more korak and a variety of lace

i was so taken with the Korak Patchwork technique that i did a small piece in pink and white cotton. it will probably wind up being another small pouch. click on the images for close-ups.

Korak in pink and white cotton and lace

i'm learning how to knit a lace shawl through craftsy.com. quite a different feel than the knitting i've done in the past and doesn't look like much yet but it will hopefully be a beautiful shawl when blocked and finished (that's what the teacher tells us).

a lace weight yarn on a circular needle...adding stitches as it grows

i've also been experimenting with free motion quilting on a purchased linen weave shawl using the techniques learned in Karen Ruane's classes.

free motion quilting on a linen weave shawl with added lace and embroidery

and lastly...i just couldn't resist 2 new books.

over 100 beautiful motifs to play with

this was one of my favorite motifs

beautiful filet lace done with a netted cloth and needle and thread

love this particular pattern

you can read more about these books on amazon.com, if you're interested. here are the links:
CONNECT THE SHAPES CROCHET MOTIFS
FILET LACE
the crochet book is quite reasonably priced but lace books are always a bit pricey.
wishing you all a pleasant, productive week.

Korak Patchwork

Korak is an ancient Asian patchwork technique. i purchased a book on creating this type patchwork a couple of years ago but never tried it. the book is someplace in this house but i have been unable to find it. Eva Nerling posted a tutorial for korak just the other day so i decided the time had come for me to try it. i used some of my hand dyed silk pieces. the thinner the fabric the easier it is to stitch because you will be stitching through several layers. here are some images so you can see the process, but be sure to go to Eva's tutorial where she explains it so well. click on the images for a closer view.

1. shows squares folded into triangles and placed on a base cloth. 2. the center panel is hand stitched down to the base and a square and more triangles are added to the sides. the folded edge of the triangles cover the raw edges of others.

strips are added between the sections to cover the raw edges

I added 2 borders with some prairie points stuck in (not korak)

the finished piece measure 12" x 12". I'm going to applique it to this brown pillow. 

you can find more about korak patchwork here on google. be sure to check Eva's blog if you want to try it. she uses some beautiful bright fabric for her patchwork and lots of different designs can be created.
hope you all have a great week.

trying to do it all...

i have not posted here in a while. i've been busy stitching, spinning, knitting, crocheting and trying out some new things. it actually feels good working on so many things at once that i know will get finished. my mood dictates what i pick up to work on. i have to force myself to stop and clean house and straighten up lately because i'm so involved.  and here are some visuals...click on the images for close-up views.

some of my silk hand dyed pieces are finally being stitched into a small throw. it measures 40" x 40". more on this piece as i start to stitch.

another thrift store blouse that was too small got the side strip treatment that i talked about in my last post and is now wearable.

stitching scraps together, one day, wound up as a pocket on a fun shirt i wear around the house on chilly days.

punching holes in cloth and stitching eyelets (as a result of Jude's post in the diaries class). in the background is silk and cotton flannel dyed with RIT dye.

THAT LED TO THIS:

a little pouch 6" x 6" with a needle book stitched to the outside. eyelets stitched on the zipper as well with a crocheted edge. this will be great for carrying scraps to stitch when on the go with pins and needles very handy.

inside of needle book.

i was happy to hear that some of you benefited from watching the video i posted last time. sometimes we can help ourselves by just changing our way of thinking. the full version is no longer available but half of it is available here. this was originally posted by Jude on facebook.

a bit of mending...

i have several blouses/shirts that were purchased from the thrift stores but are a bit too small. i ripped open the side seams from the hem edge to the wrist edge, added 2" strips of cloth (deb lacativa's dyed cloth) and hand stitched on both sides. it now is a perfect fit. i did some hand stitching on the edges to tack down the seams. this is so easy and really enlarges the width of the sleeves, the top arm circumference and the body of the shirt. give it a try if you have some tops that are a bit too small.
click on the images for a closer view.

white cotton blouse mended to fit

still doing some spinning and knitting as well. working on a pair of fingerless gloves that match the cowl i posted last week. the pattern is from the book '10 SECRETS of the LAIDBACK KNITTERS'. this is a library book but there are so many patterns in there that i love that i ordered the book from Amazon. i always manage to change the pattern in some way but i'm not expert enough to make anything other than a scarf without some guidance.

one fingerless glove completed

i've been practicing spinning cotton roving on my new tahkli spindle but still need lots more practice so not much to show other than the spindle and the cotton. the spindle is just under 7" long and weighs about half an ounce.

tahkli spindle and cotton roving

hope you are all having a good week.

UPDATE:
i forgot that i wanted to share this video on HEALING (yourself and the world), if you haven't already seen it on Facebook or elsewhere. it is long but it's the latest info on the subject and very understandable.  sit with some stitching or knitting and just listen. it gives so much hope in so many areas. the link is here. looks like this full version is no longer available but you can watch half of it here.

spinning along...

the cowl is finished and it actually fits. i had my doubts. i really need to start making a gauge swatch before knitting...especially something that needed to fit over my head.
click on the images for a closer view.

knitted cowl with handspun yarn...color is a little more subtle in real life

i started knitting a scarf with the spun yarn that was left over and am now having to spin up some more to finish it. it will be a gift. i'm getting a bit bored with this colorway. i just purchased some cotton roving and that will be my next project. it's a bit more difficult to spin than the wool so there will be lots of experimenting and practice needed.

spinning up more yarn to finish this scarf

i did get a bit of stitching in this week. just a patch to cover up a stain on my favorite t-shirt.

two old t-shirts helping each other to stay alive

 and the most amazing thing that i discovered today...my indigo plants that never got more than 2" tall with itty-bitty leaves are actually producing seed heads. i will collect the seed if it develops and plant them just to see what happens. maybe the second go round will be better, if the seeds are viable at all.

indigo going to seed

have a great week and concentrate on what's positive out there in your world.

spinning, knitting and a bit of dyeing...

lots of experimenting going on with the spinning and i've prepared enough handspun yarn to start knitting a cowl. also attempted making some black and white thread but all i had was wool. it turned out ok but really want to try it with cotton which i prefer for stitching.

handspun wool yarn and the beginnings of a cowl

finally got all the flowers i'd saved out of the freezer and did some dyeing. the cotton pieces turned out better than the silk this time. the cotton pieces were soaked in soy milk overnight and allowed to dry and sit for a few days before using. haven't had much time for dyeing lately.

some hints of blue in that center strip

bits of rust from the cotton wrapped around tin cans

i'm trying to keep up with all of your blogs but haven't had much time to comment lately. wishing you all a great week.

this week has gone by too fast...

i'm really enjoying spinning with the drop spindle. i've been experimenting plying with a commercial lace yarn and i like the way it turned out. you can see from this picture that i'm getting better with practice.

i think this thinner yarn might be good for a pair of socks

i've cleaned out the small garden bed, added some new ingredients and planted lettuce, radishes, spinach and peas. the radishes are already up in record time.

added some trellis' to allow the pea vines to climb

i found this great idea for making market bags from old t-shirts on Instructables.com. there's no sewing involved and it takes about 15 minutes. here's the link if you want to try it.

just cut off the sleeves and part of the neck and fringe and tie the bottom edge

still working on the socks...not too crazy about the afterthought heel. i didn't like doing the Kitchener stitch...kind of fussy.

working on the second sock

and there are a couple of things waiting in the wings:

this crochet pattern from Piecework magazine---just for the challenge

and this shawlette pattern from craftsy.com.

i'm hoping this yarn will be the right weight

i also have several stitching projects in the works but haven't done much stitching this week. i ran out of time. wishing you all a good weekend.

choices...

lots of choices this week on which project to pick up...
just finished a class on craftsy.com with Drucilla Pettibone and i'm getting better each day with my drop spindle. it's an excellent class if you're interested in learning how to spin your own yarn.

learning to spin

still working on my second pair of knitted socks. this time with the afterthought heel.

toe up sock

and dyeing with the purple carrots and the green tops...not much purple but the green tops gave nice markings, the copper pipe gave some green color and there are rose leaves scattered here and there. decided to embellish with some tatted bits and crochet an edge.

tatting and crochet edge

have a great weekend.

and the winner is...

click on the image for a close-up of the tag

It is past 6pm Central Time so I decided not to keep you in suspense. Judy of Judy in the Dyes is the winner and I have e-mailed her.

Some of you requested a close-up of the tag so just click on the image above for a closer look.
Thank you all for participating and watch for future giveaways.

A BLOG GIVEAWAY...just because...

thought i'd do a weekend giveaway to thank all of you who give me so much inspiration as well as encouragement. just leave a comment and tell me your favorite magazines. you have until 6pm Central Time on Sunday, August 19th, to enter.

i'm giving away the current issue of Fiber Arts Magazine and one of my needle felted tags.

Summer 2012 issue and a hand made tag

  wishing you all a good weekend.

the purple carrots are a disappointment...

but i will try and use the little that is there to overdye some silk pieces.

purple carrots and 2 unknown pods from the garden

my first pair of socks turned out well and fit perfectly. i've started the second pair trying a different type toe and heel this time.

i'm becoming more comfortable with the dp needles

i've also done a bit more on the piece i started in Karen Ruane's Ledger Class. a couple of more additions and then i'll start embellishing with stitch.

i go through periods of hating and liking this piece but am determined to finish it.

and finally, i've started a Fabric Journal. i'm just adding bits of fabric from projects i'm working on. haven't decided yet how i will do the labeling. i always love looking through Jude's threadcrumbs on her blog so that was the inspiration.

i really want to go out and plant seeds for a fall garden but it is just too hot. hope you're all staying cool.

it's a sock...

it's been a struggle and i ripped out the heel 3 times until i got it right but i've learned so much from this 'toe-up class' on craftsy.com. this is my first sock ever and this is not exactly a beginner's class but i think i'm going to make it work.
who would have thought that this...

the gauge swatch and the beginning of the toe

would actually start looking like a sock...

just a few more inches to go

and then, of course, i have to knit the second sock but that will be easy now.

i've also added several borders to the busy looking piece i started in Karen's Ledger Class.

not sure how big it will get and then there will be embroidery embellishments

i need to move along quickly because my to do list is growing daily.

moving along...

i have finished 2 hats using circular needles and next i will tackle socks with the help of the class i signed up for on craftsy.com. i am quite comfortable using the circular needle now and think i can move along on my own.

just finished the white Rosie hat and it has just been blocked

i've done some more work on my ledger pages...

cloth, photoshopped images, watercolors, inktense pencils

stitching on watercolor paper and embroidered centers

playing with a bit of color over the stitching

and this started out as a ledger page but will be expanded into a cloth using some of my hand dyed and shibori cloth

Karen Ruane's 'An Embroiderer's Ledger' class has ended but she plans on offering it again sometime soon. I highly recommend it for lots of new inspirational ideas. Karen has also moved her blog over to typepad. So check out her new blog here and you can read all about her online classes, read her latest newsletter, check her shop and lots of other interesting things.