For Baby's Warmth

When I make baby receiving blankets, I will buy 1.5 yds of snuggle flannel--

it also takes 1.5 yds for the back.  Usually, the blankets will take only the width of the fabric=

1.25 or 45" wide.  After the flannel has been washed, it will shrink slightly, which

gives me at least .25 yd left for other purposes.  Recently, I took all those quarter

yards and cut them into 6" squares.  I left them for decisions later.

When I heard that a local charity needed receiving blankets for newborn babies,

I knew there was an opportunity to use those squares so I sewed them into a

nine patch--some I coordinated

Then I cut the squares into quarters or did nine patch disappearing block

I tried to place the blocks so there were not many match ups--this will be a

nice size blanket

Here's a good video on that step.

Doesn't matter where the colors hit--love using my 'leftover' fabric

to be creative for a great purpose!

I had this large piece of pink and decided to border it with the 6" squares

I might add more once my order of flannel arrives this week.

There is still some handwork to be done on these but I know that

a baby will enjoy the warmth of my sewing.

History of Color

Have you ever wondered how color came to be?  The history of color/pigments is fascinating--how did an artist know how to reproduce a color needed for artwork?

The website, Artsy, has an article, The Art Genome by Sarah Gottesman, that gives a brief insight into the history of color.

Red ochre is one of the oldest pigments still in use--can you believe?!  

Lapis Lazuli or Blue is worth more than gold!  

Joseph Turner used the experimental watercolor Indian Yellow—a fluorescent paint derived from the urine of mango-fed cows.  

Green pigments have been some of the most poisonous in history.  

The Impressionists—especially Monet—so adored the new hue that critics accused the painters of having “violettomania.”

The darkest pigment of the Old Masters, “bone black” is produced by burning animal bones in an air-free chamber.

Of all the pigments that have been banned over the centuries, the color most missed by painters is likely Lead White.

Give this article a read--great information here--especially if you enjoy color and art history!

Horus Shawl--Can We Say Scrumptious!

Horus Shawl designed by Pink Brutus looks to be a challenge,

but if you like challenges, jump right in as this one looks lovely!

Notes Worked from the top down for center section, then working each side separately using short rows to create wings.  Ears of Grass Lace will not repeat fully between each point of moving markers, simply continue in pattern.

Yarn DK (#3 Light); Shown: Rowan, Felted Tweed (50% Merino Wool, 25% Alpaca, 25% Viscose; 191 yds/50g): Color 157 Camel about 7-8 balls. - However, yarn isn't particularly important for this pattern.  A lighter weight will produce a smaller shawl and a heavier weight will produce a larger shawl.

Needles US6 (4mm) 21" cir for working a large number of sts; Gauge 5.5 sts & 7.5 rows = 1" St st worked flat.

Color Plus

Brightside website offers an insight into color wheel:  I have many books on color and it is still confusing at times.  Isn't color subjective?

Scheme № 1: A complementary combination

Scheme № 2: The triad — a combination of three colors

Scheme № 3: An analogous combination

Scheme № 4: The split complementary combination

Scheme № 5: The tetrad — a combination of four colors

Scheme № 6: The square

Combinations of individual colours--rules that can be obeyed--but, I'm of the mind set--rules are meant to be broken!

Let's Practise Colorwork!

Our November 2016 monthly KAL is the

Quick Ombré Hat pattern by Emily Dormier ( a free Ravelry pattern)

The pattern only shows one size, but you can use this as a working basis:
Baby (Child, Adult S, L)
To fit 16 (18, 21, 23)” head
Cast on 76 (84, 96, 108) sts
CAUTION. This only works if you use smaller needles to knit the ribbing before changing to the pattern needles.

Start date = Nov 1, 2016 and of course, I'm a day late to begin this!

You’ll be able to practise colorwork and knitting in the round.
Don’t be afraid to try,

Here are a few tutorials to help you:
Stretchy cast-on



Knitting in the round

Make A Wish Quilt Project

Check it out Quilt Along  It's happening in 2017

please add this to your list of must dos for the year!

you won't be sorry

Patchwork Quilt Along benefits Make-A-Wish. This fantastic organization grants the wishes of children diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. Make-A-Wish believes a wish experience can be a game-changer. Granted wishes help children feel stronger, more energetic, and more willing to face their medical battle, and for many the wish marks a turning point in the fight against their illnesses! 

Hall-OOOO-Ween!

Take any one of those pumpkins and turn it into this: 

Allhalloween,^[6] All Hallows' Eve,^[7] or All Saints' Eve,^[8] is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide,^[9] the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.^[10][11]

It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from Celtic harvest festivals which may have pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, and that this festival was Christianized as Halloween.^{[1][7][12][13][14][15]} Some academics, however, support the view that Halloween began independently as a solely Christian holiday.^{[1][16][17][18][19]}

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising), attending Halloween costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing and divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories and watching horror films. In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular,^[20][21][22] although elsewhere it is a more commercial and secular celebration.^[23][24][25] Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve,^[26][27] a tradition reflected in the eating of certain foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes and soul cakes.^{[27][28][29 (information from Wikipedia.}