Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Chill Has Set In!

Well the chill has definitely set in and things have been busy busy around our house.
I have a few new designs off the needles that bring some gorgeous and fun drama!
I've been working a lot with gorgeous Malabrigo yarns lately and have been working quite a bit with the chunkiest of them! 
I think that chunky yarns don't get enough exposure in garment wear.  I find that if knit at the appropriate gauge and with the appropriate shaping, they can be quite flattering, not to mention snuggly warm and quick to knit up!

Fresh off my needles and currently in the test knit/ tech edit phase of it's little life is Wilde and it's mini version Wilde Child.   Both use the glorious Malabrigo Rasta and get only 1.5 stitches to the inch!   Dramatic, fairytale like and functional are key!





Another chunky themed, quick knit is Selkie, which I created using Malabrigo Chunky yarns.  Again, another high impact piece with function and folklore at it's core.







 


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Just a Saturday

It's been the most beautiful day today and I'm sitting here having a cocktail with the husband listening to the amazing Alison Krauss.  I am always transported by this haunting song.  Music like this paints pictures in my head and often times is the backdrop for my artwork and even knitting.

 This song is included on a playlist that I made today for the next bonfire we'll be having out on the farm where I grew up.  Every month, my brothers, sister, husband, friends and I try to get together for a night out in the country, watching the stars, listening to good music.....it's pure perfection.



In the meantime, today I knit up a little hat I'm calling Falling Stars because the stitch pattern of the brim reminds me of twinkling stars...the kind we lay out on the hay wagon and watch.

  

I've also been working on a comfortable design for my wee one.   She needed something for the fall and I wanted something that is a little en vogue right now, so chose a comfy "grandpa" sweater with a shawl collar.  The design is simple with straight lines and an easy knit, but I included a bit of short row shaping  and a fun little detail at the back to give in an "English Storybook" feel and I am really pleased with the overall outcome. 








She let me take these cute little photos of her, then we came inside on the chilly day to make some yummy oatmeal cookies.  Sometimes it's a bit of a disaster to let your kids be creative in the kitchen, there are eggshells on the floor and mess to clean up afterwards, but this photo captures every reason why I let my children be as creative as they want.....because they are learning and they are creating..something my parents always let me do.  As a "housewife" it's easy for me to get wrapped up in cleanliness sometimes, but as a mom, I always try to remember that it these aren't just messes....they are moments......

  And as always, I've been spinning my little heart out.  This time, I've been spinning something for a fellow Ravelry friend.  I love spinning for myself, but there is something that is just so satisfying about spinning something and gifting it to someone.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

School Days

Well, it's that time of year again and my girl has started first grade.  She's so excited to be back at school and this year she clearly has no jitters. 

While she's been away, I've been trying to wrap up the last few designs of the year so that I can take my fall and winter off with the hopes of potty training my tiny dancer.

Friday, August 17, 2012

A Few New Things

It's been quite awhile since I last posted.  This summer has been just full of fun and activity with my little girls, looking for bugs, running through the sprinkler and trying to stay cool during this hot, hot summer.

I've been working on a few new things.  Here are a few of them












Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Silk Dyeing

This past weekend I was down in IL visiting family and I had the pleasure of taking a silk dyeing class at a lovely little shop called Esther's Place

I am very happy with the way my 2 scarves turned out.  I gifted one to a friend and plan to use the other tied up around my ponytail this summer!

Dandelions!  =)

Saturday, June 2, 2012

My Flowers

I just thought I'd post a few pictures of some of the flowers I have planted around my house.  Random, I know, but it's hard to have them all popping up around me and not want to share!




My youngest has an obsession with the scent of peonies!

She just can't stop smelling them!


Sewing For My Girl

I've still been working on learning how to sew and I found a wonderful book called Carefree Clothes For Girls by Uonca http://www.amazon.com/Carefree-Clothes-Girls-Patterns-Playdate/dp/1590307178 . The patterns are for clothing that has a vintage flair to it with unhemmed edges and simple shapes. I sewed a little dress from the book out of some fabric that I'd gotten from a resale shop for under $4.00 (shown in last photo), but then decided to try to make the same dress using fabric from a man's shirt. I keep seeing these shirts into dresses and I have to say that I loved having a lot of the hard work already done for me! The author of the book uses all types of scraps and pieces for accents to the clothing and in my dresses I added bits of antique doilies.

Some day she might love the camera.....maybe....