Over the weekend, I finished up a naturally dyed and hand stitched baby quilt. Some projects seem to drag at the end and you just want to finish the piece, but it’s hard to get there. I have had a few of those projects lately, so it was a pleasure to work on something that I was not…
Monday Mornings
We had a beautiful Sunday, filled with knitting, napping, BBQing, fishing, bike riding, and lots and lots of family time. I woke up this morning ready to work on all my current works-in-progress. Trying to decide where to start can always be a little bit of a challenge for me when I’m really enjoying working on…
Ideas and where to go with them
I have been feeling like I have a million ideas in my head lately. There are so many things I want to make; either original work, trying out a new knitting or sewing pattern, or hacking one of my already owned patterns to make it new and different. I’m trying to balance this with thinking of…
Custom Hand Dyed Sundresses
I was recently asked by a friend to hand dye a few sundresses for her girls. I dyed the empire waist dresses with dried marigolds that my brother-in-law grew in his garden last summer. The golden yellow is so bright and cheery! The tiered dresses were dyed with avocado pits, creating warm spring pink. I…
Beginnings of Slow Fashion
A few years ago when I started sewing for myself, the motivation was based on the enjoyment of the making process and the speed at which I could have a completed project. I was a knitter and at the time very slow, but I knew the joy of wearing something that you have made for…
Contemplating Process: A Zero Waste Shirt
In my last post, I talked about surface design and the struggles I was running into. What I had neglected to do during my weeks worth of work was take more process pictures, so I don’t have pictures from every step of the following process…lesson learned. I was concentrating on the end product and I was…
Surface Design: Trial and Error
While reading of a variety of natural dyeing books, I have come across an aspect to the process that adds another level of beauty to the project. Surface design is the art of making patterns on the fabric or yarn. A concentrate of natural dye or a modifier can be painted on the fabric. Shibori techniques can…
Wren Tunic
The Wren Tunic is my first attempt at knitwear design for little ones. I am very pleased with the outcome and enjoyed the design process very much. Using the basic pattern for a top down raglan sweater from Fringe Association, I was able to take the basic measurements of a baby/toddler and apply them to my…
Color from Compost
Since starting with natural dyeing, I have been experimenting with compost colors. In my kitchen, on a daily basis, I have access to beautiful colors in the form of onion skins, avocado pits and skins, and coffee grounds. The possibilities are endless and I’m excited to see what else I can create!