Knitting up a gauge test for a new cowl tutorial I have planned. The Lotus Flower Stitch in Purl Soho Super Soft Merino is challenging but pretty and a delight to handle. Not sure which side I like best.
Jane Completed
I finally completed my “Jane Fell in the Brambles” quilt, previously blogged here: https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2013/10/30/jane-in-the-brambles-quilt-top/. It is an adaptation of Elizabeth Hartman’s Sparkle Punch quilt using fabric from Heather Bailey’s Nicey Jane line, Alexander Henry’s Ghastly Bramble fabric and a Kaffe Fassett print for the back. I went with varied width horizontal lines for quilting. The colors remind me of spring and make me happy in these short winter days.
Monday Musings
While my work schedule is not traditional, Mondays still mean the end of the weekend, the start of the kids’ school schedule and back to homework for us. I often muse about previous vacations and places I would rather be. Are their places you dream about on your Mondays? (The picture is one I took of a Highland Cow in Scotland this last year.)
Introducing Rufus
It seems that pregnancy is contagious amongst my friends and family members recently. I love making handmade gifts for new babies and mamas. They are some of my favorite handmade projects. Recently I started making homemade dolls to include in these gift packages. (Of note, I always inform these mamas that my handmade dolls with their bobs and bits are not intended for infants because of their aspiration risk but more appropriate as display pieces or for older children.) This Frida Kahlo doll has been quite a hit among friends. The DIY kit by Mikodesign can be purchased here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/115619144/frida-kahlo-doll-diy-kit.
Here is a previous handmade gift pack for a new mama and baby with Frida, a baby hat with flower and a baby blanket
Recently I came across the handmade toy patterns by Fiona of HopSkipJump and knew I had to give one a go. (http://www.hopskipjump.bigcartel.com) I settled on the Rufus the Dog using some of my fave left over red wide wale corduroy. I think he will match nicely with a bag I am making for the baby boy’s mama. I cut into my treasured stash of Carolyn Friendlander’s Botanics line to make his neck tie. The little gold glitters of the fabric makes him look quite dashing.
Rufus’ corduroy is sprinkled in many of my projects and he matches a linen and cotton blanket containing the same fabric I completed a couple years ago. (My kids snuggle up in this quilt every night this time of year in our living room.)
I highly recommend this pattern from HopSkipJump and look forward to trying out more.
Museum Bag Redux
Typical to my way of doing things, if I like a project, I often tweak it and repeat. Thus came a new bag similar to the one I recently blogged about (https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2014/01/04/museum-bag/). This time I used a treasured hand printed linen I got from an Australian designer (I can’t recall which designer unfortunately since it’s been a few years. Help me out here if you know who it is.). I used a favorite linen for the lining, bottom, strap and top band. The bag is a keeper and has me pondering even more bag possibilities.
Monday Musings
While my work schedule is not traditional, Mondays still mean the end of the weekend, the start of the kids’ school schedule and back to homework for us. I often muse about previous vacations and places I would rather be. Are their places you dream about on your Mondays? (This is Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle, Washington.)
Museum Bag
My family went on a little adventure over this winter break to visit the California Academy of Sciences and the de Young Museum. Golden Gate park and the city were in their prime. I swear few cities in the summer compare to San Francisco in the winter. Anyway, I brought along one of my latest bags. It was perfect for carrying my camera, wallet, scarf, etc. while wandering the museums. The inspiration behind this bag was one designed by Handmade Charlotte found here: http://weallsew.com/2013/01/03/leather-strap-tote-by-rachel-faucett/. I significantly adapted the design adding lining with an inner pocket, a band at the top to match the bottom, changing the handle to one of matching fabric and using my favorite Pellon Ultra Firm one sided fusible interfacing to make the bag nice and stiff. The main print is Anna Maria Horner’s Coordinates in Kelly from the Field Study fabric line. The bottom, handle and lining are denim from the discount pile at our local fabric store. ( Sidenote: I love raiding the discount piles for unusual patterns and texture additions to projects.) I am not quite sure why so many of my bags, and quilts for that matter, end up being gi-normous. It must be that I like to live large. 🙂
Big Blue
I have been finding inspiration in modern paintings and geometric patterns lately when designing quilts. Recently I came across the work of Alain Biltereyst and fell in love (http://aqua-velvet.com/2013/12/alain-biltereyst-minimalist-geometric-paintings/). One of his geometric paintings was the catalyst for this recent quilt top. Now I just have to figure out how to quilt it.
Happy New Year with a New Hat
I finished up this hat up just after the clock struck midnight as my family stayed up to ring in the new year. It’s a great one for showing off vintage buttons. The pattern can be found here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boho-chic-slouch-lite. Cheers and looking forward to a peaceful and prosperous 2014.
Millwater Cowl
I finished my last knit of the year. It is the Millwater Cowl out of Madelinetosh, Tosh Vintage in Winter Wheat. Pattern here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/millwater. Now we just need some proper winter weather with much needed precipitation so I have an opportunity to wear it.
Entropy Always Wins 