Stamping with bleach

Little experiment, a couple of my carved stamps, bleach instead of color, on colored paper. A few greeting cards emerged.

The link ones are Little Town, the green ones Waterside, the dark green is just hello from the studio. This was created for one recipient.

Polar express arrives chez Dollivers

Today, while the rest of the world watched meghan and Harry wed, he crying throughout, hope that a good sign, I finished the polar bear and introduced him to the Dollivers.

 Right side mugshot

 Left side mugshot

 Spreading alarm and despondency among the Dollivers and dogs.  The noise is amazing.

She or he needs a name. Please bring your good ideas.

 

Polar opposites

So the bear continues.

Only remains to stitch and stuff and embroider features including fearsome claws.

Here are the parts, front, back, underside, ears. The great number of ends, some to be woven in, some saved for stitching, reflect the different stages of shaping, keeping live stitches on a spare needle, rejoining and so on. It's really an act of faith, knitting this sort of item, because it's not always clear why some steps are needed. I've learned not to argue, just plunge in.

When I was small,  a famous polar bear was born at the London zoo, named Brumas. Many mementoes, including my little Brumas soap which I remember using till he was the size of a raisin. Anyway, this bear needs a name, suggestions after he's complete, please.

After this species-specific bear from the Knit Your Own Zoo book by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne. I think I'll knit small toy bears, with clothes. Small amounts of yarn, using up bits of stash. They may become presents for future PINOAP, people in need of a present.

About this polar bear

The polar bear, legs completed yesterday, is now developing a body and with it, a personality.

The back legs have a right and left, and the front are a different shape, also with a right and left. And if I'd thought ahead I'd have labeled them.

This would have saved a bit of unpicking the backward leg and reknitting. But I noticed before too long. 

See how the head shape is starting to emerge? This bear may be a bit bicolor since there will be a mohair side, this being the smoother yarn. Not enough of either. But who's counting. This bear won't go extinct. And might be a feature for my Christmas setup. 

 I expect the Dolliver Kennels dogs will be on high alert.

Luxury, cashmere socks on a cool rainy day

Photo taken about five minutes after I finished the toe up socks. Knitted from leftover cashmere yarn after I'd made two scarves, gifts for friends in need of a present.

See the rolled mohair tops? I'm thinking of making the polar bear from the Knit Your Own Zoo book. Because I now have to finish the white fluffy yarn. It's a bit like the hot dog and rolls endless quest.

Embroiderers' Guild great stitch in

Wednesday was our stitch-in night, and we had a great turnout. Wonderful array of works in progress, as you see.  Everything from stumpwork, cross stitch, needlepoint, goldwork, huck, quilt design, it was all there.

This was especially good, since the next day chez Boud was adventures of a different sort, recounted in https://fieldfen.blogspot.com
 

Giveaway, the Big Reveal

Today Duncan made his selection from the names I'd faithfully written out on bits of paper for him to play with, careful to include everyone who'd asked to be in on the drawing for the little watercolor of the orchid.

We were a bit delayed, since he had decided to sleep instead. He's feeling his age, nearly 15, and the warm weather.  So I let him finish dreaming.


Once he woke up and got alert, and after he'd had a drink of water and a trot about, to get in good picking form, 

he consented to wander among the paper bits, playing, until finally his paw came to rest, and I rescued this slip

So, watch the mailbox, dogonart! too funny really.  But there were no rules about relatives and employees being ineligible to enter this valuable drawing.  Duncan got right onto it, wonder if he remembered doing this once before.  Thank you everyone for your interest, and the nice email comments I got.  This was fun.

Duncan is back on the sofa resting up after his exertions. Then, after the excitement abated, I got on with a bit of plain sewing I have been failing to do for ages.  

These are lovely linen jackets, name brand, but I'd rather have them as overshirts, so I'm shortening sleeves and the body.  They're too long for me, and I don't need the buttoned cuffs.

I did get the blue one finished, and looking much more useful. No need to get too rushed about this, tomorrow I'll do another. I get lovely linen items from the thriftie, probably because people just can't be bothered to press linen, beautiful as it may be.  I don't press it very often, either, but a bit crumpled is part of the look.

Some other summer stuff I have finally had to admit is way too big for me now, the opposite of the usual situation, I know, so there are several items for the Giveback Box now on the spare room bed waiting to be filled.  I appear to have settled on being permanently small, no point in keeping nice items other women could use.

May the Fourth be with you!! perpetual motion

So just for the silliness of it, a few little figures in motion

As you see, one on the nearest piece of paper, which is a decorative notebook thing

 People in the park

 Cats, dogs, mice, spiders, people