On the Needles–Woof!

Well I finally found a pattern for a dog sweater I really like.  In fact I found several in a book I just got called Dogs in Knits.  There are just a couple of basic patterns in this book, but they’re done in really cute versions.  There’s even a party dress that won’t work on [...]

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January Take It Further Challenge Complete

This morning I put the finishing stitches on my TIF for January.  I worked quite a lot on it yesterday to get it done so I will have a few days before getting the February challenge parameters.
I used an uneven blanket stitch and separated strands of Caron Watercolours number 060 Slate to finish the border.  [...]

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Almost Finished–January TIF

Just a quick posting of where I am on my Take If Further challenge piece for January.  With five more days left I’ve quilted the embroidered piece and wrapped the beautiful backing fabric around to the front for a border.  I’ll stitch it down with an uneven blanket stitch using this great Caron Watercolour variegated [...]

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Inner Critical and Creative Voices — A Challenge

A couple of days ago Jacqui and Tricia commented on my “Trust the Process” post and they got me thinking more about how we get stopped in our creative processes, partially because we don’t trust the process, but also because we start listening to the inner critical voices that tell us we’re not doing it [...]

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The Embroiderer’s Guide

… creating is a skill that can be learned and developed.  Like any skill, you learn by practice and hands-on experience.  You can learn to create by creating.               —Robert Fritz, The Path of Least Resistance

On January 21 Sharon gave us a link to an interesting site on antique samplers on her In a Minute Ago [...]

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Trust the Process

Thomas Merton was known for his profound spirituality and writing.  These words resonated with me today as I came across them in my reading (I don’t know which of Merton’s works they are quoted from):
There is in us an instinct for newness, for renewal, for a liberation of creative power.  We seek to awaken in [...]

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Making Things Happen

My projects for this past weekend were to construct a blocking board and finish the knitting on my Claret Perfect Sweater.
On Saturday we went to Lowe’s and picked up two loose 2′x4′ ceiling tiles.  I wasn’t sure we’d get them out of the store, because they didn’t want to sell us individual tiles, only packages [...]

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Buffy Tracks Out in the Open

I was finally able to bring “Buffy Tracks”, the bison down scarf I am making for John’s birthday out in the open today.
I didn’t get quite halfway finished with it, but it was making me crazy trying to work on it in snatches here and there.  He really likes it and says he had [...]

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Works in Progress

I think we’ve had our coldest weather so far since being in New Mexico.  The low last night was 11 degrees below zero, Farenheit.  It’s about 3 degrees now at nearly 11am.  There was ice on most of our windows this morning.  But it’s clear and crisp with a brilliant blue sky.  The snow forecast [...]

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Creative Resources

I’ve been slack about keeping up my blog this week as we have been getting out of the house and taking some day trips.  Thus, I haven’t been doing a lot of creative work, but have been gathering creative resources.
Yesterday we took a drive to Alamosa, CO.  Our house is only 46 miles from the [...]

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