The Woodsman's Weatherstick

I am returning from a 4 day trip to Vermont and visiting New Hampshire. Nobody would believe that strolling on a warm and sunny day through the town of North Conway people where taking about the hurricane Sandy. One store announced over the speaker to stock up on essentials like water and flashlights. I just happened to purchase this weatherstick here:

My friend Nancy would have liked to see that unique 5&10 cent store. 

One of the last ones is in East Aurora, NY.

The Woodman's Weatherstick bends up to foretell fair weather and if it bends down you have to take the umbrella out.

This rustic weather predictor did his work. You hear the gusting winds and rain outside from the effect of hurricane Sandy. I am watching my big tree outside bending with each gust of wind. This is the power of nature.

Inspiration by nature

Let's be honest, I have so many ideas and projects going through my head and at the end of the week nothing has materialized. Not that I have done nothing, I have finished a quilt for charity and a pile of really fun pillow cases which I love to show you soon.
I have tried many times and started doodling in a journal to write and sketch my ideas and after a few days this attempt was forgotten.
Last week I bought this very cute quilt journal with a design embroidery by Aneela Hoey. With beautiful blank pages and graph paper perfect to draw my next ideas.

Today, one of the most beautiful fall days here in Toronto I got inspired by the gold and red carpets of leaves . I collect a few leaves and seeds and placed them on my fabric.

( fabric by Malka Dubrawsky, Parson Grey, Lecien and Tula Pink)

Harvest Thanks

There is nothing more rewarding than digging up your own potatoes and squash.

And celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends.

A day with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably

I always wanted to take a class with Kaffe. Years ago I got inspired by broken china were he made mosaics and translated this into colourful needlepoint cushions or his famous knits - not shy of using  a burst of colours knitted in the most intricate patterns.
He is known for his big, bold and lushes floral prints. The workshop was about the layout and choosing fabrics for the Sunlight in theForest.

Arriving to the workshop and seeing the tables of unpacked heaps of fabric, it looked like each of us owned a fabric store.

Some were prepared and had cut all sizes ahead and their quilt was up on the board in no time.

This was my beginning - I am a slow worker - stepping back and re-thinking pattern choices.

So what did I learn:

How to read large, medium and small scale prints.

One colour prints read like a solid and might look dull with a big floral print.

Choose fabrics which read the same tones but introduce a fresh colour. ( easy said!)

Brake up floral prints with different patterns like stripes, dots etc. ( small scale)

Make it like a feast for your eye!

Choose the fabric for your borders at the end - it might be something totally different what you had originally in mind.

Get over it - fuzzy cut that flower right from the middle of your yard. Ouch!

Brandon and Kaffe critics at the end of the day.

After a 2 1/2 hr drive home I am tired and think about the turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.

Yarn Bombing

Last night I went for the first time to a stitch-in night at Eweknit , a local yarn store in Toronto. Packed with my odds& ends of yarn to sit between dedicated knitters I was welcomed by Claudia the owner with a glass of red wine. One of the girls was suggesting to " guerrilla knit" the tree in front of the store for the upcoming nuit blanche this weekend. Claudia supplied us with super chunky yarn and needles to give the tree a blanket.

One of the cutes knitter friends was this little guy!

and by daylight it looked like this

Needle turn applique

This is my first zakka style zipper pouch all done by hand with a floral needle turn applique . I just love the primitive look of my flower pedals. Lots to learn and a great project for the fall time.

I took this class at " Quilt a Bag". The background I used all japanese fabrics and left overs

for the images.

Hand-sewn zipper with a cute covered fabric button at the end!

eweKnit ... Toronto's newest yarn store

It's after 3 P.M. in Toronto and I am better off to take my bike to visit the newest store for fibre lovers in the heart of Toronto in the Mirvish Village. Eweknit opened in July and I happened to read their ad in this on-line magazine. ( it's free!)

Claudia, the owner of eweKnit carries a large variety of independent indie dyers.

What to choose???? 

The front of the store has  a great expresso bar .

Thursday night knitters/ crocheters unite for a glass of wine.