Monthly Archives: October 2016

Weekly Challenge: Transmogrify…

The prompt is : “transmogrify,” which means, “to change in appearance or form, especially strangely or grotesquely; transform.”  This week, your theme is transmogrify. Transform. Morph. Change. Show us something already transformed, on the cusp of transformation.

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Candle….

Beginning…

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…to end.

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/transmogrify/


Windows Six and Seven…

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Weekly Challenge: Shine…

Sunshine behind a lighthouse, sun shining through the clouds on bridge and shiny museum sculpture.

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/shine/


Review: Top-Down Crochet Sweaters

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First, the facts:

Title: Top-Down Crochet Sweaters: Fabulous Patterns with Perfect Fit

Author: Dora Ohrenstein

Published by: Storey Publishing, 2016

Pages: 168

Type: Crochet sweater patterns

Chapters:

1. The Techniques
2. The Patterns

KS: Top-Down Crochet

The In-Depth Look:

This is, of course, primarily a knitting book site, but I can’t pretend that crochet doesn’t exist (I wouldn’t dare), and there’s no denying that crochet can create some beautiful things.

My personal bias is that crochet is best suited for things like afghans and lace, but not so much for garments. Traditionally, crocheted sweaters are often bulky, sometimes unflattering, but that’s definitely not always the case, especially as more and more designers are putting what they know about sweater design together with all the possibilities that crochet has to offer.

In this case, it’s all about making sweaters with top-down convenience that allows you to try the garment on, to assess things like fit and drape as you go. (Nobody denies that it’s easier to make a sweater in one piece to avoid having to seam all those pieces together.) With attention to technique and making sure the sweaters actually FIT, this book takes its goal very seriously.

The first part of the book is all about technique–things you need to know to make a garment fit, to understand how the construction of a top-down garment works, how the stitch patterns are going to affect the finished object. The author takes the first 50 pages to explain all the details you’re going to need, all with helpful illustrations and schematics.

The rest of the book is all about the patterns. There are fourteen of them, but they all come in pairs.

The author took seven basic yoke constructions and stitches and then played with them–offering two designs for each basic starting point. Each pair has something different–the gauge, the neckline, maybe pullover versus cardigan–but the basic construction (like a round yoke or one with raglan shaping) stays the same.

I really liked that approach. Too often it’s hard to look at two sweaters and know what’s the same about them, or how two things that look similar are really quite different. But here, the author is taking the time to show you how changing something simple can give you something entirely unique … because nobody said you couldn’t apply the knowledge from one pair to a modification you might want to another pair. (Hint: There’s a reason she spent so much time explaining construction techniques at the beginning.)

All in all, this is a great book–one of my favorite kinds because it starts with a solid grounding in technique and then goes ahead and shows you how much fun you can have with it, either by following her lead with her pre-written patterns, or by using them as a launchpad for your own creations.

Hey, I never said crocheted sweaters couldn’t be wonderful.

You can get your own copy at your local shop or order it from Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Storey Publishing. Thank you!

My Gush: Some lovely creations.

The Newark Museum…

The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey

Recently I visited the Newark Museum, a place I hadn’t been to since I was in high school  many years ago.

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This beautiful work of art is covered with sequins…

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Let’s wander..

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I have no idea what these are but I liked them🙂

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Moving on…

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According to Wikipedia: The John Ballantine House was the home of Jeannette Boyd (1838–1919) and John Holme Ballantine (1834–1895). John was the son of Peter Ballantine, founder of the Ballantine beer brewery. The house was built in 1885 at 49 Washington Street in the Washington Park section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is now part of the Newark Museum and is open to the public for tours.

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Also part of the Newark Museum is the Newark Fire Museum

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This is only a little bit of what the beautiful and amazing Newark Museum has to offer.

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The Newark Museum…

The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey

Recently I visited the Newark Museum, a place I hadn’t been to since I was in high school  many years ago.

pizap-com14766427161451

This beautiful work of art is covered with sequins…

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Let’s wander..

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I have no idea what these are but I liked them🙂

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Moving on…

img_3245 img_3241 img_3244 img_3243

According to Wikipedia: The John Ballantine House was the home of Jeannette Boyd (1838–1919) and John Holme Ballantine (1834–1895). John was the son of Peter Ballantine, founder of the Ballantine beer brewery. The house was built in 1885 at 49 Washington Street in the Washington Park section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is now part of the Newark Museum and is open to the public for tours.

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Also part of the Newark Museum is the Newark Fire Museum

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This is only a little bit of what the beautiful and amazing Newark Museum has to offer.

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Recommend

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Somebody walks up to you and says, “I need a really good book to read–any genre. What do you recommend?”

What’s the first book off the top of your head?


Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


Walkway Over the Hudson

On Sunday my stepmother suggested we head over to the Walkway Over the Hudson, an old rail bridge re-purposed into a pedestrian walkway over the Hudson River. I’d been wanting to see it for quite some time, and since we could bring their new dog, Bindi, as well as my stepbrother and niece, I was all in.

The Hudson Valley really is a breathtaking place. So much of it speaks directly to my heart; a few days spent in the land of my youth is like a healing balm for my soul.

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Though the leaves weren’t yet at peak, they were far more colorful than what we’d left behind in Virginia.

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Sweet little Bindi. She’s an 8 month-old Red Heeler, and the friendliest little thing you’ll ever meet.

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Normally I have a fear of bridges that span bodies of water; the walkway didn’t bother me one bit, though.

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Those leaves!!!

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After we hiked over the bridge and back, dad came with the kids and I on a short trip down memory lane past one of our old houses, and on down to Kingston Point Beach and Hasbrouck Park to see the view.

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The old Hutton brick factory.

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Heart-shaped brick!

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Neve took lots of pictures of the gulls.

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This is the view from my parents’ condo. The kids are mad jealous.

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As for me, I’m mad jealous of this tree. I’d love one just like it in my front yard.

Now that we are home the kids are sad to see the leaves here aren’t very colorful (to be fair, we usually are a few weeks behind here with our leaves) and are ready to move back north. I’m feeling refreshed and revived and connected with my family again. Tomorrow it’s back to school and the normal routines, but I’m hoping my bubble of contentedness lasts for awhile longer.

 


Tagged: kids, Trips

Five Windows…

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Rhinebeck 2016

Once again, we had a whirlwind weekend in New York attending the annual Sheep & Wool Festival and visiting family.

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I loved these little felted guys!

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I think these little yetis were my favorite thing this year.

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I really wish this hadn’t come out blurry. This llama really liked my dad!

In completely unrelated news, all three girls agree we need either another llama or an alpaca.

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A Herdy! They had Herdwick sheep there!!! Isn’t she gorgeous?

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The Peruvian folk band, in their usual spot.

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Love this Angora goat!

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We didn’t buy a whole lot this year; Neve was saving for other things she wanted, and Emily and Oona and I had trouble deciding among all pf the amazing things for sale! (though if I hadn’t had such a long drive home I just might have bought an Angora rabbit!)

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I did manage to snag some lovely dyed roving to play with, though! This one is a Cormo/Silk blend.

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The yellow/green/orange Blue Faced Leicester reminds me of the mixed vegetables from childhood that came frozen in a block.

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This purple and red blend is Finnsheep.

Oona and Emily each got yarn and hats, but I was unable to photograph them before they took off with them, eager to start their own projects!

Lastly, these lovelies are now mine:

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I can’t wait to get to work with all of my new toys!

 

 


Tagged: Farm, Trips