weaving and mending

I once saw some weaving on forked twigs
(sorry I don't remember her name,
otherwise I should tell you)
In the garden I used to be on the look-out
for some good twigs to give it a try.
I finally did !
(I think the twig was a bit of my rambler rose
that tends to grow so vigorously
that I have to cut it down real hard
or otherwise the Malus will collapse under the weight !)

(I only have pictures of the finished piece :
after an update my phone refuses to speak with the pc
to upload the pictures I took from the start)

Front and "back" side

It was really fun !
For the warp I used cotton
and for the weave wool (sock yarn leftovers)
The weaving is about 9 cm.

*

My mending basket is still really full
though I did already some overdue work.

So today I was darning more socks !
Hmmm, I didn't find the right colour . . .
but because the holes are always at the bottom
I don't really mind.

Done !
and the crystal ball (really handy inside while working)

tells me I will enjoy these socks for some time !

day 19

Autumn
is the time to wear my socks again.
And of course these are homemade socks !
(nothing better to keep your feet warm !)
A sweater and a pair of jeans
to complete the whole picture.

A few years ago I did an indigo-workshop
and I thought I would be able to dye lots of stuff
But, alas, only time and room for a few things.
(unfortunately it never came to my OWN vat . . .)
Ohhhh how I love that magic moment when the cloth
comes out of the vat :
from a yellowy-green it turns
to a wonderful
BLUE

My PINK RIBBON  Textile Jewel for day 19 :

a wet felted hollow brooch,
green on the inside and also he inner circle on the outside,
stitched with variegated silk
and a few seed beads
(almost 6 cm diameter)

For a donation of at least

€ 15,-

SOLD  !

this "jeans" brooch can be yours.
Maybe to decorate your favorite jeans jacket ?
It also makes a wondeful present !
You just need to send me an email at
fiberrainbow@gmail.com
(or say so in the comments)
and we'll arrange the rest that has to be done !

ALL the money goes to PINK  RIBBON !

"JEANS"

I hope to see you tomorrow
for another Textile Jewel
in another colour !

darning

When I took up knitting again

(after a looong non-knitting period

and then discovering the beautiful sock yarn

with long colour changes)

I made a lot of pairs of socks.

Now, all but one pair of winter shoes

are big enough to wear home knitted socks :

never again cold feet

(haha)

But lately I discovered some very thin patches,

only the nylon in the wool left !
(hmmmmm ... that's because I always walk on my socks inside the house)

Time for some serious darning !!!

Unfortunately I had nothing of the original colour left

(and nothing close)

Nothing to worry :

as long as I don't put my feet up !

My mother's old darning tool

came in handy

(some more pairs waiting for the same treatment !)

*

We had no winter to speak of

but in the garden spring seems to be on its way.

Daughter brought spring for inside

a special day

17 - 3 - 17

For quite some time now

March 17

is a special day for us :

on this date, on a Sunday,

our dear daughter was born !

(we always look at the daffodils :

are they in bloom, just as they were at that day ?)

Such a sweet tiny thing she was

(and sweet she still is, now proud mother of three !)

(4 weeks, on my birthday)

(never can resist daffodils in the shop ...) 

Though the real birthday party

will be next Sunday,

I could give her my present this afternoon.

I worked on it for a long time before I was satisfied

(and had to hide it every time,

so the surprise wouldn't be spoiled)

Portrait number three

So now all three kids will be next to each other.

Now I have time to continue the flower drawings I made earlier.

*

I still had time to do the knitting

(of course, she could see that

and didn't need to be hidden ...)

One is halfway the foot

and the on other I can start with the special "Strong" heel ...

I'll take them tomorrow when we go to the Rotterdam St'nB.

It will most probably be raining ...

but, we're going anyway :

we plan to go to the Farmer's market too.

projects, small and big

I'm not a one-thing-only person.

It might be a flaw,

not able to stick to one technique

and becoming really good at it,

but that's how it is.

So, small projects,

like the little knitting needle pouches.

I must say I got carried away,

looking in my stash for suitable fabrics :

the Kaffe Fassett ones jumped out 

"use me, use me ... "

Ah yes,

why not make a whole rainbow of pouches ???

*

Two weeks ago a St'nB friend in Rotterdam

had the most wonderful tiny

knitting project :

a cute little cat

Of course I was immediately thinking

of our dear Bagheera ...

I finished him today and brought him to daughter.

*

Another small project was making pictures

for daughter's knitting course :

double knitting, step-by-step

*

Then there are socks again,

this time with the most wonderful wool

that my friend Birgit gave me

She is such a great dyer !!!

I have two "cakes", one for each sock.

I mixed it with some solid purple that was in my stash

(that way I can make more out of it ...  ;-)  ... !)

*

But the really BIG project isn't mine at all !

Water management

is a very important issue in our low country.

So every few years the local small waterways 

canals, ditches have to be "cleaned"

This moment the little canal

next to our garden is being cleaned ...

with something that looks like a giant

water vacuum cleaner !

(the cleaner hose)

Right at this moment, a very COLD job !

Our early little flowers are hiding under a bit of snow right now !

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  !

a tiny bit of flu ...

No, it's not very bad

but no appetite at all

and lots of sleep

...

so only a little of January

that was left

We had ice !!!

Though not very thick

so NO big tours

(that's what a LOT of Dutch people LOVE)

And of course we had our bird guests :

*

Made just a few stitches for

"a year of stitches : 2017"

*

Some new zig-zag socks

And you might have problems transporting your

W.I.P socks when you use small sock needles :

this solves that problem !

(so I made a few more of these pouches)

(hmmmm making it an early night again)

here again

It took some time,

but I'm here again ...

nothing much happened in between.

I think January is 

(for most people)

a month to be calm again

after all the busy things of December.

After I finished the blue zig-zag socks

I made the red ones for daughter.

(first try and change for the better pattern)

And because I loved the result of that second pair

...

I started similar ones for me again

(yes, I know, it's addictive ...)

A bit more purple and less orange / red.

*

In the first week of January arrived another

felting exchange piece

(and I thought I had them all ...)

 Thanks Geurdie !

(and there seems to come another one ...

I didn't count very well !)

*

When I saw on FB that my felting exchange friend Jolan

was participating in 1 year of stitches.

I thought to give it a go too ...

(though I really don't know IF I will keep it up)

But, it will be fun to be part of another stitching community.

Some thin dark blue noil silk

(with some thin white cotton under it)

in my big quilting hoop (40 cm)

I started with my "personal magic thread"

and will use the lovely indigo hand dyed embroidery thread

So far.

*

In the kitchen we discovered two days ago

a very strange guest

He or she probably slipped into our house

in a pot of fresh basil ...

(and now discovers that there's nothing to eat here at all !)

No spring in sight here :

just more winter !