we gradually learned you need “approximately” more than two weeks to prepare for such an event, and it became much easier and much more profitable as we learned the ropes of the craft sale business. Careers in designing and publication are in full-swing, ranging from decorative paint to handmade knits and fine embroidery.

Creating is a way of life for us; it is incorporated in our lives, all day and every day, with everyone in the family. Yes, in keeping with tradition, the crafting traits we learned are being passed down to our children, girls and boys alike.

We wish you simpler, handmade days ahead!

"Spin a Yarn"

spin a yarn
Painting design by Kim Christmas
Knitting design by Terry Loewen

Yarn Dispensers

Materials

• DecoArt
Americana Acrylics in Antique Green, Avocado Dip, Boysenberry, Burnt Orange, Cadmium Yellow, Deep Burgundy, Lamp Black, Rookwood Red, Traditional Burnt Umber, True Ochre, Warm White, Wedgewood Blue
Multi-Purpose Sealer
Matte Spray Sealer
• Dynasty BlackGold Paintbrushes in
Series 206A 1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2”
Angular; Series 206DF 1/4” Deerfoot;
Series Nos. 2 and 4 206FIL Filbert;
Series 206FW 1” Wash; Series 206L
No. 1 Liner; Series No. 2 206R
Round; Series 206S Nos. 6 and 12
Shader; Series 206SL No. 1 Script
• Terra cotta pots, one 4”, one 6”, and one 8”*
• Graphite paper, sea wool sponge
  (medium), stylus, water
 

*Available through your local craft store.


Instructions
For pattern, see pattern pull-out.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, use the
paintbrush best suited to the area being
painted.

Prep
  1. Mix some True Ochre, Rookwood Red, and Wedgewood Blue with Multi- Purpose Sealer 1:1. Use the 1” Wash brush to paint the 4” pot True Ochre, the 6” pot Rookwood Red, and the 8” pot Wedgewood Blue.
  2. Let dry, then apply a second coat of each color using regular strength paint.
  3. Let dry and apply color mottling using dampened sea wool sponge and a wet-on-wet method. Use Traditional Burnt Umber for the 4” pot and Lamp Black for the 6” and 8” pots.
  4. Let dry, then use the stylus and graphite paper to lightly apply the basic pattern details to each pot.
Lettering and Checks
  1. Use the No. 1 Liner to paint the lettering in slightly thinned paint, using Lamp Black for the 4” pot, True Ochre for the 6” pot, and Warm White for the 8” pot.
  2. The checks are painted around the top and bottom edges of each pot using the No. 6 Shader and the following color combinations (use the 1/4” Angular to float the second color onto the left side of each check): for the 4” pot, paint Rookwood Red checks and float Antique Green; for the 6” pot, paint Antique Green checks and float True Ochre; for the 8” pot, paint True Ochre checks and float Rookwood Red.
Kitties and Mice
  1. Use the No. 4 Filbert to paint the kitty shapes with a medium wash of Burnt Orange. Let dry, then use the No. 2 Round to paint the stripes and shade markings on each kitty with a light wash of Traditional Burnt Umber.
  2. Use the same mix of paint and the No. 1 Liner to paint the whiskers.
  3. Paint the mice using the No. 2 Filbert and a medium wash of Rookwood Red.
  4. Use the same brush to dab Boysenberry in each ear.
  5. The eyes are dotted with thinned Traditional Burnt Umber, and the whiskers and tail are squiggled in using the No. 1 Liner and the same thinned mix of paint as for the eyes.
Balls of Yarn and Knitting Needles
  1. Use the 1/4” Deerfoot brush to stipple the yarn balls using a combination of colors concentrated in the following order for each ball: for ball 1, use Antique Green, Burnt Orange, and True Ochre, then dab lightly with Deep Burgundy; for ball 2, use True Ochre, Antique Green, and Deep Burgundy, then dab lightly with Burnt Orange; for ball 3, use Burnt Orange, Antique Green, and Deep Burgundy.
  2. The strands of yarn coming from each ball are painted using the No. 1 Script Liner and a combination of those same colors.
  3. The knitting needles are True Ochre.
  4. Dot the yarn balls and strands using the Stylus and Warm White.
Stockings and Hearts
  1. Use the No. 6 Shader to paint the stockings True Ochre.
  2. Lightly sponge the socks with Traditional Burnt Umber.
  3. When dry, drybrush random areas on the socks with Burnt Orange and the 1/4” Deerfoot. Shade the crease sections, the inside top area, and the bottom edge of each stocking with the 1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2” Angular and Traditional Burnt Umber.
  4. Use the 1/4” and 3/8” Angulars to float a highlight of Warm White on the rounded crease, toe, heel, and top edge areas.
  5. The knitting needles are painted using the No. 1 Script and slightly thinned True Ochre. Add depth with thin strokes of slightly thinned Traditional Burnt Umber.
  6. Use the stylus to dot Traditional Burnt Umber falling from the knitting needles down the front of each sock.
  7. The hearts are painted Deep Burgundy with the No. 6 Shader.
  8. Shade the bottom area of each heart with the 1/2” Angular and Lamp Black.
  9. Highlight the top areas with the same brush and Boysenberry.
  10. Using Deerfoot brush and Boysenberry, drybrush a highlight on the right top side of each heart.
Flowers
  1. Use the following colors and brush sizes for each pot: for the 4” pot, use the No. 2 Filbert to paint Warm White and Deep Burgundy flowers with Cadmium Yellow centers; for the 6” pot, use the No. 2 Filbert to paint Warm White and True Ochre flowers with Deep Burgundy centers; for the 8” pot, use the No. 4 Filbert to paint True Ochre flowers with Warm White centers, and Warm White and Deep Burgundy flowers with Antique Green centers.
  2. Use the 1/4” Angular to paint the leaves with Antique Green for the 4” pot, and Antique Green leaves tipped in Avocado Dip for the other two pots.
  3. Use stylus to randomly dot Warm White through the flowers on the larger pots, and Rookwood Red to dot on the small pot.
Finishing
  1. Let all paint dry, then spray with
    2 – 3 light, even coats of Matte Sealer,
    allowing each coat to fully dry before
    applying the next.

Kitty Dickens Stocking

Materials

• Set of 10-1/2 US (6.5) DPNs
• Briggs & Little wool yarn in grey
• Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Chunky
   Yarn in red
• E4 US (3.5) crochet hook
• 7 US (4.5) knitting needles
• Large sewing needle, ruler, wooden button
 
Instructions
  1. CO 36 sts using grey yarn.
  2. Divide evenly over three needles; join without twisting sts (12 sts on each needle).
  3. Row 1: K5, yfwd, place marker, K9, yfwd, place marker, knit to end.
  4. Knit even for 4”.
  5. Next row: K to stitch before 3rd
    marker, drop st, and remove marker. Pull on sts to reveal “ladders” (dropped sts— don’t worry, your sock won’t fall apart), knit to end of row.
  6. K 3 rows.
  7. Next row: Drop st before 1st marker and remove marker. Pull on sts to reveal “ladders.”
  8. K 7 rows.
  9. Next row: Drop st before last marker, remove marker, and pull on sts to reveal “ladders.” Knit until sock measures 10-1/2”.
  10. Knitting from center back of heel: K9, thread 18 sts onto a scrap of yearn, purl the 9 sts you just knit, and 9 more sts on the 3rd needle. Attach red yarn for heel and cut grey.
  11. Working the heel: Knit across heel sts with red.
  12. P 17; turn your work.
  13. K 16 sts; turn your work.
  14. P 15 sts; turn your work.
  15. K 14 sts; turn your work.
  16. P 13 sts; turn your work.
  17. K 12 sts; turn your work.
  18. P 11 sts; turn your work.
  19. K 10 sts; turn your work.
  20. P 11 sts; turn your work.
  21. K 12 sts; turn your work.
  22. P 13 sts; turn your work.
  23. K 14 sts; turn your work.
  24. P 15 sts; turn your work.
  25. K 16 sts; turn your work.
  26. P 17 sts; turn your work.
  27. K 18 sts.
  28. Cut red yarn and reattach grey.

    Return all sts to their original needles.

  29. Using grey yarn, reattach red.
  30. Round toe: K4, K 2 tog. to end.
  31. K 3 rows.
  32. K3, K 2 tog. to end.
  33. K 2 rows.
  34. K2, K 2 tog. to end.
  35. K 1 row.
  36. K1, K 2 tog. to end.
  37. K2 tog. to end.
  38. Thread yarn through loops and pull tightly.
  39. Attach red yarn to top of stocking at center back with crochet hook. Ch 3, sc into top edge of stocking. (Ch 2, sc) across top of stocking to center back, join to 2nd ch of ch 3. Ch 12. Join to 1st ch. Cut yarn and tie ends on. 

 

For questions regarding these designs,
please contact Kim at
kimchristmas@shaw.ca.