Pom-Poms Are Back---

Did you see this article in Wall Street Journal?  Headline read "Cheered by the Fashion Squad.  Pom Poms come bouncing back!"  I didn't think they ever left--but, this article was quite interesting in the fact that celebrities are using pom poms to decorate their fashion pieces to make a bold statement.

Who wouldn't want to be encased in pom poms from head to foot!?

Wednesday Yarn Along

Today we are working on the Fingerless Gloves mystery,  Shadowplay.

Each week a new clue is revealed and you knit like crazy to keep up with the group.

Here is first clue--corrugated rib!  Oh my gosh, that is some knitting,

but I think it will be an interesting mitt

We are knitting flat and this is the left wrist.

Clue 2--I'm at the thumb--oh, dear--I'm stumped.. It will take some quiet time

to figure out how to continue the cable on the other side of the thumb---but,

I'll get there!  I was afraid I would run out of the yellow so found this

fuschia yarn that works.

It just takes some quiet time and having my brain on the right frequency

and I can conquer anything!

Yes, I did it!  We are finished with clue 2.

Should I begin on right wrist with ribbing?

Hmmmm............

Is It Inlay or Tapestry?

We recently had a great meeting program led by Gerry, who has been weaving these small tapestries (she calls them).  She was giving us pointers on how to do our own.  She says she is using inlay techniques for her woven pieces but there are some tapestry involved--so, is it inlay or tapestry?

Gerry uses this book, written by Doramay Keasley, for her weaving information.  Doramey calls her technique "inlay"--as there is a ground background.

Gerry has a wealth of knowledge stored in her notebooks--samples of her work.

Here is her drawing of different weave techniques

Here are her woven samples--great way to structure your weaving knowledge

Here is her cartoon

and the weaving--inlay definitely, as there is a background weft

close-up

I love Gerry's work as she uses many of the Texas landscapes and historic sites as her subjects.

I have one of her Texas inlays

you can see the critters that she has woven into the feature

Now, this is a tapestry!

Interlocked and all--so, if you are interested in these techniques, no one better than Gerry to give you the low down.

Textured Laguna Wrap--No Not Food!

Certainly not food to eat--but food for thought!  I saw this FREE pattern (until April 14) and thought "what a great wrap for summer time events"  so off I went to my yarn closet to find the perfect stash yarn--I'm thinking maybe some handspun cotton will do the trick nicely!

Want the pattern?

check out Expression Fiber Arts

MORE ABOUT THIS WRAP: 
•Gorgeous, bohemian-inspired texture! It resembles a winding river.

•Intermediate level. Easily-memorizable rows will have you knitting away happily.You’ll need to know how to knit, purl, k2tog, p2tog.

•Size is easily adjustable. Cast on fewer stitches for a scarf or more stitches for a blanket.

•No worries about running out of yarn. Just stop when you run out!

•Solid or tonal yarns are gorgeous but feel free to use variegated on this pattern too.

You’ll receive a digital file only (instantly downloadable as a PDF) and won’t be shipped anything. Please allow a few minutes for the download link to be emailed to you. If the email doesn’t arrive within a few minutes, just log into your account on our site and you’ll see your Completed Orders. From there, you’ll find the download link.

Caryl Bryer Fallert Tutorial

This tutorial from Caryl Bryer Fallert is worth watching, even if you don't want to make

quilts as fanciful or colorful as hers.

There is much useful information for anyone interested in quilting.

Plus, there is the added bonus of seeing her studio!

Check out Fossil Fantasy #1 tutorial

Ice, Ice, Baby...............!

Okay, here we go!  Take some Ice, Baby!  Some goofy items for resist, rubber bands, a big bucket and you're ready to dye some interesting fabric.

I found some of hubby's practice golf balls

and some cotton men's handkerchiefs (perfect for table napkins) 

and I'm off to the races!

Tied them all up, covered them with ice

sprinkled some fiber reactive dyes over the ice

more dyes and let this sit for 3 days--that was the hardest thing to do!

and it came time to empty the bucket, rinse the fabric, untie the golf balls

to see what results I had.

I think I sprinkled too much yellow--it took over the blues

but, there were some interesting colors distributed

The silk on the right took up much of the blue dyes

Here is a you tube video that shows a time relapse of someone's ice dyeing

Want some helpful hints?  check out Dharma Trading

My next adventure will be fabric on a rack.

Have fun--it's time to play!!

Debby Does Baskets!

Debby Kratovil Quilts blog has the perfect scrap basket pattern for you!

I like the fact she is like me, digging into scrap trash piles to find just the

right piece or color!  This would make a great wall hanging or

maybe a table runner.

How Being More Creative Improves Your Mental and Physical Health

Health Cure Corner is spot on in my book!  Yes, being more creative or just a little creative will improve your health, both mentally and physically.  I'm so glad I found this website and this information.  Here are highlights and bullet points:

• Go to art exhibits and museums
• Write in your journal--if you don't have one, start one
• Read literature that challenges you
• Read more poetry
• Get Crafty
• Keep on stitching
• Use your hands
• Go out into the world and discover new adventures

Read the complete article and improve your life, which in turn improves your world!

Yarn Along...............

My yarn along has to do with dyeing--with Easter egg dyes.  Over the years, after Easter, I purchase several of the dye packets (at a reduced price, no less!) to have on hand for dyeing simple pieces without much trouble.

I had some lovely handspun two ply wool just waiting to be skeined off.

What a nice little skein you are!

What color should I use?  hmmm, choices choices

I chose green as our January spin-in 2017 theme is "Green in 17"

drop in the tablets--all two of them--into water, add the required amount of vinegar, let it

fizz away until dissolved.

Stuff in the wetted skein, place in microwave--remember that egg dye is safe for eggs, so safe for

the microwave--hit 30 seconds, rest, again 30 seconds, rest--I do that about 4 times.

Take the skein out of the dye, rinse and let dry.

A nice pastel green--think I could have used one more tablet or left the skein in the dye

just a little longer--but I'm anxious to see the results.

What a fun Yarn along! 

Drum Roll Please..............................

Josh's quilt is finished!!  I stuck to the plan and finished up the quilt top and then..............

then I decided since I had all these leftover western theme fabrics and five extra blocks, 

I would make a backing so here it is!

I'm doing what my Denver friend Judy P does--

make a back.  Quilter here we come--just might make it in time for his

birthday in May.

Creative Crochet

A Creative Being has a perfect opportunity to work on this lovely crochet block to block throw--it's not your standard Granny Squares to say the least--you can find more information on " Dance In The Sea" here

I think I would like dancing on the beach with this as my blanket!

Shetland Wool Week 2016 Pattern

The official 2016 Shetland Wool Week ‘Crofthoose Hat’ knitting pattern has been exclusively designed by Wool Week Patron Ella Gordon.  If only I could attend in person.................but I can knit this wonderful patterned hat.  Shetland Wool Week is a world renowned celebration of Britain’s most northerly native sheep, the Shetland textile industry and the rural farming community on these islands. Shetland wool is a world class natural fibre, with a long standing reputation for quality, strength and excellence from the fleece to the textile products. Shetland knitwear has a deserved respect gained from many generations of hard working knitters and crofters producing some of the finest lace and Fair Isle knitwear.  Events and other information will be available in April for the fall event.

Only The Shadow Knows....

"Only the Shadow knows"--guess you need to be my age to remember this radio show..

or dear, I'm really dating myself, aren't I?

It was one of the best mystery radio shows of the time

Maybe, this is where my love of mysteries began.

Here is another 'Shadow' mystery that will feature fingerless gloves, designed

by Valerie Pollock--

It requires about 110 - 140 meters each of two different colours or yarns. Variegated is not recommended for this pattern, but a solid colour or tonal yarn would work well. Choose high contrast colours (dark and light) for strong definition of the pattern and the shadow effect. The pattern is knitted flat.

The medium will fit approximately 7.5” to 8” palm circumference. The large will fit approximately 8.5” to 9” palm circumference.

As a Mystery Knit-Along, clues will be released once per week, on April 1, 8, 15 and 22. This is a free Ravelry pattern.

April 1--April Fools!

I always hated those April Fool jokes or pranks!  I wondered how did this all get started--here's how!

The uncertain origins of a foolish day

by David Johnson and Shmuel Ross

April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. Its origins are uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar.

New Year's Day Moves

Ancient cultures, including those of the Romans and Hindus, celebrated New Year's Day on or around April 1. It closely follows the vernal equinox (March 20th or March 21st.) In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March 25, the Feast of Annunciation, as the beginning of the new year.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated Jan. 1. That year, France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year's day to Jan. 1. According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on "fool's errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe.

Problems With This Explanation

There are at least two difficulties with this explanation. The first is that it doesn't fully account for the spread of April Fools' Day to other European countries. The Gregorian calendar was not adopted by England until 1752, for example, but April Fools' Day was already well established there by that point. The second is that we have no direct historical evidence for this explanation, only conjecture, and that conjecture appears to have been made more recently.

Constantine and Kugel

Another explanation of the origins of April Fools' Day was provided by Joseph Boskin, a professor of history at Boston University. He explained that the practice began during the reign of Constantine, when a group of court jesters and fools told the Roman emperor that they could do a better job of running the empire. Constantine, amused, allowed a jester named Kugel to be king for one day. Kugel passed an edict calling for absurdity on that day, and the custom became an annual event.

"In a way," explained Prof. Boskin, "it was a very serious day. In those times fools were really wise men. It was the role of jesters to put things in perspective with humor."

This explanation was brought to the public's attention in an Associated Press article printed by many newspapers in 1983. There was only one catch: Boskin made the whole thing up. It took a couple of weeks for the AP to realize that they'd been victims of an April Fools' joke themselves.

Spring Fever

It is worth noting that many different cultures have had days of foolishness around the start of April, give or take a couple of weeks. The Romans had a festival named Hilaria on March 25, rejoicing in the resurrection of Attis. The Hindu calendar has Holi, and the Jewish calendar has Purim. Perhaps there's something about the time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to lighthearted celebrations.

Observances Around the World

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a "fool's errand," looking for things that don't exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

The French call April 1 Poisson d'Avril, or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.

• For more April Fools' fun, read all about ingenious hoaxes: in sports, science, art, the media, Hollywood, and the Internet.

QAL--Let's Dance!

Just Quiltin' has a QAL (Quilt Along) for you!  

It's called Barn Dance but it's Hole in the Barn Door quilt blocks in all different sizes,

colors and positions on the top.

It's also a stash buster!

Dig into that box of fabrics, cut and sew!  

Wednesday--Yarn Along

I'm working away on FLG (Fingerless Gloves).  Somehow, I've misplaced one of my favorite pairs.

This pattern is "Leaves" by Valentina Georgieva 

I have one almost finished

For some reason, I hate doing the thumb, so save it till the very last minute

I've begun the second mitt--still haven't done the thumb on the first mitt!

The fiber is wool that I overdyed-it was an ugly color that I would never use,

so into the dye pot it went--good solution in my book!

Marly's Shawl KAL--

A SHAWL! Something that is rather simple, uncomplicated and gauge isn’t something that is super important. The project for this KAL is a rather easy shawl but it packs a lot of punch. There are many learning opportunities learn while you make this garter stitch shawl.  The official start date is March. 30, 2016 – April. 27, 2016. There will be one video released each week along with the pattern instructions for that section.  Here is a link to the introduction video #1. 

You will be able to find all the videos at: Marly Bird

Crochet To Your Hearts Content

Isn't this the most gorgeous crochet wrap?

Check out Expression Fiberarts for this pattern

Learn to finger crochet this fanciful necklace--looks like fun neckwear!

And this wearable shawl--oh my!

I love finding these interesting websites--

here's to the hook and needles!