Party Cardigan

I've finished my first cable knitting project! I don't know what took me so long to learn cables. I thought they were much harder than they are, but now I can't wait to do more (why is knitting so addictive?).

This is the Jackie Cable Cardigan from the baby book (again!) The sweater is quickly going into Christmas storage, for one of my newborn friends. My plan this year is to have the biggest handmade Christmas EVER, making as many things as I can. And living in a country without Halloween or Thanksgiving, I'm not afraid to start early.

Even though many of my friends now read this blog, I'm going to post handmade things they might receive for Christmas here anyway. I run the risk of hearing "I got the cardigan? I wanted the twin set!", but if all goes to plan, I'll be done making the gifts so early they'll forget all about the posts by December 25th. C'mon, a girl can dream.

Home Base

I've been enjoying some nice time at home, apart from nursing my first cold of the season.

Mr. Furly, my lifelong companion in illness, however, is gone again. He left me in Bristol, impressed by city's maritime past, assuring me his travels would be brief and perfectly legal (unlike his past adventures). I expect he might read this, and hear my calls of beckoning: "HOME TIME!"

Dragon Scale Keyhole Scarf: Free Pattern!

Now you can make a cozy scarf for the colder weather. Made of worsted/aran weight yarn, it knits up quickly, and all you need to know is how to knit, purl, cast on and bind off. It makes a great last-minute gift, too!

The "keyhole" element is a slit you make down the center of the scarf, so you can tuck one side into the other and secure the scarf around your neck. Download my original pattern by cliking HERE, send me a photo when you're done, and enjoy!

Maggie and Mildred: Now Online!

As its film festival tour slows to an end, I've decided to put my film "Maggie and Mildred" online, for all to see. As many of you know, it's the story of the friendship between two special girls, made by hand stitchery and computer trickery.

"Maggie and Mildred" can now be seen here. I hope you enjoy it, will leave a comment here or there, and recommend it to your friends.

Hat for a Prince

It's Mr. Jones' big birthday, and I finished these two small projects I had been knitting furiously in the last couple of weeks. Being a megafan of the small purple man, I knitted him a Symbol Hat, with a complementary scarf.

I'm calling them "Hat for a Prince" and "The Dragon Scarf", which looks and feels like the scales of a dragon. They're both simple patterns you can make in a couple short days. I'll be posting the patterns in upcoming days. Happy Birthday, Mr. Jones!

Shrunk

I'm tired, and looking a bit frazzled these days. I know this blog has been a bit sparse on the crafts, but it's not for lack of working on projects whilst in Bristol.

I'm looking forward to a return to London, and will post my hard work, along with a pattern or two for your Autumn crafting pleasure in coming weeks. Gypsy, why have you shrunken me?

Love 4: Bristol, England

I've been spending some work time in Bristol, in the Southwest of England. It's been so nice, I thought I'd share some photos.

In Bristol, even the grafitti is color coordinated!

The bridges go between parts of the city and National Trust land, for biking and hiking.

It's very hilly, with beautiful houses that overlook views of the Avon river and the English countryside.

And friends you love greet you in the lobby. Can you guess where I've been working?

Mattey and Me

My best friend Mattey and I have a hobby. We like to get some outfits together and go to a Superstore photo studio to get our photos taken. At first the employees always tell us to smile, but once they understand that we're not there to get a nice photo necessarily, they usually get into the fun. It always ends with Mattey and me crying with laughter, purchasing the largest photo package, and anxiously anticipating the prints.

I'm starting to get the hankering to do another photo soon, as it's been a few years now since this last one. Any suggestions on the outfits?