Waiting for Spring

As winter refuses to release its grip on Central Pennsylvania, my own inclination has been to channel that cooped up energy into creativity.  After a very nice holiday season at Taits, Furs by Susan, and Vera Fran (THANK YOU!! everyone) , I turned towards some projects I put on the back burner to work on holiday.  While still bleak outside,

 I've been playing with vivid colors and cheerful stitching in this modern quilt.  The neutrals will have  to wait for some other time!

"Paint Chips with Improvisational Blocks"

On the Knitting front, I finally got to work on some projects I've been wanting to get to!  Warm and cozy is the rule of the day.  

Variegated hand-dyed merino yarn

"Sonoma Stole" in Madeline Tosh merino light - leading a knit along March - May at Stitch Your Art Out

Lucy Cardi in merino wools

Poncho in four yarns

Stay tuned for progress on new spring projects and new aprons for the season.  Think Spring!!  

Spring Progressing

Hello again.  Like the buds on the trees and slight greening of the grass, I am coming awake again after the prolonged drag of winter!  I have some updates:

Updates:
Knitting - The cardi sweater (I named 'Cole') is completed -- last seen ready for sew up:

Knit from Madeline Tosh Merino Light, color way 'Grapefruit'

Quilting Challenge: 

The table runner is pieced and marked for quilting (once my quilting extension table comes in at the local sewing machine shop).

Other Activity:  I created a new line of spring-summer weight accessory scarves, which are available at Tait's.  I made two of most styles, and will put the second scarf on the KnittenKaboodle website. 

I love scarves and accessories and I've been collecting suitable and wonderful fabrics for the past several years.  Most fabrics are lightweight cottons or pretty and versatile knits. When selecting fabrics, I think about 'wearability' - choices that work with busy lifestyles.   I also think quite a bit about selecting the edging thread colors, which is important to achieve the desired look -- blend, contrast, accent, define -- polish overall.  These are created as easy to wear with cotton sweaters, denim or suede jackets, or a lightweight dress.  Also great gifts! 

Early Spring Lightweight Scarves

Only at Tait's - Cotton Voile

Only at Tait's: Cotton Knit Infinity Scarf

A Last Word for Today:
I created a new 'Farm Fresh' apron group, with these two delivered to Tait's:
Additional styles are on the cutting table at the time of writing this entry - very cute also!

Ruffle trim with kangaroo central pocket

Butcher style with contrast pockets and ties

Completed

Charley Harper prints from Birch Fabrics: multiple prints.  Pattern adapted from Jacquie Gering, published by Interweave.

I did rip out neutral stitches and replace with blue - all the same now!
Whole cloth side: Charley Harper by Birch Fabrics 'Nuthatch'

So, yes, I did sit down and on a snow day here in Central Pennsylvania, I removed all the stitches where I accidentally used the wrong bobbin (see previous post).  Although everybody was so nice and told me I shouldn't, and I do not worry about the Quilting Police carrying me away, it did bother me and in the end, made the change.  Now I am happy with the final result and it is already in use in the house.

Then the question is 'What is Next', which isn't a fair question as I always have multiple projects going at any one time, like most knitters and quilters.  But the next thing I will talk about in terms of the creative process is a sweater that has been in the works for some time, but I am finally closing in on completion.  It is difficult to complete things when you do not work on them, but I have to set aside personal projects from late August until Christmas in order to work on projects for the holiday season.

This sweater is my own design, inspired by an inexpensive sweater I got in a department store.  I liked the style and shape, but the yarn is not of a particularly good quality.  I also wanted to make a sweater for warmer temperatures (it will get warm again, won't it??), so I chose one of my very favorite yarns Madeline Tosh Merino Light in a spring-summer color way, Grapefruit.  I am working on completing the second sleeve and soon will be ready to put together the back, fronts, and sleeves then add neckline band (similar to bottom band shown below).  Stay tuned for progress reports.