{Artist Inspiration} - Tom Fruin and scraps

New York artist Tom Fruin used 1,000 reclaimed scraps of Plexiglas for his Kolonihavehus that takes its name and inspiration from Copenhagen’s ubiquitous kolonihavehus - a modest garden shed intended to provide state workers with refuge from the city’s cramped living conditions.

This really jumped at me - first of all for the use of geometrics - but also the colours and the fact that this is made of scraps. A lot of blogs are looking at how to use scraps ... although I still wonder how to define scraps (I suppose it depends how small or big your scrap project is, and how much patience one has).

For some patchwork inspiration do check Rachel's blog Stitched in Colour for the Scrap Attack project but check out also the Compost Quilt over at Completely Cauchy - one of my favourite quilts! (added later... I just realised there is a scrap attack Flickr Group for much more inspiration)

For some knitting inspiration, check out the scrappy lengthwise scarf by Zona Sherman. There are some beautiful versions of this project.

So what do you define as scrap, and what do you do with them?

Basically not a lot ...

It is W.I.P. Wednesday, and what do I have to report - basically not a lot... On the positive side, I am making progress with the Happiness project - started running again, my house is getting more organised, I am sort of keeping to the Weight Watchers plan - and we have started our Britain in our kitchen blog (our 2012 challenge of eating only British food at home). I have also attempted to do some felting - with a varying degree of success (same wool, same temperature, definitely not the same result).

I was hoping to make a pouch out of those but the texture is so different, I may have to rethink this. I saw a patchwork felted blanket on pinterest... I may get tempted (although this project involves having many more jumpers).

I have also received my new Echo, Lotta Jansdotter, fabric which I love - this is

the colour scheme of my parents' new kitchen, and I am thinking of making some table mats for them (any interesting pattern out there? or inspiration?).

I also really really want to make a sewing machine cover - I do have a pattern in mind, so now it is a case of sitting down and getting on with it. And the small spring buds in grey (the right hand-side fabric) would be perfect!

As far as the knitting is concerned Winnowing is still going - hmmm -, and this weekend I had the joy of having to unstitch 3 entire rows - brilliant. I did make it good

- started the last part of the chart pattern - and then stopped. I will go back to it! I have now seen more Winnowing finished and it is really a beautiful garment, worth the 500+ stitches I am going to end up with at the end of the chart pattern.

Hopefully over at Freshly Pieced people will have more to report and get me inspired!

{Pay and Display} Vintage Tennis Rackets

In my French life - a long, long time ago (ok, not that long ago, but it sometimes feels that way) - I played tennis a lot. I played for my local team, and I would watch a lot of tennis on TV. I was keen and in love with Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg. I am now a Roger Federer and Wilfried Tsonga supporter, and play much less tennis and moved on to squash (it is all about being indoors). Since then I always liked things related to vintage tennis. And vintage tennis rackets is what my house needs (no that doesn't mean more clutter!). Here are 5 reasons why!

Vintage Display

I love this display from the Whitcomb company, it takes a bit of space but adds interesting colours and forms to any bland wall.

The Vintage Organiser

You know it guys I am on the look out for something to organise my earrings. This is a quick and querky way to make it happen (found on the SoLovely blog). Not sure about the 'tache on the picture next to it...

The Vintage Valentine

Do you know that Valentine's is coming up? Or have you been on the moon for the last month|? What about making your own decoration to celebrate? This is actually a very clever DIY project from Bloesem Kids.

The Vintage table

It looks good and the key is probably in the tension. Would be great for a kid's room (euh, so not for us then).

The Vintage Mirror

I reckon this should be coupled with the earrings display - except that it would require a bit more work and thinking, but it totally works.

So no wonder I have 3 vintage rackets currently in my Ebay Watchlist! It is all to finish pretty soon, will let you know how successful I am. We are making progress with decorating the house, properly (the map of Paris is on display now, yeah! - how much nagging did that take!.. will post about it soon).

Happy to Happier

Apart from an obsession with geometrics, yarn, patchwork and crafts in general, I am also an avid reader of self-help books - and usually about finding my 'true self' - whatever that may be (still reading about it!). So when Emma over at Gawgus Things posted about 'The Happiness Project' by Gretchen Rubin, I knew I had to get the book. And so I did!

I need to add something straight away. I am a happy, positive person, I am - serious. OK I get grumpy at work and also I nag at home (when the house is not tidy or clean usually). So why am I so into self-help books? It is probably because I think there is more to be done, that time should be really spent purposefully (be it at work or at home). I feel that time should be spent for me and my loved ones rather than for others who do not really care about my well-being. And it is, just not enough...

So anyway the book in hand, I was off to Paris with the train journey ahead of me. The book is divided by month. So I was not sure how I was going to tackle it. Read a chapter every month, or read the whole thing (I may have different priorities than Gretchen's?). I knew though that I agreed with the January Chapter should be my first task because January is Vitality, and that should make other taxing tasks easier.

So 1.'Go to sleep earlier' - should be easy. I take my sleep really seriously (I am sure I mentioned this before) but I really want to make sure I spend time with M as well.

2. Exercise better - I may add eat better. The emotional eating has to stop as well! So I will start weight watchers again and start running regularly again. Yes I will... a whole year of it. bring-it-on.

3. Toss, restore, organise - yes, those bank statements have to find a place in the cupboard under the stairs - actually come to think about it the whole cupboard needs to be organised, as well as the garage... And we still have some bits and pieces in the house to finish (by the end of Chapter 1, I basically had a 'big item' to do list of 5 pages)..

4. Tackle a nagging task... Well the problem is prioritising only one.

5. Act more energetic - hmm, I like the theory...now did to make it happen...

So here we are the basis of my own Happiness project. I am sure loads of you have already read it or done it, would be great to hear about your experience! If you are planning to do it, let me know!

New Toy - Part II

Pictures of the sleeve for my yarn winder are finally uploaded! I think M is soon going to be sick of grey and yellow - I hope you are not yet, because I am hoping to make one more grey and yellow 'thing' for our little room this weekend.

Let's start by the fact that I love this yellow fabric bought on Etsy at Stefanie's shop. I have a bit of a thing about geometrics as we know, and this is undoutedly my favourite fabric. I love how the top of the sleeve turned out. I was not sure how to end the sleeve as the yarn winder is cylindric. I decided an easy closing method - using strings. It makes it much easier to use.

As I mentioned on Monday I made a second cushion cover (well only the top part) which I really did not need (it stayed 6 months untouched - that was clearly a sign, right?). So I cut it (breathing in and out along the way) and rearranged to make a square pattern. The cushion cover was too small for the length of the yarn winder - hence the need for more fabric at the top and bottom.

I was also going to add my fav yellow fabric at the bottom - but hmmm well maybe it was too much. Added some Kona solid banana from Simply Solids that I had left from the Cherry House QAL. Not a lot of quilting involved, a couple of lines at the bottom and at the top between the grey and yellow fabrics to reinforce the change.

So as we are Wednesday I have finally a chance to link up to WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced!

Off to Paris this afternoon, I am hoping to fit in a trip to La Droguerie (totally on the way back to the Eurostar - or not).. Will let you know how I got on Friday!

New toy

There was a plan, a very good plan. Yesterday I finished the sleeve for my new toy and I was going to post about it today - sorted. It meant that I was going to show you some patchwork and not some knitting - to break a bit the routine. It was a brilliant plan. Left my computer to upload the pictures on Picnik (whilst watching Sherlock - such a good episode yesterday!). And this morning I should have been able to edit the pics a bit. But this morning, surprise, none of the pictures of the sleeve were uploaded except one. Thanks to my trusted Blackberry, I can at least show you pictures of my new toy that needed a sleeve for the cold nights.

Isn't it beautiful? This is my Christmas or birthday present, as all of these things happen at the same time for me, from M - which I thought was amazing. I did mention I wanted a yarn winder, I showed him a couple on internet, explained the difference this would make to my life - yes, I laid it on thick. He clearly took all of these things on board and I got my very own this Christmas. Finished the hours spent in front of the TV making yarn balls.

Since receiving my present, I had had a chat with one of my colleagues at work about men and how they (supposedly according to her) buy you things they want for Christmas or birthdays. Let me reassure you, M has NO intention to knit, he looks at me weird when I knit. Not in a bad way, just more in a 'how does that work' way.

So for the sleeve... well this is the only picture rescued from last night upload. Quite a lot of details, right?! However I can tell you it is based on the same patchwork made for the cushion in the hobby room (as shown in Friday's post).. So I guess more to post tomorrow!



Happy Monday guys!

Defi'13 de la decoration

We are the 13th of the month and it can only mean one thing - it is time to link up to Defi'13! This month we had to make something for your house.. Pretty easy - I had loads of ideas. And I managed to make... one, I suppose at least it is one. This is probably the most simple - yet the most expensive (it literally eats yarn) - crochet pattern. The giant granny square blanket.






Pour ce Defi'13 de la decoration, j'ai decide de faire le plus grand des granny squares. J'avais beaucoup d'autres idees en tete bien sur, mais je n'ai reussi qu'a finir (et en fait commencer) ce projet. Pour ne pas me sentir trop nulle, j'ai quand meme ajoute un coussin que j'avais fait l'annee derniere en patchwork. Le granny square au depart c'est tout simple, le probleme c'est en fait son cout - j'ai arrete de compter le nombre de pelotes dont j'ai eu besoin - c'etait trop deprimant.

The yarn used is mainly Rowan Cocoon - and it worked - much better than in my Cadence! I know now how I can use it in the future! I used 4 different shades of grey and you may remember that yellow yarn from Baby Longlegs I used for that slouchy hat! The hook was a 5.5 mm. This is the colour scheme of our bedroom - except that when on the bed, well it just not the right effect. So the grann y square is going to the little room - aka my hobby room with the cushion I made last year. It actually works very well there - so pleased. Would have been really upset if I could not show it off in my house!

J'ai parle il y a quelques billets de cela de mes malheurs avec la laine Cocoon de Rowan - je la trouvais trop lourde et pas facile a travailler. J'ai perserve et ca a paye! J'ai utilise 4 nuances de gris, et ai fini ma derniere pelote de jaune de Baby Longlegs - que j'avais utiliser pour ce projet. J'adore cette couleur. Le crochet est un 5.5 mm. Pour celles qui suivent mon blog, il s'agit effectivement de la palette de couleurs de notre chambre, et en fait ce granny square etait pour la chambre. A part qu'en dessus de lit - ou en bout de lit - ca ne va pas du tout. Ca ne rendait vraiment pas. Donc le granny square est maintenant dans mon bureau, sur ma chaise made in IKEA.

This was a great project for the winter as whilst doing it - in front of the TV (so great after Gingko!) - it was on my lap the whole time, keeping me warm! Brilliant! If you have not done any crochet before, I would definitely recommend this project - it is really easy to do and it grows very quickly (at the beginning). The only problem is at the end, when you need a skein for only one round (hence the expense). As far as the change in colours is concerned, I think at the beginning it was based on a 6 round basis, and then on what I had left... I made a very quick sketch, that I follow quite loosely.

J'ai adore ce projet, apres Gingko qui m'a quand meme pris un peu de temps et beaucoup de ma concentration, c'etait quasiment trop facile... Non pas vraiment, parce que ce n'est pas facile a manier quand on a utililse toutes les pelotes de Rowan de son magasin de laine (bon peut etre pas toutes, mais une bonne partie). Par contre ca tient au chaud tout au long du projet, et en plein hiver c'est quand meme super appreciable. Je recommende ce projet a toutes celles qui n'auraient jamais fait de crochet avant. Ca grandit tres tres vite au depart et ca rend vraiment bien pour un point assez basique. Un autre Defi'13 releve!

Another Defi'13 done!