Mitts to Gogh in less than two hours

Super easy three step mitts
cut the bottom 7" of a felted sweater sleeve.
fold over 1" of the raw edge and sew with a decorative stitch
thumb is made by stitching 1" in from the sides (on the seam side of the sleeve)
decorate as you like.




I'm on a bit of a Van Gogh kick so I used sunflowers
to match a bracelet/necklace set I've already made
with scraps of the same sweater.
(necklace how to - http://spindlejigs.blogspot.com/2011/03/yarn-necklace-tutorial.html)




slip them on...easy, warm, and comfy.
it may seem a little late in the year for these
but as I write snow is falling.



I think the rest of the sweater will go toward a matching bag...
because my stuff needs to stay warm too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Joe Pete has Festive Feet




and my crocuses finally bloomed...it was not cold and rainy for a change.



St Patrick's dinner as decided by a five year old,
tri-color pasta with broccoli and lemon pepper,
rootbeer
and...for the grand finale



Jello in the Jar

I Love a Parade...and so do my kids.

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling



It must be time for a parade



On a blustery March day



Trying to keep warm.



awww, what else can you say to this?



Parade stuff, my kids are very good about not buying.



National Guard on parade...



it's just not the Saint Patrick's Parade until these guys show up.



Fife and Drum Corps....



Cold but Happy



another year another parade...this year's was the most crowded and most festive in a long time. There are other larger Saint Patrick's Day Parades in RI, but this remains my favorite, and the one I've been attending since forever. The parade committee almost had to call it off this year for of lack of funds. So glad to see the community pulled together to make it happen. We certainly enjoyed it.

St Patrick's Day necklace how-to

Yarn necklace how-to just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
Because I'm sure I'm not the only one who hangs on to scraps of yarn/fabric/ribbon...
that is just to pretty to throw away.



Cut yarn, t-shirt strips, ribbon, what have you, into strips 14"-16" long



Cut two shorter strips - around 10"



Make a braid out of matching yarn/ribbon 20" long



Gather longer strips of yarn/fabric on the left end with one of the shorter strips.

add the braid to the gather leading away from the other strips.
(this will become the part that goes around the back of your neck - soft yarn or
t-shirt material works best and is least itchy)
Pull the knot really tight, then sew, being careful to catch all of the strips with the stitches.



add a button or two for decoration and added stability



on the other end of the braid make a loop for a button hole. sew securely, add a button for strength and prettiness.



on the right hand side gather the longer strips together, tie with the other short strip of fabric, and sew, adding a larger decorative button. This button will be functional, buttons with a shank work best. Also don't use a very heavy button or your necklace will go lopsided as you wear it.



There you go, one ready to wear necklace, a great way to use up those little bitty ends of yarn and bits of fabric leftovers.





This is the same method I used for the Van Gogh bracelets, easily adaptable to any occasion. Enjoy.

Willow Trees at Sunset...by who else?

Van Gogh of course



more about the color this time, less a literal translation.



Bright summery colors, wishful stitching.



going to revisit Starry Night in black and white next....then on to Degas' Ballerina's...for my ballerina girl.

Sunflowers.....more Van Gogh

Still all about Van Gogh...Sunflowers.
We need a bit of sun and flowers around here.
The snow is slowly melting away and my crocuses are trying really hard to make and appearance. In the meantime here is a little wearable sunshine.

The inspiration.



The bracelet...wool felt, buttons, sweater scraps, a bit of an old t-shirt, and a scrap of velvet. I wore this today (sometimes I get to keep what I make, right?)
the flower petals are now all curled and going in different directions, much more like the painting.



The necklace, made of some more scraps, and bits of ribbon. And one of my favorite buttons ever...



The pair....



This has been a really fun endeavor for Nellie and I, she wants to be an artist when she grows up. For her next just me and mommy day she requested a day at the local art museum....

Starry Nights Ahead

So I'm on a bit of a Van Gogh kick. Starting with my childhood favorite,
The Starry Night



I'm going to use Van Gogh paintings as inspiration for bracelets.
This one is wool, ribbon, buttons, yarn, and other odds and ends.



and a necklace to match.



Next is either Sunflowers or Willows.