Long Tall Cowl

Once again I have enlisted the aid of my husband Dave to model the latest cowl.  This is definitely the most colorful one so far. I used several Malabrigo Worsted Merino yarns, making it so soft and cuddly.

This cowl measures 35" x 8" laid flat, and is 70" in circumference.

 

Over the years of collecting yarns, I have scooped up orphan balls of  very special yarns and put them aside for something that I sorta knew would appear on the horizon one day. Now I have found one way to start using the collection. The fun for me is seeing what the assembled combinations look like knitted up. When the weather is cold and gray, I get to sit and knit and watch old episodes of Inspector Morse or Poirot on Netflix. My kind of fun. $45 Email me. SOLD

Circles and Stripes

Circles and Stripes
Hand dyed, dye painted and stenciled cottons, fused and machine quilted.
12.5 x 24" $200 Email me.

The colors of autumn continue to inspire me. Adding some wonderful dye painted fabric I did ages ago, gave a jolt of pattern and color to the excitement of building this composition.

The studio is up for grabs these days with fabric and yarn strewn all over ever surface. The colder weather somehow gets my butt in gear and I can't wait to get started on something, early.

And I am feeling that soon I will have to start making cookies, my one must-do for the holidays. My sister and I were going to make tamales after Thanksgiving, but she is working so hard, I thought it would be best if she rested on her days off. Joann Fabrics where she works is hustle bustle every day til Christmas.

A note on yesterday's video. I was asked for information about my work and methods by a student doing a paper for her course at City and Guilds in Sussex GB. So I googled myself and found a bunch of stuff I didn't know existed. I knew about the PBS show, but didn't know it would be cut into segments on You Tube. Luckily, I found that too. It made me realize how gray my hair has gotten and how round the rest of me is now!

A Video

Versatile Knits

 A little tube of knitting to cover the neck and shoulders with color and warmth, was the request of one reader. It was so enjoyable to knit that I finished it the same day, in between working on other projects.

 I have been really enjoying knitting these longer multi-yarn cowls. This set of four pictures is only one cowl but shows how changing the position of the colors can change the focus of the design. This too was made for a dear reader.

This little tube is made from super jumbo Malabrigo Rasta yarn, 100% merino, so soft and squishy and was knit with size 17 needles! The color is Arco Iris which translates to rainbow. Some rainbow! $30 Email me. SOLD

 

Autumn Hues

Autumn Hues
Hand dyed cottons, fused, machine quilted
11.5 x 23" $200 Email me. SOLD

It seems like a quite a long while since last I made a fused quilt. But I have been out and about, or at home sitting and knitting and waiting for something to get my butt in gear. The holiday did it. While everyone else was out shopping on Black Friday, I cleared the decks and got out my fabric. Then a great big icy fear took over. Nothing happened. I went directly to my Pinterest collection of inspiring works and fed my muse. Then I got back on the horse and selected these wonderful shades of the season and that broke the ice. I almost called this the Icebreaker.
One's mindset makes such a difference when working improvisationally. I told myself to let go of judgement and self editing and  just have fun. I began with a pitiful composition but kept making incremental additions and subtractions until I was in the zone again. There is nothing quite like that feeling.

Silk and Merino Lace

 This shawl was started just before we decided to move last year, and I put it away, unfinished. It was stored with the rest of my yarn in a safe container which I promptly forgot about. Now that I have light in my yarn room I was sifting through the accumulated UFOs and came upon it. It was almost finished and so I sat right down and five hours later, it was done. It is now blocked and ready to go. The size is ample but not overlong. It would work as a scarf, kerchief or short shawl.

 The yarn is 50% silk and 50% merino (Malabrigo Silky Merino) and is deliciously soft and yummy around the neck.

Yours for gift giving or to keep for yourself. $36 Email me. SOLD

Thank Dave Day

 Now that golf has slowed down to a day or two a week, Dave has time on his hands and is ready to tackle a few house projects.
Yesterday I asked him to 'help me' hang some lights in my studio storage space. I had one bare 60 watt bulb in there and couldn't tell what was where, or what color it was. Now we have two BRIGHT shop lights hanging from the rafters and it has all become clear to me...I have some work to do!

 

I have some art stuff overflow here, while another wire shelving unit of paint supplies is already cluttering up the studio, and of course the cold storage of this room is perfect for my yarn. Eek!
But if you can't find it, how can you use it? Now I can see where it all hides and I am ready.
There is a table under that pile...and under the table an overflow of Kona cottons, frames for future paintings and a sewing machine!

 The really wonderful thing is that Dave has been cleaning the kitchen while I am out gallivanting and clearing the huge floors of our dog hair carpet! Sigh...such a super husband. To repay his kindness I am making him cakes regularly. Carrot cake first and then German Chocolate yesterday. I used Brazil nuts and coconut in the frosting and it was delicious.

 He just recently stained all the cedar trim on our house and had stain leftover, so he sanded and restained our bench. It looks brand new again!
I am one lucky wife.