Back to Crafting

I haven't posted about what I've been up to craftwise for a while so here is a big catch up. First up I've been knitting the Stitch Sampler Shawl (rav link). Nickerjac pinned it and I loved it at first sight. The yarn is not 100% ideal but it is nice to be using my favourite Marble again.

I've also finally made some beads I got in the John Lewis sale into a necklace.

You know me and my polka dots. I also wove the cord myself out of two shades of dmc cotton.

I wanted something three dimensional and thick enough to knot between the buttons but not shiny or distracting from the beads. I think it's worked quite nicely! I must do a tutorial on the weaving technique too. You use an odd number of double strands - then it's a matter of a mixture between plaiting and finger knitting.

Then my attention turned to the Kaufmann Jelly Roll my Mum gave me at Festival of Quilts. I unrolled it and, after a bit of maths, arranged the colour groups into 5's.

I am using a pattern I originally saw on Pinterest (what doesn't one see on Pinterest?) and which I found a free copy of here. I only had 25 strips rather than 40, hence the maths. I can see why quilters refer to their 'design walls' so much. I have a 'design carpet'. My quilt has 5 plaits and I tried out keeping them in colour groups...

...and then also in random order.

The colour groups have it I think. I've cut all the fabric so the next step is the sewing - whee!

Pooch and I went to the Edward Munch exhibition on Saturday. It is terribly expensive but amazing. I have been a huge fan of his since GCSE Art. He's best known for The Scream but my favourite has always been his Madonna (pic from wikipedia).

I was quite surprised the Scream, Vampires and Madonna didn't feature at all but then when I thought about it the exhibition was about his life rather than his paintings, kinda, and there was plenty to make up for it. I came away with three postcards of my favourites.

The horse seemed to be charging out of the painting straight at you, and Pooch tells me the colours of the landscape at bottom right is exactly like the light in Norway as the brief appearance of the sun ends.