Something new...

for Fridays.
Going into the weekend I like having something  new to creatively stew and mull about.
So, starting today, I will be celebrating, "Free or Frugal Friday".
Not every Friday, but many Fridays, I will share with you something, well, free or frugal that has caught my eye.

Today I have dug into the Mission Falls vault and unearthed a pretty little thing to knit for the coming cold.

"Cora Jacket" (from the booklet "Spirit") is quite an easy, one size fits most, timeless silhouette.
Imagine if a cardigan and a shawl had a baby... a shawligan?
Loose fitting with no closures. Perfect to crawl into when the wind picks up and the air is brisk.
The lace repeat-- a classic and one of my all-time favourites-- is rhythmic and easy to be lulled by.

Get your pattern here!

Have a happy weekend...

Yes, it was love...

... at first sight.
The exact moment?
September 16th, 2012.
Like a bolt of lightening.
Just like in the movies.
I think I heard birds singing.
I think I felt the pierce of cupid's arrow.
A good friend captured it with her cell phone.

There I am standing.
Dumbstruck.
Silly grin.
Knees weak.
Mouth dry.
Clutching my freshly signed books-- there were two at that time.
Ugh...
Three of us road tripped to Hudson, New York to spend the day with Natalie Chanin and members of the Alabama Chanin team.
Hunting through my photos of the day I found nothing worth posting. I guess I was too awestruck or too busy keeping myself from swooning to the floor to capture anything worth while.
But that is not what this post is about, anyway.
This post is about this:

My visit to "mecca".
After two years of dreaming and hoping and wishing, last May I was finally about to visit the *ground zero* of Alabama Chanin FABulousness.
Thank goodness, the object of my affection was nowhere to be seen.
I was able to stroll, touch, smell, admire and photographically capture to my heart's content.
I could write words, but I think the photos say it best.

I left with a few purchases... a yard of cloth, a few bundles of scraps and a couple of spools of embroidery cotton.
My most cherished take away? Besides the memories and the photos? This...

AC's latest book --- the one I brought from home all wrapped and protected for the long, long car trip-- had something special added just for me.

This book has been to mecca.
:-D

Sew sad, sew happy...

Last month I learned that my FAVourite sewing mag is ending it's run.
Stitch (a publication that I have been fortunate enough to contribute to) will end with their Winter 2015 issue--- sew sad.

For their Spring 2016 issue (before they announced their news) I submitted a hat project I had kicking around.
The project developed from my combined love of re-purposing textiles and never having too many hats AND my huge girl crush on Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin fabulousness.
I am making the basics of how to make the hat available to you-- sew happy.
What follows is not step by step-- what fun is that?There are no/few rules when it comes to creativity.
Enjoy yourself! Make it your own!!
I can't wait to see what you come up with...

Gather:

• old single knit cotton t-shirts or jersey scraps
• printed template PDF
• scissors- paper, fabric and small sharps
• tailor chalk (I use old slivers of white soap-- a la my frugal Mom's way)
• straight pins
• sewing needles
• acrylic craft paint (I like Martha Stewart's)
• craft foam, strong craft glue and a base to adhere the foam for making stamp--- or whatever you have around. I've been known to use potatoes, orka, and fingers when inspiration hits!
• thread-- I use Coats Button and Craft Thread as is the AC way.
• embroidery cotton

Do:

Finished size is approx 21.75" and will fit an average adult.

 
• Make your stamp. Cut craft foam into a circle shape ( mine measures approx 1 3/4"  across) and glue onto base. Let dry completely.
• I like making my pattern piece out of something a bit firmer than basic printer paper. I traced the template onto some light card stock.Note that the PDF needs to be placed on a fold or flipped to create the pattern piece needed.
• Cut out your fabric. You need 2 pieces of one colour cut for the top and 2 pieces cut for the lining.
  
  
  
  
• Stamp circles onto fabric pieces that will be the top layer. Place a folded, old towel under the fabric. The added padding will allow easier stamping. Allow paint to dry.
• 
• Place a top piece onto a lining piece. You will have two layered pieces.
• With embroidery cotton. Stitch around each stamped circle through both layers.
  
• With sharp scissors, cut out top layer of circles inside stitching lines to reveal lining.
  
• With right sides facing, hand stitch the 7" edges together through all 4 layers with a 1/4" seam allowance.
  
  
• With right sides facing, stitch together crown shaping. The points will all meet in the middle at the top of the crown. Don't follow the flat zig zag your pattern piece looks like. The crown should look like this:
  

Happily wear!

Me again...

Changes all around...

The change to my  favourite season is reason enough to resurrect my blog.
More than two years of changes are still creating dust.
Some clouds are thicker than others.
I have been waiting for something to say.
The waiting has felt like a hand pushing harder and harder against my open mouth.
I will just start saying and that will be that.
You will find far less knitting and yarning on the coming pages.
YES... I still knit but now more for *need* than for creative expression and economics.
I have had great inspirational opportunities during my time of blog silence.
I will begin to share and share and share....
This makes me happy-er.

Oh, you may had noticed a *slight* varaiation in the name of my blog.
Two years ago, after 18 years of living 3km from a town of 200, I relocated to the downtown of a metropolis of 1700.
There's even a traffic light!!
PINCH ME!

911 days...

Well? It's about time I got back to some blogging!
Often I think of how I just stopped... cold... no words... no pictures... no warning.
From time to time I check the stats and scratch my head. Many of you still stop by.
Something must be done about this.
I owe us both more...
I'll ease back in with this:

I have never seen Lake Ontario look like this before. Snow and ice reaching into the lake for as far as one can see. Not even the hint of open water.
Snow.
Ice.
Horizon.
Sky.

Best I scurry back indoors and start making something to warm me up...:) 

Well...

... my poor, poor neglected blog... :(
128 days of empty, quiet bloggedness.
The very least I can do if offer up that long awaited and v....e.....r.....y simple bowl pattern I promised....



Just click here to get a head start on your holiday gifting.... :)
ps-- I am doing a MAJOR purge of yarns, buttons and books. The proceeds are going to the almost completed Prince Edward Dog Park in Picton. If you plan to be in the area drop me a note and we can arrange some yarnie perusings...

A very tempting...

...email just arrived from WEBS.
They are having an anniversary sale and a good amount of Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn shades are available for only $13.99 a ball.

Many of you have commented on my personal version of the Summer Linen Wrap (below, as seen in Gifted knit in Berroco Linen Jeans).


Well, my version (below) is made using one ball of said Noro. It has been worn a lot this past winter. And, the way spring is going so far... it will be worn a lot more before any "summer" wrap will be needed in my neck of the woods.


I do have to tell you.... I have AB-so-LUTE-ly no idea what colourway mine is knit in. I never noted it down and the wrapper has been swallowed up somewhere in my studio. SO sorry! I can tell you that it has lots of shades that are pinky, winey and rusty along with greens and a vibrant orange that grew on me. Noro has a way of making colours grow on you...

Words...

... of advice.


Lately, I have been thinking a lot about gauge. Then today I got this message...

Hi Mags,

I was in Vancouver last Christmas and found a store that had Americo yarn. I naturally bought enough to make Mothed. I’ve been swatching and am having a dickens of a time getting gauge. If I use 6mm needles I can get 20 st over 4 inches. I’ve tried this in the round, knitting flat but can’t seem to hit the 18 st. augh! Anyhow, I’ve looked at the over one hundred knitters who have knit this pattern and no one else is having this problem.

Any tips that you may have would be most appreciated.

(name removed to protect the innocent)

I blame the following reply I sent on the very spicy Massaman Curry I had for dinner... and the fact that I beleive what I wrote...

Hi (name removed to protect the innocent),
Sorry to hear you are struggling. From your Ravelry info it appears that you are a knewbie knitter... welcome!
Here are some words of advice that were shared with me years ago...

Needle size DOES NOT matter.... GAUGE matters!!

Just move up to a larger needle and swatch again.
I have the total opposite problem... I am a chronic loose knitter! I used 3.25mm needles to get gauge for Mothed in the Americo... gasp! I've been knitting for years and I know to just disregard the needle size of ANY project I take on.
Between you and me, I just want to smack--just lightly ;)-- any knitter that proclaims with hand on hip, "I have PERfect gauge!". Honestly! I believe there is no such thing for ALL projects-- I'm sure some will disagree with me!
The needle size stated on a yarn band or in a pattern is simply a suggested size to start with. There is absolutely nothing wrong and certainly no shame in moving up or down as many needle sizes as needed to create a beautiful, well fitting and satisfying project.
Always remember the goal is the joy found in creating your knitted project NOT obtaining gauge at the suggested needle size.

Now I'll step down from my soap box.. :)

I know this may be frustrating--especially when you are revved up to start a project-- but, you'll get those 18 stitches to 4" and you'll enjoy making and wearing Mothed... I know it!
Cheers,
Mags

Just in case...

... you are thinking ahead to the NEXT winter woolly season, here are the colours that are supposedly going to be "big" for Fall 2011....

I'm kinda likin' them.... bamboo, nougat, quarry.... yum.
If you click on the palette you can read more about what one source anticipates for the season. Hey, sorry if you think I am rushing you, but the magazines already have us thinking about Spring 2012.... yikes!

Sometimes...

... I really wonder what rock I live under?!?!?!?!
I just stumbled across the most F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S magazine birthed from an exceptional blog about "design, craft and food"... Sweet Paul!


The fourth issue of the mag will be available on March 1st, but until then you can download pdf's of issues one through three and read at your leisure.


How incredibly generous of dear Sweet Paul.
Now, once again, I have to figure out how to add more days to my hours...

ps...
my retail therapy arrived today!
yippppeeeeeee...

Retail therapy...

... at wholesale prices... yarnie style!
FYI-- elann.com is hosting a great sale on Patons Classic Wool. At half the price you would find elsewhere, I just could not say "no"!
This has got to be my all time favourite go-to-yarn for basic knits-- toasty pullovers, fireside socks, hats and mitts. It is also the most reliable and readily accessible wool that I have found for felted projects.


I have been making little felted bowls out of it to hold "dry goods" as part of my pret-a-porter line and I have been running low on select colours.


Above you can see a litter of them drying and shaping on some bowls. I like the way the little contrast coloured center dot makes them full of whimsy.
I also love to watch the way people pick them up. They cradle them like little kittens or as if they were crafted from fragile porcelain. Hah! Us felters know how tough they are!
Soon, I'll have lots of new colours to play with!
I just love the way the shades look in my shopping cart... come hither pumpkin and wisteria!


And, since I had a teensy-weensy bit of room left in my cart, I tossed in a bag of this for me...


I see something Free People inspired for a cool summer evening made out of this. At less than 17 bucks for a bag of 10 balls... how could I resist?
Oh, and I tossed in 3 skeins of this...

You never know when you need something woolly in Malt Heather. And... at less than $5 for 200 grams? Pleeeeease!

I have been thinking of writing up the simple bowl pattern and making it available as a freebie. Let me know if you are interested. It just might put a match to my butt.... ;-)