This wonderful design was created by Marcel Wanders, a Dutch designer whose imagination and creativity are amazing.  All the motifs are hand crocheted, sewn together over a mold and then stiffened with resin and is manufactured by Moooi.  I first saw this chair in the Winter 2007 issue of “O” magazine — my jaw dropped when I saw it.  How could something so delicate also be so strong — this is truly a marriage technology and the traditional hand arts.  

I just had to share.

I illustrate on the computer almost exclusively anymore.  At first, I fought it tooth and nail, but the more I learned the tool, the more I realized that it was just another medium, like pastels or oils or acrylics.  I now actually enjoy the computer and yes, it’s become my friend.  But last week I pulled out my watercolor block, my brushes and gouache and tried to reacquaint myself with painting again.  I had forgotten how relaxing it is to sit and watch an image begin to appear on a blank piece of paper  — the happy accidents, the thought process, the fun . . .

Spinsters was in Lawrence, KS this past Sunday — Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas, basketball, fabulous shopping on Mass Street, Civil War history, and our host for Spinsters, Julie W.

Julie lives in a historic district in Lawrence in a house that was designed and built as a part of Studio 804, a final semester project for the Architecture and Urban Design students a KU. This particular house was the 1999 project and is a wonderful space.

Because the location was a historical district, there were restrictions of the building size, but the space is efficient and open with big windows and high ceilings.

In the upstairs hall, Julie had a wonderful collection of leaves that she has pressed and framed dating back to 1999.

The house cat, Bug, supervised all knitting, crocheting and spinning and tried to be our taste-tester as well!

It was a wonderful space to have Spinsters — thank you Julie! As always, the company of the group was so enjoyable — there was laughter, much food and spinning. I’m always amazed at how the group has grown from our little gathering of five, to as many as seventeen in attendance and 42 on our e-mail list, and it seems that we have someone new that joins us everytime. I’m always in such a happy mood on the last Sunday of the month . . .

This is my version of the “Sweet Little Nothing Shrug” pattern by Kay Meador, a free Ravelry pattern. I decided to make this little sweater using my own handspun that I had spun from fiber I had bought from The Arts at Eagles Find in the “Under the Sea” colorway. I spun it in a worsted weight and knit with US#8 needles.  The sweater is knit top down with raglan sleeves and I love that there were no seams to sew up.  I modified it by adding length and decreases for shaping to both the sleeves and body and changed it from a single snap closing at the neck to nine button and button holes.  Whew, I was a bit worried about having enough yarn during the final stages of knitting, but, I had JUST enough yarn, with maybe six inches left when all was said and done!  It’s just right for the crisp weather of fall, yet not too warm to wear in my office.

I’ve been a very, very bad blogger!! Knee surgery (ouch), jury duty (grumble, grumble, civic duty and all that), SOLD MY HONKIN’ BIG LOOM, lay-offs at work, Nikol and I finished our new dye book (more on that later), Yarn School, bronchitis, knitting, LIFE! Ok, there are the Cliff Notes for my summer . . .

Now for my knitting. I finished my “Wollmeise socks“, a pattern by Monica Jines that’s FREE at The Loopy Ewe. I knit using 2 pairs of 16 inch #1/2.25mm circular needles used Miss Babs “Yummy” sock yarn in the Iris colorway of greens and purples.

The pattern is very subtle, with staggered k2tog’s and yo ktb. A very easy knit from the top down pattern that goes together quickly.

A little side line, I was so impressed when my friend Rachel saw me knitting these socks and without hesitation, she stated (paraphrased), “oh, I love that “Yummy” sock yarn from Miss Babs, and that “Iris” color is great.” The girl knows hers yarns!!

Oh, My!  The corgi pup of Ravelry member GwendolenG is on this oh so cute commercial for the New York Lottery.  Did I say the lottery?!?  

CLICK HERE TO WATCH!

I’ve been on a mission as of late to knit more with my own handspun yarn.  This little sweater was knit for my new little neice Kaitlyn Rose using two yarns I’ve spun, a green merino super wash that I dyed and a multi-color merino dyed by Maisy Daisy Handspun.  The pattern is Pie, a free and super easy pattern published by Berroco.com.  I modified the pattern from a kimono to and one button cardigan and added a crocheted edging of the Maisy Daisy around the body of the sweater and the green around the edges of the cuffs.  Because it was knit in garter stitch and the pieces are simple with very little shaping, it knit up amazingly fast!

I found this video on Flickr, posted by “pikojin”, of Piko & Jin, two beautiful black and white Cardigan Welsh Corgis.  

I laughed so hard because these two are frapping wilding away in their home, just the way Louis does in our living room, only times two!!  There is such a sense of pure joy as these two fly through their paces.

Go HERE to see these two in their frapping glory!

Wow!  Is that a fabulous dress or what?!?!  This is Louise Fairburn, an award-winning sheep breeder in the UK, who made her dress with locks from her Lincoln Longwool sheep, Olivia.

For the entire article, in the “Daily Mail”, look here.  

WOW!

Okay, I’m on a roll . . .  While going through all my Flickr favorites, I realized I have MANY pics of Corgis sleeping in the funniest positions, just like Louis, and I had to make a mosaic of them.  Hopefully, they’ll bring a smile to your face as well.

1. Typische corgi slaapstand, 2. Gotcha your nose!, 3. Dead Bug, 4. PUPPEH, 5. Nelson, 6. When the heat goes out, 7. Asleep in the bookshelf, 8. 090228_062, 9. Smell it~~~, 10. sweepy, 11. hitting the books, 12. All Wrapped Up, 13. Sleeping Through Bathtime, 14. Tara en Misty, 15. No one should sleep this well!, 16. Peaceful Sleep

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.