well-crafted

His new medium

 

 

 

Will has been playing around with Illustrator lately and I’m loving the results. From top: The Vampire, Untitled 6, Storm.

The best gift

When I was out of town visiting my parents in October, my mother-in-law was here helping Kirk take care of the kids and generally keeping things running smoothly—and she did a smashing job of it. She also did another incredible and generous thing which left me almost speechless. Do you recognize that yarn shown above?

I’ll give you a hint: it used to look like this.

Yes, she frogged that sweater. Can you believe it?! The fact that the yarn had been held double on the sweater made her effort that much more enormous, because she also separated the strands. My jaw dropped open when I saw it and I was overwhelmed with gratitude because really, I don’t know when I would have found the time or patience to do that. I was giddy!

And just like that, a Tea Leaves cardigan was born. I am so excited.

Thank you, Joella!

Nice and easy

Sweet Peasy by Heidi Kirrmaeir, knit with Louet Gems worsted. (Yes, again.)

From Grandpa, to Grandson

My Dad makes knives. For years he has meticulously crafted these beautiful objects, mostly for fun and sometimes for profit. Kirk is the proud owner of one, as are other family members and family friends.

And now Will has his very own knife. It was a gift made especially for him on his 8th birthday last month. By special request and made to fit his smaller hands. From Grandpa to Grandson. To say Will was thrilled to receive it would be an understatement. He is very proud and enjoys telling people all about it. “My Grandpa made this knife for me. Get it? He didn’t buy it, he made it!”

I made reference in a recent post, to working on a special project with my Dad. It was this sheath, or scabbard (not sure what the difference is). Participating in this part of the gift made it that much more meaningful. And it was a blast! I learned a lot about leather working (and thus added to my ever-growing list of ‘things I want to make and do’, specifically this. But I digress!). More photos of the process and the finished but un-dyed product here.

I have been feeling really grateful to have this work of art in our home and will cherish it for many years to come. It really is a family treasure.

A note about safety: Will is never allowed to use the knife without close and proper adult supervision and we continue to teach him about about the correct way to use it. The knife is kept in a safe and secret place in mine and Kirk’s room so we always know when it’s out.

A final note: if you are interested in having a knife for yourself or someone you love, my Dad does take custom orders. We are working on getting a Big Cartel site up and running for him, but in the meantime you can let me know and I will put you in touch with him.

Update: you can see more knives here.

Let the Rains Begin

Thank you, Oliver + S, for making me a better seamstress.

This coat was finished over the weekend, and just in time, too! It’s pouring outside and my muchkin is plenty cozy. And dry too, thanks to the water resistant canvas I used—which I ordered from here. It’s lined with a crossweave pima shirting and interlined with organic cotton fleece. I am always impressed every time I use an O+S pattern at how smart and simple the designs are and how flawless and thoughtful the construction and finishing techniques are.

The only challenge we are having (which could be considered a flaw in design) is that the button tabs are a little fiddly. Lauren had trouble buttoning them without getting them twisted and it took her a little too long to get them undone and the thing off. The first time she wore it was to a movie with a friend and she couldn't get it off in the dark and had to sit through the whole show baking. I guess she was too shy to ask for help. As soon as she got home she said she wasn’t going to wear it “ever again!” Determined to avoid having my hard work rejected once more, I put some velcro on those button tabs and have convinced her to give it another try. So far, so good…

A little more about the fabric. It’s beautiful and soft and not too stiff for a canvas. It has a nice drape to it and was really easy to work with. I’m not sure about the water-resistant feature though. It is apparently not permanent. I’m thinking it will work well for our quick trips to and from school or for running errands, but not for a long walk in the rain. We’ll see.

Couldn’t resist posting this last shot because I think it’s just so darn cute.

*****************************************************************************

Besides finishing Lauren’s coat over the weekend, I also had the great pleasure of attending the Little Winter market and enjoyed it so much. I bought a gorgeous necklace and earrings from Sulu Design, and a couple of really lovely gifts from My House Party. The highlight for me was meeting and chatting with Elly Fales, of Garment House who could not have been more kind and gracious. Some very nice photos of the event here and here.