Simply summer

One of my favourite things about summer is that it's perfectly acceptable to simply have a big bowl of cherries for diner.

Listening to this soft song.

Watching this sad and beautiful film.

Reading this great bio, in preparation for a retrospective I'll soon be seeing at the Met.

Connecting threads

Hello there. Last week I was nestled at my parents' seaside home for a little vacation. Despite being sick for most of it, and the cold rainy weather, I managed to have a nice time. Books were read, naps were taken, comfort food was eaten, socks were finished, and I even found some time to learn a new handcraft.

There's a strong tradition of hand-quilting in Acadian culture. My maman is one of a long line of master quilters in my family. She turns simple cottons and threads into masterpieces (one day I'll show you my gorgeous wholecloth whitework wedding quilt). It was high time the knowledge got passed down to the next generation.



So with my maman's patient help, I modestly started on my own quilting journey. My interest mainly lies in the "piquage", (piquer is the french term for quilting, and the word literally means to prick with a sharp object) using the stitches to make a design on one large piece of cloth, instead of piecing or appliqueing different fabrics together.

I'm starting off with a simple crown design to fashion a small pillow. Forming small and even stitches takes practice, but I'm enjoying the soothing, repetitive movements (sound familiar)? And I especially love the threads that connect me to my fore-mothers. These small simple movements feel encoded into my very DNA.

Aestlight

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! In honor of the longest and "lightest" day of the year, I give you the Aestlight shawl.



Ok, so maybe a Shetland wool shawl is not the most appropriate garment for the first official day of the summer, but I just finished test-knitting it for Gudrun, and I was excited to show it to you. Isn't it a beautiful pattern?


Pattern: Aestlight, by Shetland Trader
Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed 4-ply, in "Thatch", 6 balls
Needles: 4.5mm



It was a pleasure knitting Aestlight. Gudrun's pattern has clear instructions and helpful instructional photos. I loved the soothing stretches of garter, and easy-but-entertaining bits of lace. It was the first time I knit an edging sideways onto live stitches, and it was much easier than I imagined, with lovely results. I know that Gudrun will be making the pattern available soon. You should definitely add it to your queue!

Enjoy this lovely, long summer "sun"day.

Edit: the pattern is now available here

Oh long weekend, how sweet you were!

- Drove to Montreal with some dear friends to see Bonnie Prince Billy. Couldn't believe how fantastic the show was given how drunk and kinda weird Will Oldham turned out to be.

- Walked in the mist-filled woods to witness a forest carpeted with trillium, violets, foamflowers, and forget-me-nots. I wish I had brought my camera, but really, a photo would never have done it justice.

- Nibbled on the best snack ever: slices of pink lady apples, gruyère, and walnuts. Heaven. Especially while reading A Homemade Life.

- Finally took pictures of Amanda. My new favourite sweater.



Pattern: Amanda, from A Fine Fleece
Yarn: 9 skeins of Mountain Mohair, in Glacier Lake, by Green Mountain Spinnery (love this yarn!)
Needles: 6 mm Addi Turbos
Mods: Knit medium size on the bottom, and decreased to extra-small size for the top.



I learned VERY important things with this sweater. Starting with a larger size at the bottom and regularly decreasing to the smallest size at the top is the most flattering shaping for my pear-shaped body. And knitting a raglan cardi in the round is such a treat! It took no time at all.



This very warm sweater is the perfect thing for my woodland rambles. Cozy, warm, cheery!

Hope you had a sweet weekend too!

Well, I didn't expect THAT!

I'm shocked! I can't believe over 300 of you commented! Thank you for leaving all your sweet tiny happy moments. It was such a pleasure to read through them. Thanks too to those who linked to my little contest. And welcome to all the new visitors. It's nice to discover a new bunch of crafty peeps.

So without further ado, here are the two winners, chosen at random.

Valerie won the neutral bundle:
How lucky of you to win this prize from tiny happy! I always love what she does.
The other morning as I was going to my car, I saw this cardinal singing at the top of his lungs on top of a telephone pole. I thought it was a really beautiful thing and made my day that day. I always look for birds when I'm outside, I think that they're beautiful and so happy all the time. How can you be unhappy after that!
I would love bundle one if I were to win!
Valerie | Homepage | 04.26.09 - 9:39 am |

And Nancy won the jewel bundle:
you are so lucky to win tiny happy's gorgeous work! I always love everything she does. You are very generous to have this give away and I would love either bundle if I were to win, but if I have to choose it will be number two- as teat mulberry color just makes me smile!
Nancy Topolski | Homepage | 04.28.09 - 10:07 am |

Congratulations! Please email me your mailing info so I can send the little bundles your way.

And in case you're wondering, here are a few of my favourite tiny happy things:


Striped anything.


All the laundry done, and put away. Wicker baskets are another fav.


Smooth stones.


New socks.

With a horseshoe up my....

You're gonna hate me, but I won another fabulous givaway.


One of my all-time favourite bloggers and artists, Melissa from tiny happy, sent me a package full of her lovely handmade creations.


I cannot believe I won my very own feather locket. I have been eyeing her Etsy shop, hoping one would come up for sale, and lo and behold, I win one instead!

I also got a beautiful notebook, some hand-printed notecards, and a sweet embroidery needlecase. Just when I needed one. Thank you SO much, Melissa. You made my day!

This wonderful run of good luck must be shared, so I think it's time for a little giveaway of my own. Leave a comment telling me about a "tiny happy" thing that makes your day, and I'll enter you in a draw to win one of these two bundles from my stash:

The neutral bundle:

2 skeins of Grignasco cashmere in cream
1 skein of Rowan Cocoon in cloud
1 skein of Misti Baby Alpaca laceweight in light blue
! skein of Noro Silk Garden sock in cream/beige

The jewel bundle:

2 skeins of Fiddlesticks Zephyr Wool-Silk in mulberry
1 skein of Noro Blossom in purples/blues/reds
2 Fleece Artist kits that each include 1 skein of 2/6 Merino and 1 skein of Angel hair (so 4 skeins total). Both kits are in the same dye lot, so enough make a beautiful stole.

Tell me which bundle you would prefer. You have till end of May 2nd (next Saturday) to enter. I'll announce the winners on Sunday.

Good luck!

Simple pleasures

This weekend, I'm focusing on simple pleasures as a shelter from yucky weekday stress.



Namely:
- swatching for a new sweater
- walking in the woods
- listening to Madame Butterfly in a church
- geeking out on my sister's couch watching LOTR on her gargantuan flatscreen
- napping

How about you?