September

Things are super busy at my house but I somehow found the time to get out and buy some new wool. There's been some good rain and wintery weather so I've been working on my scrappy rainbow ripple blanket as well as my Afghan Hex in the evenings.

I've been looking for a good wool supplier for a while now. At this years Showcase I came across Yarn Barn. They are located in Melbourne and have wonderful quality wool at very reasonable prices. Importantly, their wool is a real pleasure to work up. It glides beautifully. I bought some new colours to top up my ripple blanket (below) and went with Fuschia coloured flowers and green leaves for my motif hex blanket.

I am glad to report that I have been keeping up the nightly motif habit and can't wait to have a flowering afghan.  The great thing about the Yarn Barn is that they
offer 8ply 500gm 'cones' which is so much better than

having to work 10 balls. I have been shocked by some of the ugly knots and joins that sometimes happen in commercial skeins and the cone means that there is no needless breaks in the work.

As it's the end of season, only the fuschia was available on the cone and it has been such a delight to work with. No tangles, no knotting. I love it. I am already planning next years knitting so that I can buy ahead and get all my colours coned for next year.

It's so much neater too. Easy to pack up and store.

I have had emails asking for the hex block pattern. I would gladly share my own work as I feel that the best crochet patterns don't appear in books and crochet is all about sharing.However, as it is not my own pattern, I cannot share it. It is from a book: a Crocheters Garden of Afghans. It's available via the http://www.thebookdepository.co.uk/ which delivers free of charge worldwide. I am currently making the afghan project on the front cover. Of course, like all my work I have made some changes (I can't help it) so my afghan will not be the same as the one from the book, but it is very close. The book is full of great blankets to work up, so if you only buy one crochet book this year - and if you love crochet blankets- this might be the book for you.

I say might because the only thing missing from this book is...diagrams! I like to work from diagrams as I dont really follow  USA crochet terms and this book has none at all. The pattern is written out in type which I found confusing.

Actually I had to put the 'instructions away' and work from the photographs and only then did the instructions make sense for me. This may or may not be an issue for you, depending how you work.

Thank you to everyone who emailed me to let me know that my website was down for 3 days. My host server Yola.com was attacked and they shut down the servers. I had no idea as I don't follow my host server's blog (which I probably should) and in the end everything was fine. They simply blocked all sites to protect them. For this reason, I will be keeping up block 5 for an extra few days to give everyone a chance to download the block if they missed it as the final block is launched this month.

In The Pink finishes this month with block 6 launched on the 15th.

But the BOM year is not yet over. The last BOM for the year, a short Christmas BOM will be launched this month. So stay tuned...

Phew, September is going to be busy!

Questing for Colour

There's been some much needed rain this last week, so I went outdoors to see if my plants had been re-invigorated. They have. After so much singed yellow, I never complain when it's raining now.  I especially love this image of a white camellia nestled in amongst the wet branches.

I think it would work so well as a wall quilt.

Even the pavement looks alive

I love the contrast of stone and green

This is also a favourite and has made it into my 'colour files'       The blending is perfect! 

I like the texture here

Even the yellow bruising is in tone harmony

So often when I'm stuck for colour pairings, I like to see what nature has done. It always inspires me and gets me thinking of new combinations. This is usually enough to get me over any colour dilemna. Readers of my blog will know that colour is something I am always exploring : working with it, harmonising it and especially selecting the right 'tones'

What do you do?

Hip to be Hexagon

As a woman with more UFOs than I like to admit, I probably don't need any more hobbies. This time of year brings out the chetter in me, it's the season for a warm wool blanket. And a crochet blanket is something you just can't buy (well, not easily at least.) My rules are that it has to be useful, beautiful and (most of all) something I can pick up and put down whenever I want. Something than can be bundled into a bag without too much fuss. Here is my Crochet WIP...

Before starting a new crochet blanket, I like to work out a sample block first to see if I like it. I do. I think it's really sweet and a nice variation on the granny square (which is also on my list). Here I've worked it in a left over green wool. It will be in 3 colours: the centre flower, the flower petals and surrounding leaves.

This is my colour inspiration at the moment. This project takes 40 balls of wool and I havent commited yet, but I'm considering this cherry pinkish hue with glossy darkish leaves... I am currently on the lookout to see if I can find some wool to match.

 These colours just speak to me. Such vibrancy. I can imagine throwing out this blanket on a cold evening and being delighted with it again and again... This pic is from my 'colour files.' When I stumble across beautiful images, I picture them for later reference. When I saw these camillia's in bloom I just knew I'd want to remember these colours at a later time.

The best thing about this block? It takes 15 minutes to work up. Yes, 15 minutes. At that rate, I can chet one each evening for just 2 months and have a beautiful work to show for it at the end. Mini projects that add up. I like them!

Do you have a favourite knitted / chetted piece? or a WIP?

Danni finishes In The Pink!

I do believe that Danni from Germany is the first to finish In The Pink.

Phew Danni, you must have been working overtime! I actually received this pic from Danni in my inbox on Tuesday, so she has been very speedy.

I love a quilter who finishes what she starts....I could use some of that vim myself!

How are you progressing with block 5? I know a lot of you have printed out this pattern over the months to make at a later date. As a quilter with a UFO list longer than my arm, may I suggest that there's no time like the present???

Spring Cleaning the Studio

Thanks to SeaBreeze Quilters who took my Tulip Delight Table Runner workshop this past weekend. Each time I teach this table runner, I just want to get stuck in and make one myself! I had a great time teaching the talented ladies in Altona.

Here is a pic of me preparing the paints ahead of the class. It's a messy business and it's also that time of year when I think about clearing out any 'non essential' supplies in my studio.

Spring Cleaning Time is the only time of year that I suddenly become attached to things I havent used in years...so I don't often part with as much as I should. My DD's have loudly suggested a major throw out. But I don't know if I'm up to it. If feels like I need 'everything'.

What works for you?

I have also updated my workshop 'trolley' as my trusty old model died the night before. Luckily my DH went out and found me a replacement.

Block 5 is launched

This month ITP comes together as you work the centre applique panel. It's an intensive and rewarding block.

I've been lucky enough to see the first 'finished' ITP, how is your's looking?

You can download this block from my website

www.estheraliu.com or my Yahoo Bom Group

Great Work Danni!

 I Love It!

Here's the first finished picture of In The Pink which I have seen and it belongs to Danni from Germany. Her blog is here: http://dannisleben.blogspot.com/

So I always say this, and now I have to say it again: a great part of sharing patterns is seeing them come to life in ways I would never have imagined myself.

Danni selected colours which I would not have used...except that now I see the finished result (which I love!) and it has again taught me to expand my own colour selections. I love these colours, she saw them working together when I would not have. And they do work.

It's super! I was so happy when I received my email from Danni with her pic, she's made a beautiful quilt top.

And of course, for everyone else taking part in In The Pink, the 15th is fast approaching and this month in the 5th installment, you will be making the centre tulip blocks. I think this is the most exciting part of the quilt and I have saved this best bit for last. This is a pic of my centre and the blocks you will be putting together this month.

This 5th installment released for free on the 15th, is the largest block so far.

I'm looking forward to seeing more finished ITP's in the coming weeks.

How is your's coming along?