Big basket full to the brim

Where shall I keep my hand-knit slippers? I turned a big basket, which I had originally knit to keep a WIP in, into a hanging basket by attaching a knit I-cord to it.

Now it's another nice-looking and fun feature hanging in the room.

                                        

Betsy and Gertrude

Meet Betsy and Gertrude! Their bodies are needle-felted and their wool is real Wensleydale wool.
Wensleydale sheep are an endangered breed, named after the Wensleydale in North Yorkshire, UK. Wensleydale wool has beautiful long curls and is considered the finest lustre long wool in the world. In Leyburn, Yorkshire, the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Shop specialises in the sale of the Wensleydale yarn. Going there has been on my bucket list for some time now!
I have already knitted a tea cosy with this yarn, you can find my blogpost on that project here.

I think of you

This is the result of the second workshop by TextileArtists.org, given by Merill Comeau.

From this workshop I honestly learned so much, so many insights! Merill Comeau was incredibly generous in sharing her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.

This time the work had to reflect some of our feelings through the Corona-Covid19 period. It should represent a flower and consist of fabric scraps with lots of wild stitching.

I must say, this was really my thing! I did some research and found that the meaning of the blue salvia is "I think of you". And that is precisely what I find myself doing so often these days, thinking of people, hoping they are safe, they are behaving responsibly, that all is well. Because that is the only thing I can do, no more power than that.

Also I find it a rather grey period, hence the muted colours. But there is always some hope, some sparks of colour.

I loved choosing the fabrics, matching the colours, puzzling them together. I loved the wild stitching, making transitions between the patches with embroidery thread. I am defenitely going to try this more often!

And so here it is :"I think of you"

Spring Foliage Mitts

This is a design by Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. You can find it in the book "Botanical Knits". When I first saw these mitts, I immediately fell in love with them. Spring foliage grows up one side and into the thumb gusset and side shaping has been added to flatter the curve of the wrist.

I used yarn from my stash : Rowan felted tweed and some unspecified ecru yarn.

If I would knit them again I would only use one colour and that would be a lighter green. But that said, I still love the design very much!

In the past I already knitted two more of Alana Dakos' designs : the life circle scarf and the twin leaf loop. I really like the way she incorporates these botanical themes in her designs!