Category Archives: Show & Tell

by

Show & Tell 12/9/2011

Look! I made something! And it’s finished! I feel like I’m finally getting my mojo back.

I even had all the supplies on hand and cranked this cowl out in less than 24 hours. I used some chunky white yarn that I had bought on sale last summer. One skein! (Well, technically a hank.) I love the color, and I LOVE the texture. This little project was fulfilling on many levels.

I haven’t yet decided the fate of this beauty. But for right now, I’m happy it’s done.

What have you been making lately? Share share share! I need some inspiration.

 

 

by

Show & Tell 10/21/2011

Whew! What a week. I can’t believe that October is 2/3 of the way over. Where did it go??

I am getting my Christmas presents started; I feel like I’m pulled together. :) I sewed this sweet little gem for my niece from this apron pattern. It came together quickly. I think it took me less than an hour from start to finish. And look – it’s reversible!

I wanted the colors to be child-like without being too girly princess sparkle magic. These fabrics definitely fit the bill!

This pattern is so clever; instead of sewing on straps, you make a casing under each armpit. Then you string the tie through both casings. It makes the apron adjustable as the child grows. Brilliant, right?

I love the way this turned out, and I can’t wait to finish up some more presents!

What have you all been doing this week? Did you make anything amazing?!?

by

Show & Tell 10/14/2011

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! My day is going very well, thank you for asking.

But what I am really looking forward to is the quilt show this weekend! My quilt guild is hosting the event in West Hartford, Connecticut, from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, October 15 and 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday, October 16. All of the event details are here if you are interested in attending.

If you attend, you will definitely see this amazing quilt made by me:

Remember when I made this, way back in July? I hope to make another one before the end of the year. I love quilts.

Anyway, if you live near West Hartford, come check out our quilt show! So many people have put in a lot of time and effort to make this a great event. There is a GORGEOUS 90″ x 90″ machine pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted quilt for raffle along with a variety of quilting baskets.

I am honored and humbled to have my quilt hang alongside so many other amazing pieces. This show will definitely be worth your time!

If you’re looking for me this weekend, that’s where I’ll be. What have you been up to lately? Share your create successes!

by

Show & Tell 10/7/2011

I am posting so late! Today was one of those days were I only worked for part of the day, so I thought I had plenty of time to get lots of things done. Well, one never has an infinite amount of time. I did run some important errands, including getting my hair cut:

Anyway, I finished this scarf last night, and I meant to post this a lot earlier. But I am doing it now; that’s what counts.

Behold! Grey scarf, knitted in baby alpaca yarn, from a pattern printed in the 1940s.

I tricked the Man into modeling for me. Doesn’t he look manly?!

This scarf is soft like a baby lamb or knitted scarf. Seriously, this is beautiful to feel. I can’t say it any better than that. It’s big too, which is how I like my scarves.

I am planning on listing this in the Etsy shop this weekend. It’s the first of (hopefully) many items I want to knit based on vintage patterns. Like I mentioned earlier, this pattern was printed in the 1940s. There was a glove pattern that matches, but it would be a PITA to knit. So I just made the scarf.

I’ve already got something new on the needles! I’m hoping to get some serious knitting done this weekend on a little road trip. Hope you’re all having a creative weekend! See you back here next week. As always, I want to hear what you’re making too. Share!

by

Show & Tell 9/30/2011

Today I am showing and telling differently. Instead of something tangible, I want to share with you my Tumblr.

The link is over here on the sidebar ——->

I was inspired at The Creative Connection to have more of an online presence. I decided to start this Tumblr blog to share the pictures that won’t make it onto my regular blog. I call it Outtakes, and I try to update it every day.

I am surprised at how much I love this new creative outlet. I have always enjoyed photography, and I haven’t had an outlet for it for a long time. Now I am challenged every day to take interesting, hopefully funny pictures. I do edit them, which is also something that I am learning and that I find surprisingly creative and rewarding.

I realized that the link on the side doesn’t really grab one’s attention, so I thought “Show & Tell” would be a great opportunity to share my new online presence with you. I want to share beautiful, quirky photos. Check back daily to see what’s new.

 

Have you been creative this week? Share what you’re working on in the comments. I am inspired by what you guys are making! 

by

Show & Tell 9/23/2011

I am going to continue with the house theme today. I want to share my “entry way”! If you remember from a while back, I had sanded, stained, and installed  shelf near our kitchen door. Well I finally finished everything! Check it out.

I love it! I found the mirror at a local used furniture store. The frame is made of old tin ceiling tiles. When I bought it, it was a bland grey/cream color (light taupe?). I spray painted it this cheery red color. I love it! It’s a little tall, but that works best for me. :) I get to be selfish in my own home.

I made the memo board out of an old cork board that I bought years ago for $1 at a yard sale. It has had a few incarnations before this. I knew I wanted some kind of display/memo board and remembered this little jewel, which was in the back of the closet. I spray painted the frame the same color as the mirror. I added felt and then fabric, and then I pinned the ribbon to the board with pearl brads. I’m pleased with how it came out! It’s one of those projects where it really only took about 4 hours of work, but it went on over a period of about three months.

I’m happy to have this all finished! Especially now that the weather is getting yucky, and coats and boots are going to be in regular rotation.

What have you finished this week? Anything exciting going on for the weekend? Share below!

by

Show & Tell 9/16/2011

Hi! I’m still at The Creative Connection today and tomorrow. I’m feeling excited, inspired, and overwhelmed. I hope you all will see some amazing improvements on the blog in the next few weeks as I implement all of the techniques that I’m learning.

But that’s not why you’re here today. I bet you’re here to see something that I made!

I knit this scarf out of Cascade Magnum, and it is absolutely gorgeous – soft and warm and squishy and beautiful. It’s mine! All mine!!

 

 

There is a seam in the back. I didn’t have a darning needle large enough for this yarn, so I used a crochet hook to make the seam. I think it turned out all right (I will always know which side is the back), but if I ever knit this again, I’m going to use a provisional cast on and then weave the back together so there is no seam. Fancy.

 

Also! I blocked this scarf!! I wasn’t able to take any pictures since I blocked it at night, but I will post in the future directions on how to block your knitted things. It really was easy.

Hello to any new readers from The Creative Connection! Please feel free to share a link in the comments to something you have created lately.

by

Show & Tell 9/9/2011

I am excited to share this hat with you! It is so luxe. I wish you could feel it.

Let me start at the beginning.

I have a friend who is doing an incredible favor for me, so I wanted to make her a little something to show my gratitude. I found this hat pattern and thought it would be the perfect present. After a trip to the yarn store, I came home with this gorgeous chunky alpaca yarn.

It’s Alpaca. It’s chunky. It’s white. So pretty much, it’s perfect.

It took me about a day to actually knit this hat.

And then a few more weeks to buy the buttons, and then a bit more time to actually sew them on. But I persevered! The final product was completely worth it.

The drape is just wonderful. Most of the ladies at my knitting group are planning on making this too. It would be a great present, you know, for any major holidays that might be coming up.

Have you been busy creating anything lovely lately? Please share!

P.S. Inspired by this article and in honor of 9/11, I plan on knitting some preemie hats on Sunday. Please join me! I will blog about it on Monday, and you all can add your comments and links to the conversation. See you then.

by

Show & Tell 8/26/2011

Once again, it is Friday, and I have a knitted wonder to share with you.

This is something of a repeat, since I have made one of these beasts before. But I have better pictures of this one. Plus a sweet shortcut to share with you, if you are thinking of knitting one of these for yourself.

Perhaps I should have straightened the fringe before photographing? Lesson learned for next time.

The pattern, if you want to make this, is from here. For the first one I made, I followed the directions to the letter. However, it took me a long time to knit, and I wanted to get this one done quickly. So I followed the modifications posted here. I finished knitting this in two weeks, which is pretty damn amazing for how huge it is.

Basically, I used size 10 needles instead of size 8. And I only cast on 70 stitches instead of 90. Easy peasy! An additional bonus is that I also used less yarn than the first one.

The yarn I used is Plymouth Encore, a 75% acrylic/25% wool blend. The cranberry color is 0212; the golden color is 1014. The last picture has the most true-to-life color.

Another handknit good that I love! I can’t wait to pass it along to its new owner.

What have you created? I hope everyone was has a great, safe, hurricane-free weekend!

by

Show & Tell 8/19/2011

I can’t believe it’s Friday already! The summer weeks just fly by.

This week’s Show & Tell is a different because the project isn’t finished yet. But its progress is lovely.

This is my latest batch of vanilla extract. I found the recipe here. The brown things are vanilla bean pods. This picture lacks a sense of scale; that’s four cups of vodka in that jar with twelve beans. Which is a lot of vanilla extract.

I am planning to use this jar of extract as presents for the winter holidays. I know quite a few bakers, and I think they might appreciate some homemade vanilla extract for baking. I could get eight 4-oz jars out of this batch.

According to the recipe, you could use the vanilla after a certain amount of steeping and leave the beans in to continue infusing. When the level of extract gets to about 20%, you just add more vodka. Pretty awesome, huh? You can even keep using the same beans. Has anyone ever tried that?

This batch has only been steeping for a couple of days, which is why it looks so yellow. I am going to wait at least eight weeks before use; I shake the jar every day to distribute the vanilla.

Next up: buying amber-colored 4-oz bottles.

That’s what I have been up to this week. What about you? What have you been creating?