nyc

One more jaunt to NYC for some fun.

I saw a fantastically sad and funny play called If there is I haven't found it yet.

Wandered through Soho, popping into some of my favourite shops.

Walked the Highline again.

Enjoyed some fancy Italian fare at Eataly.

I know two visits in a year is quite plenty. (But still, I am thinking, would three times be crazy?)

Have tea towels, will dry...

So happy to have finished these tea towels. 

I had a few stumbles but now that they're (almost) finished, I'm so pleased. Just have to cut, sew and wash and I'll be ready to dry a sink full of dishes.

The details: Cotton warp, linen and cotton weft

Pattern: Monk's belt 

I heart

The beach, 2004

Hello my friends! Did you enjoy a nice weekend? I had a busy but productive one - seeing friends, getting things tidied up, moving projects along, and thinking about this and that.

Some things that I have been loving lately:

:: Grabbing a cardigan to take with me in the cold, dark mornings. I'm ready to turn the calendar page, anyone else?

:: This knitting-themed fabric from MummySam.  I especially love the little fellow looking at his knitted trousers. Also, something about this print makes me almost a little teary.

:: While we're talking etsy love, this print from thelittlechickadee is a sentiment I should tell myself more often when I have my Eeyore pants on. (Oh but those pants are so comfortable).

:: This lovely shawlette from Anat Rodan makes me want to cast on right away. (** free pattern too)

:: And so do these swirly, pretty Abra Alba fingerless gloves. (***another free pattern!)

:: These typographic maps are astonishing.

:: Ira Glass talks about his reading habits (and his preference for Hermione over Harry)

:: And this take on the U.S. election cracked me up.

Happy week ahead!

Oh bias tape...

Do you remember that scene in The Hours where Julianne Moore's character sets out to make a birthday cake for her husband and she has in her mind that it will be a most beautiful and perfect confection? And then once she finishes, the cake is all lopsided and there are crumbs in the icing. From what I remember, she then has a bit of a five-alarm meltdown. 

Well. ahem. So I had in my mind that I would make a pretty throw. I saw a very simple and lovely one at Greenwood Quiltery - just one metre of their lovely fleece backing matched with a cotton and some bias tape. 

So I dove in. I scanned a few bias tape tutorials because when you're dealing with something you've never done before, all that is required is a quick scan. 

Very very quickly, the blanket that I had in my mind diverged from the reality I was making. Instead of crumbs in the icing it was wonky mitres and bias tape that wouldn't cooperate. And then once I finished and I re-read the instructions (because that's the best time to read the instructions thoroughly), I realized I had my steps all so very, very wrong.

I had a minor meltdown -- not of The Hours variety, just a minor one that involved some pouting.

Ah well, I know better for next time...

In case you ever find yourself in need of a really good bias tape pep talk, Angry Chicken's rocks.

Hello, Henslowe

So I was pretty excited for London 2012. Mostly just for the opportunity to knit something for the  Ravelympics. But during the Opening Ceremonies, I opted against such craziness because of my massive pile of unfinished objects and a big project that I am love, love, loving.

So of course it would make sense that the very next day, I cast on this pretty shawl. 

Heh. I love me some garter stitch and lace edging.

The details: Swan's Island (such a lovely gift, thank you M!)

The pattern: Henslowe

Needles: 4 mm

His and Hers Hunderwasser

My friend Heather is tying the knot soon and I was very taken with the idea of making her some his and her socks. When rustling through my big bag of sock yarn (Side note: how on earth did this bag get so big? I felt very much like the smallest child in the world diving into one of those enormous bouncy castles full of balls), I found two skeins of Opal Hundertwasser yarn. His and Hers Hundertwasser socks! Big ups for the alliteration, right?  Also, big ups for the Austrian artists!

I've bundled them with some delicious Lover's Leap and Wedding tea from Harney and Sons that I picked up in New York. And I sewed up a little gift pouch using Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush fabric and some x's and o's ribbon from John Lewis.

Happy wedding to you Heather - I hope you have many happy days together!

Lucky me!

Aren't these dishcloths pretty? My pal KW made them for me.

They are so cheerful and sweet, I don't think I can even entertain the thought of using them to scrub dishes and so I think I'll use them for light dusting.

Thanks Kerry - I love love love them!

Ta-da, three hems and you're done!

I can be a bit of a spaz at the sewing machine. Sometimes things fly along happily and I think, oh I should be doing this more often. Other times, when things aren't going so well, I start to sweat and I think, I shall never ever sew again. There might be some angry fist shaking too.

But, this little circular scarf (a kit from Greenwood Quiltery) is always easy - hem one side, hem the other, french seam the two ends together and voila, a pretty circular scarf.

My friend Deb made one for me last year and it is the nicest of lightweight scarves.

The details:

Voila kit from Greenwood Quiltery

The fabric: Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush voile

Made for: My dear friend Anna for her birthday