Hi Everyone - happy December 26th! I hope you are kicking back and enjoying a post-holiday day off from work.
As for me, here's why I can't help myself: I have started to highlight tester finished projects over at the Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace blog. However, I am showing off only those finished projects from designs I previewed. Since there are so many more designs (which are now making their way slowly but surely into the Ravelry database), I decided I needed to show off one of them here, so I hope you'll indulge me on this Fee-Fi(ber)-F.O. Friday.
The design is the Quimby Hooded Cover-up, inspired by Harriet Quimby's distinctive purple silk flying outfit. To the left is my sample worked up for the book in, of course, predominantly purple hues of Lion Brand Amazing in the violets colorway and LB Collection Silk Mohair in iris.
Now, check out my wonderful tester Kristina's cover-up. She also used Lion Brand Amazing, but in the Strawberry Fields colorway, and paired it with a different yarn for the edging. Don't you just love how sassy she's looking in the photo to the right? The scarf also looks great just simply left to its own devices in the front.
I've also included a shot of the back of Kristina's, which clearly shows the length of the shrug. It's enough to provide good warmth down most of the wearer's back. The goal with this cover-up is warmth, warmth, warmth - in case you were wondering. Quimby flew in open cockpits, so a warm flying suit with functionality was paramount to her. Harriet designed her own distinctive suit from purple parachute silk, and it pretty much covered her from head to ankles. While something similar would be overkill today, I thought this struck the right balance between warmth and versatile, fashionable good looks.
Thanks so much for checking in here at fiber chez Voie de Vie. Now, definitely make certain you head on over to Andrea's at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see how everyone else is spending their time post-holiday.
And do get ready for 2015. OhMyBob, 2015!!!!!!
Happy Fee-Fi(ber)-F.O. Friday everyone! I've been so consumed with the Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace design previews, I am finally getting around to announcing my final design published by others this year - the To Be Named Cowl, a cowl designed for Yarnbox. In case you aren't familiar with it, Yarnbox is a subscription-based yarn club where members receive yummy yarn shipments based on their self-disclosed preferences. In addition, they also receive a knit as well as a crochet design each month using the yarn in their boxes. Yarnbox members get exclusive access to my cowl design through January 25th (my birthday!) of next year; I'll then have it for individual sale in my Ravelry design store.
In the meantime, I love this cowl pattern! A simple one-row lace pattern, worked flat in Baa Ram Ewe's Titus in the Aire colorway (I blogged about receiving the yarn back at the end of September), it gets a fun edging treatment after being blocked and seamed. I designed it in two lengths in case people wanted a cowl that sat a little lower (it's shown in the shorter length, doubled). This wool/alpaca blend bloomed so well during blocking - the lace took on a soft (and dare I say airy?) quality, yet it's super warm.
I would encourage you to visit this very busy Ravelry group (I've linked to the December box recipients thread) where you can read about this yarn as well as the other December yarn choice (there's usually two options) and the designs included in the boxes. There's also a wee poll asking the members to name the cowl, but I think Yarnbox stuffed the (ballot) box as it were by sending out the pattern with one of the name choices already printed on it. Oh well, so much for impartiality.
I hope each of you is ready for next week and have come through the bulk of the holiday season with your style and good humor still in tact.
Happy holidays, everyone! It's been quite a year (but more on that in a few weeks).
