Miscellaneous Projects

 

I love weaving but I'm not much of a weaver.  This project came from the book, Next Steps in Weaving by Patti Graver.  It's a pattern called Scarf of Lucky Colors.  It was the most complex pattern I've ever done and I made a lot of mistakes but the yarn was heavenly (2/18 Jaggerspun Zephyr) and I did well enough for government work.  The secret is I don't tell anyone how many mistakes are there and no one's ever mentioned them so I figure I'm good!

I love using a tahkli spindle to spin cotton but hadn't really used it for silk before.  This was an experiment using some undyed silk hankies given me by a friend. It resulted in an ultra-fine silk yarn that some day I will use for a shawl, or at least the edging of a shawl.  So decadent!

Another cover I came up with for a tablet.  This one has a pocket for peripherals on the outside and a little slip for the pen stylus inside the lid.  I'm not really sure how I came up with this pattern.  I'd used this fabric for a gift project for a friend of mine and had quite a bit left over. of each pattern.  It had just the beachy feel I wanted for the project.  

The tablet doesn't need a lot of protection but I added some padding just the same and it has worked a charm when I've needed to carry it around.

I spent about a year watching all the Fashion School videos put out my Nick Verreos on draping patterns on a mannikin and then making the garment.  He is a wonderful teacher and I learned a ton from him.  I'm a seamstress like I'm a weaver.  I've done it but it's not my forte.  He made me think about things differently and gave me a lot of skills I didn't know I needed!  This was a jacket that came of my practice of the skills from his videos.  This isn't the best photo but I can assure you that the fit was perfect and was just what I wanted for a jacket.

My point with sharing this project is to say, be curious about the world around you.  Take in lessons anywhere you can find them because you never know when they're going to inform your own particular craft. You might even find something new you never knew you'd love doing.

A quick photo of my mascot, a knitted version of Shawn the Sheep.  He's watched over me these past 18 months through some personal challenges.  He's really good at making me smile. 

And finally, a little beaded box.  It started as a little doodle but using the book, Little Bead Boxes by Julia S Pretl, helped me make it into a proper little box.  I didn't go fully along with the pattern but it was enough to keep me out trouble for an afternoon.  And that's got to count for something, right?!