Yarn Along The Rockies

Yarn Along The Rockies is a 9 day yarn crawl with a Passport Tour of 24 participating yarn shops across the front range of Colorado. With SIX grand prizes, generous schwag baskets provided at each store, and lots of crawl discounts, there are lots of opportunities to win!

Yarn Along The Rockies is happening next week--beginning August 22 and ending August 30th!

Who says I don't need any yarn??  Not me!  I can always use some yarn--stash it, if necessary!

Here's the map--plan out your trip and maybe, our paths will cross along the way!

Happy yarn gathering!

Pincushion crazy!!!

I have made so many 1/2 square triangles in my Bonnie Hunter Work and had some leftovers--here is what I found to use them up..

Half Square Triangle Pincushion

 

Jeni Baker has this new book being published this fall--I think this could be a definite bonus to my library!  Once I looked at Jeni's pincushions, I thought--I like pincushions "why not see what other patterns are out there?"

I found these knitted ones--really cute!

You can make pincushions to fill any container--like these small tuna cans or how about small teacups

How about felted pincushions?  I can use up all those tiny scraps of wool felt@

Free Pincushion patterns

Little Birdie  Yes!  My dear Friend, Annette, would make these little chickens to sell to raise money for Breast Cancer Research--I love my chicken!  and think of her every time I look at it!

and of course, there is always Pinterest

 

Convergence 2016--Milwaukee!

                         

Convergence®

 HGA’s Convergence® 2016 Conference   

July 30 - August 6, 2016

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

HGA invites you to our Convergence® 2016 conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 30 - August 6, 2016. We are pleased to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s vibrant arts community on the shore of Lake Michigan.

On HGA’s first trip to Wisconsin, we look forward to connecting with our members in the Midwest and to bringing fiber enthusiasts from all over the world to experience the “City of Festivals.”  Wisconsin’s popular tourist destinations and recreation areas offer an exciting array of activities to extend your visit.  

 

Photography Credits: Milwaukee Art Museum, courtesy: VISIT Milwaukee;
Mary Mortenson, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Red Clay Dress. Photograph: Petronella Ytsema;
Jenny Schu, East Lansing, Michigan, She Can’t See The Forest Through the Trees. Luke Anthony Photography;
Joy Berg and Wendy Dolan, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Sundress and Parasol. Photograph: Emily Glinski;
Xia Gao, East Lansing Michigan, Restless. Photograph: Xia Gao.

If you weave, spin, dye, make baskets, or use one of the many other fiber techniques we love, plan to be with us for this premier fiber experience!  Join thousands of fiber enthusiasts and hundreds of vendors from all over the world, exhibiting and sharing their knowledge. Convergence® classes include novice to advanced instruction in a variety of fiber techniques including:

• weaving
• spinning
• dyeing
• basketry
• braiding
• feltmaking
• knitting
• garment construction and sewing with handwovens
• digital imagery
• color and design
• and much, much more!

Charity Giving!

As a rule, we as fiber people, like to be generous in our giving to charities.

Right Sides Together website has some good tips on Do's and Don'ts of giving.

Know your audience

Don’t spread yourself too thin.

Give your best…

but use charity as space for experimentation

Read the complete article at their website--some good pointers to make charity giving

a happiness for you as a giver and the recipient.

Mixed Media Trends

TOP 10 TRENDS IN MIXED MEDIA

SUMMER 2015

--Art Journaling: with a shift toward more authentic, raw journaling and less emphasis on pretty pages

--Bible Journaling: faith-based journaling directly into bibles is on the rise

--Text and Lettering: a hot trend from 2014 continues in many forms

--Paint Mediums: more and more companies are diving into the paint business and paint pens are a hot product in 2015

--Fine Art: crosses into mixed media via the popularity of encaustic and cold wax techniques, portraiture and watercolors

--Stencils: continues to ride a wave of popularity with text, geometric shapes, nature, portraiture and and background designs trending as themes

--Fabric and Fiber: crossing into mixed media in many forms

--Surface Design: renewed interest is evident on fabric and paper, both digitally and handmade

--Sketching: a continued resurgence in sketching and drawing is evident

--Coloring books for adults are hot, hot, hot

Folded Bags!

Recently, I came across this Bento bag--wow!  light bulbs went  off in my head! This bag can be constructed from knitted fabric as in the following photo. 

It can be made from commercial fabric.

  Or woven fabric could be used--now, that's when the ideas really began to flow.  I have several pieces of woven fabric that are near this width (12"). 

Japanese bag folding, Furoshiki.

There are two great tutorials on this folded bag--join me!  This will be fun!  Bento Bag

Pattern 8--August!

Well, I can't believe that I am keeping up with this knit along!  One small problem--I'm running out of my handspun!  But, here is the August pattern for this lace year long scarf...........

#8: Spider Stitch Lace Pattern (multiple of 6+1): 63 beads and 49 sts total NON-BEADED VERSION:


Row 1(RS): K1, +YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 2 and all even-numbered rows through Row 12: Purl. Row 3: K1, +YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 5: K1, +YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 7: K2, +YO, SK2P, YO, K3; rep from + ending last repeat K2 instead of K3. Row 9: K1, +K2TOG, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1; rep from + to end. Row 11: K2TOG, +YO K3, YO, SK2P; rep from + ending last repeat SSK instead of SK2P. Repeat the above 12 Rows two more times (3 times total). Knit five rows. On the next row, K3, sm, K21, Kf&b, K21, sm, K3. BEADED VERSION: Row 1: K1, +K2TOG, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1; rep from + to end. Row 2 and all even-numbered rows through Row 12: Purl. Row 3: K2TOG, +YO K3, YO, SK2P; rep from + ending last repeat SSK instead of SK2P. Row 5: K1, +YO, SSK, (B)K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 7: K1, +YO, SSK, (B)K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 9: K1, +YO, SSK, (B)K1, K2TOG, YO, K1; rep from + to end. Row 11: K2, +YO, SK2P, YO, K3; rep from + ending last repeat K2 instead of K3. Repeat the above 12 Rows two more times (3 times total). Knit five rows. On the next row, K3, sm, K21, Kf&b, K21, sm, K3.