New crafty articles :)

Want to know where to get the pattern for those cakes, or would you like to see pics of the charming details? I wrote about it here.

I also have a new article up on my hardanger pattern, but you already know about the pattern.

In the workshop

THE CAKE IS A LIE.

I stitched these up for an article I'll be putting up shortly.



Coffee beans!



"Chocolate" foliage.

Sweepstakes, anyone?

Fabric.com is still running their "Sew" Much Fun Sweepstakes with some really awesome prizes. If you want to enter, go for it while there's still time.

Ric rac flowers!

Want to know how to make them? I linked all the best tutorials here and they don't take long at all.

Making progress.

For those following this nifty little lost and found hardanger pattern I've been working on, I wanted to update with progress photos.



I got some serious time to work on it a couple nights ago while chatting with friends, and today I finished all the work up to cutting.



Then tonight I started the cutting. I changed the filling stitches the middle parts call for in this one because the designer's recommendation looked too plain. Once I get these done, I have to fill in all the uncut squares with the 'sunflower' filling pattern she based her book around.

Hopefully I'll have this one done soon, then it's off to finish a few other projects and start some bad juju. Whatever could that be? ;)

Random stuff and nonsense.

This post will be long. I'll try to include a picture or two to break it up.

First off, I wrote 4 articles on local art festivals. You can check them out here,here, here, and here.

In other news, I'm on craftgossip again here. Readers here already know about the free pattern, but you might not know about craftgossip, so gogo!

In other news, have a tiny bit of time and finally got the pattern back for this design I started long, long ago.



Making progress quickly on it because I can't wait to see it completed.



Let's see...what else...

Oh!

I'm in the middle of drafting a design for a pretty big project. One of the ladies at Valdani saw my work and wants to take a piece done in their threads with them to trade shows. Apparently they went to Smac in Paris last year and there was no hardanger around, so they want to bring mine.

I'm kind of nervous and excited about it. I can't wait to see it completed. Of course, there will be pictures. I have to have it done and to them by August.

Also, a friend of mine requested that I make a hardanger brochure for a festival she's going to, so I finally got that done today.



I'm not so good at the brochures. I think it works?

If you want it, here it is. Come and get it.

If you liked it and wanted to stitch it, I've released the pattern.

Here's a shot of the detail:



I didn't include instructions for how to do hardanger, but it's not that hard. There are plenty of instructions on the internet.

This pattern is fairly advanced, so feel free to make adjustments to make it a bit easier if you like.

It's free, and on flickr (having an account will make it easier to get it in its original size), so go get it and let me know how you did!



I'd love to see pictures of modifications people have done and colorways they chose, so feel free to come on back.

If you like this design, you'll probably love my other work. Feel free to check out my work on flickr (click any of the pictures above) and if you know of anyone who could use my skills, I could use the work!

Garden Party

Work complete!

I'm so happy to be finished with this little hardanger design, not because I hate it (oddly?) but because I worked so hard on the details in this little pattern and they've really shone through in the end.



Little details like the hardanger border around the window here. It took quite a bit of tweaking to come up with a sturdy border this size that didn't look plain our out-of-place. I even stitched the hearts separately from the rest of the border so that they would pop out and not get lost in the other stitching.



There's the back, for people who like to see how things are made.

I'm happy to be done with it, and I'm probably going to distribute the pattern here in a couple of days for those who are interested.

Crafting away...

That's what I was doing this weekend, making sleeves for a Muslim friend of mine to cover her wrists. 13 pairs since she's going on an extended out-of-country trip.

I've been busy as usual. Putting some finishing touches on some new articles for local crafty events and in my free time (har har!) I've been working on this:



Remember that hardanger I started last week? Now I'm almost done with the design and once I complete it and put some finishing touches on the pattern, I'm going to offer it here for free.

Working with this thread, I wonder if it can be used for tatting. I bet it could. Especially in the smaller sizes. With all the time in the world...

I'm going to dunk this pattern after I complete it and test Valdani's 'colorfast' promise. Who wants to watch?

Caron

For those who don't know yet, Caron has completely redone their website, and I am so thrilled.

Caron is one of the best-known specialty threads manufacturers in the US, and I've used all of their major product lines. Watercolours, Waterlilies, Wildflowers, and Impressions (a wool/silk blend thread). They've got many impressive colorways which you can now easily see on their site here, and while you're there, check out their lesser-known threads. If you like variegated thread, you'll love Caron. If you like free patterns, well you'll just have to love them twice then. I'm getting ready to do their Byzantine Xmas ornament (needlepoint), and there will be pictures.

Want to compare?

SO BUSY

I have been so busy doing this and that, I haven't had hardly a chance to update here.

Here are some things I've been working on:



Finished this in like 2 hours. Ravelry likes to get me in trouble with funny patterns. This is supposed to be a knitted condom, but the striping in the yarn made it look like a tiny fruit hat.

I rarely have time to knit or crochet, but you can't go wrong with yet another organizer when you have this many projects going around. Ravelry inspired me with a knitting basket, which is felted.



That's how far I've gotten on it. I'm not done because I'm spinning the yarn myself.

In other news...



This is the start of a custom order. It's a hardanger design. Did the pattern myself and I'm debating posting it here for those that would like to do it. I'll be posting more pictures as time goes on. I'm using valdani perle cotton #12 with 28 count quaker fabric.

Anyone interested in a free hardanger pattern?