Pertineer...

The Blizzard of '08

2008-03-09T19:52:00.005-04:00

That's what they're calling it anyway. All 16 inches of snow has given me an excuse to stay in this weekend and work on an embroidery project inspired by 18th Century pieces from the book 18th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh. I love the delicate pieces in this book. Samples of whitework, crewel work, tambour have given me plenty of inspiration to start on the project below (the beginnings of a quilt).

The direct inspiration came from this clothing article:

Another example that caught my eye:

Crocheted rug update:

2008-01-01T21:13:00.000-05:00

It now measures approximately 2'W x 4'H. I haven't touched the rug since the last time I featured it on a post. It's very slow going, but moving more quickly now that I'm using my new rotary cutter to create the 2" strips. I'm not sure how wide the final product will be -- I'm thinking 4 feet in the end.

Also, I wanted to share a picture of my red amaryllis that's flourishing in my dining room. I love these flowers and they're so simple to grow and care for.

It's been too long...

2007-12-23T17:05:00.001-05:00

So, if there is anyone out there that actually reads my blog I'd like to apologize for the two-month lapse in posting. I have wanted to get artsy, but due to my new job I really haven't had the time. I will try to make an effort from here on out.

Below I am showing a picture of my little art project from earlier today: another rose drawing. Inspired by the magazine photos and book you see here, I wanted to fulfill the request my mom made for a drawing. I pledge to try new florals or entirely new subjects for my next drawings --> I've been getting a little bored with the roses.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Cabled Hoodie update

2007-10-19T13:09:00.000-04:00

It's coming along slowly but surely:

Cabled Hoodie

2007-10-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

I started to work on a new sweater project yesterday: the Cabled Hoodie from Patons Street Smart (pictured below). I'm using Patons Classic Merino Wool in Grey Mix. I really like the little bobbles and tapered waistline on the sweater.

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Highlights from the Renaissance Festival

2007-10-08T00:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I fulfilled a family tradition: the Ohio Renaissance Festival. Each time I go I say it's the last, but I always end up going back. The heat was sort of unbearable for early October, but overall I had a good time. They've added a new attraction since the last time I went -- they now have a "Starstruck Cafe," which serves gourmet coffees, teas and muffins...the sign for the cafe looks a lot like Starbucks...Hmm. It's not enough that there are two Starbucks on every block and in every airport terminal, they're essentially at the RenFest too! I do like coffee though.

I took the opportunity to snap a few shots (waxed rose, various incense and oils) :

Tree embroidery

2007-10-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

The summer-fall transition has definitely encouraged me to start on this new embroidery project. I decided to try a tree this time. I printed off a couple of inspiring line drawing trees from Google images and am trying to create something similar with thread. You can see the start of this project here:

Things that have recently caught my eye...

2007-09-30T21:14:00.000-04:00

My fall wishlist includes these items from Anthropologie:

Knitted scarves...

2007-09-20T20:37:00.000-04:00

I recently finished the rugby scarf, seen below. It was a quick way to use up projectless yarn I had lying around.

Also in the works is a lavender mohair scarf in garter stitch. This will probably be gifted this Christmas to a family member.

Fabulous food...

2007-09-07T21:36:00.000-04:00

I had to post pictures of these "knit night cupcakes." VeganYumYum made them; the site includes a marzipan-making tutorial. I wish I had more friends that knit -- I'd whip up a batch of these pronto.

Rugby scarf...and zinnias.

2007-09-05T09:40:00.000-04:00

I started knitting this rugby scarf (I call it that b/c of the stripes) a couple of days ago. It naturally rolls up on the sides to create a thin tube-like scarf. The colors: chocolate brown and rose/lavender heather. It's going to be very long when finished. I'll update with the finished product later on. Below -- A beautiful zinnia plucked from my mom's garden.

My Tuesday morning.

2007-08-28T22:18:00.000-04:00

I think I need to renew my AMSA membership so I can continue to get New Physician magazine, it's pretty decent. Also, Vogue came in. It's supposedly the "Biggest Issue Ever." We'll see....

I do this thing where I rip out all the advertisements in magazines that don't have articles/magazine material on the opposite side. I usually exclude perfume ads and any that I think are fun or attractive. Below I show a before (w/ads) and after (w/out ads) picture of the magazine. The once phonebook-sized magazine is now hollowed out with loose binding. How much do we pay for advertisements? I'm never going to wear Oscar de la Renta or Gucci anything...that's not me. I still love the magazine though.

BEFORE AFTER

Some antique dishes

2007-08-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

I've been collecting for a couple years now. I just love the look and wear of these mix-matched dishes. I particularly love plates and teacups with gold and silver guilting, roses and rich colors.

Flower drawing....again.

2007-08-23T21:47:00.001-04:00

I think I've drawn one too many floral pictures. I need some new drawing subjects. Any suggestions?

Completed quilt...

2007-08-20T14:06:00.001-04:00

I finished the quilt last night. It was difficult to get a good picture of it, but here it is:

On the reverse side I added my sister and brother-in-law's monogram in the corner. I'm not very good at satin stitch embroidery, but I'll keep trying.

Marble magnets

2007-08-17T14:16:00.000-04:00

I was running out of magnets on my refrigerator, so I made these:

Not Martha has a good tutorial on how to make them. I chose to use the blue/green magazine pages of the latest Anthropologie catalog. I've made some for my friends/family to match their kitchen decor....It's something to do when you're bored.

More knitting needles:

2007-08-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

I've recently received several inquiries about/requests for the handmade knitting needles. I've made several more pairs, so please take a look here.

Cat and quilt

2007-08-13T15:54:00.000-04:00

I'd like to introduce my cat, Marty. She's a 13 year-old, content, raven beauty. Her favorite pastime is laying in sunny spots and teasing the dog. I'm sure you'll see more of Marty in future posts.

I would also like to offer a a first look at my latest project: a quilt for my newly-married sister and brother-in-law. I've been using old sheets and pajama pants for the material. I am off to the store to pick-up some more thread, batting and fabric. I will post pictures of the finished project later.

Wedding flowers

2007-08-10T12:04:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a thrill...FedEx delivered over 3,000 stems of flowers for my sister's wedding. Many of the names I can't remember, but some of my favorites include: English roses, peonies, hydrangeas, eucalyptus, wax flower, ranunculas, spray roses and stock. I had a field day preparing her table arrangements and bouquets. Good times ahead tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to the Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes she's serving for dessert. :)

Crocheted Rag Rug Part I

2007-08-07T10:09:00.001-04:00

Vintage Chica implanted the idea of rugs in my head a few days back. This blog shows a wonderful tutorial on how to crochet rugs out of old fabric scraps. I've been using old sheets (washed) from the thrift store. You can't tell in the picture, but the rug measures approximately 4'6'' in length. I plan to continue crocheting in the round until it is about 3-4' in width. My hands and arms have gotten a workout from this one...I have to put the scissors and hook down frequently to prevent cramping up. I should be on an Aleve commercial. I think it will be worth it though.

I love my local antique mall

2007-08-03T16:19:00.000-04:00

I spent the better part of Thursday afternoon at the huge antique mall near my house. I could browse for hours in that place. The turnover of their merchandise is fantastic so I can revisit every month or so for 'new' items. I've been on a vintage tin kick for a while, and I bought two yesterday: one box ($3.5) and one bowl ($3.5). I also bought a blue Ball jar for $3 which I'll probably use to keep flowers. Not a huge spree, but a fun one.

Inspiration Wednesday:

2007-08-01T14:54:00.000-04:00

Anthropologie is one of my largest suppliers of eye candy. So naturally I found some project/design inspiration in their August catalog. I particularly love this hodgepodge sweater. I remember seeing something similar a while back and having the same reaction to it; therefore, it must go on my To Make list.

The last time I visited the Anthropologie store I spent over an hour leafing through their collection of travel and design books. I'm going to have to commit several of these to my collection.

I heart embroidery...

2007-07-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

The heart is my favorite part of the body and not for its figurative meaning of love. I just really enjoy the heart and all its striae. Anywho, this is another work completed while watching a Netflix movie. I found a line drawing of a heart on Google Images and I copied it onto a piece of scrap linen. I embroidered the image in red (of course). Ultimately, this piece will probably be added to a quilt. I've wanted to make a redwork quilt for some time -- this might be my start.

Embroidered textile postcards.

2007-07-27T17:34:00.001-04:00

I like to keep my hands busy while I'm watching movies/tv. As soon as my first Netflix movie came in, A Very Long Engagement, I decided to go to work on my latest Swap-Bot postcards. The theme for this swap was textiles. I received some really cool postcards from other ladies, mostly quilted pieces. I decided to embroider some linen for the cover of my postcards. Here are a couple:

Bridal shower deliciousness:

2007-07-26T11:32:00.000-04:00

I hosted my sister's bridal shower a little over a week ago. The menu was not diabetic-friendly, but wonderful just the same. A couple shots of the sweet table:

Because I love roses...another drawing.

2007-07-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

I still haven't found a suitable frame or recipient for this drawing. I drew it a few months ago when I was extremely bored. For now it sits in my computer room waiting for a destination.

Some summer shots.

2007-07-23T12:39:00.000-04:00

Just some pictures from the backyard.

Online postcard swap

2007-07-14T16:31:00.000-04:00

I am always searching for interesting things to collect. I recently stumbled upon Swap-bot, a website that allows people to swap various items (almost anything). I signed up for a couple of postcard swaps to get started. One category of postcard exchange was called 'body parts'...of course that intrigued me. I wanted to share a picture of four handmade postcards I sent that featured my favorite body part (my hands)...The whole idea of body part themed postcards might seem a bit creepy, but it's perfectly normal I assure you. Anywho, it is fun to see what total strangers come up with through their own creativity.

I've been pretty consumed by MCAT study lately...

2007-07-06T00:04:00.001-04:00

But here are a few books that have made it to my late summer reading list (after the 07.24 test date). I'm looking forward to some non-science, easy reads.

Pinwheel quilt

2007-06-30T19:18:00.000-04:00

I made this quilt several years ago during my winter break from school. I was very into the pink/brown color combination then. The quilt measures approx. 4'W x 6'H. It's a good all-purpose blanket. I use it while I watch tv, knit, read a book, etc. I encourage all quilters to try at least one pinwheel quilt. It was tedious, frustrating and fun at different points during its production.

Felted bag

2007-06-27T20:58:00.000-04:00

My sister provided me with the handle/lining to make this bag. I took an old recycled/felted sweater and cut a bag shell out of it. I finished by embroidering a flower on it (many french knots). The picture makes the bag look oddly-shaped. It's very old lady, very me.

Coffee + book = a good afternoon

2007-06-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

The book:

The D.O.s: Osteopathic Medicine in America

I'm very interested in medical history. Even more so when it encompasses the field I plan on going into. Interested? Check it out here.

The coffee:

Mandy's Mocha

The recipe:
Combine 1 cup brewed espresso, 1.5 cup steamed milk (skim or whatever), a heaping Tblsp. of cocoa, another Tblsp. of sugar. Mix well. Cover top of cup with whipped cream and sprinkle some cinnamon to taste. Enjoy!

An Altered Urban Aran from Paton's 'Street Smart'

2007-06-25T11:34:00.000-04:00

I adored the sweater Jared (b r o o k l y n t w e e d) created using Paton's 'Street Smart' Urban Aran pattern. He modified it to create a very functional cardigan, see here. I used the same pattern and made similar modifications to produce this:

I began knitting the sweater in December ('06) and completed it about a month ago. I used Elann's Peruvian Highland Chunky yarn in Red Maple. Of course being June, I haven't had the opportunity to wear it extensively. I am definitely looking forward to the fall.

Excerpts from "Gee's Bend: The Women and their Quilts"

2007-06-24T11:14:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share a few pictures of my favorite quilts from "Gee's Bend: The Women and their Quilts." This is a fabulously illustrated book of quilts from the south (Alabama) which features stories and narratives of their creators. I saw the Gee's Bend exhibit a couple of years ago at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and have been in love with these quilts since. The Annie Mae Young quilt has inspired me to create a denim quilt made out of my father's old work jeans. Another popular material used in some of the Gee's Bend quilts is old flour sacks (during the Great Depression, women would use whatever they had).

Below I have shown the artist on the left with her quilt to the right.

Nettie Young

Annie Mae Young

Linda Pettway

The Making of Knitting Needles (Part II)

2007-06-23T21:08:00.001-04:00

I thought I would post my handmade knitting needles. I made most of them from oak and the others from various hardwoods. For the tops I used covered buttons from scraps of fabric I had sitting around. If you like them, you can buy a set at my Etsy shop.

Summer, summer, summer, summertime.

2007-06-22T18:31:00.000-04:00

I'm not posting a project today. Instead, I wanted to share some pictures of flowers from the garden.

A collaboration with my sister.

2007-06-21T21:29:00.000-04:00

My sister and I each embroidered part of the flower on this pillow. The pillow was a birthday gift to our mom a couple of years ago and was meant to blend in with her "Shabby Chic" decor.

The making of knitting needles...

2007-06-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

Today I spent the better part of the day buying supplies (dowels, pencil sharpener, sand paper, wood finish, etc.) and shaping several sets of knitting needles. I made these once before, but this time I hope they turn out a little better. Once they're finished, I'll post another picture of the completed project.

Bag lady.

2007-06-19T20:29:00.000-04:00

I went to the American Apparel store a few months back and saw this simple bag (American Apparel LA-Z Girl) that I wanted to duplicate:

(Picture taken from American Apparel site)

Here's my version in green (bigger handle and boxier shape):

My sister's wedding favors

2007-06-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

Today I am featuring a picture of my sister's wedding favors-to-be: potted alyssum. That's right, this past Saturday she and my dad planted nearly 250 alyssum in tiny pots. Fingers crossed that they stay healthy and thriving for the August 11th wedding. More on the wedding to come...

Take this test.

2007-06-17T16:51:00.000-04:00

I found the link to this test site on the How about orange blog. Try it here.

My results: Dynamic Creator.

Crocheted bunny = cure for boredom

2007-06-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

I crocheted this bunny about six months ago, probably some night when I should have been studying. I'm not sure if I intended for it to be a dog toy or just a stuffed animal. Anywho, here it is:

LOL - it kind of looks like its rear end is in the front. It's my first stuffed animal, so I get a break. I again used Lily Sugar'n Cream in natural (I love basic cotton yarn b/c it's cheap and non synthetic).

I started this last summer.

2007-06-16T19:45:00.000-04:00

This crocheted blanket was intended as a gift for someone, but I never got around to finishing it. I would say I'm about halfway done with it. The blanket is made of Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn (in natural and various Kool-Aid dyed pinks and blues). I had a good ol' time dying the yarn -- my family got pretty ticked b/c our kitchen smelled like vinegar for two days. They got over it.

The more I look at it, the more the blanket looks like a baby blanket. I might end up keeping it for a friend or sibling's future baby.

First post...

2007-06-15T18:25:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to create a blog for quite some time now. I creepily stalk other blogger sites (look to the right) and covet their art and creations. My new camera came in the mail yesterday, so there are no more excuses to procrastinate.

An introduction: My name is Amanda and I am a recent college graduate currently in the process of applying to medical school. I am beginning my interim year of volunteering this August and studying for the MCAT in the meantime. More or less importantly, I love to make things -- anything. Most of my projects featured on this site will include knitting, crochet, drawing, sewing/quilting, gardening and photography.

First up...some drawings (given to my sister as gifts). I loved to draw when I was a kid, but haven't done much since. I recently started drawing a bit, mostly floral arrangements. I don't have the courage to attempt figures. Maybe someday.

I also recently finished making a chair slipcover. It's for my mom's old blue chair which will be in my new apartment. Take a look:

Before (blue) After (off-white)

More to come soon...