This blog focuses on my projects in various media such as painting, crochet, watercolor, and drawing. Look for tips on framing, yarn selection, resources, and more.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Green Scarf
I crocheted it with Misti alpaca/wool/silk sock yarn. Though soft, it was a little itchy so I tried hair conditioner. It really does work. :)
Kids' Art Project
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Snowman gifts
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Another Scarf
'Tis the season...for gift scarves. This one is knitted from a superwash wool. The yarn strand itself is woven in a kind of braid, Nashua vignette. I used a pattern of knit 3 purl 3 repeat, row two purl 1, knit 1 repeat. It makes a very stretchy fabric.
Update: If the recipient finds this wool itchy-try this remedy: Rinse it in a few cups of water and a couple tablespoons of hair conditioner. Don't rinse the conditioner out, squeeze out the water (press out the rest of the water in a towel if its not too much trouble) and dry flat. :)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Man's Scarf
I knitted this scarf for my sister's father-in-law. It's warm without being itchy because it's made from a bamboo yarn. I chose subdued colors, heather gray and tiny blue stripes just at the ends, colors which I hope will remind him of RAF blue. I knitted it in stockinette and then doubled it over and sewed it closed for a thick and flat look.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Xmas Gifts
I needed a small gift to give my friends in my Skeptical Society. It needed to be something I could put together fast as I needed 10 of them and I only had two days. So I made my coffee cup cozies. It's something to keep from burning your hands on hot paper cups and you can reuse it and save the world some paper. I crocheted them from a fairly thick but nice yarn. My favorite is Berroco "Love it colors," 58% cotton with 38% acrylic and 4% polyester. It has a bouncy feel to it. With a slightly too large size J hook it works up thick and fast. I placed them on a clean paper cup and added cellophane bags filled with chocolate, a home baked snowflake shaped cookie with piped icing and white crystals also in cellophane bags, and a candy cane.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Pouch
I crocheted this pouch in purple and pink cotton for one of Julian's classmates (just because she asked.) It's pretty simple, you just work rounds off of a base chain made the width you want the bag to have. All single crochet, reducing a few stitches on the side for the last couple rows until a row of double crochet, chain, skip stitch, repeat. One row of single then finish. Make a chain for a tie, weave into dbl crochet row.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Hat and scarf
I crocheted this hat and scarf from (mostly) cotton yarn for my sensitive-to-wool sister. The scarf is done with a self fringing pattern that starts a new piece of yarn with every row leaving an 8 inch tail and leaving 8 inches at the end of the row too. I tried to match her green and fuchsia jacket with the stripes.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Crocheted Flowers for Slippers
T knitted these very smart slippers in a lovely pink shade for her mother-in-law for xmas. They have very nice lines with excellent shaping (they really look like loafers!) and are skillfully done. But she said they needed just a little something extra. I thought about embroidering a flower on the toe but chose to crochet these flowers for them instead.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Granny Square Poncho
Friday, October 17, 2008
Skull Hat
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Autism Walk
Monday, September 22, 2008
Apron
I made an apron for face painting. I've been doing a lot of face painting lately, I just did it for the Ice Cream Social at Joseph Sims Elementary School and next weekend I'm doing Walk Now For Autism. I used a denim stripe fabric and red bric-a-brac and then I used a couple dozen iron on patches like the designs I paint on the kids.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tile
Friday, August 8, 2008
Rainbow Trout
School started for Julian and we've been busy. First, taking some last short vacations before school and then settling in to the new routine, plus a new socialization group for Julian. So, no completed projects. I have been working on some, just no time to finish up and post.
This watercolor is actually something I started on a while ago, but it lacked "pop." So I worked on it a little, I think it's better now. I worked from a photo I took of a rainbow trout hanging out at the stream profile at Taylor Creek, Tahoe.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Camo Zippered Accessory Bag
I made Alfred a small zippered bag to match his camo computer bag. It's for his mouse and charger. I crocheted it with a yarn already dyed in camo colors. I "invented" (that is I've never seen it anywhere) a stitch to create two cords running around the bag. They give it some style. After all rows of single crochet in round, I used a reverse single crochet into the front loops only. Then the next row simply continued in single crochet in the back loops. After that, of course, I worked in both loops as usual until the next cord.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Another Shopping Bag
Friday, July 4, 2008
Red Day Lily Watercolor
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thumbnail sketch of a bee
Friday, June 27, 2008
Day Lily Watercolor
This is a watercolor I did of a day lily growing in our park. These are grown all over Elk Grove, I think they like the heat and full sun and do well even in parking lots. You can find them in yellow, orange, red, and these are pink.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Cute Cotton Backpack
I crocheted a flat bag in double crochet with a drawstring top. The drawstring is just chain crochet. Then I added one long
strap made with just a single crochet row. I just slipped it through at the top and attached the ends together at the bottom to make backpack straps. I added an outside pocket and sewed
one side to fit my cellphone plus a little strap and a cute glass button to keep it secure.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Silk Sketch Set
We just got back from a camping trip near Big Sur. It was great fun! I picked up a sketch pad to capture some of the amazing views there. I also found a ball of yarn made in Nepal from recycled silk (they have some hippie shops there :)). It is a really beautiful yarn and when you look at it you can picture the people who once wore the beautiful silk clothing that went into the yarn. But what should I make from it? One day on the trip I wanted to bring my sketch pad down to the beach and ended up having to put my pencil and eraser in my back pocket, which was not ideal. So I came up with a solution to both problems. I crocheted a pencil and eraser holder that ties onto your sketch pad.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Coasters!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Lacy Cuff
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Ripple Vest
I made this vest with a yarn made from bamboo. It's very shiny and soft. I used a pattern from Interweave Crochet, which is probably my favorite magazine right now. http://www.interweavecrochet.com/issue/2008/materials_spr08.asp#ripple
Friday, May 30, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Cactus Watercolor Frame
A frame broke on one of my watercolors so I had to place it in a new frame. Unfortunately, the makers of the new frame were unaware of the double mat standard and the backing would not slide into the side edge after the watercolor and mats were in. So I sanded off the edges of the backing on the sidewalk and taped it into the frame. :)
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Tote Bag
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Space Mural
Today I continued working on a space mural for a boy's bedroom. The ceiling and walls were already painted light yellow so around the top of the wall I painted swirly solar flares so the whole ceiling becomes the sun and the yellow blends. Then I brought the new wall color of metallic blue up to those. I have painted Uranus and Neptune, then Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Tomorrow I paint Earth, Venus, and Mercury. I am pretty proud of my Jupiter. :)
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