Thursday 25 October 2012

Where the Heart Is

I cannot show the bears that are being prepared for the Christmas Treasures Show next month, ...but I can show you other projects I have on the go! 

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love flowers and the garden. A few weeks ago, I became intrigued by silk ribbonwork and made a few pansies from a kit.  I wanted more, so signed up for a three week online Joggles course called Scrumptious Hearts with Christen Brown.  The course covered how to dye silk ribbon and lace and how to make a few different flowers, finishing with using them to embellish little hearts.  I thoroughly recommend the course.  I loved it.  I didn't follow the instructions entirely, but I have always marched to my own drum.  My hearts have ended up as pincushions, as I added 4 layers of batting to make them thick enough.  (Not much room left for pins, though!)



I feel that I am just at the start of this journey, and look forward to more of this work, when bear making, housework and gardening commitments allow!

Friday 19 October 2012

Only Two Months Until Christmas!

Sorry that I haven't posted lately.  I am very busy designing and making bears for the Christmas Treasures Onlinw Show in November.  The bears have to be kept under wraps until the show begins...

So I thought I'd show a few photos of other projects in progress...

This year I have discovered colour - or I probably should say, have rediscovered colour.  Back in the 1980s I knitted lots of Kaffe Fassett jumpers in lots of beautiful colours, but I then became very conservative with colour, tending to natural muted shades.

I have recently started hand-dyeing - trying my hand at dyeing mohair, cotton and silk using a variety of techniques.  If you haven't tried it, it is SO much fun and very addictive.  With just a few colours of dye, you can create a huge range of colours.

Below is a photo of my latest mohair dyeing attempts.



I have been hand dyeing silk and satin ribbons and lace for future projects (when I get time!).





It doesn't show up well in the photos, but many of the ribbons have been dyed to make them ombre ribbons.  I love to see graduated colour on ribbons and is so easy to do.

I fell in love with the yarn below and liked it so much, I knitted it up as scarves in three different colourways.


I also found time to make a tote and poochie bag.  The tote design is from Lisa Lam's book.  The poochie bag was from a free online pattern by Monica Solorio-Snow.


Wishing you all a lovely day!