Colors and inspirations

* * *    Often times I am complimented on the color combinations that I use in my kitchen cloths. Many of you have commented on how cheerful, fun or playful some of my cloths are... Well, how DO I decide on colors? I will let you in on a little secret, but don't tell anyone or my reputation will be ruined. :) In actuality, I am a graphic designer and I love working with color. (Even though my wardrobe mostly consists of black!) But sometimes even I have difficulty in either deciding on or visualizing a color combination. This is what I do for inspiration when I am stumped... ...Think about something in your possession or that you have come across that you absolutely love. A piece of clothing that makes you feel like a million bucks or an upholstered piece of furniture you love to have in your room. Is there a fabric handbag that simply makes you smile? Perhaps you have passed a bolt at the fabric boutique that you adore but you don't know why. Chances are that the color combinations caught your attention. Sometimes those very colors can play a role in your attitude and can even reach out and inspire you!   The Log Cabin dishcloth and my tulip vase.   To create your next work, why not simply emulate the colors contained in your "favorite" whatever-it-was??? There is essentially no visualization involved, since the concrete color evidence is right there in front of your eyes. If it is not portable - simply snap a picture of it to capture the color essence. This is also a great way to try something a bit more trendy using contemporary color combinations. Home decorating, fashion, nature and even food combinations are fair game! Sometimes I target color combinations found when knitting from a particular variegated yarn. I pull two or three colors out that I love when knitted next to each other. Now sit back, reach from your stash and start painting with yarn. Be a Picasso. Here are a few of the inspirations that I have used recently: Multi-band dishcloth and my latest handbag.   One of my favorite coffee mugs and a Multi-band dishcloth.      I added a new venture to my knitting repertoire. Simple + Elegant + Functional = Winner! The Irish Hiking Scarf. The next logical step after learning cables from my latest KAL. I am enjoying this very much. Of course there is much more knitting involved - 62 or so inches, but a pattern that can easily be memorized. Thus far I have just about 14 inches accomplished. Some of the scarves that I have seen were so luxurious and beautiful that I simply was itching to try. Here is my knit-a-long for August using Bernat Organic Cotton in Olive: and here is my latest project, yes, The Irish Hiking Scarf which I simply consider to be an "extra long dishcloth." I am knitting two, but the pictured scarf is in Cotton Tots which is extra soft. Oh - and rumor has it that Hakucho is doing some great things for the environment. Take a look at this! And last but not least - here are a couple of photos of recent cloths that I knit using Sugar & Cream Pinky Stripes yarn. It was fun knitting these up but I think that after a time, this yarn would tend to make most cloths look the same. I must say that there were beautiful pinks! I wish that Lily would make the pastel pink that they use in this yarn as their soft pink. I was never a fan of the S&C Rose. The patterns that I used here are The Accidental Bobble Cloth and The Grid Pattern. Have a lovely day-into night and my wishes are that I may have inspired one of you in the tiniest way and not just in the area of knitting! Thank you for stopping in to take a peek at this little corner of my life. Sneak previews - Coming next: Baby care instruction tag   Coming soon: My blog contest - Prizes!   * * *

Whimsy Dishcloth Care Tag

 

A new care instruction tag. As promised - with blessings. Click here for my Whimsy Care Tag in .pdf format These templates are formatted for an average printer. If your tag does not print out aligned properly, you can tweak it in Acrobat when you set it up to print. Please let me know if you encounter any problems with these files. I am still trying to find the best way to suit you! Do you prefer to download the front and back separately, or do you like to download these tags in one file? I will photograph ways to attach and use these tags, so check back to see them! I was asked why I wrote the instructions to remove when "nearly" dry... It is a preference. Being just a bit damp, the cloths are easily re-shaped if necessary. Dishcloths are fine if they are dried fully - I simply chose the former for a little TLC. If you need a refresher course on how to print and cut these tags, see this post. Here is a sneak peek at my next care tag which is coming soon! God is so good! He has blessed me and it makes me happy to bless you with occasional "goodies" to make your projects complete. I am compiling a library of tags - so check back frequently! Now - I simply must take some photos of my latest knitting projects or you will think that I have been slacking! Trust me, I haven't been. At least not in the knitting department. Now if you ask me about the house cleaning department... well, not so much! I think that I need to read Sylvia's Blog. What an inspiration you are, Sylvia... I want to meet you! I can see joy in everything you do. And don't forget to check out Tea's latest cloths! They are absolutely lovely! Thank you for de-lurking and commenting on my last post. I love to meet my readers.

Blueberries, Blessings and Bobbles

I FINALLY made the time to complete my pattern writing for the Accidental Bobble Cloth. (Scroll down to find the pattern) Here is the story behind it...      I wanted to take a short break from more complicated patterns so that I could have a small project on the needles to knit-on-the-run. I didn't want to have to grab a pattern. I wanted something to knit in the car while waiting for the kids. Grandmother's Favorite is OK, but I wanted something that looked a bit more complicated and desired something without the "lace around the edge. I thought, why not knit the increases along the middle for a change. And.. why not create it without the lace. I knew that knitting the yo's in the reverse direction created fabric without the holes. As I knit up my first piece, I was delighted to find that I was creating a right angle cloth. I never knit such a cloth in the past - so I am not aware of how a right angle cloth is actually knit - but my little cloth was perfect for what I wanted it for. I added the bobbles for a little whimsy and The Accidental Bobble Cloth was born.      Recently when my dad was hospitalized, I found that this cloth was absolutely perfect for meditating and prayer. I could concentrate on who I was praying for while not worrying about counting any stitches. In fact, I could basically feel my way through the stitches if the lighting was low or minimal. So.. .the first bobble is prayed for the person (or persons) you are knitting for. The fabric you knit is worked in prayer... and the three remaining bobbles are the Father - the Son - and the Holy Spirit. I consider this cloth to be like a mini prayer shawl. I can't handle that large project right now - but I can handle cheerfully this small project. Faithfully. In prayer. * * * So - here is my Accidental Bobble Cloth: The great thing about this cloth is that there is very little counting necessary. In fact the only counting needed is in the cast on stitches. Even the bobbles can be knit by sight! I hope you have as much fun knitting this as I did. Difficulty: Simple! Materials needed: Size 6 (4.25 mm) circular or flex needles are easiest, although straight needles will work. 1 ball of your favorite kitchen cotton worsted yarn. k=knit yo=yarn over (all yo will be worked counter clockwise) MB = (Make Bobble) k into front, back & front of stitch, slide stitches onto right needle, turn work. p3, turn. k3 turn. p3 turn. sl1, k2tog, psso. *To make extra large bobbles, add one more k3 turn, p3. Cast on 3 sts row 1. k1, MB, k1 row 2. k2, yo (all yo are worked counter clockwise), k1 row 3. k2, yo, k2 row 4. k3, yo, k2 Continue working this stitch pattern with each yarn over stitched AFTER your previous row yarn over. You will knit approximately 65 rows or until your cloth measures approximately 8 inches square. Casting off: MB, knit to just before your last rows yo, MB, yo, continue binding off to last 2 sts. MB, complete cast off. Break yarn and weave in ends. * Click here for The Accidental Bobble Cloth .pdf Note - this PDF file contains two variations to this pattern. The Baby Bobble Cloth and The Spa Scrubber Cloth. Please keep in mind that I am not a professional pattern writer. If you should find an error - please alert me so that I may correct it as quickly as possible. This pattern - as all of my patterns are free and intended for non-profit use. You have my permission to post it on your site if it accompanies a direct link to this post or the pattern on this site. Very soon I will be posting my whimsical dishcloth care tag. *Slight Correction made on 7/18 at 6:42 EST - not to the pattern itself. I thank you so much for visiting this little corner of my life. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7 Trust in His Words, for they are true.  I may have mentioned that I I love summer. If I haven't yet spoke of my love - well - I love summer. And I love the bountiful pleasures and fresh local foods that it brings. Like little squirrels, we begin to use and to store things that bring us back to these days of summer in the very midst of winter's cold sting.     After making jam earlier this month with ooodles and ooodles of strawberries, now our blueberries are taking their turn. I indulged in my first fresh blueberry pie. It was wonderful! I can tell you that I will need a bit more practice on the crust - but the pie was a dream to eat. I used this delicious and easy recipe. Homemade Blueberry Pie.      I also made lots of blueberry jam. I already gifted several jars. It is especially good for my neighbors! Good thing because I have so much in my freezer right now I can't fit much else in. We have lived here now for 12 years. That's lots of years for my neighbors to hear exactly how I discipline my kids. I consider it "silence" gifting!      Thank you so much to all of you that have offered your well wishes, thoughts and prayers for my dad. He is recovering quite well right now. Our follow up doctors visit in in 10 days. We continue to pray about his living situation. He is amazing. I still remember the days so very long ago - that he would gently take out the tangles in our long hair. Mom was always in a hurry - she had lots of hair to comb!  Dad would offer welcome relief to that nasty rubber band!   ...

Lost in Illustrator

I will post the pattern for the Windowpane Cotton Dishcloth tomorrow on Friday or so. I just want to be accurate. This will be the first pattern I have actually written. Although I have designed a few simple cloths before, I have never gone through the somewhat tedious process of writing one down. I have a tremendous amount of respect for pattern writers knowing how long the process is! Be sure to check back! Since we last visited, I finished the May KAL. It took me forever to figure out the pattern. I should have known by the color (yellow) what the design would be. It was tricky deciphering which side was the bottom. Of course Daffodils are the perfect design for a Spring cloth! I absolutely am in love with Adobe Illustrator. As you can see, if you have read Coming Unravelled before, I am playing around with the design of my pages. I could spend days and days on Illustrator. Well, I have actually done that. I don't get much knitting done when I do that, however, so I have to physically pull myself away from here... I have mentioned before this very helpful site for blogging tweaks. Tips for New Bloggers Two of my favorite tweaks were creating a Favicon and alternating the background of my pages. As I said, I can get lost in this artsy technical mix. A good lost though. As long as I can keep knitting! Anyway... does anyone even read this stuff??? Here is one more cloth I recently completed. This is another Multiband cloth. I chose the colors to co-ordinate with my cottage painted mug that I really loved. In a discloth, however, the colors are rather...um....bright, wouldn't you say? I am not quite sure if I like it yet. I love the idea of using up my bits and pieces of yarn though. I have to run to work, but I will be back later to correct my mistakes and to add something more. Be well!   If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. I Chronicles 7:14,  ...