vintage valentines

Yesterday, I cut and pasted these. I did however not use safety scissors but, big girl grown up ones. Other than that, it felt very grade school in the best possible way. The images were provided free to download for personal use only by Abby. I am going to mail these out to some little ones.

felted eyeglass case

This weekend I knitted up eyeglass cases in garter stitch and then felted them. I am really loving making up patterns these days.This one is made of a beautiful green/blue/yellow variegated 100% wool from the UK. It felts amazing and I had the wool on hand. I am really making efforts to use what I have. The applique is a ash leaf cut from a felted sweater. It is trimmed with a button and a ribbon to be used as the clasp and is lined with a burgandy cotton flannel (shown in the background) that matches the color of the leaf . I am going to list it on my Etsy shop today.

Sweaters Made Mini

Inspired by Emily
who was inspired by
Anthropologie


I made them too


but back in December. I admit mine do need some tweaking comparing them to the other 2. I'll have another go at this at some point. Some sweaters felted better. The dark green one never really took to the felting like the others. The wool was not as thick and that makes a difference I learned. Now that it feels like winter and I'm in a hibernating way it sort of showcases my mood of making tiny things while staying warm indoors. Little projects seem to be my thing these days although someday (hopefully this year) I will try my hand on a quilt. Currently. I have a few things in progress and I'm hoping to try crewel embroidery on two of them once I get the small stash I ebay'd in the mail.
Now off to work I go.

a little knit project

A little project that starts and finishes quickly can be so satisfying. This is a cell phone cozy knitted with 2 yarns- one a dusty lavender and the other a variegated lavender/grey/green/cream one. It is lined with the fabric from the handle and trimmed with a pearl button. The handle (which can be pushed over) is purely decorative as is the button. It will also protect it from falling out and from little M who has a pre-conditioned interest in phones as most toddlers do.

vintage tins- i love them

I love collections. I love collecting vintage this's and that's. I especially love old tins with great graphics. The above photo shows my small collection of antique tins that were used for various items-candies, powder, typewriter ribbon etc. They are one of the items I collect of many that are actually quite useful to hold my odds and ends and so I have them around my place: in the bathroom to hold tiny jewelrey that never made it back to the jewelrey box and barrettes, ribbons and hair ties. In the bedroom to hold darning needles, yarn tags, bits of yarn, thimbles or other sewing accessories.
I plan to add to this collection and replace other items in not-so-nice boxes in pretty tins.

Three Things I Love Today

1) These books:





Here is a description from Amazon..
Anatole is a most honorable mouse. When he realizes that humans are upset by mice sampling their leftovers, he is shocked! He must provide for his beloved family--but he is determined to find a way to earn his supper. And so he heads for the tasting room at the Duvall Cheese Factory. On each cheese, he leaves a small note--"good," "not so good," "needs orange peel"--and signs his name. When workers at the Duvall factory find his notes in the morning, they are perplexed--but they realize that this mysterious Anatole has an exceptional palate and take his advice. Soon Duvall is making the best cheese in all of Paris! They would like to give Anatole a reward--if only they could find him...
and in the second
Clever Anatole must act to protect his job, and his life! He must do what no mouse has done before--find a way to bell the cat. Bonne chance, Anatole!

They were given to me last night by Carolyn. Also, he has six mouse children- Claude and Claudette, Paul and Paulette and George and Georgette. Oh, the love.

2) My outfit today - a snowflake thermal, lilac gingham apron and green leggings and that I don't care how silly it looks.




3) the newest pincushion that I'm keeping for myself although I'm going to make a duplicate of it for the shop.

Flower pincushion

Do you have a tomato? Are you tired of your tomato? If you answered, yes...then maybe this is for you. I'm making pincushions and selling them. Here is the first one all dolled up with flower pins. The flower fabric is from a church rummage sale last year and the bottom is made of wool felt. It is adorned with a red felt flower and a white button on top and a red button on the other side.

little shoes and art

The past 2 days I've been knitting these. I'm loving this lilac and turquoise combination. The pattern is from Debbie Bliss, the yarn is not. I'm trying to only use yarn from my stash.They are knit with size 2 needles. I rarely work with such small yarn. I know there are those hardcore knitters out there who think working with small yarn and needles is true knitting and anything about a size 8 needle is cheating. I'm not one of them. It is so dainty and tiny imperfections tend to show up more. I wish I could have photographed them on a little one because I'm not doing them any justice with this photograph. They will be gifted to one of the three little girls arriving over the next few months.

Also, today I got out to ICP and saw this:
Louise Brooks

Munkacsi

Henri Cartier-Bresson

tea for two

Guess what I did over the weekend? Cozied up and knitted. Let me tell you though that unfortunately this tea cozy was not fun. I found the pattern online and the yarn I had on hand. It sounded all cute on Friday, right? Sugar n' cream...

This tea cozy made me mad. I was knitting with size 4 needles and the yarn I realize now was for bigger needles so it was tight and tough going at times. Also, I kept having to undo it because I would forget which row I was on and then those ridges would appear on the other side.

Well it's done thank goodness and it's cute....moving on...

-also from this weekend is a knitted ipod cozy listed in my shop!

Feeling Cozy

Last Saturday, our new mattress and box spring came. I can't tell you how much our sleep has improved. A lot. Our last mattress was so bad and so dead. We also upgraded from a full size bed to a queen. We feel like royalty. We just need to decide on a bed frame (more like I need to decide = I'm the pickier one).
This was our major Christmas present and what a winner!
So, we are feeling cozy.


Also cozy is this warm plump vanilla scarf I knitted a few years ago that is super long made from Rowan wool.
You can't tell the length here but, trust me.
Also, in progress on the needles is a tea cozy. The yarn for the this is called sugar 'n cream. Can you believe that? So I had to make a tea cozy, right?
I think I need a latte or hot cocoa this afternoon...maybe a cookie. Although I already dipped into the double chocolate milanos this morning.

Winter Berries + Candy Gumballs

As, I was making these it occurred to me what my choice in color scheme had become...winter berries



and candy gumballs



I've been wanting to do these felted beads forever. It was one of those ideas that popped in my head, went away and just came back again. This happens a lot. It was a fun experience (ok my arms and shoulder are sore) and I see many more of these in my future. The possibilities for these are endless. It begins with wool roving and then you add warm water and dishwashing liquid and roll in your hand. Okay, it's not as easy as that but here is a tutorial if you are craving some of these in your life. I still need to scald and shock them. It sounds mean, right, but basically I need to put them in the colander, pour boiling water over them and then shock them with cold water...kind of like blanching vegetables. I have some good ideas for these up my sleeve.

xx

-It's snowing!

'Corset' Belt

The past few days I've been working on this 'corset' belt that I based on a photograph. I use the term corset loosely as this is very comfortable and soft and not tight at all. It can be worn on the waist but I think it looks nice a little lower as I'm not the girl who wears things on my actual waist. It is knit in stockinette stitch with eyelet holes for the ribbon. I'm planning to list it on my Etsy shop tonight.

Knitting Nancy

A little history about the Knitting Nancy
and to tell you that I am knitting away on a few projects. I hope to finish one or more this week to show you.

A Flower Necklace + The Cottingley Fairies

This is what fairies would wear. A perfect accessory for a garden tea party or for any little/big girl dress up occassion. Although it is quite fragile and would take a well mannered child to use without it falling apart.


Also, the Cottingley Fairies- a very fun little story to read that I happened upon this morning after I made the necklace.

Thumbkin

Where is Thumbkin

I made little M some mittens with no thumbs. The pattern is Ann Norling. Why no thumbs... you may ask.
Indeed, it does seem strange. Well, lately he is fussy about keeping his thumbs in there. So, no thumb mittens were in order.

A Tea Party

Oh what fun a make-believe tea party organized by Ms. Risa
I do so love dressing up in my fancy tea clothes.




And, look shall I bring my Beatrix Potter cup

and bowl
to collect my treats.
I've got some cream and sugar






some candies and 2 cookies and crystallized rose petals for all -










xoxo

Introducing Professor Paws

Here is the new kitty in the house. So far, he is much better behaved then Lux and Molly.
Professor Paws is part of the Wee Wonderfuls Make-A-Long story I have yet to do the main characters. I've only done one of their backpacks but was smitten with this kitty and felt compelled to make him. I'm not the best when it comes to soft toy making. Let's just say he has character..a certain je ne sais quoi.

yo-yo, rapper's delight

Little M and I have been dancing to Rapper's Delight and I have been making yo-yo's. Hmmm... I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them just yet.
It's a very educational song you know.. they count and talk about colors. It's also quite a workout for those inclined to hold 21 pounds and dance.

xoxo

little/big red riding hood

Some things never change, right? Like take a look at this picture of me dressed up for Halloween



That was taken Halloween 1976. And now, look at me...



This capelet began it's life as a plain red hooded sweatshirt from Target. I followed the tutorial from Emily.
Which brings me to The Up Series




which was recommended to me by the lovely Carolyn. Do you know about this? It is a documentary series about how people are who they are by the age of 7. (The Halloween photo is taken of me at 6 1/2). They interview the children at age 7 and then every 7 years. It is so interesting to watch. You really get wrapped up in their lives. We have 42 up now and will watch it this week.

Oh, and the 1st image is an antique Lithographed Tin Plate from the 1920's-1930's made by the Ohio Art Co. that I got at Little Cricket in Montclair, NJ. It is one of my favorite stores.

buttons and daisies

It was raining yesterday and I needed some brightness So, I did this....



I never wore this red shirt but, I'm sure I will now. I basted it last night and ran it through the machine today. I think it's kind of cute.

a knit cloche

Last week I showed the hat in progress and wasn't sure how it would turn out. I was so nervous as I finished it up not knowing what it was going to look like. Surprisingly, I'm really quite pleased with it since this is my own made up pattern and it looks really nice on. I think it is a little like the hat these lovely ladies are wearing in this Edward Hopper painting I adore.

Alice Love

recently I bought this


and 2 of these


and this wonderful pop-up book that is SO amazing

'The Quickening'

On Wednesday, Grammie came (oh how fun it is to call your Mom, Grammie) and I went to Chelsea to pop in a few galleries. I went to see 'The Quickening'. Why might you ask would I like to spend my time away from my little boy watching women get stalked and killed is a question that I can not answer but it was so much more then that. I really enjoyed the filming, technique, and narrative. I admit I am a sucker for the costuming and sets and the fairy tale aspect of the scarlet dress girl sweeping the leaves in the forest and dancing with the bear. This stems to my obsessions with the forest, forest creatures...


Here is a press release

Sue de Beer
Marianne Boesky Gallery
509 W 24th St
Marianne Boesky Gallery is pleased to announce a new video installation by Sue de Beer, entitled The Quickening. Set in the oppressive environment of Puritan New England ca. 1740 and drawing inspiration from the Salem Witch Trials, the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the Decadent writings of Joris-Karl Huysmans, de Beer has created a period film filtered through the gaze of a psychedelic lens. The video will be projected in the main gallery space, amongst a dropped ceiling, lush lighting and red carpeting. Typical of de Beer’s video practice, the artist replicates portions of the sets in The Quickening to accompany the screening. Before entering the projection room, the viewer must first pass through a ring of trees, 10 feet in diameter. Next, a hallway with two replicated dream machines entices the viewer towards the main gallery space. Integral to the film itself, the spinning dream machines with their mesmerizing flickering light prepare the viewer to be transported and deliver him ready to engage with the film.

With The Quickening, Sue de Beer distances herself from her past fascination with the world of today’s youth, so characteristic of her previous videos. Instead, 18th century Puritan America becomes de Beer’s physical stage and inspires a wholly different culture to be mined. The Quickening’s themes naturally involve female sexuality and its repression, sin, fear and ultimate persecution. The narrative is seemingly simple enough: a young woman is stalked, violently attacked, and finally hanged as punishment for her immorality. Recalling her past slasher-movie aesthetic, De Beer heightens the violence with frenetic camera movements and crystalline audio of knife to flesh, yet counters its dark shadows with rich jewel-toned greens and scarlets in its sets and costumes.

Layered upon the themes of sins of the flesh and their punishment, de Beer weaves another character into the video who sits entranced watching a dream machine before him, leaving the viewer to wonder where the reality of the narrative lies. Where Puritanism sought control over the members of its society and their inherent sin, which de Beer highlights through a voiceover with excerpts from the theologian Jonathan Edwards’ richly didactic sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (1741), the dream machine provides the very release from that control, freeing the mind from such constraints.

Felty Friday

Inspired by the wonderful creatures by Jenn, I am lucky enough to have adopted Beatrice and Tilda--I made this cute little needle felted blue bird. It wasn't so hard. I bought a kit, the wool roving and needles at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival. It took me about 2 1/2 hours. The hardest part is not to stick yourself with the needles--they are very sharp. Isn't she cute?

lace + i heart suri

A perfect follow up from my last post I think would be to show what I'm currently knitting.




Here is a gray lace scarf that I am knitting with Blue Sky Alpaca Brushed Suri which is a combination of baby suri, merino and bamboo. If you knit and haven't yet worked with this yarn I most highly recommend it. It is so soft and amazing to knit with. This scarf is from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2006 and is called Misty Garden by Jo Sharp. It is the old-fashioned feather and fan stitch pattern. This is my first lace knit piece and it reminds me of my handmade lace class which I took when I was 22 with my friend Heather. Lace-making is wonderful but tedious. We even made our own little cushions to do it on. So many bobbins and just wind and wind forever to get a itty bitty tiny little bit of lace.





Another, project on the needles is this Mano Del Uruguay/Brushed Suri hat I am doing. I am just making this pattern up as I go along so hopefully it works. It is almost done. This was the first project I started with suri and because it is so soft and wonderful I'm now doing the scarf.



Lastly, because I am feeling show off-y I thought I would show you a bag I made this summer from One Skein. The photo in the book shows a womans hands lovingly holding her coffee cup while the cute button clutch lies beside her. I dreamed about sitting in the coffee shop the same way with my tiny clutch to keep me company. I have yet to bring it to the coffee shop. Soon though, soon.