Angel Pond Cottage

Springerle Cookies for Christmas

2012-02-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to talk about the Springerle cookies that I made at Christmas. Springerle are a molded cookie, German in origin. These cookies are like little pieces of art, and many people say that they are just too beautiful to eat. But then, once they take a bite, they are hooked!

These delicious, mostly anise flavored cookies can be made using individual molds, several molds on a block or using a roller, which is like a rolling pin, except that it is filled with images that make cookies.

My friend, Matthew Cox got me started on these wonderful Christmas delights, but I had some difficulty the first few years getting the dough just right. This year, I went out to the House on the Hill website and Connie had posted, much to my delight, a tutorial for making springerle. As I watched, I realized that almost everything I was doing was not quite right. So, using her recipe, which is called, "Nini's Perfection Springerle," and following her technique, I was finally able to make these great cookies.

One of the great things about springerle is that they last for months, if kept in a well, sealed tin, and they improve with age, as the anise flavor grows. They travel well, especially in the mail, and you will get rave reviews from your most staunch cookie critic! Connie's grandmother's recipe is on the website, but is also available in a little brochure called, "Too Pretty to Eat," which can be sent to you in your order if you buy any of their products.

This is a typical mold for springerle cookies. It is an oval with a lily of the valley in the center. First, you flour the mold so the batter won't stick. Then you press the mold into the rolled out dough.

Once that it done, you can see the impression when you carefully lift the mold from the dough.

Then you use a special oval cutter to make the cookie take shape around the mold imprint.

Once this is done, you remove the dough around the cookie and carefully pick up the cookie with a flat spatula, placing it on parchment to dry for up to 24 hours.

Once they are dry so that the cookies will not loose the impressions on the top, they are baked at a low heat in the oven and then cooled on cooling racks. They are then stored in a sealed jar or tin for freshness.

I hope you enjoy looking at the evolution of these great cookies, and at some of the wonderful images on them. This was one of the best things that I did during the holidays, and I plan to try some for other times of the year, too.

This last one is Symbols of the Brittish Isles. The cookie was cut using a fluted cookie cutter.

The Nativity always makes a nice image for Christmas cookies.

Try your hand at these unusual and lovely cookies. I think you will be happy with the result!

Have a great day,

Barbara

Winter Gardening

2012-01-21T04:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!
It has been a long time since I have added an entry, so I am hoping to make up for lost time! The holidays are always hectic, but this year was unusually so, since our Dean at the Cathedral of Saint John has retired at the end of November, and there were a lot of things to do.
I am going to try to be more faithful to regular blogging this year, and here is one thing that has been going on in my world.

This morning, it is snowing here, with about 6 inches expected. We can't complain, as this is the first real snowfall of the year and it's nearly February! I love gardening, and I miss all the lovely summer plants in the yard and on the deck. So here are some pictures of my Winter Garden. Enjoy!

Have a great day,
Barbara

2011-09-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
Today I am posting another new wedding cake. Dear friends and neighbors, Danielle and Jennifer were wed yesterday and I was priviledged to make their wedding cake. Here is a picture:

Also, on another topic, I am busy learning the newest novelty scarves, making some for my upcoming show in Rehoboth, MA. The scarves are made with a new novelty yarn called, "Twilight." It is a type like "Rizos," which you see below. It is done by knitting through strands on one side of the yarn. I am including some pictures of my work so you can see it. It is easy to do, once you get the hang of it!

Here are a few pictures of my work:

This one is another pattern. done in the same way, but has many large loops when finished, and is much more light and "flowy." This pattern is called, "Triana." You can find these novelty yarns and the patterns in many of your local yarn shops. I found mine at "Knit One Purl Too," in Wakefield, Rhode Island and at "The Yarn Outlet" in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Have a nice week, and Happy Fall!!

Barbara

The National Cathedral and its damage in the earthquake

2011-08-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

So, it's been a while since I have posted, but I have pictures from The National Cathedral after the earthquake this morning and thought I would post them. The damage is certainly bad, but thank God that the damage didn't include any people getting hurt! Anyway, here they are:

A Sweater Vest for My Honey!

2011-06-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to show you what I have been working on this week. I have (finally!) started working on a beautiful sweater vest for Roger, that I have been wanting to make for him for some time. I am using a great book, called, "Knits for Men," by Margaret Hubert. Here is a picture of her book front along with a picture of the model in the finished sweater vest. If you are interested in finding the book, click here for the connection to her web site and ordering information.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that it isn't worth it to go after the same yarn that you see in a book pattern. In this case, for example, I ordered the 100% Soysilk yarn ( Southwest Trading Company ) that is used in the sample, and it is remarkable!

Cables are the prominent design in this piece, and though they may look intimidating, you can't believe how simple it is to learn how to make these lovely additions to your work.

I did use my usual transfer of information to the Notebook, which makes it far easier for me to follow patterns, as you see in one of the pictures. The advantage for this pattern is that I can transfer the information specific to his size, so I don't have to keep checking that I am in the correct size section. I find this saves me a lot of confusion.

I think I will be working on this for a while, especially since I will be getting serious about weaving very soon for the Fall shows, but I hope it will be done for his birthday, which is in September. By the way, he loved that it is done in what he calls, "Terrier Red!" (He works at Boston University.)
Have a great day,

Barbara

Paul Simon!

2011-06-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, I know that I usually enter what I've been working on, but today I wanted to take a moment to say how we "fed the soul" yesterday.

Diana and I went to see Paul Simon at The Wang Theater, and it was just fabulous. He sounds just like he did in 1972, and has such a versatility to his art that he never gets old. His new stuff, especially "So Beautiful or So What" is every bit as good as the classic Paul Simon, a la "Graceland" or even "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme." He is truly iconic of my generation, and I am so glad that I get to share him with my daughter as well!

Have a great day!
Barbara

Today's Exciting News!

2011-05-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I finished a knitted lace shawl that I have made for Diana. It was one of the projects that I spoke about in my last blog entry. This project is called, "Upstairs Shawl," and was designed and copyrighted by Michaela Behrends.

Now at last, I am getting these wonderful projects done! What do you think?

Have a great day!

Barbara

Catching Up On Set-Aside Projects

2011-05-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had so much enthusiasm for a project that you just can't wait to get it started? Well, when you work with fiber arts, that happens all the time! It can be great fun, but it can get to be a problem when several of these great and exciting projects come up all at once!

I had several scarves that I was working on for my daughter, each one started in this way, but none of them finished. Well, as you see, they are now done, and am I ever so happy that I had the perseverance to get it done!! I have made myself a promise that I won't get anything new until I finish all the wonderful things that I have in bage, boxes and shelves. I started with all the beautiful baby yarns, languishing in storage bins. Made over 100 infant hats by the time I finished it all. Whew!

Now I'm onto the scarves. Baby quilts to be finshed up come after this. Little by little, the stash is getting smaller. I hate having a lot of stash hanging around, and given our climate, it can get unusable if it sits in boxes too long.

So, onward! Lots more to do before I get to start a new stash!!

Have fun and enjoy the day!

Barbara

The DVD that I have been waiting for!

2011-01-26T06:46:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Today, I'd like to say a word about the Rigid Heddle Loom. As you know from past entries, I have been working on this Ashford Knitter's Loom for some time now. I love the portability of it and the way that it can use up pieces of yarns from finished projects to create something totally beautiful, or new yarns to create luscious new things. It can accomodate all sorts of yarns, from cotton to silk or anything in between and works well with ribbon, too.

I have looked for classes, to teach me the variety of patterns that this simple yet complex loom can create, using pick up sticks or fingering methods to make incredibly beautiful fabric. The few classes that I have found in my area are incredibly expensive, and once you have been there, that's it. If you forget what you learned-- not unusual if you do a variety of fabric arts and then come back to the loom, then you are in trouble. You either have to try to "bring it back" by tracing your old steps (often not fun for me!) or you have to pay for your classes all over again. In addition, I really haven't seen anyone do much more than the most basic stitch patterns.

So, I was understandably excited to discover a brand new 2 DVD set that you can find on the Interweave web site, called, "Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom," by Jane Patrick.

It is a fantastic set, with clear instruction and a nice set of downloadable instruction and "cheat sheets," as Jane Patrick calls them. Ms. Patrick's style of teaching is wondeful for adult learners. The sections are very comprehensive and she takes her time and makes clear illustration of her work. She shows examples of the different stitches she will teach and then takes you through it with patience and clarity.

At last! A tool to help me learn the true power of my little heddle loom.

If you have a rigid heddle loom, you shouldn't be without this set. It is very affordable (about $35) and has a total of 2 hours and 39 minutes of instruction time.

Have a great day,

Barbara

Quilts for Blue Denim Ministries & Prayer Shawls for Hospice

2011-01-15T19:05:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

This week has been a time for packaging the many Prayer Shawls that were made this past Fall and Winter and finishing up more quilts for Blue Denim Ministries. Here are some pictures of what has been accomplished.

I surely do appreciate the efforts of all who helped out in this work: Robin, Pat, Leah, Georgianne, Joyce, Arlene, Thelma, Toni, Judi, Judith, Bernice and Marsha.

Have a great day,

Barbara

Back to Baby Quilting!

2011-01-07T10:30:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,

This week, I am playing a little bit of catch-up with some UFO's -- that is, Un-Finished Objects.

My plan is to work on some baby quilts, some for me to sell and some for the ministry of Blue Denim Ministries. I am so glad to be working on these projects; at first it was only to make better space available in my work area, but I am now getting re-energized for these projects that have waiting a while for completion.

Today, I am showing the first two that I have made for upcoming shows in 2011. They are made with an alphabet that is completely embroidered, using my Bernina 630 sewing computer. Once squares were completed, lattice and cornerstones were cut, using the strip cut method. Once laid out, they were sewn together "Eleanor Burns" style, and then borders were attached.

This week, the job needed finishing by bringing the backing, batting and front together into a crib size quilts. You can see the progression of this through the pictures.

Tools needed included Quilt Basting Spray, curved pins and a Kwik Klip, also shown in the pictures.

After the pinning was complete, the quilts were done bu the "Stitch in the Ditch" method-- that is to say, sew a topstitch along the seams so it is nearly invisible but holds all three layers together.

Once that is done, trim the excess batting and leave about 1 inch of backing fabric all the way around, to use to make a hem to finish the quilts off.

Voila!

Have a great week,

Barbara

More on the Holidays and Being Creative!

2010-12-30T05:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Today, I am showing some of the weaving and embroidery that I worked on for the holiday shows in November. It was great to find that the shows were picking up in activity this year. After a couple of years of lacklustre sales, due to the economy, this year seemed better. Among the shows that I did, I certainly enjoyed being at Francis Farm for the Carpenter Museum Show and also the Co-op show that Arlene McGarahan has always hosted, as well as Saint Thomas' Episcopal Church's show.

Roger made me some new set-up frames for the Tea Towels, which you can see in the pictures below. They are made of PVC piping. These days, I have noticed that most shows require a

backdrop of some kind, so this actually serves two purposes for me! He had a bit of PVC piping left over and used what was left to make a small corner stand for the quilted table runners.

I'd like to also mention that the scarves in the pictures are a new design that I started making this year and are a combination of acrylic and rayon chenille. I had a hard time keep up with the sales on these, so I was pretty happy about how they have been received.

Have a great day,

Barbara

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
I hope your holidays were fun and enjoyable. I had a very busy time, finishing up projects until I had a repetative stress injury that completely side-lined me! Well, in the midst of all that, Diana had asked me to help her with a tee shirt quilt project for Christmas presents for Craig and Sarah, her boyfriend and his sister. Both of them are big fans of Jimmy Buffett (as is Diana) and Sarah had a large supply of tee shirts from the various concerts that they attended through the years. When she was thinking of getting rid of them, Diana took them and asked me if I would help her to make them into the two quilts.
So, as my first installment in what I have been up to this holiday season, I will show Diana's beautiful quilts' construction. By the way, she has never made a quilt before and she did almost all the work-- and a great job! See for yourself!
Barbara

Halleluia Chorus the fun way!

2010-12-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everone,
Someone just sent this to me and I thought it was pretty good, so I'm imbedding it so you can see it. Not exactly where I'd expect to hear the Halleluia Chorus, but fun to watch just the same!

Have great day,
Barbara

Happy 25th Anniversary to Lynda and Kurt!

2010-10-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
What a nice accomplishment it is to attain 25 years of marriage! I know how great it was for Roger and me, and now we are over 30 years married. Hard to believe!
Roger's sister, Lynda ( and not only my sister-in-law, but in reality, a true and real friend beyond the "in-law" status) and her husband, Kurt have just celebrated their 25th wedding aniversary. I am including a picture of the cake that I was priviledged to make for them in this writing.

It is good to take the time to celebrate special moments that lift our spirits and point to what is truly good and life-giving in our day-to-day lives!

Congratulations, Lynda and Kurt!

Barbara

Back in Town and getting ready to be busy

2010-09-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I have been away for a time, because my father has recently passed away, after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. It made us sad to loose him, but to have him linger would only lengthen the "long good-bye." I now understand what that means in a very personal way, and will have a greater understanding, hopefully in the future to help others.
We drove from Rhode Island to Pensacola, Florida-- 1,400 miles each way, through the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains, and by some of the most beautiful pastoral settings you can possibly imagine. It helped me to find peace and get ready for what awaited in Florida.
The trip went quickly, too because I am one of those lucky people who can knit in the car and I will share these pictures of what I made on the trip-- 8 baby hats for Kent County Hospital and a scarf, almost completed for the Navy Christmas Project. (There is a Watch Cap that goes with it as well that I haven't made yet.)

Well, I am glad to be home and ready to get to work on projects for the holiday show season. It's coming up so quickly!

Take care,

Barbara

Krissie and Joe's Wedding

2010-08-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday was a wonderful day for all of us, as we watched my nephew and new niece get married in the lovely ocean view setting of Blithewold Mansion, in Bristol, Rhode Island. It was just about the most beautiful setting for a wedding that I have ever seen! They were married out on the lawn, with a georgeous view of the Bay, across a lovely flower bed and grass that seemed to roll on forever! The reception was fantastic and the food, which was catered by Pranzi Caterers, was absolutely magnificent.

I will have pictures of the wedding soon and will post a few, but until then, I am posting a picture of the wedding cake that I made for them. I hope you like it!

Have a great day,
Barbara

Blocking Garments

2010-08-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to talk about blocking garments. It always seemed so mysterious and hard to me, and I never thought I'd get used to the idea of taking a steamer or water to something wonderful that I had just created to make it flat!

Well, KnitPicks has a wonderful tool to help. It is a set of blocks, really, that are made of a durable foam rubber and they link together like a puzzle. The box contains nine 12 inch squares that are 3/8 inch think. You can fit them together for any size-- long, square, rectangle-- whatever you need. As you see here, I was working on scarves, one a new lacy scarf that I just finished for myself, and one striped scarf to go with a hat for one of my favorite charities.

Be sure to check to see which form of blocking works best for your garment. Not all can handle the direct contact of a steam iron, or can be soakes in water. If you ask your knitting specialist, they will be happy to tell you what might work best for your particular piece.

Happy Knitting,

Barbara

PS I am having some fun reading some knitting murder mysteries by Mary Kruger. Just finishing with "Died in the Wool," and will start "Knit Fast, Die Young," perhaps later today!

Fall Jewelry

2010-08-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

This week I have been working on design and creation of my Fall Jewelry. I am uploading some pictures so you can see what I have been up to!

Jewelry is one of those things that you can get really crazy about. I love designing and creating new motifs. As you can see, some of them reflect similar lines and pieces, but some are quite original and "one of a kind."

There are many places that you can go to learn how to make jewelry. AC Moore, Michael's Crafts and JoAnn's Fabric and Crafts are just a few suggestions where you can find classes and supplies. Of course, if you are in a business, you can get your supplies from companies like Fire Mountain Gems.

My next project in jewelry is to learn how to make a bead braid, so one day, I will show pictures of that!

Have a great day,

Barbara

Edible Fruit Arrangements!

2010-07-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

And now, for something completely different: this week I made an edible fruit arrangement, much like the ones you see from the company, "Edible Arrangements." It was fun to do, and didn't take as long as I had suspected it would. I have had a working kit on the shelf for a long time, and just have not found the occasion to use it. So this week, I wanted to do something special for a friend, and fruit was the perfect thing for a hot day.

The kit I used is called "Centerpiece Gourmet," and it was one of those, "As Seen On TV" promotions. I have looked for it, and it is no longer available, but if you want to try this, all you need is wooden kabob skewers, a basket, a pearing knife, a small head of lettuce, some kale for topping and hiding the lettuce when you are done and cutters of whatever shapes you want your fruit cut to.

Fruits that work well include, but are not limited to watermellon, honeydew melon, mangoes, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries-- really, whatever you want to try. You can also dip the strawberries in melted chocolate (the kind for candy-making) for a "gourmet" feel to the arrangement.

You can also use luncheon meats and create a meat, cheese and cracker appetizer. It has opened up a whole new set of ideas for me, when trying to think of something unusual to make for someone-- and everyone loves fruit! You'd be surprised how fast it disappears!

Have a great week,

Barbara

Organizing your patterns so they make sense

2010-07-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I want to share an answer to the frustration of following complicated patterns. There are many solutions to this problem. Some people like charts, some like written direction. I can do either one, but I like the written directions best.

Sometimes, though, it is hard to follow a pattern laying on the table when you are working in front of it. I made a wonderful discovery recently. For some time now, I have followed the lead of our Knit Happens leader, Sue, and made large size print copies of the pattern lines and put them in a flip notebook. That was fine, except I kept breaking the spine of the 1 inch binders that I was using.

So, one day, my husband said, as he watched me find yet another broken spine in the latest notebook, "Why don't you use a presentation binder?"

Well, I went to Office Max and found this presentation folder. It has several clear page holders and you can add more if you need them. It has two snaps-- one for when it is closed and one for when it stands up open for use. When open, it makes a triangle shaped stand, which will not fall over and the spine is made to accomodate this, so it will not break.

I use a colorful, plastic coated paper clip to keep my place on the line that I am working on. Voila! A better way to follow your patterns!

As you see, I am working on a lace scarf, and I really need to make sure that I am on track. If you loose one "yarn-over" or one ssk, you can go 3 lines before you find that the numbers are not right, so being accurate is pretty important. This pattern, by the way is available at http://www.purlbee.com/checkerboard-lace-scarf .

Have a fun filled summer day!

Barbara

Socks!!!

2010-07-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all coping well with the heat. I am knitting inside quite a bit, when not in meetings and services. I have had a book on my shelf for months now that I have been avoiding because it seemed to be a very difficult thing to learn. However, my desire to begin to learn how to make socks has overpowered my intimidation and here is the result: I have learned the "2-at-a-time"

circular sock technique, using one circular needle!
If you are a fan of Magic Loop in circular knitting, you will pick this method up in no time at all. The book is clearly illustrated and the directions are, for the most part, clear and acurate. I did have to reference the Knit Witch video for help with the heel and gussett that I am linking to here:

This was because the information in the book wasn't clear enough for me regarding turning the heel, and the gussett and heel are probably the most important things to learn in this project. For me, they were, anyway.

I use Magic Loop for every knit-in-the-round project that I do, so I am very familliar with how to use it. That made the learning experience much quicker and easier. If you haven't tried it yet, don't try to learn this sock technique until you make Magic Loop your friend! You will thank yourself in the end.

Here are the pictures that I took of my sample socks as I made them. Melissa Morgan-Oakes suggests using two different colors of 4 ply knitting worsted for the sample set. This helps to keep the two socks and their yarn from getting tangled while you learn how to do this.

This method is really quite remarkable, and I recommend that you at least try it if you are serious about sock making.

Have a great day!

Barbara

Let's Knit one for Ourselves!

2010-07-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

First of all, let me say that I hope your Independence Day was a good one. We visited Mystic Village, in Mystic, Connecticut, which was great fun, even though the weather was oppressive. I found new summer reads and new music to play while I work, and even bought a silk fan that made me feel like Madame Butterfly!

The weather has been very good for my flowers and herbs, as you see from these pictures of a few of my plants. The summer is so fleeting here in New England, that we try to squeeze every bit that we can out of it! But, I must admit, 3 days of 100 degree F was more than I wanted to deal with!

So, what to do on those oppressive days, when all you can really do is stay indoors in the air conditioning? Knit, of course! And I further decided that it was about time that I knit something for myself! So off I went, in search of the perfect pattern. I actually found several that I want to try, which surprised me. Not being a "Twiggy", after all, a lot of sweaters look great on the model or in the pages of a fashion magazine, but oh! how awful they look once they meet a "curvy lady." That, of course is a euphemism for "larger sizes."

I found a set of booklets, published by Classic Elite Yarns, called "Curvy Knits." Each one had several patterns that I wanted to try. One of them, the blue sweater, with the model holding the sunflowers was the one I decided to try first. This is a picture of how far I have come with it, and I am very pleased with the color and texture, as well as the look of this sweater.

So, yesterday, while feeling a bit of "cabin fever" from being stuck inside for several days, I decided to go and vist a local yarn shop, Knit Wits, in Westerly, RI. It is a nice shop, with a friendly and helpful owner (Kate) and a fun group of knitters. I looked around and found two other possibilities for myself. One was a book called, "Big Girl Knits," by Jill Moreno and Amy Singer. It has some really good advice on measuring and "curving" your knits to give ultimate success to your garment. I recommend it if you are a curvy girl or if you are knitting for someone else who is. You won't be disappointed!

The other "find" was a magazine called, "knitsimple." In it you will find patterns which adapt beautifully to a wide (and I mean WIDE) range of sizes, which are really beautiful. I can't wait to try some of these.

Finding Knit Wits was fun and a very good piece of luck for me, and I'm sure I'll go there again. If you haven't been there, try it. It's not far from Rhode Island's South Shores.

As always, I hope your days in this wonderful summer weather are great!

Barbara

PS A quick correction-- It turns out that Jo Ann Bartholomew is the owner of Knit Wits, but Kay is there sharing the duties of "Manning the shop." Well, she was great, and I also look forward to meeting Jo Ann on my next visit!

Beaded Knitting!

2010-06-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Last Friday, in my usual class time, I learned about beading in knitting. There are several ways to incorporate beads into your knitting. In her wonderful book, "Knit One Bead Too,"Judith Durant showcases in several chapters, each of five ways to add beads to your knitting. The five ways are: Bead Knitting, where you knit each stitch with a bead, Beaded Knitting, which allows you to string multiples of beads onto your knitted garment or handbag, SlipStitch Bead Knitting, which allows for pre-strung beads to be "slipped" into the piece at certain charted places, Carry Along Bead Knitting, which brings beads strung onto a second yarn into your work and accomodates very small beads that might not fit onto the knitting yarn, and lastly Hook Bead Knitting, which allows you to add a bead anywhere in your work without the bother of pre-stringing and carrying along what can sometimes be a rather large number of beads on your yarn. Hook bead knitting is the only one that does not work with pre-strung beads.

If you have the chance, or if you have always wanrted to try working with beads in your yarn, I would recommend this book. The page illustrations are clear and the explaination of charting is well done.

The only problem I had was in the actual hook bead knitting that I am showing in the photo here. The yarn was probably too thick for the small metal crochet hook that I needed to use for the Japanese seed bead to fit on the hook. Other than that, I think that patience and practice will make for a big win!

Hope you are having a fine day!

Barbara

Be A Red Hatter!

2010-06-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well, today I am showcasing some of the motifs that I have made for Red Hats. They are made from a collection called, Paint the Town Red, by Dakota Collectibles. They can be used on jackets, shirts, Tea Towels (as you see!) or on any fabric. They are fun to work with and easy to make on your embroidery sewing machine.

Take a look!

Fair Isle Knitting!

2010-06-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

Once a week, I try to learn something new. A few weeks ago, my friend, Joyce and I took a "Mental Health and Refreshment" day and went to Cape Cod. Our intention was to visit a few yarn shops and one of my favorite quilting shops, Heart Beat Quilts . My other hope was that I would find a DVD in one of the yarn shops that would instruct me on the making of Fair Isle knitting patterns. (The "Fair Isle look" sweaters that you have seen in my previous posts are made using a self patterning yarn called Baby Jaquards, by the Bernat company. That's what lit the fire to learn the "real thing!")

Well, one of the shops we visited was Ladybug Knitting Shop . At that shop, I asked if there was any possibility that they might sell a DVD, instructing Fair Isle knitting. The shopkeeper gave me a web address for the Philosopher's Wool Company , which is located in Inverhuron, Ontario, Canada. They sell an instructional DVD called, "Two Handed Fair Isle Knitting," and it is available on their website.

Well, I purchased it immediately and it came the other day. Yesterday, I used my instruction time to try to make a stab at learning it. I never expected to learn all four stitches, but I must tell you that Anne and Eugene put together a clearly understandable, easy to learn set of lessons and I just loved learning from it! See the results for your self:

So, it only goes to show you that you can learn anything if you have good teachers. I heartily recommend this DVD if you are looking for a way to learn Fair Isle knitting.

Have a great day!

Barbara

A Variety of "Catch Up" things!

2010-06-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

So, what do you do when you find yourself with some old projects that you say, "Oh, I'll get to that tomorrow.... (Vivian Leah eat your heart out!!) You just start doing them!

Here are some things that qualify this week.

My good friend, Father Peter, sent me a chasuble and stole to embroider crosses on. They have been languishing for some time because I forgot they were there! Shame on me, but all's well that ends well and here is the final result. The motifs are from Windstar Machine Embroidery Designs. You can find them at http://www.windstarembroidery.com/ . They make a great selection of religious art into embroidery machine motifs. Deb even specially digitized the extra large motif, so that the stole and chasuble would match.

I am also showing the hat and sweater made for my great-niece's first birthday present. This one, at least will be on time!!

I am also just finishing a pair of Tea Towels, made by using a new type of machine embroidery-- at least it's new to me!-- called Photo Stitch, which gives an incredibly real look to the motif. What do you think of it?

So, just keep on trying and don't let being late keep you from getting things finished and out. I'm sure we all have a pile of UFO's (UnFinished Objects) somewhere!

Have yourself a great day!

Barbara

Embroidery Makes a Comeback!

2010-05-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

So, for a while, my embroidery machine has been very quiet. But lately, it has been humming along, making a variety of things. I have been wanting to do some Red Work on my Tea Towels. Here are some examples. I really like the ones that are floral, as these on the left.

I also found some really terrific motifs of Spring. In addition, I fouind a really terrific one of-- believe it or not-- Rosey the Riveter!

Take a look!

So, after that, I worked on some really nice butterflies, as you can see.

And finally, I was working on some "Soup" recipe motifs. They were a lot of fun to work on!

So, that's it for now! See you next time!

Barbara

Baby Sweaters and Hats

2010-05-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

In this entry, I'd like to show some baby sweaters that I have made.

I have used a variety of yarns. The lesser expensive ones include the Bernat Baby Jacquards (100% acrylic), like the Easter Egg color variations shown here. I also have used Knitcol Trends, which is 100% Lana Merino Virgin wool Superwash, and is more on the expensive side. It is lovely, but you also need to think about whether the child will be able to have a wool product on their skin. Both wash well. Also, both are self patterning, which means that those beautiful patterns come from the yarn itself and not by changing colors every so many stitches.

Let me make an observation about baby sweaters. They are, first of all, relatively small, and therefore not as intimidating as setting your cap to make a large adult sweater, which can be scarry and sometimes frustrating, coming out of the starting gate of sweater-making. You can learn about how to construct any size sweater by starting small, and if there are no "little ones" in your life at the moment, you can always donate them to a great cause. My personal favorite, Kent County Hospital's Blue Denim Ministries, is run by my friend and the Episcopal Archdeacon in Rhode Island, Robin Higbie for at-risk babies and their parents. They will gladly take any baby hats, sweaters and blankets that you want to send their way. Any other clothing donation center will be glad to take your sweaters, and it's a great feeling to know that, as you learn, you are helping others. Here, by the way are some more pretty hats that went to Blue Denim Ministries!

Second, it doesn't take an outrageous amount of yarn to make a baby size sweater, so go for it! At most, you are looking at 3 or 4 small skeins of yarn, and it's a great time to try some of those fabulous yarns that you have been holding on to. Third, and this is also great if you are planning to donate your finished project to a good cause, ask your knitting buddies if they would like to share in the fun by going through their stash and either knitting along with you or donating some yarn to the cause. Working together is fun, helps to share the task and gets more to those who need it a lot quicker. And in the end, you have also added to your community store of knowledge.

In our Tuesday night knitting group, Knit Happens, we are always interested in charities that we can apply our talents to. Sue, our fearless leader, is willing to consider any idea that will help others. We have made baby hats, ladies scarves, booties-- you name it and it's been done. My sister, Judith, spends a considerable amount of time making adult size sweaters and they are then donated to a local shelter. The director there commented how wondeful that is because often there are not that sort of donations for adults and they are very, very well appreciated! My Tuesday morning Knitting Ministry Group at the Cathedral of Saint John (http://www.cathedralofstjohn.org/) is always working on something for babies, adults, the Navy Project, the Army Project-- well, you get the idea!

Have a great day!

Barbara

Mittens!

2010-05-27T05:43:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick posting because I mentioned two posts ago that I would say something about mittens. I tried making a set for my daughter for Christmas, and I had some fun doing that, although my technique needs improving!

I am using "Magic Loop" for the construction. It can be done with one or two circular needles, and it's important that you use a 40 inch cord. In this case, I am using one circular needle. I like this method because it avoids the use of DPNs (Double pointed needles). You can find a number of wonderful intructional videos on YouTube if you want to learn this method of circular knitting. I like the Knitting Diva, myself.

I highly recommend it! If you are a new knitter, you will catch on very quickly. If you are a seasoned DPN knitter, it will be a bit more of a challenge, but you can do it, and I think you'll very quickly pack away all those DPNs, never to see the light of day again!

I think for me, the learning curve in mitten construction is the thumb gussett, which I admit I struggled with getting just right. I plan to parctice more, though, so in the future, I'll post what I continue to learn.

The important thing is not to give up because the work seems intimidating-- it's only yarn!! At least, that's what I keep telling myself! LOL! Have fun with it, and keep on learning new things!
Barbara

Getting Back to Business!

2010-05-27T05:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't writtin in quite a while! The winter was busy and hectic, so blogging wasn't necessarily at the top pf the list. I have a few entries to make up for! Fortunately, I took lots of pictures of what I have been doing!

I am going to start by showing pictures of the process of making the felted bags that I showed in the last entry, as people have asked to see just how it's done.

I am showing yarn that is, by far, one of the best to use for felting. It is Lion Brand felting wool. It comes in a wide array of colors. I am showing one set that I put together for my own knitting bag. Remember to use two strands when you knit, as this lends strength, durability and a better felting for your end product.

I like to use circular needles, so you'll find that, unless there's a really (REALLY!) good reason, I'll be using my Addies for all projects.
This project works up very quickly and is an easy knit, as it is all done in stockinette stitching-- just changing of colors needs tending to.

In the end, the hardest part about felting is that, once you have all the knitting done, whether it's a simple stockinette stitch or a more complicated dinner bag or even a jacket (sometimes called "Boiled Wool" in the old classification) or a hat, when you have to consign it to the clothes washer and lots of hot water and detergent, panic reigns supreme! I remember sweaters that went from a lovely fit to ones that were ready for Malibu Barbie when they were put into the wash by mistake, so I get this fear. But, believe me, after you have done this once, you will, without hesitation be felting all kinds of projects and making the most lovely hats, purses, jackets and all other sorts of things. Yes, even mittens can be felted! And the good news about a felted hat, jacket or mittens in New England is that they are completely water resistant and keep the warmth in, no matter how cold it gets.

Next entry will look at some really neat baby knitting!

Have a great day,
Barbara

2010-01-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

Felted Tote bags-- The perfect Gift for a Knitter!

2009-12-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

I am finally finished with the totes that I have been working on. The green and orange one below is the first one that I made for myself. The others are all for gifting. A lot of people on your Christmas gift list are creative and I bet some of them are knitters! You might consider the subtle art of felting, as a way to make a really neat bag.

This particular pattern can be found in the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove Collection. Now, you might be intimidated by the fact that, once you finish knitting a gigantic bag in stockinette stitch, you then plunge it into a hot soapy wash in the clothes washer, followed by a plunge into the cold rinse-- and no spinning!...... arrrrgh!!!! Stress!!!!

But believe me, I'm used to it now and can asure you that it is sooooo simple that you will love doing it!

You remember felting by accident? That's when you put that wonderful wool sweater in to the wash by mistake, and it come out looking like it's made for Malibu Barbie........

BUT....... when you are doing it with purpose, you open that washer and find the most beautiful bag you could imagine and you think, "I made this!? Wow!"

Working on the final rush to Christmas gift making-- next comes mittens, I hope!

Have a great day,

Barbara

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town!

2009-12-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Well, the Show season is officially over for me, and I just want to thank all of you who have been so encouraging and supportive of Angel Pond Cottage and my work. Though the economy is still very slow, people have been very encouraging and there is a real community spirit among fiber artists that has been wonderful to experience.

When not engaged in working on the shows, we have been knitting baby hats for Kent Hopsital, and I am including a few pictures of Kent's Chaplain, The Ven. Robin Higbie (who is also the Archdeacon of the Diocese of RI, where I am a deacon), as we looked at over 100 hats that had been made over the past many weeks, from near and far. So many volunteers have made them for us, including some great folks from Ravelry and from Knit Happens, Rhode Island, the greatest knitting group ever! Linda made wonderfully whimsical hats with Fall motifs and Judy even made two absolutely georgeous baby sweaters and hat sets for us! The generosity of people is so overwhelming, and for that, we are truly grateful. We are still making them and receiving them, so keep up the great work!

Robin, holding as many hats as she could and looking soooo happy! Pat, Robin and Judi taking a look at what has been accomplished. Pat, me, Robin and Judi with hats. One of the hats close-up.

This morning, the snow had begun to fall in earnest and here's a picture so that you can see how lovely it looked when I went out. My friend Terry, in Australia is probably experiencing hot and arid conditions, so this picture is for you, Terry, to cool those hot Christmas days!

I still have Christmas presents to make, so my needles will be clacking away from now, probably until Christmas Eve. So, have a great week, and I will try to post some things before the holidays.

Barbara

More Shows On The Horizon!

2009-11-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

Well, Halloween is over and there are several shows that I wanted to mention that are coming up soon. If you are in the area, I would love it if you drop in to one (or more!) of these shows to say hello and support the work of local artisans.
This is the schedule:
Saturday, November 7, 9AM to 4 PM
East Providence High School
2000 Pawtucket Avenue
East Providence, RI 02914

Saturday, November 14, 9AM to 4PM
Holiday Sale at Arlene's
23 Hamilton Road
Cranston, RI 02910

Saturday, November 21, 9AM to 3PM
Saint Thomas Episcopal Church
Corner of Rts. 44 and 116
Greenville, RI 02828-0505

Saturday, November 21, 9AM to 7PM
and Sunday, November 22, 8AM to 1PM
Saint Brigid Roman Catholic Church
1231 Plainfield Street
Johnston, RI 02919-6922

Saturday, December 5, 9AM to 4 PM
Jamestown's Conanicut Island Art Association
Annual Holiday Craft Show Sale
Melrose School
76 Melrose Avenue
Jamestown, RI 02835

I am looking forward to being at all these shows!
Barbara

2009-10-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick note today to show a picture of my Diana, who I am so proud of. This is a picture of her, right after she cut her hair for cancer patients who have lost their hair during treatments.

Here are some organizations that donations are made to. Take a look at their websites! http://www.locksforlove.org/

http://www.pantene.com/en-US/beautiful_lengths.jspx

I am such a lucky Mom..........

Have a great week,

Barbara

And now the shows begin!

2009-10-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
Well, today we had a very nice show. It was great to see some old friends and make some new ones.
Here are some pictures of the set-up. As you can see, we used a shoe rack to set out a very nice display of Tea Towels. It was Roger's idea, and I am sure glad that he has such a good thought. It will now be a regular part of my set-up. Here is a shot of the two racks and the table. The rack of Tea Towels had Thanksgiving/Harvest/Fall on one side and Christmas designs on the other. The table display is Wine Bottle Bags and Anglican Prayer Beads.

In this photo, you can see the back rack a bit better. On that rack, I had knitted scarves, followed by weaved scarves, then table runner in brocades and then pieced and quilted for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was very pleased with the overall layout, though we will continue to make adjustments.

For those of you in the area, our next show will be 9AM to 4PM on November 7, at East Providence High School. I hope you can come by and visit-- and bring friends to look at all the good stuff! It's supposed to be quite a show. My first time, so I'll let you know.

I took a few days off this past week, with Roger to see the beautiful Fall colors in New England, and we had a much needed rest and a lot of fun.

Well, I need to go watch my favorite Baseball team (The Yankees, of course!) take on the LA Angels. I feel like it's going to be a good night!!

Barbara

A Sampler of Wedding Cakes

2009-10-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

Michael and Wendy's cake

Hi Everyone,
Several people have been asking about my wedding cakes, so I thought I might share them with you today. A little bit of background first, though!

Missy and Joe's cake

When my daughter was really little, I took a cake decorating class with my sister-in-law, just to have some fun and time off, and I discovered that I fell in love with the challenge of wedding cakes. The Wilton Method was enjoyable and easy to learn and I began to make wedding cakes for friends and family.

Michael and Barbara's cake

Bishop Wolf and Tom's cake

Michele and Tommy's cake

Kate and Jon's cake

Colleen and Stephen's cake

Judy and Jim's cake

Catherine and Joe's cake

Nowadays, I am thrilled to be able to offer to make wedding cakes for those I am close to as a gift for their special day!

So, enjoy the pictures and have a great day!

Barbara

Gearing up for Shows

2009-09-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

Good Morning and Welcome Fall!

With the coming of Fall and the cool and crisp air, with its refreshing wave of change, the season of fairs, festivals and shows begins in earnest here in Rhode Island! I have been working very hard at finishing inventory and preparing for my first show of the season, which is on Saturday, October 3 from 10 AM to 4 PM. It is located at St. John's Episcopal Church, Barrington, RI. It is in the center of Barrington, directly across the street from the Barrington Shopping Plaza. So, if you are in the area, I'd love to see you there!

Here are some pictures of some of the work I will be displaying for sale.

Looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones!

Have a fantastic day!

Barbara

Visit my website at www.AngelPondCottage.com

Coming Back to Quilting!

2009-08-23T12:02:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,
As we come toward the end of summer, my thoughts always turn to quilting. I am including pictures of two quilts that have combined two different arts: quilting/sewing and embroidery. In the baby quilt, you can see that I have used a set of alphabet motifs that have a cute little bear, climbing on each letter. In the bottom corners, one side has the information on the child-- name, birth date and weight and the other has a quote- "Babies are a gift from God." The other quilt is from an alphabet motif set called "Alphabet of Life." Each square has a letter and a thought starting with that letter. In the bottom corners, you can read, "The Alphabet" on one corner and "Of Life" with a floral spray in the other.
All the embroidery was done with my Bernina sewing computer, and I embroidered them onto the quilts before finishing them.
In the coming months, I am planning to expand my use of the interraction of these arts for table runners and quilts alike. I'll let you know how it's going!
Take care,
Barbara

Getting Things Done!

2009-08-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally come and the heat is so wonderful! I have been working on many things since I last wrote.

If you are familliar with http://www.ravelry.com/, you might have seen the beautiful knitted lace wrap on that site called, "Meandering Vine." This scarf is a variation of that, and it is such fun to work with. I have started to work with Addie Lace needles from Addie Turbo. They can make lace work go so easily!

Another set of scarves shown today are weaved, some large weave and some smaller. The variegated scarf in shades of green, blue and yellow is made using a 25 dpi (dents per inch) rigid heddle and the others are made using 4 ply knitting worcested in the warp and specialty fibers in the weft, and using a 7.5 dpi rigid heddle.

Finally, I was delighted to have been asked by my daughter's lifelong friend to make her wedding cake. I am showing that as well today. The cake topper was sewn by one of the bridesmaids and is a lovely set of birds.

My vacation in July from my Cathedral responsibilities gave me time to concentrate on my inventory for the Fall shows, and I still have a long way to go.

But for now, I feel very accomplished with getting all this done!

Have a great week!

Barbara

How we get two things done at once!

2009-07-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,
I was thinking that it might be important to say a word about multi-tasking. As you may know about me, I love doing multiples of things all at once! I can be found on any particular day knitting, embroidering (on my sewing computer), washing dishes (dishwasher), washing clothes (washing machine/dryer), making bread (bread machine),making ice cream--soy based of course!! (ice cream/sorbet machine), creating newsletters (computer) and/or weaving-- all at the same time!! Yes, we women are pretty good at that--and some men are good at it, too. Machinery and technology can make our lives so much more complex and I feel at the end of the day like I have really accomplished something.
In this regard, I also like to listen to books. I love to read, but don't seem to find the dedicated time for that too often these days. So, instead, I "read" with audio books. In the beginning, it was tapes, then cd's and now I download to a portable lightweight device with a subscription to Audible.com. You can find them at http://www.audible.com/ . I like unabridged books the best, and there are literally thousands to choose from in all categories. Often, when I am doing motifs on the sewing computer, I am also listening to a good book. Most recently, I am reading Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth." I highly recommend it.
Today, I'd like to leave you with some pictures of my deck garden-- just for the sense of relaxation that it brings me, and hopefully you, too.
Have a great day!
Barbara

Working on Knitting and Machine Embroidery

2009-07-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

So, lately, the weather has been soggy and cold here in Rhode Island. In fact, it is almost as if summer has decided not to come. I keep reminding myself that once it kicks in, I will be longing for a cool day, but for right now, the rain is making me a little bit crazy!!

Anyway, I wanted to show what I have beem working on since last I wrote. I have been doing a lot of inventory work, adding to the ever growing stash of embroidered tea towels and and knited scarves this week.

Here are some pictures of that work. Also, I am working on learning lace work in my knitting. Hopefully next time I write, it will be to show some pictures of some lace pieces that I can't wait to get to!

Here's to hoping that the sun will find its way to Rhode Island sometime soon!!

Barbara

The Wiggins Memorial Preemie Hat Project

2009-06-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Today I am posting for our wonderful knitting group, Knit Happens http://www.khappens.com/ . Over the past few months, we have been making preemie hats to present to Dr. Doreen Wiggins, in memory and honor of her husband, Dr. Michael Wiggins, who died very unexpectedly last winter.

It is our hope that when she receives and donates these preemie hats, it will bring to her some comfort and joy in knowing that some precious new lives are being kept warm in her husband's memory. This project honors both Drs. Michael and Doreen and the importance of the work that Women and Infants Hospital does for all babies, but particularly premature and at risk babies.

We started knitting hats and were beginning to collect quite a few. Sue mentioned it on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/ and at the Knitting Guild at the Slater Mill, and soon hats began to arrive from Tennessee, Great Britain, Colorado, New Bedford, MA., Slater Knitting Guild RI, Wisconsin, Indiana and even a knitting student of Sue's. Everyone has been so very generous and we want you to know that we have 216 collected and made to date.

We are very grateful to all of you who have helped to make the Wiggins Hat Project so very successful. Here are some pictures of Knit Happens members, stuffing and boxing the hats for delivery and some great shots of our members "just doin'what we do!"

Have a great weekend!

Barbara

Rhode Island Special Olympics and my niece

2009-06-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show some pictures of my niece Kathy and her friends at the RI Special Olympics this past weekend. She asked me, and I was very pleased, to embroider a cap for her for her team, The Trudeau Tigers. You can find a lot of good information on the RI Special Olympics at http://www.specialolympicsri.org/

Enjoy!

Kathy's very proud Aunty Barbara

Persistence Pays Off!

2009-06-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Good morning All--

Well, I have learned to do the Magic Loop! Here are some pictures. I am just soooo excited! Look in the last posting to find the link to the You Tube instructional video if you want to learn to do this. It's really very easy once you learn the basics. I never thought I'd be knitting something this small!
Have a great day,
Barbara

Sharing the fun of Weaving and Knitting

2009-05-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a bit of time since I posted last. Things are getting busy here, with knitting projects and weaving as well as the weather that has finally turned sunny and breezy.

I was invited to join a new knitting group, called "Knit Happens," which you can check out at http://www.khappens.com/ . We are a nicely eclectic group, with lots of ideas and projects that we are working on, including a nearly finished project to honor Dr. Wiggins, a recently deceased doctor here in RI. We are making Preemie Hats for the hospital. We have several patterns to work with, each quite lovely.

I have tried to learn the Magic Loop method of knitting in the round for this project, which is done using a long cable (at least 40") size 4 circular needle. Many of the girls in the group have mastered it, but I am still a novice! You can learn how to do this by clicking on this link to You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBSmxGomPk

I am including today a picture of Sue, who is the creator of Knit Happens Rhode Island. She had no idea how addicitive the rigid heddle table loom can be, so I brought it to knitting night and here she is! I believe that soon I will have another "Sister Weaver"!

So, have a great week and now that summer is practically upon us, get out in the sun and do something just for you!

Happy days,

Barbara

A Word About the Space We Work In

2009-05-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

The space that we have for our projects is so very important. While it is not always easy to find a dedicated space-- a room vacated by adult children, or an old spare room, just cleaned out of old things-- it is so important to be organized about the space that you have. In years past, our house was not big enough to allow for a room set aside for work space, so usually I would set up my work on the dining table, which usually meant that we ate on TV trays until the project was completed! Not the best arrangement, but if you have a heavy duty machine, or one of the sewing computers put out by Bernina, Pfaff, Janome, etc., you really don't want to always have to think of set-up and break-down every time you set out to work for a couple of hours.

So, when a room became available in our house, it became my work room. As you see in the photos, I do everything in there, from quilting to knitting, to crocheting, to jewelry-- just about everything except weaving.

I like being organized, so you can see that I have a wall for embroidery threads, all set up by numeric order and size. This was taken in the early stages, but you can see that there is plenty of room for expansion of the thread caddies. I also use part of the wall for jewelry findings, so that I can keep that organized as well.

My cutting table folds down to a small roll-able piece that is easily stored in a corner of the room when not in use. The banquet table (purchased from Lowe's in the early Fall, when Thanksgiving is looming and banquet tables are easy to find) is a strong hard plastic, with steel rods and legs for support. It easily accomodates my embroidery sewing computer and the smaller Janome station.

Shelving space is done by construction of several shelf units (again from Lowe's) of steele construction and I utilize plastic storage bins to keep things clean and organized.

There is one closet, which is not in these pictures, and shelving was built in to accomodate any projects or inventory as needed. There is shelf space for books, cd's and tools.

If you can do it, a dedicated space is, for me, a much preferred idea. It's only moments to set up a project, and when finished, just cover or close everything and leave the room behind, so that you can enjoy your dinner at the dining room table!

Have a great week,

Barbara

My New Weaving Loom has arrived!

2009-05-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

This week, I have picked up my new weaving loom. It is an Ashland loom, 20 inch table loom, and I had the chance today to make a scarf from the beginning for the first time. At the Expo, Janet had already set up the looms for us because we had only 2 hours for the class. Learning how to put the warp together is not difficult, but you need to pay attention! I started on the wrong side and had to change back all the threads! But in the end, it was fine. I am putting up 3 pictures so that you can see how great this loom really is. It is completely portable, but it is also large enought to do quite a few projects.

I am starting out simple, since I don't want to get discouraged in my learning-- a good idea when you start out!

What do you think about my new scarf?

Have a great weekend!

Barbara

Working on Embroidery this week!

2009-04-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

This week, I have been concentrating on getting Tea Towels embroidered. As you can see in the pictures, I am working on Thanksgiving and Christmas, because I need to increase my inventory for Fall shows and sales.

I really enjoy machine embroidery very much. I have a Bernina 630 Sewing Computer, and it is my dream machine. I can work at it for hours and not notice the passing of time. I think this must be a sign that I'm doing something that I love when I'm doing this!

I use Dunroven House Homespun Tea Towels and Isacord thread. Also, for stabalizer, I always use Floriani products. I find them to be the best for whatever I am working on.

Have a great Sunday! It is supposed to be 80 degrees here!

Barbara

The Layette is finished with a week to spare!!

2009-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Finally, the Baby Layette for my nephew and niece and their upcoming arrival is completed! Here is a picture of the baby booties (I have never done THAT before!), the bonnet-- both finished this weekend and a picture of the entire ensemble.

This was a lot of fun to work on and I'd recommend that if you want to make one for someone, give yourself a lot of time, especially if you are new to it, or if you haven't made one in a while!

Have a great Monday!

Barbara

More From the Expo!

2009-04-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

I am having the time of my life here at the Original Worcester Sewing and Quilt Expo. If you have not heard of it before, you can get informarion from the website at http://www.sewingexpo.com/ . It has the best variety of textile and arts exhibits and classes that I have seen. They also have a large variety of booths and all my classes have been informative and helpful, as well as fun!

I am posting pictures this morning of the class that I took yesterday evening, called "Wonders of Weaving with Yarn." The class was taught by Janet Hampson of The Woolpack in Littleton, MA. Take a look at her website at http://www.woolpackyarn.com/ and you'll see why the pictures of our work showcase some of the prettiest and most original yarn to work with.

I was as pleased as I could be with the result of my labors in the class, and I even decided to buy a weaving loom from her, as I have always wanted to learn this and enjoyed it so thoroughly!

Incidentally, while at the Expo, I have taken courses in embroidery, quilting and applique, trendy techniques in embellishments to garments or quilts, a marketing and design copyright class, in addition to the jewelry class that I showed yesterday.

If you haven't considered it before, think about going to the Expo next April. You'll certainly find me there!

For today,

Barbara

Off to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo!

2009-04-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Yesterday I started classes at the Expo in Worcester. The Expo gives many fine opportunities to take classes, demos or see stage presentations on a wide variety of textile art. I will take classes in embroidery, stabalizer techniques, trendy notions, yard weaving and jewelry making.

Yesterday, one of my classes was the Sparkling Crystal Spiral Twist class, which produced the lovely bracelet in the picture.

This is a method that I have wanted to learn for some time now, and I am thrilled that I can now do this for bracelets and necklaces. Today I am taking Advanced Embroidery Solutions, Trendy Techniques, Marketing and Weaving with Yarn.

It's going to be a great day!

Barbara

Layette Afghan finished!

2009-04-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Today I am posting a picture of the Baby Afghan that I have just finished for the Layette. As you know if you are following this blog, the jacket is already done and is pictured below in a previous post. Now I can start working on the bonnet. This pattern is of intermediate level for skill, and I have found that, in working on the afghan, I needed to add more stitches to the edge in order to make it lie perfectly flat. That was the only change to the pattern that I have made.

Once the bonnet is done, I will make an attempt at the booties, something I have not tried before!

Have a great day!

Barbara

Thoughts about what we can do with our stitching

2009-04-08T06:53:00.001-07:00

Good Morning!

Today I want to talk about what we can do with our stitching beyond making beautiful items for ourselves, our family and friends. In addition to making things for those we directly know and care about, there are many ways to share what we do with those in need.

I wanted to talk about just a few ideas that take our craft and use it to comfort those in need or sickness, to give babies at risk something to keep them warm and to share what we do simply to make the world a bit more of a comfort zone.

One way to use your knitting and crocheting gifts is to join or create a local Prayer Shawl Group. These individuals make a variety of shawls, for both men and women and also make small afghans. These are used in hospitals, homes, hospices; with people we know and are connected to by our places of worship or community centers, or they can also be people we do not know at all. There are many books with lovely ideas and patterns, or you can use any shawl pattern. Christians sometimes use stitches in groups of 3's, to represent the Trinity and the prayers that they offer while making these shawls for the people who use them. Other faith groups may use other symbolism, but at the root of this offering is that people who knit or crochet these items offer their prayers for the health and well-being of those who receive their shawl or afghan.

Above are two pictures of the blessing of items made by the Prayer Shawl Group of The Cathedral of St. John, Providence, RI.

We also make items for babies at Kent County Hospital. One thing that we do is preemie hats. Another is that we make afghans for babies. Here is a sample of afghans that we have made for Blue Denim Ministries, which is a ministry set up to help young at-risk mothers and their new babies by providing them with items for baby until services are in place to provide necessities for the baby and mother. Above are two pictures of some of them, too.

These are only a few ideas. Why not post some of your own special ideas?

Have a great day,

Barbara

Jacket finished because Opening Day for Baseball is a Rain-out!

2009-04-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I did find time to finish the jacket and here it is! It was a lot of fun to work on, and now I'm going to get going on the hat. By the way, I made this big enough so that the baby will be able to wear it when the weather cools off a bit, in early Fall (the baby is due in early July, which is pretty hot here in Rhode Island.)

So, onward to the next piece!

Have a great day!!

Barbara

2009-04-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Well, as you can see, I have begun to work on the Layette Jacket. I changed course and decided to work on a set called, "Pretty In Pink," from the Leisure Arts Littel Books series, "Layettes" for knit and crochet. This is pattern set #2 and includes the jacket, hat, booties and blanket.

I am using Bernat Baby Coordinates White yarn, which has a thread of a satiny white going through it. It is easy to use and I recommend it. This thread makes an otherwise plain white sparkle.

The pattern is pretty easy to follow, although the yolk is a bit of a challenge. As you can see, the next thing I'll be working on is the sleeves.

Enjoy Palm Sunday. For me and my family, this time of year, among other things means sharing a wondeful Rice Pie from a recipe that has been handed down for generations in our family. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll post it.

I'll try to get some work done in the upcoming week, but with the many services to do at the Cathedral, it may be after Easter when I can sit down to do more work on it, but we'll see.

Have a great day!

BarbaraMS

2009-04-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Good Morning All!

Well, though I haven't given up on the quest for the popcorn crochet pattern for the Baby Layette, I need to get moving, as this gift has to be completed by April 26! So, I have gathered a good many patterns and have decided to make the "Soft and Sweet Layette", #4, in Leisure Arts Little Books, Baby Layettes and Afghans for crochet.

As I go along, I will post pictures, so you can see how it's going. In the meantime, have a great day and wish me luck!

BarbaraMS

2009-03-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends!

As promised in my last blog entry, here is the baby blanket for which I created a very simple pattern. Look at my last posting to find the pattern and send me a picture if you make one. I'd be glad to show it on my blog!

Have a pleasant evening!

Barbara

Still on the Search, but have found wonderful things!

2009-03-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
Well, my search for the baby layette has, so far been unsuccessful. However, I am still looking and will post whatever I eventually find.

In the meantime, I have just finished a baby blanket, and will post a picture later today. I am a relatively new knitter, though my other skills have been building for many years in crochet and other fine hand crafting.

So, what do you do when faced with an upcoming baby shower for someone you think a lot of and want to try out your new craft for?

Easy projects, using basic skills are just as lovely as more complicated ones, especially with the effort and love invested in them. Using my basic knit and pearl skills, I made a most lovely baby blanket, using Lion Brand Baby Homespun-- highly recommended for its warmth and lighness. It is a pale yellow-- good for boys or girls!

Basically, I made the following pattern:
Cast on 100 stitches. Knit across. Knit in the garter stitch for 10 rows ( for those new to the craft, that means knit stitch in each row-- very simple and gives a nice ridged effect.).

After 10 rows, knit first 10 stitches of next row and place a plastic marker on the needle. Pearl until the last 10 stitches in the row and place another marker, then knit the last 10 stitches.

Next row, Knit 10, pearl until you reach the last 10 stitches, then knit the last 10 rows. The markers will help you know when you have reached 10 stitches on each end.

Continue in this pattern until the desired length is reached-- 46-50 inches is a good size for a crib or pram blanket.

Knit the last 10 rows, as you did the first 10 rows. Finish off.

Voila! You have a lovely blanket that any parent would be happy to have for their new Bundle of Joy!

Enjoy your day, and keep smining-- it makes people wonder what you're up to!!

For today,
Barbara

2009-03-29T13:14:00.001-07:00

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Welcome to Angel Pond Cottage Blog!

2009-03-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog!

This blog is about all things quilting, embroidery, knitting, crocheting; just about any hand craft of this type. Angel Pond Cottage is my business, but I also will be interested in posting conversations about finding out things for personal use and creativity as well.

For example, I am currently trying to find a pattern for a popcorn crochet infant layette. This is something that I had years ago, and no longer have the pattern. It seems as though it is gettting harder and harder to find layette sets to make. I'm not too sure why, but if anyone has any ideas, I'd like to hear from you.

I have checked the usual places: google search, major yarn companies on line, local shops, JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts, etc.

Any ideas?
BarbaraMS