Another reason I was anxious to start blogging again (as I eluded to in my last post) was to share my very exciting crafty news with all of you.

First, my vintage-inspired bathing suit design in Vickie Howell’s Pop Goes Crochet (which is now available). Weee!!!!

I created this crocheted retro design back while living in Austin. I was a little nervous contributing to this book; I mean, Vickie Howell is, like, mega-famous in the craft world! But she’s also really sweet and made sure to let me know that she was super happy with the design. When she sent me this photo I was blown away.  ”Wow, that’s my suit??” I was thrilled to say the least. Then her pal Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club (if you love retro and bright/fun colors, you’ll love her shop!) said some really cool things about it on her blog, which again, is thrilling! I can’t wait to get my copy which is on its way!

Onto the second thing, art-related. My Spirit of the Forest print is featured in the May/June issue of Dujour Magazine!

Dujour is a new online and limited edition print magazine about emerging artists, designers and so forth. And it’s gorgeous! I love some many things in this magazine (I got the online subscription) and I’m especially loving this collage here; I’m completely flattered that my print is included in this mix. Wow, there are so many talented and wonderful artists out there.

Anyway, thank you for letting me a boast a bit. I couldn’t help but want to share these happy, craft-related things with you! And thanks for the sweet welcome too on the last post – it’s so good to hear from you.

Have a lovely and long (hopefully) weekend.

I had a really nice weekend, did you? Get any crafting done? (It went by too fast didn’t it?) Saturday I went to Michaels and got some crafty things (like paint for this jewelry project I need to finish and some Paton’s wool yarn – I’m planning on putting another crochet pattern in the shop for spring). In the evening we went to see Coraline (I know, thought I’d see it sooner!) which we both really liked although I could not help but continually compare it to the book in my head which is something you should not do when seeing the movie version. (By the way, I thought Terri Hatcher as the mom and Other Mother was great!)

Sunday I wandered around the local antique market wearing my rose-colored Winter Woods skirt and picked up a few cheapies for yet another project. I also picked up a little nesting Easter bunny doll for a buck!

I can’t figure out what the middle one is supposed to be, bizarre really. But the tiny egg is pretty cute.

I’ve also been spending parts of my evenings working on this blanket. I’ve got some big family news – my brother and his wife are having a baby! A little boy so naturally I picked out this yarn you see below. (Bernat’s Cottontots.)

I also got some baby clothes in yellow and green (because I don’t want everything I get him to be blue!). I’m using Alicia’s free Tiramisu blanket pattern that you can find on her site (in case you didn’t know).

Have a Happy Monday!

I thought I should post about my non-art related crafts today. All of these are WIPs that I would like to finish this month – we’ll see! Do you remember almost a year ago that I was making a Christmas dress? Well anyway, I never finished it. So, I’d like to now. I think I lost inspiration for this but once I starting to attach the ruffle a couple of weeks ago, I started to like it again.

I won’t be calling it a Christmas dress this time. I’ve been going back and forth on what accent color to use on this – started with red, then orange, maybe silver..now I’m on navy-ish blue. In which case I could use the velvet rose and little buttons I showed you in this post.

My Sweet Violette sweater is coming along after I had to rip out the ribbing a couple of times. That’s what I get for not actually following a pattern, I suppose. Now I’m just about up to the armpits and this is where the hard part begins. Because I’m not following a pattern I need to really think about what to do next for the armhole shaping and also, egads!, the yoke.

So why don’t I just pretend I don’t have to do any thinking and start a new sweater? Hee hee. Well, I also started a new one because the boyfriend and I decided to watch a movie last night and I kinda feel guilty sitting around for two hours without being productive. It’s a sickness, I know. So anyway, I just wanted to work on something with a pattern so that I could just do what I am told and not think too much! (Especially when movie-watching.)

Rhiannon was kind enough to post some 1930s vintage patterns on her blog. I was really hoping she would so, of course, I immediately downloaded the files! I’m working on the Jiffy pattern (like her red one) in hunter green.

It looks smallish but I made sure my gauge was right and the stitch count seems okay. I’m having fun doing the drop-stitch in this one!

Happy Friday to you!

a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMAqj38STTI/AAAAAAAAAZY/zS2hdNeWodo/s1600-h/sweet-violet-sweater.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMAqj38STTI/AAAAAAAAAZY/zS2hdNeWodo/s400/sweet-violet-sweater.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242236762059853106″ border=”0″ //aI’m realizing that I need to have multiple projects going at the same time even if it drives me a little nuts. (Or span style=”font-style: italic;”because/span it drives me a little nuts? Hmm…) Since finishing the fabulously wearable a href=”http://thefabledneedle.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-new-favorite-thing.html”crocheted cardigan/a, I’ve almost immediately jumped into the next project. Another purple sweater.br /br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMAo-dliLqI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/C19U1fvhkhg/s1600-h/sweet-violet-inspiration.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMAo-dliLqI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/C19U1fvhkhg/s400/sweet-violet-inspiration.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242235019818315426″ border=”0″ //aI downloaded this free pattern from a href=”http://www.vintagepurls.net.nz/kidspatterns.html” target=”_blank”Vintage Purls/a. I’m not really following the pattern exactly (besides, this girls’ pattern would be too small even for me!) but using it as inspiration for a more grown-up version. I’ll be figuring out how to do some cap sleeves with buttons at the hems, making the waist higher and more fitted. I’m totally keeping the whole circular yoke/button closure feature (the best part) and the mock cable pattern.br /br /Some sweet violet buttons:br /br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMArDulftlI/AAAAAAAAAZg/HQLFof1CyZA/s1600-h/sweet-violet-buttons.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SMArDulftlI/AAAAAAAAAZg/HQLFof1CyZA/s400/sweet-violet-buttons.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242237309304157778″ border=”0″ //aThe flowers are vintage from the 1930′s. The leaves are vintage reproduction. My plan is to use a flower and both leaves at the neck closure and a flower button to close each sleeve hem. We’ll see how it goes.br /br /Oh and thank you for the a href=”http://thefabledneedle.blogspot.com/2008/09/some-sunny-practical-sewing.html”apron-love/a! It’s hanging happily in my kitchen next to my like yellow and green crocheted a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/faeriefurballs/1393263468/in/set-72157602035937786/” target=”_blank”hostess apron/a.br /br /span style=”font-style: italic;”Edit: the yarn is KnitPicks Swish in Clematis Heather./span