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Sunday, January 6, 2013

African Animal Baby Mobile

I've been really busy these last few days with yarn orders and working on projects for April's issue of Stitches. The project I was working on today reminded me of a project I did a while ago that is a perfect match to my Little Ellie Baby Blanket




it's the African Animal Baby Mobile.


 
and here's the Little Ellie Blanket
 


and so tonight I loaded the pattern instructions onto my Craftsy Pattern Store and Ravelry . The pattern can also be used to make lovely soft toys by using thicker yarn and larger needles and you'll find instructions for the Little Ellie Baby Blanket there too.

Happy knitting

Love Dana

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2013 - It's going to be a wonderful year!

WOW 2013! Who'd have thought!? ... and we're all still here :)  The Mayan calendar ended and life just carried on as usual - was anyone expecting anything different?

Nothing much has changed in my studio, except for moving some furniture around to accommodate extra guests over December and I've decided to leave the bed in there as it's a lovely cool escape to relax and read on hot summer afternoons. Hahaha... like there's time to spend afternoons reading, but I do intend trying to make some.



I've hit the ground running this year and feel very excited about all that lies ahead. My son, Ken and his fiance, Jackie, will be married in April, so we are all very involved with wedding arrangements. In March my father-in-law has his 80th birthday, so we're off to spend some time with him. Also in April the Wakkerstroom Natural Fibre Fair takes place on Saturday 13th and a new fair in Klerksdorp from the 18th to 20th April. Quilt in Clarens happens again in June and International Quilt Convention Africa in September. At the moment I am working on the April issue of Stitches and have some yarn dyeing.

My "Little Sheep" is featured on September's page of TAFA's first calendar which is available from Zazzle.com and is a wonderfully inspiring way to keep track of your year.




So HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone, may 2013 give you all you wish for yourselves!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

ColourSpun Sale





Sale
20 November –  3 December 2012
All yarn 20% discount

Shop Online – www.colourspun.com



Don't forget to visit my pattern stores on Craftsy, StitchedStuff on Etsy.com and Ravelry

Have fun! :)




Wednesday, November 7, 2012

TAFA TOUR - Meet Constance Rose

Today a few TAFA members are doing a guided tour of TAFA and we will each be taking our readers to visit a different TAFA member.

I'm very pleased to introduce you to Constance Rose of Constance Rose Designs



Connie lives and works in Fortuna, CA, and has been working in textiles for over 30 years. Starting out as a custom clothing designer, her fiber career has included knitting, crochet, embroidery, papermaking, spinning, dyeing, weaving and now, surface design and studio quilting. 
The Studio Quilts Connie creates are non-traditional small quilts of varying sizes -- utilizing hand dyed, painted, printed and shiboried fabrics, and digital images printed on fabric and she is available by request to present workshops on dyeing and surface design techniques.


Pop over to visit her on TAFA and don't forget to go on to visit her website, blog and Textile shop.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

TAFA Special Offer

I've been a member of TAFA for about a year and a half now. It's a dynamic international group of fiber artists, suppliers and collectors. Run by Rachel  Biele, : The Textile and Fiber Art List is a membership organization of fiber artists and textile businesses on the web. TAFA showcases member portfolios through its website, provides access to larger markets, offers access to business resources and fosters community.

Our mission: Markets for Members


Are you interested in joining TAFA as a member? 

Here is an Election Day discount for you: 

There is a $75 fee to join TAFA (no yearly renewals).

The discount brings it $56.25.

Members are juried in, based on the quality of their work, their professionalism, and how their work contributes to our mix. 

This offer expires November 6th, midnight Central Time in the US.
For more info go to

Ten Travel Destinations For Art Lovers





I would love to be able to visit all Ten Travel Destinations For Art Lovers featured here. Who would like to go too?!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Tunisian Crochet - Basic Stitch





Front of work


Tunisian crochet is just one name for a technique that is also known as Tunisian knitting, Afghan crochet, Afghan Stitch, Tricot crochet, Scottish knitting, Irish crochet, Hook knitting and Shepherds knitting. Many consider it a cross between knitting and crochet although the finished work can look like it has been woven, depending on what stitch pattern is used. It is worked on a Tunisian/Afghan hook which looks like a knitting needle with a hook instead of a point on the one end and a stopper on the other. These hooks come in different sizes for use with different yarn weights. Each row of Tunisian crochet is worked in 2 parts – a cast on row and a cast off row and unlike other forms of crochet, the work is never turned so you will always have the same side facing you.

This block is worked in basic Tunisian stitch.

You will need:
Yarn of your choice  
1  Tunisian hook 

 Start with a crochet foundation chain of 20 + 1 – 21 chain  (or as many chain as you need for the width you require your piece to be)
Row 1:
Cast on row: Insert hook into the second chain from the hook, *wrap the yarn (from back to front) over the hook and pull through leaving the new loop on the hook; insert the hook into the next chain* repeat from *to* to end
Cast off row: wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first loop on the hook;* wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook* repeat from *to* until there is only one loop left on the hook.
Row 2:
Cast on row: Insert the hook into the second vertical bar of the previous row, *wrap the yarn over the hook and pull the loop through leaving the new loop on the hook; insert the hook into the next vertical bar* repeat from *to* to end
Cast off row: wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first loop on the hook;* wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook* repeat from *to* until there is only one loop left on the hook.

Work as many rows as you need then work a row of single crochet to end off.

Darn in ends.


 Back of work