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Saturday
31Oct2009

Book Review: Handmade Home

Handmade Home is the new book by Amanda Blake Soule, the creative mind behind the Soulemama and the author of The Creative Family. Amanda's latest book is all about using existing materials to make new treasures, which is an old fashioned idea, but one that seems more relevant than ever.

Handmade Home contains thirty beautiful sewing ideas including a sturdy baby sling, a pretty Memory Tree Quilt, and this wonderful, yet totally practical, Letter Satchel. This little folio would be perfect for anyone (big or small) in school or at the office. Handmade Home also ventures beyond the familiar world of sewing and into all kinds of creative endeavors like paper mache and decoupage.

One of the best things about this book is how it incorporates ideas for the whole family to enjoy. There are projects for children, adults as well as projects to do together. For Amanda, a busy mother of four young children, it's about taking time out to be together and make special things. She writes, "Through the act of making I find solace and peace in the small moments of my everyday life... I am reminded rather symbolically that we can only do one stitch at a time, and therefore one step at a time and one breath at a time in this life."

This book has already inspired some of us at The Purl Bee with it's spirit of thrifty and heartfelt creativity! Jen recently made the cute "One-Word Banner" featured on the book's cover.

The moment Jen saw the cover of Handmade Home she knew she fabric leftover from the Party Garland she made earlier this year, as well as felt bundles, contrasting Valdani Thread, solid fabric, and matching machine thread.  With these materials she created Liam's banner in about two hours. Jen reports that not only was it fun to make, but it was also very appreciated by Liam's mother Heather. It will be a wonderful thing for little Liam to have, a lovely memento celebrating his arrival into the world!

This book is chalk full of wonderful personal projects and many of them will make fabulous gifts. The book itself would make a perfect gift for any creative families on you holiday list as well! I'd you'd like to order your own copy you can find Handmade Home, as well as Amanda Blake Soule's previous book, The Creative Family, here. And don't forget to check out Soulemama for even more inspiration!

Posted on DateOctober 31, 2009 | Authorpurl bee | Print ArticlePrint | | | in , | Comment11 Comments
Wednesday
28Oct2009

Whit's Knits: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Booties

I have long loved these Elizabeth Zimmermann booties. Last year I made them with fingering weight yarn to fit my newborn baby, and they got him through his first cold winter. Recently my family received wonderful news that made me want to knit some bigger booties.

My sister-in-law has been trying to adopt a baby for a long time, and this month she was finally told that there is a beautiful baby boy who needs her. He gets to come home in January and, by then, will be ten months old. His name is James, and his smile would melt an ice cube.

From waiting in line to waiting for a baby to arrive, knitting is how I get through all the episodes in my life that challenge my patience. I'm pretty sure that the next three months are going to yield a whole pile of hand knits for little James!

The Materials

  • Three skeins (one skein makes one pair of booties) of Alchemy's Temple yarn, 100% superwash, superfine merino. These colors are Michelle's Marigold, Champagne and Mica.
  • One set of US #7 needles (straight or circular)
  • Two US #7 double pointed needles
  • Elizabeth Zimmermann's The Opinionated Knitter. (The bootie pattern is on page 108. On the same page is an adorable matching bonnet.)

Whenever I knit something for a baby my first thought is, "Can I use Temple?" The hand dyed colors are so sumptuous and unusual, from perfectly warm pinks to strangely glowing greens to mysterious deep charcoals. If Elizabeth Zimmermann's insistence that itchy wool is good for a baby seems a liitle sadistic to you, you'll be happy to know that this superfine merino is also super soft. And, another concession to modernity, it's machine washable!

The original pattern uses yarn that gets 6 stitches to the inch for about a newborn to six month size. To make booties that will fit a ten month old I decided to use a sportweight yarn at 5 stitches to the inch. Knit a little bit loose, they have a lot of stretch and will fit most feet well past the one year mark.

The Pattern

Even in designing a humble bootie, Elizabeth Zimmermann engaged her fascinating mind to create a highly original object. My mind just marvels at hers! Here is what the bootie looks like right before you sew it together, kind of like origami!

Besides being a beautiful example of engineering simplicity, these booties fulfill all the practical concerns of moms and dads. Warm,yes; stretchy, yes; cushiony and cozy, yes. But let's face it, the most important thing in baby footwear is, Does it stay on?! Yes! Besides a good high cuff, the booties are held securely in place by I cord laces. I cast on three stitches to knit mine...

I am so excited to welcome my new nephew into our family with these gorgeous booties for his precious little feet. Thank you, Elizabeth Zimmermann! --Whitney

Posted on DateOctober 28, 2009 | Authorpurl bee | Print ArticlePrint | | | in , , , , , , | Comment25 Comments
Sunday
25Oct2009

Molly's Sketchbook: Reverse Applique Thanksgiving Placemat and Napkin Set

Thanksgiving is such a great holiday because it's all about celebrating food! I've celebrated it in a lot of places, including sunny California, freezing New England and even once in Hawaii where a colony of ants attacked the pumpkin pie, but no matter where we are the ritual is always the same, a celebration with family and friends and a uniquely American meal. Turkey, squash, and corn (not to mention tomatoes, beans, and potatoes) are all native to the Americas and I think it's wonderful that we have a day to celebrate our special foods.  On Thanksgiving day I love to think about everyone all across the United States watching the parade on TV and peeling pototoes just like I do every year.  For me Thanksgiving isn't about making the fanciest meal, it's about sharing the experience of cooking and breaking bread with the people I love.

I designed this set of reverse applique Thanksgiving placemats and napkins with all of these things in mind. I wanted to make something by hand that I could use every year for this special day. Sewing something by hand reminds me of cooking in a lot of ways, mostly because you can see the care and love that went into it, even if it doesn't come out perfectly.

Much like cooking Thanksgiving dinner, this is not a last minute project. Reverse applique takes time and consideration but I think that's part of the fun!  And much like the Thanksgiving feast, while they take time to make they are not particularly hard since no fancy stitches or vast knowledge of hand sewing is required.

For this project I used the absolutely amazing Nani Iro Linen Blend Brown Print as the main fabric for the placemats. This fabric is simply stunning, the abstract print, in brown, white, black and metallic gold makes each piece seem like a little painting.

To contrast with the print's subtle beauty I used four different boldly colored solids as backgrounds and napkins, and the result is simply luminous!  For the solids I used both Echino Solids in chartruese and purpley pink and Kona Cottons in bright pink and mustard. Both fabrics were a dream to sew with. I loved the jewel tones and sturdy feel of the Echino and the Kona Cotton was really easy to sew with.

If you'd like to make a set for for your own Thanksgiving feast please visit my Reverse Applique Placemats Project Journal and my Handstitched Napkin Project Journal. I hope you enjoy making them as much as I did.

Happy Thanksgiving! --Molly

Posted on DateOctober 25, 2009 | Authorpurl bee | Print ArticlePrint | | | in , , , , , , , | Comment12 Comments
Tuesday
20Oct2009

Whit's Knits: Mohair Lace Scarf

I love mohair. I love its natural luster, fuzzy texture and richly absorbed color. Mohair has a warm sense of humor and an easy elegance, like a great date!

Until Wagtail Yarns arrived at Purl I had never seen, let alone knit with, one hundred percent mohair. As far as I knew mohair was always combined with merino or silk or nylon. I had assumed the fiber was too fragile to stand alone. Wrong!

Wagtail's 4 Ply Kid Mohair is not only pure mohair, it is as strong as wool and more beautiful than any adulterated mohair I have ever seen. And no wonder, it was truly made with love by Wagtail's three person operation in Queensland, Australia. Since 1979 they have been perfecting the art of creating luxury mohair yarn. With over a thousand selectively bred Angora Goats, they shear, spin and dye the yarn all themselves. (FYI: Angora Goats make mohair and Angora Rabbits make angora. Confusing!)

With such special yarn, I was a little intimidated to begin my scarf. I tried lots of different stitch patterns before realizing that a very simple lace pattern would best allow the yarn to speak for itself. I love that in mohair there's nothing fussy about lace. Instead, the stitch pattern evokes nature's own creations: undulating fields of autumn grasses, ripples on the surface of a rocky creek, combs of golden honey...

This scarf was a joy to knit and will be just as gratifying to wear. To learn how to make one for yourself or someone on your holiday list, please visit my Mohair Lace Scarf Project Journal. Thanks! - Whitney

Posted on DateOctober 20, 2009 | Authorpurl bee | Print ArticlePrint | | | Comment15 Comments
Sunday
18Oct2009

Molly's Sketchbook: Strip Pieced Christmas Stocking

I always hear people complaining that the holiday season comes earlier and earlier every year. But for those of us who like to make things for the people we love we know that we've got to get started early! So every year about this time I start thinking about presents to make, things to bake, and holiday traditions.

Christmas Stockings are a favorite holiday tradition at my family's house. Even though all the kids are grown "Santa" still visits my parent's house every year and fills our stockings with gifts. I have a feeling that even when us "kids" have grown children of our own we'll all still be awoken by my mom saying "Santa's been here!" as if it's a total surprise to her.

As my family gets older it also, happily, gets bigger and it's great to get to introduce new family members to our holiday traditions. I love the idea of making a very special stocking for each new addition to our family and with that in mind I designed this one. 

This isn't an ultra quick project but it's not a labor intensive as it might seem at first and most importantly,  it will last a lifetime. It's is made with our beautiful new Stocking Fat Quarter Bundle, simple white muslin, and thick 100% cotton batting. The patchwork of the stocking is put together in a very cool way by strip piecing. That means you don't have to cut a million little squares and piece them all together one by one. Instead you cut long strips, sew them together and then cut the sewn pieces. If you've never tried strip piecing this is a great first project since it's so small and satisfying.

This is also a great first hand quilting project since the hand quilting isn't trying to be totally tiny or even and it's the hand quilting and the hand sewn binding on this project that really make it special. This was was also the most enjoyable part of the process for me. I loved sitting and stitching it, inch by inch as I started to think about the holidays.

If you'd like to introduce a new family member to an old holiday tradition please visit my Strip Pieced Christmas Stocking Project Journal. Happy Holidays! --Molly

Posted on DateOctober 18, 2009 | Authorpurl bee | Print ArticlePrint | | | in , , , , , , | Comment19 Comments
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