Things That Make Me Feel Good

Shiny silver buttons


This cute cadet-style coat from Old Navy came with dull brass buttons that did nothing for it. See for yourself. I consulted a friend and M&J Trimming (love them!) to find the perfect antique silver flower buttons. Color me happy because these little things turn the coat from blah to beautiful.

Expressing myself with color


And oh, what color! As mentioned previously, I'm taking an abstract art class with the goal of finding parts of myself I thought had left the building. The most recent assignment was to use the drip and splatter techniques of Jackson Pollock. The rest was up to us; how we used color, movement and layering to create with purpose. I know it's not to everyone's taste but I rather like it.

Finishing another hand knit



Pattern: Seed Stitch Cowl from VK Holiday 2009
Yarn: 75 yards of marigold dyed alpaca; 2 skeins of vintage Malabrigo; color unknown
Needles: Size 11US / 8 mm

The main difference between mine and the eye-popping green one in the magazine was the weight of the yarn. I doubled worsted weight to approximate the chunky yarn called for in the pattern. This resulted in a smaller cowl which I actually like better. It fits inside my coat and it's equally useful as a layering piece over a sweater.

I also added the pale marigold alpaca as a carry yarn at the start and finish of the piece. If I hadn't been so lazy, I'd have set up the tripod so you could see how perfectly this goes with the Leaf Beret. This is the second item I've finished in the space of a little over three weeks and, at the the risk of being immodest, I'm pretty proud of myself. To go from nothing to something and enjoying the trip? Happy-making!

Friends like you

Thanks for reminding me that words such as those some anonymous person used were just that: words and nothing more. Thanks for reminding me that I have people in my life who will tell me to move on, let go and forget the small stuff and small minds. Reminding me to remember who I am and am not.

I Love Buttons

...and so do dozens of other confessed Ravelry Button Addicts. I am most fortunate for I have a friend "in the business" as they say: among other things, Laura makes buttons from vintage fabrics she collects. I've picked up a few from her Etsy shop.

An East Coast transplant, Laura and I first met up earlier this year for the express purpose of visiting Chicago's Tender Buttons, a now-shuttered mecca for rare, antique and vintage buttons as well as thousands of beautiful modern closures. ETA: The store closed this past summer and has yet to relocate.

Other surprise finds? The word is getting out about Vintage Necessities if you're looking for unique buttons for your hand knits or just the right decorative finishing touches for jackets, hats or handbags.

(...)

OK, I'm back now. When I went to confirm the Vintage Necessities' address, I happened to see a one-of-a-kind set of faceted Bakelite buttons. They now belong to me.

Moving on to modern, I almost always find what I need at The Button Drawer. By the way, they will ship internationally. These beauties came today:

(Piedras - top, Twisted Flower - bottom)

Some of the most unusually beautiful closures and buttons I've come across are the handcrafted design work of the artisans at Moving Mud. While not inexpensive, the owners will work with you to capture movement, shape and colors in small pieces of wearable art.

As you've probably guessed by now, Fantine is languishing on sleeve island – a one-armed beauty in search of her mate. It is not for lack of trying. More medical blah-blah-blah equals zero knitting. Please to be distracted by the boys, whom you have not seen in a while.

Click the picture to embiggen or check out the entire Flickr set entitled, "All My Cats" if you just can't get enough Nikita and Rocky.

More ESIs, some physical therapy and a fresh perspective (quoth the doctor) and hopefully knitting can resume. My hands miss the action of the needles and the feel of the fiber. You know how it is...

Hats Off!

"But what about keeping your ears warm," you may ask? Well Alison (aka Brainy Lady) resurrected a Knitty pattern from 2003 that's perfect for us pigtail and ponytail wearing lasses and lads. I liked Alison's adaptation of omitting the ties and adding a button on the side so much that I put the stockinette sock aside (momentarily) and cast on with my new Dream In Color yarn.

It's not quite done, though. I need an opinion on the button I should use as the finishing touch. You've helped me out before and I trust your collective advice. Shall I go with the deep reds (A-B), more blue toned (C-D) or completely different with the green (E)?

I'm leaning toward all of them and that is the problem. Opine away. Let's see if there's consensus.

Operation: Organization!

When we last met, our heroine was on the hunt for the perfect box. One neither too large or too small. One with sufficient adaptability to meet her burgeoning button and closure storage needs. Lo and behold, it was an old friend that came to her rescue: ArtBin!

As a teenager, ArtBin held her nibs, quills and ink; cradled her acrylics and brushes, and provided the perfect place for the other miscellaneous tools of her nascent artist's trade. In adulthood, her next ArtBin became permanent home to a fantastically organized tool box - one she still proudly holds dear today.

Now, Karen would like to introduce the latest member of this plastic storage family, Super Satchel Slim, replete with buttons of many colors and descriptions:


On sale at only $9.95, this kind of happiness did come cheaply!