Tidal Waves

Super soft and scrummy, this yarn felt so wonderful in my hands.  Pure Merino Superwash Wool, combined with an interesting pattern made for great knitting!  You could say, all things came together perfectly.

Ready to start knitting!

The yarn colours I chose are 033 Cereza (red) and 139 Pocion (dark charcoal with reddish highlights) from the Malabrigo Rios 10ply range.  Perfect colours for my SIL.

A fun pattern with lots of leeway to be “organic” with the knitting.  I learned some new skills with the German Short Rows and Double Stitch methods.

Completed scarf.

Using garter stitch throughout means that the scarf is soft and will 'give' to fit the wearer.

The effect is amazing and I love it.  I also enjoyed the WOW factor from my SIL when she unwrapped this scarf at Christmas.

Blurry detail shot of the fringe

A well written pattern which uses up every single bit of yarn when you include the fringe.  No leftovers!

So much movement in the pattern.

Pattern used:  Moving Tides Scarf by Karen Dettering at Stitches'n'Things.

Yarn used:  Malabrigo Rios 10ply

Happy Japanese

When I started making Happy Japanese, I have to admit that I was completely clueless as to what to do.  My good friend, H, was turning 60.  She rang me in September lasted year and mentioned her significant birthday.  I knew I wanted to make something for her, but was struggling as to what when she said she liked red and black in a Japanese style.

After some ruminating and sighing, I happened to glance at the fruit bowl, which was a gift from her some 8 years ago and was the perfect scheme for what she told me she liked.  Good grief, the right choices were there, under my nose in plain sight the whole time!!!

Here is my initial pulling of fabrics, which I sent a photo of to her for confirmation.  Yes, she liked my choices - phew!  By the way, H was thinking I was going a bit peculiar at the time and luckily for me hadn't put two and two together.

Now I needed a plan.  I toyed with Drunkards Path, circular patterns, and all sorts of things until I found this plan of squares on pinterest.  Apparently it is a plan for a crochet blanket.  I followed this plan, with my own fabric square sizes in multiples of 2.5in to get the size of quilt I wanted to make.

Here's how it started.... Lots of cutting and laying out on the floor for options.  I didn't use the white fabrics because they stood out too strongly and looked very out of place. 

Slowly, but surely the quilt grew.  I hand embroidered some sashiko pieces to add a textural and visual element to the other fabrics.  

Turns out, there was more variety in my stash and some newly purchased fabrics than I thought!

Here's the completed quilt.  Hubby was having a hard time holding it up for the photo, standing on a chair, outside in the wind.

And, lastly, some pics of the backing fabric, lovely red with gold ginko leaves and calligraphy on the centre fabric panel.  

 Finished off with fire engine red binding.

I quilted "Happy Japanese" on my domestic sewing machine with YLI threads in an all over swirl pattern to add movement to the very 'square' quit pattern.

I have kept the design idea page because this has turned out to be a true favourite quilt. 

Goal setting...

No photos today - sorry folks, but I have set some goals for August, and hopefully, by writing them down here, I will be accountable to cross off as many as I can.

In a message on a Yahoo group that I belong to, one of the members asked:  

• How about you?  Do you have plans for August??

And here is my reply; 

Why, yes I do, thank you for asking! :)  My August plans are:

1. Continue to quilt  my version of "Dancing Nines" 
2. Bind Dancing Nines.
3. Complete "Bali Bluster" quilt top - it's in many, many pieces at the moment and is made up of Birds in the Air blocks.
4. Layer, baste and quilt Bali Bluster quilt and hopefully get the binding done too.
5. Work on Splendid Sampler blocks.
6. If I get done on the above, pull out "Garden Gate" kiddie flimsy to baste/quilt for a baby, which is not due until Feb - but I'm pretty slow at hand-sewing binding.

To tally up:

- Dancing Nines is an UFO from Aug 2016 (pattern by Bonnie Hunter)  
- Bali Bluster was started on 21/07/17 - new start 10 days ago in a class at my local group.
- Splendid Sampler I started in May this year when the second sew-a-long started.

- Garden Gate is an UFO from October 2014.  (see this post)

These are big goals for me, as I'm not as fast as some at quilting/binding, but I'm being very optimistic.  Two UFO's and one new start to be completed by end Aug.

It feels good to have this out of my head and written down.  This list has been printed and put up in my sewing room so that I can have the satisfaction of crossing things off a list! 

Cake, Bags and Twins Turning 50

Ok, it's official - I really am the grey haired fat cake lady!  Two more bags and another cake in the past week or so.  What's a girl to do when her very good friend with a twin sister has a significant birthday?  Why make more bags and cakes of course! :) 

Twin one received Bag One, which is called "Cat's Cradle", designed by Pauline and Gael at Patchworks Unlimited.  A stunning combination of red and black, made with the technique of wrapping 2.5in fabric strips around some cord.  A really sturdy bag with a small pocket and lots of room on the inside.  A definite must make again.

Twin two received Bag Two, which is called "Studio Bag", designed by Leesa Chandler at Chandler's Cottage.  I loved learning how to do the sashiko stitching which appears on the front and back.

Also, there were a few techniques involved in making this bag which are not normal to bag making, therefore it was a lot more interesting to do.  And... I got the chance to show off gorgeous buttons made from Japanese fabric and acrylic.

 The little side ties just finish it off perfectly.

 Then, the cake.  One large chocolate cake, cut in half, covered in white chocolate ganache.  Topped off with white roses, daisies and edible silver glitter.

Happy Birthday you two!