Three weeks ago I began a Scrappy steps afghan (inspired by Chawne and her mighty afghan effort), mine is smaller and scrappier and I had some halfway commitment issues, but now it is done I like it a lot. I like that it was a meditative crochet project, not too much counting of stitches required, I like that I could play with colour and that I could improv whenever I got a little bored. I used a combination of scraps of yarn as well as big balls of yarn from various places including: hand spun hand dyed yarn from my mother, Bendigo woollen mill and Pickles. If you want to make one you can grab the pattern here and watch the how-to videos here.
I am on the search for my next crochet project now! I have pinned a few options and am thinking polka dot squares or this one that I posted about ages ago – I am still in love.
- Also this week my project for going slow has been successful (I spent quite a bit of time crocheting on the couch as I was not feeling so well), I also ordered a Kombucha mother online and have begun the kombucha growing process. Nothing really to report this week, but next week I hope to have something to show. By this point in this paragraph if you are asking — what is kombucha? It is a fermented tea and supposed to be good for what ails you – here are some links for you if you are interested in knowing more: From yougrowgirl :: From thesweetbeet.
- I also have been brewing ginger beer – so delicious, easy and a healthy soda option. I’ll have the recipe and the how-to as well as a bit of the science behind it available in the next Action Pack Magazine - watch out for it early next week.
- On whipup this past week I have been showcasing some of the quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee – see the whole series here: Little Bits Quilting Bee series.
- Also at whipup we had Dora Ohrenstein discuss her new book and I did a bit of a comparative review on two new fabric design books.
News and links and other goodies:
- This week on #talknt [twitter quilting chat] we discussed the upcoming QuiltCon – Modern Quilting Conference which will be held early 2013. Details: Quilt Con will be held in Austin, TX, February 21-24 2013. Quilt con is a combination of modern quilt show and conference, it will incorporate a juried quilt show, vendors, lectures and workshops from top modern quilters, including Denyse Schmidt, Anna Maria Horner, Elizabeth Hartman, Malka Dubrowsky, Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.
- Purl soho are hiring - that would be a fun job – just take a look at that wall of yarn!
- Love this beautiful scrappy knit shawl :: Knit a french farmhouse dishcloth :: Happy hooky flowers :: Happy granny blanket cushion ::
- Interesting Crochet guns :: creature inspired crochet :: Freeform jellyfish :: Crochet radish
- Why press seams open when quilting? Weeks Ringle explains
The Country Almanac of Housekeeping Techniques That Save You Money
Mend It Better
Martha Stewart’s Crafts for All Occasions
[Thanks to publishers and distributors for sending me books to review, I don't get paid to post reviews but I am an amazon affiliate] (Australian’s can purchase craft books online through can do books or booktopia or else browse booko for the best prices.)
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Published by Princeton Architectural Press (April 2011). I love a textured cover on a book, I know it’s a small and silly thing, but with everyone proclaiming the end of books, I am so glad that publishers are making an effort to preserve the object-ness of the book. In the Wilds, not only has a lovely sturdy textured hard cover, but it is filled with delicate textured drawings based on Nigel’s love of the land he grew up in. Birds, fields, fences, wood grain — he manages to capture the essence of place.
by Steven Connor and published by 
by Shufu To Seikatsu Sha, English language version published by Interweave Press (December 13, 2011). More beautiful simple flowing designs in the Japanese style – from flowing dresses, to cute tunics and drawstring pants — there are some elegant wardrobe basics here. The one drawback as another reviewer said: “The patterns only go up to size L – which ends up being something like US 3-4 [teenager] size or a petite. Short and no room for breasts.” However due to the excellent photo illustrations and how-to instructions which we have come to expect and appreciate in Interweave books, if you have a little sewing experience you should be able to alter the patterns before making up the clothing if required.
and 
. These books include a CD of motifs and which can be manipulated and adapted for your own projects.
by Martena Duss and Sissi Holleis (published by Andrews McMeel Publishing 2011). This indie style sewing book is written by the gang from the Paris based social sewing shop: ‘Sweat Shop’, it’s a cafe — a social sewing drop-in centre. The designs featured in the book are unusual and unique, hippy and punk and rock n roll diy — utilising refashioning and deconstruction, knitting and crossstitch, beading, glueing and stitching techniques to make a variety of hip and fashionable clothing and accessories as well as a bunch of playful things too.
by Nekoyama, published by Creative Publishing international; Reprint edition (September 1, 2010): Amineko make his/her debut on the crafting scene many years ago when the author published a 
by Arne & Carlos and published by Trafalgar Square Books (July 1, 2011). 
by Wanda Urbanska, published by Krause Publications (May 11, 2010). Wanda has for many years hosted a tv show titled Simple Living – and if you are in the USA you can 
. By Deborah Kemball. Published by C&T Publishing (April 16, 2011).: If you love applique and applique flowers in particular then you will love this book. It is unique and inventive and has a lot of tips for technique – not just applique but some really neat methods for borders and foundation piecing.
