the dotted line

on my doorstep

i discovered something wonderful about living near los angeles :: when i order something from Purl late in the afternoon, it arrives on my doorstep the very next morning...can you tell how very excited i am about this?

simple quilt by yoshiko jinzenji :: i missed buying this when it was first available at Purl, so now that it is in stock again, i just had to get it

i'm loving the contrast between the colorful prints + all of that crisp, clean white cotton

love at first sight

perhaps for a 'simple quilt' of my own :: i never intended to actually use these fabrics together, but after being completely inspired by the book, it's a very likely possibility now

one last bit of japanese loveliness :: some habu cashmere in 'light gray' and superfine merino in 'medium gray', purely for experimental purposes only :: photographed on top of a very lovely {and small} piece of yoshiko jinzenji's 'white design' fabric

Things may be quiet here for a little while. Next week, the summer session at The Painted Turtle starts, which means I have to spend some very precious time with my husband before he has to live on-site for the next three months. I'll still get to see him for a day every couple of weeks, so that's good. My mum's visit will also be drawing to a close, but first we're taking a quick trip to Vancouver Island. It's one of my favorite places and I've always wanted to share it with her.

Needless to say, I will be kind of emotional. Saying goodbye is always so hard and it really takes a lot out of me, so I'll need some quiet time to rest + relfect.

I'd also like to take this time to thank everyone for their lovely comments :: they have comforted me during this time of transition and I find so much inspiration in all of you!

baby sweater :: a little glimpse

buttons

trim

folded
I can only reveal a glimpse of the finished baby sweater :: for now, I'd like to keep it as a surprise.

finishing :: handsewn satin trim

many, many tiny stitches later :: ivory satin ribbon handsewn onto the {finally finished} baby sweater

To my surprise, I loved handstitching the trim - I had been dreading all those tiny stitches and had even considered knitting a border instead. Although a little wobbly to begin with, the stitches became more and more uniform, and I soon found sanctuary in the ryhthmic motion of my tiny needle and invisible quilting thread. The satin ribbon was left over from our wedding last year, and as I pinned and stitched, the memories came flooding back. As I got closer to finishing, I found myself wishing for more. More stitches, and more time to reflect upon that very special day, almost a year ago...

an experiment in french design

I am still working on the baby sweater [just need to block + sew], the hourglass sweater [lots more knitting to do] + the quilt [still working on the borders of the quilt blocks] and have decided against sharing my mind-numbing 'in-progress' shots. I'd much rather show you this cute little grain de ble sweater I bought from a little Italian childrenswear boutique that specializes in French designers. At the time, I intended to give the sweater to my newborn nephew, Luca, but he had grown so much during the week I was in Italy that it was too small for him by the time I returned. I decided to keep it, thinking that I could make something similar for him in a larger size once I found 'the right' pattern. I still haven't found the perfect pattern, and gave up looking a couple of weeks ago. But after discovering this little sweater at the bottom of our last moving box the other day, I'm thinking of...{gasp}...coming up with one myself. I'll see how brave I feel after finishing all those other projects...and I will have another little niece or nephew to knit for at the beginning of June, so a little experimentation may be just what's called for...

I love the simplicity of it...the raglan sleeves, the hemmed edges, the buttons to widen the neck for a little baby's delicate head. My only complaint is that although the wool itself is very fine, the knit fabric is quite dense and perhaps a little too heavy for a very young baby [and maybe even a little scratchy]. Which means there will also be some fiber-related experiments to be conducted...and, my least favorite, some dreaded mathematics.

I am imagining something soft and light, with subtle variations in color + texture :: something simple + contemporary, for a boy or a girl.

resisting lotta + a secret package

finally took a photo of my favorite linen tote from lotta jansdotter :: i love the simplicity of lotta's textile designs :: trying to resist the new designs in her online shop

package from my secret pal :: lovely cotton notecards and gift tags

beautiful ebony needles and 4 balls of debbie bliss alpaca silk, as well as some other luscious goodies that i just *love* :: thank you so much...

selvedge

linen :: selvedge

also loving selvedge magazine :: wonderfully designed and such beautiful textile photography :: desperately trying to resist all of the back issues available!
[be sure to check out the sample magazine available on their site]

be back soon with some {hopefully} completed projects :: until then, i will be cherishing precious time spent with my mum, after many months apart...long talks accompanied by many, many cups of tea...all part of the scottish way