Quilts at the Creek

A couple of weeks ago I participated in Quilts at the Creek where I showed two of my quilts. Quilts at the Creek was put on by the York Heritage Quilter's Guild in cooperation with Black Creek Pioneer Village; the YHQG asked my guild (the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild) to participate in the show with them and so I decided to put in two quilts that were finished somewhat recently.

Black Creek Pioneer Village is very cool and most of the quilts were hung up outside in various places throughout the village. I've heard a rumour that the show did so well that Black Creek has already decided they want to do the show again next year. Both my mum and Sheila drove into Toronto and the three of us spent the day at the show together; we walked around and visited all of the quilts, went into most of the buildings, watched a weaving demonstration (I recently found out that we somehow missed a hand quilting demonstration), and went to the fabric marketplace about five times as well as the actual giftshop.

Before we get into a few pictures, can I just say that I'm a complete moron and didn't actually take pictures of any of the quilts. The only reason I have any pictures of my own quilts in the show is because Sheila and my mum both took pictures of them. Yep, I totally rock.

This photo was taken by Sheila (using my phone) and that's me standing in between my two quilts. The one on the right is The Geese Have Landed which has been shown on this blog before, however the one of the left is Mineshaft which I haven't shared. Mineshaft has actually been done for a little while now, but is one that I'm currently writing a pattern for (hopefully it will be done and for sale very soon). I originally intended to put another quilt into the show but it didn't fit the width dimensions that they wanted as it's destined to be a wall hanging. And yes, both of those quilts contain a whole heck of a lot of Tula Pink - you know I love her!

A little anecdote: When I originally ventured out to find my quilts at the show I was dismayed to find that Mineshaft had been hung sideways - as in with the long side across the clothesline (despite the fact that the quilt back is pieced and that it has TWO labels on it that). Luckily a staff member wondered by as I was saying all of this to my mum and got it fixed! I wish they hadn't folded the top over like that (especially since it's crooked which you can really see in the next picture).

These are the backs of my quilts! You'll see better pictures of the Mineshaft back when I release the pattern but I must say that I love it! This is where I was standing taking pictures (not this picture obviously) when I heard two older women dissing my Mineshaft quilt - not cool!! Needless to say I didn't go near my quilts again for the rest of the day.

Here are a couple of goodies that I picked up both at the Marketplace and in the gift shop. The six fat quarters on the side (as well as a Moda scrap bag that isn't in the picture) are from Log Cabin Yardage which is a Canadian online shop. The hand dyed fabric pieces are from Good Lines Decor - they were made using pre-loved cotton and dyed with vegetable dyes - I think the colours are seriously awesome! The yarn is from the gift shop at Black Creek - it was hand spun at the village using wool from their Border-Leicester's (who I saw - cute sheep!) and hand dyed using indigo and osage. The little tag on it even has the name of the girl who made - her name is Kelly. I also bought a set of handmade leather buttons in the gift shop but they're not in the picture either.

I definitely think that I'll do Quilts at the Creek again and next year, I promise, I'll actually take pictures of the quilts!

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Thursday everyone! I made a few things over the last little bit that I haven't had a chance to show you yet, so let's get to it!

These are my June blocks for the Joy circle of do. Good Stitches. We used the Patchwork Wheel tutorial from Elizabeth of Don't Call Me Betsy and I think they turned out quite nice. I used a mix of prints for these including quite a few from Tula Pink, some Kate Spain, some Heather Bailey, solids, and a few more designers.

I have more (read: better) pictures of them, but unfortunately they are on my computer which is in the shop after the hard drive melt-down. Luckily I take a lot of pictures on my phone to share on Instagram while I'm working on things so at least I have this one to show! By the way, if you're on Instagram and want to find me my name username is KayePrince.  

I finished my Diagonal Lace Socks a couple of weeks ago and I just love the way they turned out! The pattern is from Wendy Johnson's Socks From the Toe Up but it is also available on Wendy's blog as one of her (many) free downloadable patterns. The yarn I used is from an indie dye, Aspen Moon Arts, on Etsy; it's 70% superwash wool and 30% nylon, and the colourway is called Harvest Corn. These are the second pair of socks I've knit but they were a first in many ways - my first using the toe up method, my first using magic loop, and my first actually using fingering weight yarn (the first pair were super-chunky). Yes, I am quite pleased with them.

I also stitched up this little guy just for fun! The Royal Guard was first published in Cross Stitcher magazine last year but can now be found as a download on The Making Spot (if you have not checked out that website, run and look - seriously!). I have no idea how I'm going to use him yet, but I had a ton of fun just stitching him up! I stitched up another little giftie for my mum this week but it'll have to wait until after I give it to her because she reads my blog (hi Mum!).

And finally, I started a new pair of socks yesterday and this is the yarn I'm using. It's Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Iceburg (which is a colourway that has been discontinued); I'm using the Feather Lace pattern from Rosemary Falk, and am super-excited that they are less-than-standard stitches around so I think they'll fit my super-narrow feet better! I will show my progress when I've got a little more going.

I am now going to go read a book or watch You've Got Mail (in honour of Nora Ephron) in bed since I got stung by a stupid, ruddy bee today in the sole of my foot (while wearing my bloody shoes!) and need a lie down. Poor foot. Rubbish bee.

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Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent. -Langston Coleman

Well, it's been a crazy few weeks! Birthdays and parties galore - including my Alex's 30th (I got him a fly tying kit and he's already made about seven flies!) - sewing and knitting, and, rather unfortunately, I found out this week that I am losing my job at the end of the month. It is a contract position and since the CBC is partially publicly funded, the federal budget isn't coming down until the day before my contract is up, and because we're expecting large cuts since the Conservative government doesn't seem to like us too much, my contract isn't being renewed. I know that I'm not being let go because I've done anything wrong, or because people don't like my work, but really, that maybe makes it harder. Okay, anyway, I'm sure I'll figure it out. Actually that's one of the little mottoes my Mum and I share - we'll figure it out - we always do!

Enough about that, let's get to the good stuff! Remember in a recent post when I shared my first sock? Well...

I finished the second one the next day! This photo was taken about five minutes after I finished them at 10:30pm - I love them! I've been wearing them almost everyday around the house, as I think I've mentioned before I prefer slipper socks to standard slippers because I like my ankles to be covered so these are just perfect! These are the Cottage Slipper Socks and the pattern can be downloaded for free from Lion Brand (I believe there is also a crochet version); I used Lion Brand Thick and Quick in Oatmeal so they knit up super-fast since the yarn is very bulky. I may just need to make another pair! You can find these beauties on my Ravelry here!

Oh, another thing that happened this past week is that I came down with either food poisoning or some sort of stomach flu and spent four days in bed. This was really not all bad because it was actually quite nice to stay in bed and watch movies and knit *wink*! I finished knitting a hat (which is of no use right now because the weather is being crazy and it is seriously warm here) and I wrote my first knitting pattern! Eeeek! I'll share the hat when I take pictures and the knitting pattern when...well, you know, when the sample is actually finished and stuff!

I did receive ridiculous amounts of yarn in the mail week before last - which was actually quite funny because both boxes showed up on Alex's birthday and he thought for a minute that they might be presents for him, hehe!

I took this picture after I opened up the boxes and lordy was I excited! This is a combination of a Craftsy Knitting Mystery Box and an order from Eat Sleep Knit.

The Craftsy Knitting Mystery Box is available at a limited quantity near the beginning of each month through the deals section of the website - it is $25 USD and guaranteed to include at least $50 worth of supplies (mine ended up being worth about $75 or so). I'm not in love with the colours that I received (except maybe the yellow) but it was really fun nevertheless - I received one skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Camote, one skein of Cascade Epiphany in #1308, two balls of di.Ve Autunno, and a pair of rosewood Lantern Moon straight needles (which are absolutely gorgeous by the way).

The order from Eat Sleep Knit included one skein of Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Terrarium and two skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Calligraphy. The skein of Terrarium is being paired with another skein that I already have for the pattern I wrote that I mentioned earlier, and the Calligraphy is being matched with some Tosh Merino Light in Tern for Sothia by Robin Ulrich.

These were also in my ESK order and are for more socks! I got one skein of Malabrigo Sock in Ochre and two skeins of Shibui Knits Sock in Sand - oh so very pretty!

And as if all that lovely yarn weren't enough this awesome little owl needle gauge was included with the March issue of Simply Knitting magazine - eeep! I love cute little notions like these - they just make everything prettier and so much more fun!

Now I know there has been a whole lot of knitting and yarn and knitting related stuffs in this post, but don't worry I'm still sewing! I've finished three bags in as many weeks and some other little secret projects - the bags I'll share just as soon as I take pictures (and after two of them make it to their recipients) and I'll share the other projects as soon as I'm able!

Knitting: Age of Brass and Steam!

Hey all! How's it going? So I have been AWOL for the last little bit...sorry about that! The past couple of months have been very full; I've been a bit overwhelmed by all that I have to do and everything that is going on, and frankly I have also been a little discouraged but I am trying to just push on. Okay, enough with that! Who wants to see some knitting?!

Back in August I was injured at work, hurting my right wrist and hand. As a means of getting some of my mobility back with out pushing my wrist too far I picked up a new knitting project - the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief which is a free project available on Ravelry.

I used Madelinetosh DK in Kale which is the top yarn here (the bottom is Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Tern in case you're interested). Madelinetosh is one of my absolute most favourite yarns and I ordered these two skeins from Eat.Sleep.Knit which is one of my favourite online yarn shops - all around, just a good time!

I made pretty good progress and the kerchief was done in about four days I think - it did help that Alex wasn't home that week so I basically spent the entire time knitting other than when I went to work. I borrowed my neighbour's blocking boards (since I don't have a set of my own), gave it a nice long soak, and pinned it out for a day. It blocked quite nicely although I'm a tight knitter so it's a teeny bit smaller than I thought it would be (next time I make this I'm going to go up a needle size).

Her ya go, the completed kerchief! Like my artsy photo, hehe?! I tried hanging it up with clothespins and it was just was not working but outside pictures were definitely needed! It turned out so squishy and soft and pretty and I love it!

I actually wore it to work today (sorry for the not-so-good pic - taken with my phone under florescent lights) with my Scottish stag head pin...according to Thomas, this picture is 'vampire porn'. I really adore that pin guys - one of my absolute favourites! I wish this photo were better so that you guys could see the true colours of both the kerchief and the pin - maybe I can get a better pic when I take some of the Damson I finished recently.

Rav'd here: Brass and Steam in Kale

Goodies Galore!

Phew, what a week! The heat has been monstrous in Toronto but we finally had a couple of good rainstorms and things have cooled down considerably - good thing too since Alex and I don`t have air conditioning! I've got a couple of projects in the works right now but nothing completed to share with you all (although I will very soon) so how about I share some of the goodies I've acquired recently? Good? Okay!

As I mentioned in my last post my Mum and I spent a day last week crafty shopping; we went to Mary Maxim (which is sort of like Michaels or Joann's) and Fabricland, and visited a thrift shop.

I picked up four skeins of Cascade 220 Heather in Sparrow - the colour is very difficult to capture but it is sort of a greeny-tan with yellow undertones. They had a sample knit up with this colour in the store and it looked so pretty! I'm thinking about using it for either the Every Last Yard cardigan or the Contented Cardi; I sort of wish now that I had bought five skeins so that I could make the Effortless Cardigan but ah well!

My Mum brought me these two little fat quarter sets too when she came down; apparently a new quilt shop opened in the city where she works and she just *had* to stop in a take a peek for me - I know, my Mum's pretty cool! The top are FQs from Basic Grey's Blush collection for Moda and the bottom are FQs from the Deco Metric collection by Ro Gregg for Northcott. The colours in Deco Metric just scream my Mum so I'm seeing something for her in the future.

This fabric has all come to live with me recently - hurray! With the exception of the print from Hideaway on the far left (which I also got at Mary Maxim) all of this was on it's way to me before the Canada Post strike but then I had to wait for it. I had been looking all over for the yellow cafe dots from City Weekend by Oliver + S (which came out about a year ago) and finally found some online at CityCraft and then I threw in the Modern Meadow and Innocent Crush prints for good measure - what can I say? They were on sale *wink*! I have been lusting after the camper fabric from the Circa 60 Beach Mod collection by Monaluna for Birch Fabrics for a long time and finally just gave in a bought a half yard off of Etsy - I'm so excited to use in for something just for me! And when Spoonflower was having their free shipping day I ordered a yard of my labels - I like making my labels simple like these ones so that I can use them on both quilts (I left enough room around them for seam allowance and so that I can write the date on with a fine tip Sharpie) and smaller sewn items.

And last but not least is my Sew, Mama, Sew order (which I also placed before the Canada Post strike)! Let's see I got some of the Kaffe Fassett shot cotton in Steel, Moda Crossweave in Brown-Tan, Spring Toss in Blush from the Memoire A Paris collection from Lecien (which is cotton lawn), and three prints from Tula Pink's Prince Charming collection.

I've got some big plans for most of this fabric already - I just need to find the time to actually implement some of it, haha! Okay, I'm off to bed, but I'll be back soon with some finished projects to share!