Some scarf knitting

I started this a while ago, but picked it up again, planning to make it for my aunt. It's my first time knitting with Bamboo (Be Sweet, made through a job creation program in South Africa), and while it's very splitty, I like it -- it's really soft and drapey, and I like the colors. The only problem is, I totally misjudged how much yarn I needed, and ran out of yarn only 2/3 of the way through. Which sucks. I'm going to go try to find some tomorrow at the LYS. Really hoping they still have it, so I don't have to find it online. Wish me luck.

Another Pillow

I'm pretty proud of this -- I based it on an insanely expensive pillow I saw in Domino magazine. I drew the words free hand, then used the Sublime Stitching book iron on transfers, and embroidered for weeks while watching Netflixed episodes of Deadwood (this pillow has heard a lot of cursing and seen a lot of blood). I was worried that it made me look unhinged-- it reminded me of some outsider art exhibit I had read about, where some 19th century mental patient embroidered elaborate pictures on her pillowcases, and when I would show it to husband, he would just laugh at me. I wish I would have taken pictures while I was working on, because the finished product looks a lot better than the "in process" version. The last night, I drew in some vines and leaves, which really helped, and now I'm quite pleased with it.





and the back (this was the first time I made buttonholes!)



And how did I find lace that exactly matched the embroidery thread? By dying myself, of course! I used RIT, and since one pack can dye a lot more than a couple yards of lace, I experimented with a technique I learned when I was studying in India -- you baste a pattern into cotton, pull the thread tight, then dye the fabric:







It didn't turn out perfect -- I used regular sewing thread, and if I pulled the gathers to tight, it would break, so the designs aren't as distinct as I would like, but I still kind of like them.



I like the diagonal lines a little better.



Not sure what to do with them -- I might make some pillows, and accentuate the lines with some beading, but who knows when I'll get around to that.

I never posted this

I made this quilt a while ago -- it was my first quilting project, with fabric purchased with Megan on Cape Cod last summer. I got a big, expensive pile of Amy Butler fabric, so I would be sure to finish it. It's pretty busy, but I love it, and this week, I finally got around to making a matching pillow with the leftover squares and batting. I'm proud.

The front:



and the back:

Crafty Bastards

This morning I went to the crafty bastards craft fair in Silver Spring MD, and thought I would share my thoroughly fun and not totally practical haul.

I got some handspun yarn from Woolarina,



Plus some wool felt, to go with my pattern book from Sewing Stars



I also got some cool post cards, some bath salts from Biggs and Featherbelle, as well as some earrings from Tash McKelvy.



Because I'm worth it.