Themed around L.M. Montgomery’s heartwarming ‘Anne Shirley’ series, Avonlea is a delicate lace shawl that’s perfect for evening countryside strolls and late summer weddings.
It features 5 repeating patterns, each uniquely linked to a part of Anne’s story, and a knitted on edging that will have you dreaming of the sea….
The shawl is triangular and knitted flat. There is a small crocheted provisional cast-on, but an ordinary cast on can be used if necessary. There are also single cables, nupps and different laces. Beads are optional, but will add an extra touch of glamour.
Avonlea is suitable for intermediate knitters.
The MKAL consists of 6 clues, each released weekly starting with clue one on 10th May. It will be free to download up until this date, when it will increase to £2.50. When the MKAL finishes at the end of June, the price will rise to £4.20.
For those who sign up to join the MKAL before May 10th, the clues will automatically be added to your Ravelry Library. Happy stitching!
May Day, or Labor Day, is a public holiday in many countries worldwide. It usually occurs around May 1, but the date varies across countries. It is associated the start of spring as well as the celebration of workers.
May Day ceremonies that stem from the traditional centuries-old May Day traditions are celebrated across the world. In Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day to celebrate the island’s culture.
In the United Kingdom, May Day is still celebrated in many towns with the crowning of the May Queen. Maypoles can still be found in some towns and May Day traditions may include hobby horses and local people dressed in costumes. In Oxford, traditions are upheld for May Day celebrations, starting with the choir of Magdalen College singing from the top of the chapel tower.
Labor Day stems from the efforts of the labor union movement to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. In Mexico, it is referred to as Primero de Mayo, and is a national holiday honoring workers. Some groups organize parades or protests to promote and protect workers' rights.
Public Life
May 1 is a national holiday many European countries including (but not exclusive to): Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. It is also celebrated in countries in Central America, such as Costa Rica and Panama, and in some parts of the Caribbean, including Cuba. It is also a national holiday in Mexico. In South America, it is observed in countries such as: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. May 1 is also a national holiday in the Russian Federation and Asian countries such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Labor Day holiday, or Labour Day, is celebrated in the United States and countries such asAustralia and Canada at different times of the year.
About May Day/Labor Day
Originally a celebration of spring and the rebirth taking place in nature, May Day dates back pagan cults that worshipped trees and other symbols of nature. Traditionally, May Day is characterized by the gathering of flowers and the fertility rite of dancing around the maypole. In recent years, particularly in socialist and Communist countries, May Day has become a labor festival honoring the military and industrial efforts of the country.
The eight-hour movement to reduce the working day from 10 to eight hours began after the Civil War. It was a major aim of the National Labor Union, whose first congress met in 1866. By 1868 congress and six states passed an eight-hour legislation. In 1884 the National Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Assemblies decided to call for a general strike on May 1, 1886, to enforce demands for employers to observe the eight-hour day. In 1947, amidst the anti-Communist Cold War hysteria, the US Veterans of Foreign Wars renamed May 1 as "Loyalty Day" and a joint session of Congress later made the pronouncement official.
In many countries, the May 1 holiday was obtained by trade union agitation supported by socialist parties. However, in Germany where such agitation had proved fruitless, it was instituted in 1933 as a gift from Hitler, being promptly followed by the abolition of trade unions. In the United Kingdom, a May Day Bank Holiday was instituted in 1978 for trade unionists to celebrate, but was held on the first Monday in May to minimize the damage to business.
In China, Labor Day was extended to 3 days during the 1990s. The Chinese government made it a seven-day holiday by moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these three days. This holiday allowed millions of Chinese people to travel during this period. The Chinese government reduced this holiday period down to one day in 2008, while simultaneously reviving three traditional Chinese holidays: the Dragon Boat Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Symbols and Superstition
Many ancient customs associated with May Day come from the old Roman festival of flowers. These include gathering branches and flowers, choosing or crowning a May Queen and dancing around a bush, tree or decorated pole (the May Pole). The sports and festivities held on this day symbolize the rebirth of nature as well as human fertility. In Spain, a tall pine tree is used as a Maypole. It is decorated with ribbons, beads, and eggshells as people dance around the pole and sing May songs.
This pattern will be a free download until May 1, 2016 at that point it will list for $5.00. Enjoy!
Centripetal Mittens is a pattern that creates a pair of mittens using the brioche stitch. It is a great pattern to introduce knitters to brioche knitting and for hand-spun long color repeating yarn. With 2 color brioche a fabric is created that is reversible but one side has a completely different look from the other side. This brioche pattern is unique as a cable has been added, not just a cable but also a reversible cable using double knitting.
Gauge
20 sts/28 rows = 4 inches/10 cm stockinette st
14 sts/44 brioche rows = 4 inches/10 cm brioche stitch
1 brioche st = slipped st with its yo
Commercial Yarn
1 skein each of 2 coordinating colors of Knit Picks Chroma Worsted, 70% wool, 30% nylon, worsted weight, 198yds/178m 3.5oz/100g per skein
Let's do a hip hip hooray! I've taken an UFO out of the stash box and brought it out into the light of day! Feels so good--I'm patting myself on the back!
This snowy row by row was designed by Carol Steely Fun Threads is her blog.
We began with the snow block row--was fun to piece the letters.
There is some paper pieced blocks as I wrote about in an earlier post.
There are a few applique rows, but when it all comes together,
you have a chilly quilt. You can find these patterns on Craftsy.
Recommended Needles: 4 mm, US size 6 (for laceweight), OR 5 mm, US size 8 (for finger weight), OR whatever needle will give you the fabric you like
Gauge: approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
Pattern Notes: Always slip markers as you come to them. Their locations will be indicated in the first section, but after that, you will need to remember.
The half circle version includes a garter stitch border on either side. These stitches will be included in the directions, but not in the stitch counts for each row.
Techniques required: chart reading, increasing and decreasing, lace, working in the round.
The pattern will be free for anyone participating in the mKAL. Once the MKAL is complete (July 1), the pattern will be available for purchase.
Case in point is Ethel Stein, a 96 year old weaver! I want to be her when I grow up! It goes to prove that working with your hands and brain, brings you the wealth of knowledge you need to achieve a fruitful life--weave on!
Textile Artist has an excellent article on how to display textile art. Many moons ago, I worked with a museum to hang antique quilts and saris. There is a definite way to make sure these fragile items are displayed in the proper manner as not to damage the integrity of the cloth. I was also fortunate to work with galleries to assist with displaying delicate fabrics. One year I worked with International Quilt Festival putting up their quilts for fall show--all these experiences helped me learn how professional companies work to insure that your work of art will be handled with the most care and caution.
For my quilts, that I hang at home, I use curtain rings. I have added sleeves to the back of quilts, but couldn't find a great way to get the sleeves to stay attached to the wall. This works perfectly for
me.
Take a look at the article and see how you can improve your ways to hang your textile art pieces.
One of the quilt patterns that I took out of my stash box needs a role of paper piecing--I'm like--UGH! But, I can do this; just not my favorite form of stitching.
At least, the pattern is large size and needs large pieces of fabric. I printed off six copies,
for this row by row quilt
I begin with A1
Position my tree trunk on the square on the back side of the paper.
Stitch along those lines when I add the side pieces to A2 and A3
Way too much fabric, but I can trim it down to the stitching line--rather have
too much than not enough
Okay, finished that section and we move up to
A4 and so it goes
I'm doing each section on each of the six patterns; then I'll be finished with all them
at the same time!
Tally HO!
Finished! All Six of the blocks--now to tackle the other five blocks awaiting paper piecing!
I finished my fingerless gloves the other night--just needed to tie up all those loose ends--a project I don't relish to do. Then I remembered I had a special needle that would help me with that task
This blunt end needle is perfect for working on fiber projects--it doesn't catch on the fibers as you stitch into wooly works.
and see that needle eye--it's open so all you need to do is pull the fiber up close and snap it in!
I always hated trying to thread the needle--now, here is the answer!
And my Fingerless gloves are finished and ready to wear!
I'm so happy to report that my Sister's Choice quilt top is layered and quilted by Judy M. This was a free Bonnie Hunter pattern that I worked on last summer. The top was finished many moons ago--I just didn't have the backing; then it was at Judy's house for a few weeks--that traveling long arm gal needs to stay home, huh!!??
But, here it is in all its glory! It was such a fun scrap quilt to make.
Simple nine patch block with wings--
I like the quilting pattern too
All swirly--just need to trim the edges, sew on the binding (which is ready)
and stitch!
Another delight to add to my collection--this could be a charity quilt too if
Get out those crayons and color your next quilt blocks! At our quilters meeting the other day, Sandy and Karen were discussing their Periwinkle Lane blocks from Black Cat Creations. They had each bought the patterns and Sandy was putting the finishing touches on her blocks with hand embroidery.
I really liked the looks of these blocks and thought how fun--coloring and
stitching combined to make an adorable quilt top.
Sandy said she asked her granddaughters to color for her;
of course, they said "yes!" and colored away!
That's one clever way to get the task finished.
I wondered if the patterns were still available
and searched Black Cat website to
find--there it was! Along with some other patterns to color
I thought maybe, machine stitching would work on these details;
This discussion comes up every year--how to price our textiles that we sell? There is always some pros and cons in the round table topic. How do you place a fair price on your original work? Do you get what you paid for your materials? Your time? Textile Artist has an article on how pricing of your textile could work.
They have some bullet points to consider:
Costs
Market
Perceived Value
Don't Focus Solely on your field to price
Be consistent with Pricing
Artsyshark also has some pointers that he finds helpful.
Be sure to read the comments at the end of the article and Good Luck with your pricing!
