Via Design Sponge, even these yellow (yellow!) Inhabit pillows from 2Modern are contendors for a new accent colours. So exciting! I can see the day easily being eaten by DesignSponge and the Flickr Corners of My Home pool. Truly addictive content, hard to pull oneself away. This really gives Blair from Wise Craft's brilliant suggestion of a computer free day something to think about.
Winter's still going strong in these parts. Another stormy grey Saturday. A temperature of -15 plus wind chill equals a nice -27 celcius. Beautiful. Just like last Saturday. What is this spring you speak of? I believe this calls for some CBC Radio, coffee, and crafting.
No big complaints here. I do love an excuse to stay warm at home and listen to the radio. Don McKellar now has a radio show, following Go. Ahhh, cozy day.
Another project almost complete? Must be time to start another. Something new hit over the weekend, a sneak at the swatch for now. This is the Lily Chin Gramercy I picked up last month, swatched in stripes for fun. Seems it's all about the blue these days.
I like how the colours work together, I think I'll even keep the stripes. I caved on quite a long-standing (1 month?) string of no-yarn-buying when I picked this stuff up, and it's sadly given me the bug to buy more. Left to my own vices, I would spend it all on yarn and craft supplies, which would realistically only take up space in my home, and create an urge to buy more. Oh, how resisting the temptation to buy more is hard. There's always a sale, always a good deal to be found, always a new pattern to try, especially this time of year.
Restraint!
Instead, I've been investing lots more in the art department in an attempt to fill some empty apartment walls. Every Wednesday morning for the past few months, I've hit myself in the head after finding that I've missed another great piece on Tiny Showcase. On Tuesday nights, they release a new print that usually sells out by next morning. I've been meaning to make a greater effort to check on Tuesday evening to see what's to be had, but have yet to be successful. Miraculously, this week's SET of prints was still available.
Bear & Wolf, a fun two print set by Irina Troitskaya. The whole concept of Tiny Showcase is up there in my books.
At long last, a completed project I can call my own. With Alison, on the way home from Rhode Island this past summer, we stopped in at a yarn shop in Saratoga Springs. Great shop, friendly staff, lots of fun things to touch and buy. I suspect that had we hit this shop closer to the beginning of the trip, and not on our way home, I would have spent much more/had more money to spend here. I picked up two balls of Blue Sky Alpaca for this garter rib scarf.
A very short garter rib scarf, mind you, but a garter rib scarf nonetheless. I knew I'd want a simple and quick knit one day, and this one sure fit the bill. I can't quite get my camera to capture the luscious red without overexposing it to death, but I assure you, it's a beautiful deep red. I love the colour, and the texture is just superb, I'm sold on this stuff. I may well even wear this scarf one day, or find a very luxiourious child to sport it for me.
Kate, you've done it again, without even missing a beat this time. Oh, how I miss the Kate and Anna shopping adventures. This one looks like it was lots of fun. This Room 6? Wow. Tell me, did you attend the Spend on Trend event I spotted on Room 6's site? I can see these adorable Horn of Plenty wares adorning your beautiful apartment. You Vancouverites get it all, hey?
You must have read my mind--fed up with following knitting charts and never-ending projects, you've sent the perfect rescue: chocolate, a knit-inspiring book, and for my need for more mindless knitting: a felting project. I love the blue on blue used on the Black Sheep Bags pattern. Thanks again.
I've been meaning to get to this for a while. At home sick today, and after a full day's rest, I think it's time I cross this one off the list. A few weeks ago, this fine package arrived at my doorstep. The intricate packaging and decadent chocolates are both long-gone, but inside...a beautiful new needle case from Vancouver friend Kate. Anyone who knows Kate will tell attest to the fact that her taste is impeccable; I have so missed her since she's moved back to British Columbia.
I love this needle case, and its arrival couldn't be more timely. I don't much use my current needle case, its use is usually followed by much brooding. More on that in a bit, let's admire the beauty of this one first.
I so admire the attention to detail used here, I'd love to know who made it. Straight stitching, perfect edges and buttonholes, even a small bit of applique. My former needle case looks a shamble compared to this.
I'm happy to put my former needle holder to rest. It was quickly constructed one day during an organizing flurry. After picking up knitting needles all over the house, I impulsively made a needle holder. Never having much patience for sitting in front of a sewing machine, the end result was a functional, but not so pretty needle case. The mix of crooked stitching (in white thread!), uneven tension, and pockets that hold nothing bigger than a thimble maddened me. This, combined with needles that flailed out of it every time I went near it, made me generally leave it never to be used.
My favourite feature is my use of safety pins, a true testament to my lack of sewing patience. Rather than stitch the closure, I completed this with safety pins. I do love the fabric, I'll be happy to re-purpose it. This is remnant t-shirt fabric from Victoria, BC's Smoking Lily, which Kate brought me to on a one-hour photo tour of Victoria.
So, again, thank you Kate. I'm so touched by your thoughtfulness.
