Table Runner

This past weekend I was able to finish off a project that I've been thinking about for a couple months. I have been itching to make a reversible table runner but didn't quite know how to go about it.

A couple weeks ago I grabbed some fabric and started cutting squares, mixing and matching colors and patterns until I was happy with what I came up with. I quilted it with diagonal lines which I think work pretty well here. I washed it when I was done with it which gave it a crinkly look, and which makes it look a bit like a blanket, but I still think it works as an everyday runner for the dining room table.

I also tapped into a friends Rumpelstiltskin challenge which provided me the encouragement to really dive into the lovely fabrics that have been sitting on my shelf for awhile. I don't know what project I was waiting for to use them with - the perfect pillow, skirt or blanket pattern - but I also realized the keeping those fabrics tucked away upstairs meant that I didn't get to gaze on them daily as I do now. I much prefer it this way. Part of the Rumpelstiltskin challenge for me over this year will be to really use what I have; take full advantage of the affordances that are tucked away in my fabric stash. Get out the good stuff and use it, dammit.

You can join in on the challenge too. Head on over and check it out. No hard and fast rules, just lots of encouragement and inspiration.

Table Runner - front


Table Runner - back

On a Whim

One of my older daughters and I were bumming around town today. On a whim we stopped into the Glitter Workshop, a local business that features beautiful art/crafts from local folks. And there was a hand stamped jewelry workshop in session. I poked my head back into the classroom and was instantly taken with the idea of making something. It was fate.

Mindy Kuen, the woman running the workshop, had some amazing custom pieces set out as examples; they were inspirational. Combine that with my intermittent ogling of Lisa Leonard designs and I had a pretty clear idea of where I wanted my piece to go.

Mindy set out materials for key chains, pendants or bracelets, walked each of us through the process, provided many pointers and hints, and allowed all of us access to her stamp collections. Very cool. You can also find her blog here.

I am so happy with how this piece turned out. There is nothing like the satisfaction of making something yourself, stretching yourself in new directions - stamping is a decidedly non-fiber art form - and experiencing something new with someone you love. True, my daughter did spend most of her time in the awesome art/play room at the store, but still.

I hope that all of you find yourselves in unexpected places, and able to take advantage of unanticipated joys this weekend too. (Hmmm...can you tell that the sentimental phase of this pregnancy is taking hold?)

I can't let Christmas go this year

For whatever reason we are still celebrating the winter holidays here at home. A friend recently introduced me to this book and let me tell you I am smitten! And I have re-connected with the inner cross stitcher in me! Check here for a previous post about cross stitch.

This little Santa number is almost finished, but there are three reindeer in front of him and his sleigh. I haven't decided what I will do with the finished piece (frame vs. pillow-type decoration), but I am really liking the red/white contrast. And stitching on nice linen, while potentially expensive, makes a big difference in the look and feel of the final project.

The Rainbow of Stitches is an amazing book - tons of delicately modern and timeless motifs to work from. Many are charted cross-stitch patterns, but there are also a lot of basic embroidery designs that would be manageable even for the beginner. The project photos and ideas are elegant and inspiring. I decided to add this book to my personal library. Since its not a knitting book, that should give you an idea of how good I think this book is (smile).

Keep your eye out for a few more small projects from this book over the next year for the girls. I've had requests for an ice cream cone, a dog and a train. Maybe I will even tackle a sampler. The inner cross stitch maven has awaken indeed!

ps. I did a tremendous amount a cross-stitch as a child. Mostly on that really large-count cotton cross stitch cloth. My mom introduced me to the craft and I have made many a project over the years. I would be tempted to tell you that I swore off it in high school (how could cross-stitch possibly have made me cool?) but I recently uncovered this as-of-yet-unfinished beauty dated 1995. That was my senior year. Hah. With this lying around I find it difficult to deny that I knew (dated?) DMC as a teenager.

First Yarn Purchase!

I took the plunge and made my first yarn purchase of the year. I have to say it was a little difficult, a little indulgent, and very exciting. I have been eyeing the Linen Stitch scarf pattern from Churchmouse Yarns for a couple months and went ahead with a purchase to make it happen. I had a skein of Louet Gems on hand, the purple-ish yarn, and paired it with two new skeins of Koigu Painter's Palette, the orange and green yarns.

One lesson moving forward with my knitting is to not get ahead of myself with my purchases. Sure there will be times that certain projects will jump ahead in my queue out of necessity (holidays, births, etc.), but I can't let those projects trump plans for a project that I am excited about knitting; especially one that I purchased new yarn to make. Maintaining fidelity to my stashed and purchased yarns is certainly goal-in-process, but one that was made concrete for me over my last year of knitting adventures.

In this vein, I am happy that I pulled one skein from my stash and matched it with two more new purchases. The me from 2009 would have purchased three new skeins (maybe even 4 if I couldn't make up my mind), and then worked the project, letting the perfectly suitable, lovely, and fantastic purple skein rest awhile longer in my stash. When would the old me ever have used that purple? I'm not sure. Hopefully the me of 2011 is more conscious and more creative.

I am very excited to cast on for this project - I think the scarf is going to be fantastic. It also uses a stitch that is new to me, the linen stitch. What a lovely fabric it produces!