tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16708501086262206212024-02-07T00:55:35.674-05:00Halcyon HandmadeOn knitting, sewing and other crafty pursuits.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-33516691789307854752011-04-13T16:20:00.010-04:002011-04-13T16:42:14.936-04:00Still waiting......Well, it appears that this baby is taking its sweet time in arriving. The due date has come and gone and I'm still sitting here wondering when it's going to happen. Hopefully soon!I've made all sorts of things while waiting, including a few more things for the baby. This pillow will sit on a chair in the baby's room.I made a basic envelope back pillow following instructions in The Sewing Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-66328756816918977632011-04-01T12:03:00.013-04:002011-04-04T16:23:44.310-04:00Playing the waiting gameI've been off work for two weeks now. While it's given me time to prepare for the baby and to relax, I must admit to being a little bored. I'm always surprised when people say that if they didn't work they don't know what they'd do with themselves. I'm sure I could always find something to fill the time. But being this pregnant really limits the possibilities. Some of my favourite Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-31871088863542805582011-03-22T15:49:00.026-04:002011-03-23T12:00:00.794-04:00Getting ready for baby!Well, it's been almost an entire year since I've posted anything! And a busy year it's been - new job, new house, and first time pregnancy! Needless to say the blog hasn't been at the forefront of my mind.The baby is due in three weeks and I've been crafting like crazy. I'm also off work now so I thought it a good chance to post about some of the things I've made.First up is a Shibui Baby Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-68227711552962003262010-04-03T06:14:00.013-04:002010-04-06T04:37:24.610-04:00Linen Needle PouchI recently borrowed Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan from the library. I chose two projects from the book to make, the needle pouch below, and another currently *top secret* project.In the book, the needle pouch is called a crochet hook cozy but since I don't crochet I'm using it to store and tote around my double-pointed needles.The project in the book is made using denim, but I've been so Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-66004679970980630722010-03-31T07:34:00.003-04:002010-03-31T08:00:21.763-04:00Wow, it's been a month since I've had something to blog about. I did finish a small sewing project recently, I just have to get around to photographing it. Mostly I've been busy knitting two warm weather sweaters for myself, which I'll hopefully finish before it's too hot to wear them! One is done and now I just have to find the right buttons to go with it; the other is in the works.I just had toJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-10879991898503452852010-02-28T16:29:00.009-05:002010-03-10T14:59:52.253-05:00With the beautiful, warm, sunny weather we've been experiencing lately, spring doesn't feel far off at all. I can't wait for spring ephemerals to carpet the forest floors and spring bulbs to break through the ground in gardens.In the meantime, I'll have to make do with my new bright and cheery pincushion.It's the Wildflower Pincushion by Anna Maria Horner and it's a biggie (for some reason Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-71748557766624195852010-02-22T16:44:00.005-05:002010-02-22T16:57:11.263-05:00Ruby's bibsI whipped up a couple of bibs for my new niece Ruby.Managed to centre a whole ducky on the front of this one which turned out nicely.I used Amy Karol's pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing, and Hushabye fabric in the Sky colourway by Tula Pink. The backing on the bibs is a lovely, soft flannelette which I much prefer to using terry cloth.Now I just need to send them off to England. I have to Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-66036777421404992002010-02-15T13:58:00.005-05:002010-02-15T15:23:46.129-05:00A bittersweet endWell, I'm officially out of Sock Wars now. I went for a skate today and came home to a parcel from San Fran containing my death socks : (It's not so bad really because the socks are great; they are fun, stripey socks and they fit beautifully. They're also a merino/bamboo blend so they're super soft. I've got happy feet! The package also contained belgian chocolate so I shall console myself with aJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-610735085792083112010-02-09T07:36:00.010-05:002010-02-09T08:00:15.763-05:00WinterludeI spent the weekend in our beautiful capital city (Ottawa for non-canadians) and took in the sights and sounds of Winterlude.I was surprised to find a couple of cozy trees:These festooned trees were apparently part of an installation by arts collective Spins & Needles.Marvelous ice sculptures were everywhere:And I enjoyed an evening skate on the Rideau Canal.Also spent a day at the Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-23736045403343022692010-02-01T06:22:00.005-05:002010-02-02T07:09:38.818-05:00Kayla ShrugI made this Kayla Shrug last fall and then stuffed it away in my closet because I didn't think it worked on me. It's an Americo Original pattern and I made it out of their Pima Cotton as the pattern suggests.Turns out it looks great on my sister so I was happy to give it to her rather than have it go to waste. I couldn't bare to think that my 18+ inches of 1x1 ribbing for the top would be in Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-11780191617629884422010-01-25T19:48:00.004-05:002010-01-26T05:18:42.478-05:00Cambodia KnitsAt the last meeting of the Around the Bay Knitting Guild, we had a special guest speaker talk to us about an inspiring enterprise. Monika told us about Cambodia Knits, which she started last year with the goal of providing an employment alternative to marginalized communities. You can read all about Cambodia Knits here. It's an interesting business model that teaches people how to knit, and Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-78523791297496319892010-01-13T06:08:00.005-05:002010-01-14T06:59:59.037-05:00Sock Wars!I've been doing so much report writing at work that when I come home and try to write a blog entry, I stare at the screen and my mind goes blank. But I've got it in me to do a little post today because I'm so excited to be participating in the upcoming Sock Wars V!Each participating knitter is an assassin and must knit a pair of socks as quickly as possible and send them to their target before Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-33163658348000560132009-12-20T03:42:00.006-05:002009-12-21T04:20:37.543-05:00Have a Sweet ChristmasMy sister and I had a Christmas baking day and it was exhausting but fruitful. We made and iced gingerbread and tried our hand at Macedonian zelnik. We have quite a way to go to master this pastry, which my baba has baked to perfection ever since I can remember.The quickest and easiest thing we made was this peppermint bark. If you need to whip up some last minute gifts, give this fesitve Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-91978722878335387852009-11-29T13:46:00.007-05:002009-12-01T04:54:40.134-05:00Countdown to Christmas!It's December 1st and I have a new pair of mittens, reminiscent of candy canes, to help celebrate the holiday season.The pattern is Herringbone Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch (ravelry link here). I used Cascade 220 for mitts that could stand up to some wear and tear. The stranded colourwork means the resulting fabric is double thick so these should be nice and warm.I have unusually small hands so I Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-48991189116894061592009-11-13T17:08:00.011-05:002009-11-15T08:20:36.522-05:00Mystery Socks Revealed!I finished my Mystery Socks last weekend!Finishing these socks was not without drama and heaps of frustration. Everything was going fine at first. I finished my first sock quickly and without trouble. I knit most of the leg on the second sock and was almost ready to turn the heel. I decided to show off my remarkably quick progress to my husband.My husband is a perfectionist. He admires and Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-70495625176178006132009-11-04T06:03:00.008-05:002009-11-04T06:37:58.354-05:00Lavalette - a fall shawlI've got a new shawl for fall. It's Lavelette by Kirsten Kapur. So lovely and quick to knit too. Only took me 5 evenings (quick for me anyways).I've been wearing it around my neck as a scarf but it would also be cozy around the shoulders while sitting and knitting.I need to block it again, as you can see the edges are curling.The pattern is available from Kirsten's blog, Through the Loops. Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-76150344413210681812009-11-01T18:12:00.005-05:002009-11-01T18:23:54.823-05:00Handmade Holidays!If you're looking for handmade gift ideas or inspiration for the holidays, head over to the Sew Mama Sew blog. November is a month of tutorials, recipes and gift ideas to get you in the holiday spirit. I really enjoyed the Scrap Buster Month in October, so I'll be checking the blog daily during November. Oh, and there's a chance to win a prize every day!Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-27635604822929182632009-10-30T05:41:00.006-04:002009-10-30T06:20:32.567-04:00Pink pigsI made another Dewdrop Handbag, this time for my sister for her birthday. I love the way it turned out.The Echino fabric is perfect for this bag as it has a sturdy weight and crisp hand that give the bag structure. I included fusible interfacing as well. It's one tough little bag!When edge- and top-stitching there were times when there were several layers to sew through which would have been Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-42254120353002950342009-10-25T05:20:00.012-04:002009-10-25T09:40:54.820-04:00Fall (or stashing season)We've had some rainy, cold, windy weather here and I've got handknits on the brain. I mostly concentrated on sewing during the summer but with the leaves turning, the mercury plummeting, and Christmas 62 days away, I find myself poring over patterns and hankering for hanks.I visited The Needle Emporium in Ancaster to pick up some new yarns. The shop is like a candy store, so jam-packed with Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-86813966341132698032009-10-17T04:13:00.005-04:002009-10-29T05:29:16.441-04:00Socktoberfest!Socktoberfest is a month-long celebration of socks and I'm celebrating by joining the Through the Loops Mystery Sock Knit-along!Every week during October, Kirsten of Through the Loops will post a new clue in a free sock pattern; first the cuff, then the leg, the heel, etc. You don't know what the sock will look like until you've knit it! It's exciting to see the pattern emerge as I knit.I thoughtJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-16584227839021791892009-10-11T03:54:00.023-04:002009-10-11T05:03:05.812-04:00Halloween craft round-upHalloween's around the corner and there are a ton of great crafts out there to help get you in the spirit. Here are a few of my favourites:Zombies and Monsters: embroidery patterns for sale at Sublime StitchingImage: Sublime StitchingSpooky packing tape transfers: a tutorial from How About Orange...Image: How About Orange...Sugar Skull Pincushion: hand and machine embroidery patterns for sale Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-70002991370806783452009-10-09T05:02:00.007-04:002009-10-29T05:30:07.603-04:00Lavender SachetI made this from a great book I recently bought......It's a sachet filled with lavender flowers. The pattern calls for a striped fabric that you then cut into matching squares and sew together to get this diamond effect. I used some Heather Bailey fabric that I had leftover from my Buttercup Bag.The book is The Impatient Patchworker by Jayne Emerson and I love love love it. Jayne uses Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-16156670066147438402009-09-28T18:34:00.014-04:002009-10-29T05:30:34.570-04:00The NotebookMy dear mom is celebrating a milestone birthday this week so the family got together for brunch at a nice restaurant on the weekend. Copious amounts of delicious food was eaten; plenty of meat for those so inclined, but fortunately an impressive variety of offerings this vegetarian could enjoy. And chocolate cake and profiteroles to top it all off!My sisters and I gave my mom theatre ticketsJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-32222479811720288982009-09-16T05:30:00.009-04:002009-09-16T06:18:25.396-04:00Fabric shopping on EtsyIf you're familiar with Etsy, you know it's a great place to find handmade items. It's also a fabulous place to find fabric for your own handmade creations.I love to browse fabrics on Etsy and find the selection much more inspiring than what is typically on offer in large retail stores.On Etsy you can browse by designer, colour, or by keyword. For example, try typing 'fabric bundle', or 'fabric Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670850108626220621.post-4216487519077627882009-09-07T06:01:00.011-04:002009-09-07T12:18:14.316-04:00Summer Wrap-upIt's officially the last weekend of summer so it was apt that I finished something called Falling Leaves Wrap, a lovely lace pattern by Dory Brown.With the blue colour I chose though I think it also resembles waves, of which there were plenty at the beach yesterday.My husband wanted to do a lake watch as windy weather at this time of year pushes various jaegers and gulls close to shore as Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00532522822409998951noreply@blogger.com4