Random Stuff

Last week got away from me. I have started going to the gym again. By the time I get up, have breakfast, get out the door, do the class, run errands on the way home and get home, half the day is shot.

Today I tried to attend my first ever AquaFit class. I got there in plenty of time only to learn the pool was closed of maintenance. Argh! Since I wasn't appropriately attired to work out (I only had my bathing suit on under my clothes), I came home an thought I'd finally take a couple of pictures and get a blog post in.

After being inspired by Alda, I did some cross-stitching last week. I completed the Peacock Feather Eyeglasses case project from the current Just Cross-Stitch magazine.

I used antique white Monaco cloth.

I'm going to make a zipped bag with the zipper along one of the long sides.

I have a couple of other cross-stitch UFOs that I could fairly easily complete in short order and will get at them.

I have knit a hat for my entry for the 2013 Brooklin Fair. I have not had very good experiences entering my hats/tams in the fair in previous years. However, I did see this pattern, the Arabesque hat, from the 2011 Interweave Knits Accessories issue, and was intrigued with the horizontal cable work.

I bought yarn at the Knitter's Frolic specifically for this project - Lady Slipper Alpacas 40% alpaca/ 40% wool/ 20% mohair in the olive colourway.

All wound up and ready to go.

I finished it last night during the PBS show, "Call the Midwife". The lower course of cables appear to run  h o r i z o n t a l l y.

My knitterly friends have suggested that I add a pom pom seeing as I've been beat out several times by hats with pom poms. LOL.

The new headboard for our old bed arrived a week or so ago. I had trouble getting a good photo but this gives you the idea.  There is definitely a 'scroll' theme going on.

The weather has been abnormally cold. The Big City even got a bit of snow yesterday! Our geraniums that have been brought in from the garden last fall, trimmed down to bare stems and nestled under the grow stand in the kitchen, are ready to go back out in the garden.

We'll definitely have to wait a couple of more weeks. The empty tray on the top right is where the cat likes to sleep in the afternoons. However in the mornings, he likes to loll in the sun in the east-facing window.

Online Knitting Magazines

Many publications are going the online route. Knitting publications are no exception. And some are only available online and not in print format. I'm going to touch on some of the ones I know about. By no means is this an extensive list nor have I reviewed them in any detail but you may find them interesting to peruse.

One of the most widely-known knitting emags is Knitty.com and KnittySpin which is a great resource for hand spinners. And they're free! It comes out about 4 times a year with a 'surprise' between each issue. The patterns are archived.

Twist Collective is a beautiful emag. Patterns range between $6 and $8 each. There are regular articles and features. It comes out about 6 times a year as well.

I just found this online knitting magazine, Skein Theory. It is published twice a year and the entire collection of 16 patterns can be purchased for $16 or individual patterns for $6.50. Check it out!

KnitCircus publishes weekly. Jaala Spiro also has a blog, podcast and a line of her hand-dyed yarn (including gradient yarns) on Etsy.

Clara Parkes publishes Knitter's Review weekly and keeps on top of all the current fibrey trends and upcoming events. She has reviews and articles. She is also featured with Eunny Jang on Knitting Daily TV.

Petite Purls offers free quality knitted patterns for children and is published 4 times a year.

Of course, several print knitting magazines have their online versions as well. If you want to save storage space and don't mind not having a print magazine in your hand, it makes sense to subscribe to digital versions of the magazines.

Such Talent!

Last week, Jennifer and I visited Alda at her home. Alda is a fellow embroidery guild  member who does exquisite stitchery. She invited us for tea and gave us a tour of her lovely home decorated with many of her stitched pieces as well as the doll houses and miniatures she likes to build and decorate. I took lots of photos with my iPhone. Unfortunately, some of the photos didn't turn out as well as if I had used my point and shoot camera.

As we came in the front door, we first saw a lovely collection of bird pieces.

This Malachite Hummingbird was definitely may favourite.

These two pieces are in another room.

Alda also likes animals - fauna

and flora.

There are some sweet pieces of little girls. It fit perfectly in this antique frame Alda had collected.

There are whimsical fairies.

And this colourful one of shoes.

This is the piece of embroidery that started it all.

Then there are the doll houses. Here is Alda with the first doll house she built and decorated.

It is on a turntable so it can be swiveled around.

I love the attention to detail. The chandelier lights up. It attaches to the ceiling with a magnet and has a teeny tiny switch.

Cross-stitch lends itself quite easily to miniaturization.

This wee Asian pillow was about 1 1/2" in diameter and was beautifully finished with gold cording all around the edge.

at the end of this chaise longue.

Here's a better shot of the bedroom and the chandelier.

There's a parrot in the garret!

This larger house was in another room. It was wired for electricity. It doesn't have a finished front and is only about 8" deep so it could be hung on a wall.

I love all the rugs Alda stitched.

This dining room had the table set for an elegant dinner.

The little cushions are about an inch across.

See the cute, wee dragon?

This house is in the same room.

Alda's granddaughter was free to decorate it any way she wished.

There were tons of presents under the Christmas trees.

See the cute, little laptop on the bed?

Back to her stitchery, there was one southwestern piece.

Alda also likes Asian and oriental-themed pieces.

This beautiful cushion is on a stool by the front door. I love the rich colours.

These are the primary works of art in Alda's beautiful home. Her furnishings are eclectic yet work together in each room. I love how she framed the stitched pieces. Alda is a collector of many things and often would stitch a piece to fit a particular antique frame she already had. What a great idea! One can always find inexpensive pictures in great frames at thrift shops and it's certainly not that difficult to stretch the stitchery.

After our tour, we enjoyed tea and treats. It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Thank you, Alda for sharing your passions with us.