Falling for Fall

Since the anniversary celebration, I have been playing catch-up with life.  We had a brief few days exhaling, relaxing and being awed by the still beautiful changing leaves and the mountains in North Carolina. Surrounded by beauty and great food, we were content in our visit.  My Sweetie taught a tai chi class for a friend of ours, we spent hours walking and sampling the fabulous Cajun style food of Mayfel's Bistro in downtown Asheville.  Oh they have wonderful gumbo!  ...And beignettes, and everything on the menu is delectable!

There's my Sweetie as we wait for our order to come in.  It is really a fun place and they had it all decked out for Halloween. 




On our stroll of the old downtown area, I discovered that the iron iron had been yarn-bombed!  That was just too cool!

We also took a tour of the Grove Park Inn, which we had not visited on years.  It is such a wonderful historical site, and a beautiful architectural wonder.  Nearby, we toured the Grovewood Gallery and Antique Car Museum.  Sweetie really enjoyed the cars.  My favorite was the old fire engine.  I had to do the "hot babe with the sports car" pose for the camera. Wouldn't we all like to drive that sweet little auto just once?

The Grovewood Gallery is a haven for artists and I could get lost in there for hours.   Just outside is a forest of metal trees that I suspect come to life in the rain.  They appear to be little cups that would become cascading waterfalls.  Isn't that a delightful idea?

My Fall colors

We came back home to stir the old bones back into action.  Knitting came up again with a new KAL on the Jane Thornley Ravelry group.  We are knitting Fall, and with such a recent and glorious eye feast, I am picking up an old pattern that I have done a few times but love its simplicity and adaptability.  My yarns run the gamut of all those colors I saw in North Carolina.  I am so taken with the golden leaves of Aspens, and since "my colors" are those of Winters, I am using lots of yellow to brighten up my Fall sweater.

Wine & Cheese

I have been selling some of my jewelry.  OK,

I stumbled into a fabulous little boutique that specializes in Interior Design and has some wonderful items for the home and features hand-made decor too.  I have often wondered how jewelry fits in ...but why not???  We women love our jewelry.  One for the house and one for me!

A few days ago the store held an open house with wine and cheese tasting and invited customers to come in and meet their artists.  I have never done anything quite like this and I don't do wine or large parties, and not so much cheese, but I am looked forward to enjoying a good time out of the house.  An event like this absolutely requires a "canvas" for showing off my artisan OOAK (one of a kind) jewelry, and I worked against deadline to make something to wear with an outfit I will be wearing for the first time.

For over a year now (I have had a very long "To-Do" list) I have planned to incorporate a knit lace edging for an old knit silk camisole.  It's OLD.  Old enough that I didn't mind once that it stopped right at my waist and showed just a little skin.  Now, the horrors of my muffin top would leak out of that gap and I ain't showing no one my muffin!  So, when I came across this gorgeous pink yarn that matched color perfectly I set yarn and top aside.  Now, finally, it is complete and I will be wearing that with my white linen pants and big shirt.  But what jewelry to wear?!!!  ...So off I went to Michael's and struck gold.  Beautiful slabs of pink dyed Imperial Jasper to make a "Pebble and Bam-Bam" style necklace, and bracelet too, but the bracelet didn't get done in time for the event.

In a Pink Mood

I can't believe I didn't share this with y'all.  About a month ago when it was still cold here in the deep south, I had to find a new winter jacket.  My old one was literally "loved to death."  I found one I liked and the fit was right, but PINK.  I don;t usually do pastel pink, but this wasn't half-bad, marked down and stylish.  So it came home with me.  Without a collar, my sensitive neck was needing a cowl and I do love a cowl.  Just happening to have the perfect yarns and colors to combine, I followed Jane Thornley's Once Upon a Cowl pattern, shortening it up to suit our not-so-frigid temps. 

Just a Little Bit Crazy

...I must be.  Somehow, I got it into my head to use some Brown Sheep Cotton Fine that I had purchased a few (?) years back to make a pair of FairIsle socks.  I was doing just great until I hit the heel and then the knitting and life just fell apart on me.  Project was sent to hibernation, and when I tried to get back to it I just couldn't orient myself.  So, Froggie the Ripper pulled it all out.  Then I saw this scrumptious cropped sweater and knew what to do with the skeins of tiny yarn.  No amount of arguing could sway me, and now, here I am deep into tiny stitches and tiny needles, straining my eyes and wrist while setting in thousands of stitches.  I guess it is a little like scratching off those cards to see if you won a prize because I love the way the pattern unfolds.  (Ask me when I am done if I still feel the same way?)

Hit the Ground Running

Into the New Year, there are always a list of tasks that are left-over from the past.  Being caught up all the time is a fantasy that I sometimes dream of, but ya-a-a-h that's is not going to happen here!  My brain dumps loads of ideas every day that I really really really want to make happen.  I would never get caught up even if I lived to be as old as Methuselah.   I suspect that the alternative is a good de-cluttering of the "To~Do" list that I keep.  Really, do I think that making my own potholders is necessary?  Even though I know they would be better looking, better functionally, and last longer, can't I just go buy some some and use my time in other ways?

Lately, I have been knitting up some older stash yarns (same as the cowl I showed you last time) for a scarf for my daughter-in-law.  I thought there was another ball of the foundational orange yarn.  Well, I ran out and so now what's a gal to do?

I Can't Believe....

I Can't Believe that it's the end of the year and Christmas is almost here and this year I am not making gifts.  Sort of.

The studio is critically important for my creative efforts, and that is taking priority right now.  The painting is done, and in my opinion looks amazing.  Since mine is the only one that counts, I am ready to move on!  

Furniture.  Well, that is a hang-up.  I had planned on bringing a very solid table into the room, but it has been beside the computer in the "everything" room, and is set up with files under it and is where I do office business.  I cannot replace it without having to find a new solution for the files.  So, I am thinking of buying a workbench.  Mostly everything else is ready to place, and I am beginning to move supplies that will be kept in a long/low dresser off to the side.  I need to make a trip to the dollar store to get trays that will hold beads and other components. 

However, I am returning to knitting after a long hiatus, making quick and simple cowls.  The hands have to be kept busy!  I showed you the rustic cowl in my last post, and here is one I made from left-over yarns.

Several years ago I made a vest that had all these yarns in it plus several more, and I love that vest, but just had not used any of those gorgeous left-over yarns.  I may keep the cowl, or give it as a gift.  I can't believe that the cowl was photographed in the studio, after dark, with only the lousy overhead chandelier with my iPhone. 

!!!!

I am thrilled that those reds came out true to color and with the possibility of fabulous photos to come!

Sunset Bolero Vest  ....Pattern by Jane Thornley

Happy Thanksgiving!

May this be a day that all of us remember the many things in our lives that we are grateful for and appreciate that we have been blessed with the love of those close to us.  This year, it will just be my husband and I sitting down to our feast, but we are happy and content with that.  All my sons have to share their time between multiple sets of parents, and so we are content to share them too.  Just last week, the DH and I decided that we really do want to get rid of a few extra pounds and feel healthier.  As a result, this Thanksgiving feast will be quite different than in years past.  Pared down to a much more manageable meal, we are putting together a few basics today, in as we serve up the leftover turkey and gravy in the next few days, we will add in newly prepared favorites so that each of the traditional comfort foods gets its moment.

One of the things that I am thankful for is that my energy and passion for creating is returning.  The dining room/Mom's room is now getting a base coat of paint.  I am sure it will run into next week to get it together, but then the new studio will become a reality.  I have chosen that foundation to use my time this year instead of crafting a multitude of gifts for others.  It was a hard decision, but this is so essential to me that I decided to gift myself this year.  The artisan inside is nearly bursting to get into action and ideas are filling my head.  There are so many wonderful projects waiting to be created, whether they are my own or by others.  For now, as all the space it needs is my lap, I have been knitting.  I adore cowls, and this is one I just finished.  Knit in garter stitch of neutral yarn, I added thin carry alongs to give it some color.  It was inspired by this free pattern from Purl Soho.

The Art of Upcycle

The Treehouse at Creekview Country Cottage Bed & Breakfast

Have you ever had the urge to re-create yourself?  Maybe it was after a relationship breakup or a pregnancy came to an end, or you lost a bunch of weight?  Well, I have been feeling the urge since returning from Pennsylvania.  My sister and I stayed at the Creekview Cottage Bed & Breakfast during our two weeks there.  It was perfect in every sense ...a private little pocket deep in the woods and mountains and was exactly what I had been dreaming of during the long care-taking ordeal.  Our hostess, Andrea, is now a dear friend to us.  She is an indomitable force wrapped up in a petite lady who has a passion for living.  The three is  us are "senior-ish" but Andrea has so much vitality and spunk that it would be hard for anyone to accurately guess her age.  I was impressed with her fashionable yet practical attire.  She carried off her favorite magentas and pinks and studded sparkly skinny jeans with ease.  My sister has always been a fashion statement, even in her understated way with black and white and gray.  ...And there I was with my old straight-leg stretchy Lee's and plain long sleeve T's, with my decades old Eagle Outfitters boots.  One of my sneakers blew a sole after a few days, and my comfy old jeans had a blowout too.

I didn't realize how out-of-step I had gotten until I saw some photos from the trip.   OMG, I was the granny in the photos!  I couldn't believe my eyes!  For someone who had sewn prolifically, I was always a step ahead of fashion.  For 14 years I was a dressmaker for a European pattern company, and I got the patterns at least a year before they influenced the United States fashion scene.  However, for the past 6 years, I had not really been able to just go shopping.  Getting out of the house was a challenge, and because of that, I made due with what I had.  Meanwhile, everything was getting shabbier and as garments were cast off, they were rarely replaced with something really happening.  When I did get out, I grabbed anything simple that fit and hurried back home.  ...Eventually, I would have been a fashion zilch.  ...Now I have to stop you all right here, as I am not inclined to follow every fad and fancy.  I go for style, and my style was looking like granny's closet.

Well, this calls for a huge makeover.  One of the first things I have done is to look at shoes.  Although I still have not replaced the sneakers, I did purchase some drop-dead gorgeous boots I have been lusting after for the past year:

The BedStu Manchester boot!  I adore them!  They are stylish and yet very simple.  My head is filled with ideas for boot fringes

 and knit boot toppers

...and bracelets and to make.

As I was going through the closet, I came across a favorite magenta knit Henley.  The back of the neckline had separated from the binding and I was ready to toss it when I thought of a Free People favorite that has a patchwork look.  I spent the past few days altering the top and now I have a new/old Henley to wear that is very fashionable.  ...There may be no end to this!

Free People's Kyoto cuff top that inspired me

Semi-Circles

Just a quick update for those of you readers who may by some remote reason be interested, here is an evolution of what the Bloom knitting is doing...

These semi-circles will be for the hem edge and I think that I will be using strips sewn together for the body.  So, I will knit these upward in straight rows until I get to the length I want, and then they will be pieced together.  I am planning the body to be all green, but one never knows until it happens!

I just came from the fabric store a little while ago.  A touch of cool weather reminded me that my loved too much quilted silk jacket is going threadbare in oh so many places.  I picked up some fabric to trim over those bare spots and keep that jacket going for maybe another 11 years.

Out of the Fog

What can I say about blocks to creativity that has not already been said?  I have been in a funk for a few months now.  ...Too many cares, too many others to see to.  That is often the way of it for caregivers.  ...Issues of change, ...getting older, ...not enough rest or "ME" time.  Well, slowly I have been pushing up and out of the fog of oblivion and grabbing back some of myself, and what better way than to make something fun to wear?  I love clothing and adornments.  It's not so much about how many clothes I can squish into my closet and drawers, because I certainly have plenty, but it is about a love of color and texture and how I express myself.  I guess you could say that I am like a chameleon (except that I am certainly better looking), feeling it's necessary to change with my moods ad surroundings.  Anyone that knows me well can see at a glance how I am feeling at the moment just through a look at what I am wearing.  Years ago, when my first marriage ended, I spent colorless months in browns and gray and black.  Ugh!  Now I am much more fond of whimsy and bright colors.

Jane Thornley's Bloom

Getting back to knitting!  Last week I started a new shrug (I think).  ...Never quite sure of what something will turn into!  The pattern I am using is Jane Thornley's Bloom.  Jane's last few patterns have all been based on those wonderful free-range semi-circles that seem to shout out happiness and whimsy to me.  I do better with shrugs than wraps however, so shrug it will be.  I am feeling very limey and have almost nothing to wear in lime and greens.  That's a good excuse to make something don't you agree?

  

Sewing too!  I have had a "too much thought" period and I had to burst out of that too.  Too much mentalizing over a project can kill it deader than a doornail.  The project in question is the tunic top with the embroidered fabric.  Anyone who has done serious sewing knows that there is often a fear of cutting into a precious piece of fabric, and this has had its grip on me since I conceived the idea.  I have to keep reminding myself that if I don't go through with this project, the fabric will be back in storage and who knows what will happen to it?  Anyway, to get up my scrapping/patching courage, I have begun on a less invested piece of work.  I had an old bed-sack of still good muslin, and for some time I have bee wanting a painterly kind of frock.  Going through old patterns, I found just the thing for a Lagenlook style frock.  I am sure that I will be making all versions before I am done with this pattern!  I have combined the bottom middle one with the top right.  Mine will be center front opening but with closed ruffles in the skirt.  ...Or maybe it will open all the way.  We will see.  All the pieces are cut, and I plan to add applied design that will have a theme of some kind.  I am currently in the mood to keep the colors in the close natural hue of the muslin, but that can change.  Really, nothing says "paint on me!" like an empty canvas!

Next time be prepared for a mantel surprise!

 

 

Knitting Again

Ages have gone by without a knitting project in the making.  I guess this is partly true because of the diversity of my interests, plus the stacks of already knit things, and the fact that the last project took me months to get through.  ...I just needed a break!  So, when I decided that I needed to go through my wardrobe and make some changes, I realized that I have a need for a  few lightweight cover-ups, and a very open knit top would be perfect.  Once again, my mentor and friend, Jane Thornley, tempted me with her new pattern, The Color Streams Wrap, which you can find on Ravelry or her blog.  The plan is to create this as a hem edge, and attach it to a mesh top-down sweater.  Ugh!  ...sweater immediately brings to mind something too warm and covered to wear for summer in the South.

Once again, I am indulging in shades of aqua, teal, turquoise and adding in a really intense electric blue.  The inspiration that juiced me up is an incredible Azurite geode I saw online.  Digging into really old stash this time, I am putting to use some yarn I  bought so many years ago, that I am surprised it is still good.  Forty!  That's how old the yarn is. Anyway, this wrap is made up of short rows, inserting wedges of color that break up the stripy-ness and give a sense of movement.  ...How cool is that?!!!  As I look at this, I think I will back up and remove some of that infinite grayness I am seeing.  I get the feeling that it is killing the spirit of lightness and brightness of this piece and going too dark for summer in the South.  ...I will keep y'all posted on my progress!

. 

Done, Da-Done Done!

Yes, it is done! I am so glad that this is now finished, and all those pesky little ends are tied off, tucked in and otherwise taken car
e of. I am already off to other pursuits and now it is a course in making jewelry. I spent the morning making S-links out of copper wire, and practicing torching wire to create little balls at the ends. It is a pretty cool way to make head pins, and a lot cheaper than purchasing them. At first, I was admittedly terrified of the torch, just knowing that I would set my self on fire the first time I used it. However, Fate is much kinder than that, and I have not had an unpleasant episode and do not expect to. I have unfortunately had a few wire go "dead" due to cooking them too long. A few of my beautiful little balls cracked off as I tried to curl the wire around my pliers. Well, practice and time will improve my efforts. Not always sure I have found the "sweet spot" at the end of the blue flame, I can tell that the metal is about to melt. There is a beautiful flaming rainbow of color that fans out behind the wire as it glows nearly white before it balls up. That part has me hooked. I adore rainbows, however they come to me.

The Klimt Limps On

Yes, ...limps. It feels that way anyway, I am naturally an impetuous and impatient person, and this project has been going on for months! Even though I can see the end in sight now, it still feels like it's dragging its feet! I have been thinking and planning for some design in the sleeves, but the little voice in my head is now saying K.I.S.S and lighten up. I think I will listen. Life has been throwing its challenges my way, and there have been too many interruptions. How in the world do other people keep a train of focus when one thing after another causes an interruption? ....Have I mentioned there was yet another kitchen ceiling leak? Yup, ...that too! Now there is a new hole in the brand new ceiling to be repaired, and I can't remember what paint I used this past spring, or even if I have any left over. Sigh. Maybe I will just paint a design up there, or a sign that says "ouch" or "c'est la vie."


Oh but back to the Klimt.
I hope to be finished in less than a week!

What next?

In between creative projects, there is sometimes a place of stagnation. Because I have a hard time not "doing" something, I have never liked this place. I get what I call "impatience anxiety." In spite of this, it is also a time for me to reflect and prepare for new pursuits, letting them line up and simmer in their formation. Most of the time, I get through these by having more than one project going at a time. After some creative simmering, I am back to knitting the Klimt again, but moving slowly. I needed to make another trip to the yarn store in order to pull it together. Klimt is known for his bold use of color, and I am needing more color to this piece. One might say "Use your stash!" but I don't have the color I am seeing in my head now, ...a bold limey green.

I am lusting after a stylish Henley garment that I saw in some internet shop-site. Clearing away the beads and other paraphernalia that I was using to craft some of my more unusual jewelry, I will need to replace it all with cutting board and sewing supplies. I have the perfect retro pattern by Betsy Johnson that will make the Henley nearly like I saw it. Now that the weather is turning cooler, I am eager to make this up so I can wear it with the "jeggings" (that's leggins that are also jeans) I made a few months ago and haven't worn yet for need of a proper top. Although I had converted my winter wardrobe to leggings and tunics, the summer wardrobe didn't catch up. Once the Klimt is done, it will be spicy great with these pants. ...You can call me "Spicy." ...Don't laugh, I may even pull off a Betsy Johnson hair-do. After all, I did tell my sons that when I turned 65 I would dye my hair purple. I really ought to get some practice at wilding* before then.

*wild-ing: a plant, originally cultivated, that now grows wild; an escape.

Count down!

Here we are with just one more day to go before the first day of our Stay-cation! Yay! I am not exactly ready to go, ...or shall I say "stay," but tomorrow will have to be a day to set it all up. Even as hurricane Irene is looming this way, I am making plans. Food in plenty is in the frig and pantry, and one of the things I have planned for the week is munchies. One special favorite is a spicy and crunchy recipe I was gifted years ago by a good friend who is a caterer. Because I promised never to give it away without forfeiting my life, I offer an alternative from popcorn.org which shares similarities.

Cajun Corn

Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper

Directions

1. Pour butter over warm popcorn.
2. Combine remaining seasonings and sprinkle over popcorn; toss to mix.
3. Bake in 300-degree Fahrenheit oven for crispy popcorn.

*Throw in some nuts or other munchie snacks to add interest.

The Cobweb That Caught the Sky

COBWEB: A flimsy, insubstantial snare spun by a special breed of spider to entrap its prey

After weeks of repair and remodel, I needed an outlet for a gentler creative side of me. Picking up knitting needles once again after months of neglect, I vowed that I would just simply let them and the yarn take me to places I have never ventured before. I did have in mind something sort of Rodarte, who I have venerated ever since the sister's 2008 lines came out. Based on nature and totally radical knits, they represented for me a no-rules way of creating something out of nothing more than an idea. Characterized by loosely knit webs of fine mohair capturing bold areas of color and heavily textured, they have captured my spirit, which has always been a voice in the background begging me to give it a try.

The yarns seemed to just fall into my hands. Even though I had planned for another use of a wild diva that looks like bits of wool tied to hologram metallic thread and nylon cord scraps, it called to be a companion to the more sedate natural tan silk fingering weight that I have been hoarding from Artfibers for years now. Artfibers has the most gorgeous stuff I have ever seen in one place. All their yarns are spun to order. Amazing, yarn heaven, and it is worth a visit if you are ever in the San Francisco area. Then, a painted pastel nylon ribbon that had insisted on coming home with the diva (for some reason), entered the mix. And that was it. Just three yarns, ...quite a change of habit for me since I am usually working with anywhere from six to ten in any one project.

After trying several large needle sizes on the fingering weight yarn, I settled on a #13. At that point, I just began by casting on three stitches. The only thoughts for an end result were perhaps to make a cropped vest to go over summer tops for a little cover. From then on, all I kept in mind were basic rectangular shapes that roughly met my measurements. Free of regard for any sort of edge consistency, I simply knit until the pieces were relatively the same length. Individual stitches were another form of abandon. I threw in short rows, drop stitches, and varied knits and pearls to add more irregularity, and jigged and jogged the hems and edges. The yarns were picked up and dropped at will, creating shapes that drift like clouds of diva yarn and held by patches of ribbon that look like the sky. Yarn tails fly free like the tails of kites.

Once the pieces were of a relatively matched length, I cast off the back and fronts, and joined the shoulders as well as at the sides. To give a bit more shape and weight for a nice drape, I crocheted a single row of chain stitches to the edges with the ribbon yarn, and added a tie of the combined yarns braided together at the front.

I have written up a downloadable pattern/guide for those of you special spider types, who want to give this a try with more guidance than I have given here. You can find it on Ravelry as the Cobweb Vest, or my Etsy store, or by simply emailing me a message.

It's Hot Out and I Am Too!

After a long blogging dry spell. I am getting back into the fun of it. I am also moving ahead with a list of great projects. I didn't get to do the Bootcamp again this year, with too much on a priority list of home repair/remodeling, and that was such a slow down for me personally. Sometimes life is just like that, but we have to keep on. Once the "Cobweb" was completed, I was inspired to write it up as a pattern. Pattern writing is a challenge. I have to keep asking myself what a beginner would want to know and did I include everything that is essential for success. Now that is scratched off the "To-Do" list, I am surging on to other things. Already on the needles is yet another Rodarte inspired top. That yarn I over-dyed earlier this year just kept telling me that it wanted to be completely free in a wild knit. Well, it is well on it's way to completion. In fact, I thought I was putting the finishing touches on yesterday, and then as I tried it on, it told me it wanted more. Now, I am planning to add a little skirting to it as soon as I get the side seams sewn up.

Another shrug!

I adore sleeveless shrugs and vests. They are so perfect for keeping just cozy enough, allow for maximum movement, and I don't get my sleeves wet at the kitchen sink. My latest knitting project was a runaway color scheme. I blame the wild artsy side of me for that deviation. What I began to be a variety of mossy greens and shades of gray, suddenly took off with an outrageous will of it's own to become jade when I tried a row (just a row, LOL) of that seducing color to add some "pop." "Pop" is a term which describes bringing out the character of the piece by contrasting and activating the other colors and textures that accompany it. How could I have known that jade would be so addictive and satisfying? Well, when the creative spirit is tapped into and turned on, there is no telling what can happen. Letting go of a plan and trusting to intuitive guidance is where it's happening!

This shrug is yet another following the Woven Woods pattern from the Winter Forest Evocative Guide by Jane Thornley. The pattern is easy to follow, as it is made of of simple basic shapes, and relies on ombre technique to build character. I do mean build!!! This technique utilizes yarns held together to morph from one color into another, bleeding the colors into each other like a watercolor painting. At times, I had four yarns working into fabric at once. The fabric becomes more dense and textural. This is where the uniqueness and beauty of the fabric grows. Done all in seed stitch, ombre plying tends to break up the "knit, purl, knit, purl..." stitch monotony. Rows build up quickly for a fast knit. ...Now I just need to create a pin that it as special as the shrug!

More Fibula Pins!

I have been having fun this weekend. Creating is always fun. ...Sometimes frustrating, but all the more rewarding in the end. Last weekend, we all went to the Gem & Mineral Show at the fairgrounds. I bought a few beads and geodes, ...not much, but my intention was to dabble. Now, I really wish I had been far more indulgent, as I could make a few of these every day. Each one has its own character, and males me feel (in my own mind anyway) just the teeniest bit akin to great sculptors such a Michelangelo. Yeah, I know that's a stretch, but simply putting oneself into the position of taking a naturally beautiful thing and then attempting to co-create with it is awesome. Here is what I did....

I have already worn the Blue pin with my Jane Thornley Organic Wrap. It held it on and in place perfectly.PS: I know I am just a beginner