Peacock & Pieces...

I had so much fun making this peacock bag with all my bits & pieces from vintage fabrics...

The peacock machine embroidery design was free at Free Embroidery Designs. 

Click HERE or on the picture for a link to the free design. 

As you can see I don't follow the rules when it comes to color, I made up my own peacock colors.

 

   The lining is a magical royal purple satin that they don't make anymore.  I only a a little left.  I'll admit I am a fabric hoarder.  I don't think I'll find myself on tv yet, but I do have a good stash.  I am about to bust it loose on some more of these bags though.  I put myself to sleep 2 nights in a row thinking of bags I can make! haha I am working on several now & hope to get them finished in the next few days. On has a Heart Locket w/ keyhole that has wings from Urban Threads, I am also working on a Butterfly bag. and I hand died white cotton fabric today for a Cherry or Strawberry bag that I want to make.  

 I died the fabric by floating oil paints on water, then dipping it in, making pretty marbling that looks so fun! Suminagashi  style. I hope it works, I've never tried it. I figure I will iron it, then wash it with Dawn and see what happens.....if it works you will see it on a new bag!  When it comes to sewing every seam has to be perfect. It has to be cut perfectly, no mistakes, so this is a good exercise to let go of some of that OCD that keeps me from creating at times. No Fear - if I wreck it - it's gone!

I have had peacocks in my brain since our little trip to Daffodil Hill where they had lots of them including a pure white peacock!

 

I hope this inspires you to create something new!

Blessings!

Finally...

...I'm finally getting some patterns written up than I have been doing over the past year.

 

Triple Decker Crochet Cowl Neckwarmer Pattern

Thanks beautiful "NeNe" for modeling for me!

Quick & Easy! Make in an hour or so.

Great for Beginners & great for gifts!

Click HERE to purchase.

 

Burning Down The House...

...My knitting needles could start a fire now! I am working on some new patterns was wishing I was much faster.  While on the phone with my Mom she  told me she saw the fastest knitter in the world on Knit & Crochet tv show, so as soon as we hung up I had to find her and see how she was knitting.  The 2010 fastest is Hazel Tindall just click on her name and watch her go! Another knitter to see is Miriam Tegels. They are so inspiring!  
About 2 years ago I taught myself the Continental method of knitting and got quite fast at knitting that way, however, if I was working in stockingnette pattern I was all thumbs when it came to the purl row and would revert back to the English/American style, how I initially learned to knit. So I was going back and forth between the 2 styles moving the yarn from one hand to another.  Then the other day while looking up the fastest knitter I discovered the Norwegian Purl method.  Now I can fly!  I wish I had learned about this method a lot sooner.   I came across this lovely Bee Hive Pattern on Pinterest & had it pinned on my "Hooked & Needled" Board. This was a Free Pattern from BeingSpiffy.com, just one of 52 weeks of dish cloth patterns!

I love this pattern and thought it would be a good one to try out this new purl method.  And WoW! I made this cloth in an hour using the Norwegian Purl & Continental knit stitch.   I love the scalloped edge at the beginning of the piece. The scalloped edge would be great for a scarf, bottom of a sweater or skirt.

 

The Hive Dishcloth

With US size 7 or 8 needles, co 26.

Row 1: Purl across.

Row 2: Knit across.

Row 3: Purl across.

Row 4: K1, {p3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front), p3} across to last st, k1.

Row 5: K1, {k3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back), k3} across to last st, k1.

Row 6: K1, {p3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front), p3} across to last st, k1.

Row 7: K1, {k3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back), k3} across to last st, k1.

Row 8: K1, {p3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front), p3} across to last st, k1.

Row 9: K1, {k3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back), k3} across to last st, k1.

Row 10: K1, {p3, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front), p3} across to last st, k1.

Row 11: Purl across.

Row 12: Knit across.

Row 13: Purl across.

Row 14: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in front), p6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front)} across to last st, k1.

Row 15: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in back), k6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back)} across to last st, k1.

Row 16: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in front), p6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front)} across to last st, k1.

Row 17: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in back), k6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back)} across to last st, k1.

Row 18: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in front), p6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front)} across to last st, k1.

Row 19: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in back), k6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in back)} across to last st, k1.

Row 20: K1, {slip 1 purlwise (yarn in front), p6, slip 2 purlwise (yarn in front)} across to last st, k1.

Rows 21-40 = Repeat Rows 1-20.

Row 41: Purl across.

Row 42: Knit across.

Row 43: Purl across.

Bind off knit-wise.

To edge left and right sides, crochet across on wrong side.

Finish off and weave in ends.  ( I slipped stitched around all sides to finish off.)

 

 

1, 2, 3...Snap!...

... I embroidered out this free design I found at http://www.embroiderydesigns.com 

and put it in a frame late last night.

 

I changed the suggested color red to brown.

(yes my wall really is dark butterscotch)

All the designs I have sewn out from this site

 have been great except for the pizza slice; it was a little loopy & my embroidery foot kept getting stuck underneath the stitches. I was testing this one out to make a little case

 for my new camera but when it was finished I thought it would be great on the wall in the guys bathroom. 

It has a few puckers because I used a satin type fabric & I didn't pull the iron out. If I have time today

 I will do that but I thought it was so cute I'd share it. 

How many of us have a picture of ourselves as child in the bathroom? hahaha OhSnap!

Low Tide...

...I'm calling this "Monterey" for sure. It reminds me of the tide pools on the coast. I won't share how many times I've crocheted a section on then pulled it out. Contrary to what I thought when I began, this one is going to take a while! I am loving this process.

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Art by Carla Grifo for featuring my Swimmer, Verbena Place for featuring one of my Happy Souls, A Shot In The Dark, AngelinaInspirations for featuring my Incorigible Carnie in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!