Friday Fun: The Tentacled Topper

Good Morning,

Happy Friday to one and all.  Are we ready for the weekend? I know I am.  

The blog isn't always all about business, we like to have fun and play, too.  Today I would like share a little bit of that with you.  

My friend and fellow artist, Debbi, from Yankee Burrow took time out from her busy schedule to crochet this wonderfully fun hat for me.  We found the pattern on line and Debbi took up the hook and some marvelous acrylic yarn in a dark forest green and worked it up.

This hat is a hoot, I love it and cannot wait to wear this out grocery shopping or to some other activity, snowballs fights would be good.

Although this particular item is not listed in her shops, there are other things that are just as neat.  I hope you will take a moment to click through and see what else this talented and clever crafter has on offer.  Perhaps you would like to request a custom order?  She does that too.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

New items in the Store

Good Morning,

Today's blog is short ans sweet.  

A news item or two.

Yesterday, Sunday September 15, 2013, the front parking lot at the shop was repaved.  Little Shop of Artists will be open again Wednesday September 18th or, Thursday, September 19th, this week.

The shop will finally have a computer.   Although it is my personal laptop, services such as shopping an artists on-line shop or site can be done in-store.

We have several new items in the shop including two Fine Art photographic prints from Elton Nesselrodt, they are lovely riverside landscapes, matted and framed.

Autumn is here next week and the weather is turning as are the leaves.  The shop has ventured past jewelry and art-wear to hand-knitted items as well.  This is the very first item I have knit for sale.

"Camouflage" is now finished and for sale, if you have been knitting along with the project, the finishing steps and final touches will be discussed in Wednesday's blog.  Now available in the shop.
$30.00 Hand-Knit Acrylic Full Length His / Her Scarf




Shown here for length / pattern detail.  The scarf has been hand-washed and blocked, the ends taper as the triangles throughout the length of the scarf.

We are in hopes of having several pairs of these cute and feminine Wrist Warmers in shop soon.  Two styles are available "Ruffly Muffatees" and "Texters" - What the heck is a Muffatee?  If you remember your Beatrix Potter you will know that Benjamen's Bunny's Mother had to knit them for a living.  Well that doesn't explain what it is though.  Muffatees are short fingerless gloves of a short.  Many fashion-forward young ladies in the Goth and Steam Punk Fashion scenes will use socks, minus the foot for these fashionable and cute accessories.  In the Victorian era, layering clothes was essential to stay warm in the winter.  Trying to do things in mittens is next to impossible, but "muffatees" allowed you to keep your hands warm and your fingers free for work.

This pair is mine and an example of the Ruffly Muffatee.  They look great under a denim jacket as the ruffle peek-a-boo's from the cuff, and adds a pop to color to the otherwise sometimes dreary Winter attire and grey cloudy days.

Either style would make a great Christmas Gift.

Ruffly Muffatees: $24.00 / pair.

Texters are simple knitted tubes about 7" long with a knitted Thumb-Hole at one side, leaving fingers free for texting and keeping your hands warm at the same time.  Great for driving too.  Currently available in Turquoise (Mint Blue) Acrylic Yarn.

Texters: $20.00 / pair.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

Fair Isle and Faux Finds

Good Morning,

Happy Monday, I hope that all had a restful and relaxing weekend and are ready to get back to work and be constructive and productive.

This weekend at Little Shop of Artists, we demonstrated Fair Ilse Knitting, an Intermediate Knitting Technique,  and set some new items on the shelves.  Talented and crafty, our resident staff person, Alixandra, worked up a length of a lovely Wintery style Fair Isle Knitting sample in Snowflakes and Bordered Inset Diamonds.  

Knit with Caron Simply Soft 100% Acrylic in Deep Plum Heather and Plum Heather, 4 (Worsted weight) Gauge = 18 sts. and 24 rows = 4 inches square on Size 8 (US) 5.0mm.  
Project - Size 9 (US) 5.5mm Needles
Gauge - 6 sts. = 1"

Detail of Snowflake pattern.

 
Fair Isle knitting is a method of "stranding" color as you knit.  Unlike stripes that are knit back and forth row by row, one color at a time, stranding uses two (or more colors in some cases) in the same row, creating a picture / pattern when complete.  As each stitch is knit in its specific color, the color not in use is carried across the knitting by "floating" the unused yarn along the back of the work until it is needed to form the designated stitch.  Many Fair Isle patterns are written in charts as you see below.

Here the white squares represent the background or main color used through out the project.  The blue squares indicate when the new color will be used to begin the contrasting color pattern.  Fair Isle is not only beautiful when finished it is also fun to do!

When complete the sample above will serve as a Winter Scarf.

New Items on the shelves.  These simple little wood boxes are painted by hand using a variety of materials and tools to create unique and interesting faux finishes.  The box below looks like it may have been carved from a hunk of Jasper or perhaps an agate of sorts.

The shop is still looking for participating Artists.  Come on in, bring a sample or two, let's see what you have, and if we can make room for you on a shelf.  

Shoe Ins: Ceramics, Paintings, Glass-works, Woodwork, Fine Art, Textiles (Knitting, Crochet, Tie-Dye) etc... If you made it we'll make every effort to find a display area for it.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

Winter Gems

Meant to mimic Holly berries, and the feel of the Winter season  Pearl and Garnet drops float in front of Light Green Glass leaves that hang suspended from a Sterling Silver Chain.

This 20" Necklace is crafted with Hand-turned Sterling Silver 18 gauge Jump Rings, Fresh Water Pearls from White Lotus Farms, Round and Coin shaped Natural Garnet beads, and  Light Green glass leaves, hung on Sterling Silver Long Curb Chain and a Sterling Silver Lobster-claw Clasp.

$45.00 / Set comes with matching earrings and is boxed for gift-giving.

NOTE:  The earrings shown are the pair I have matched to the set.  The Glass leaves have some weight and I feel that they would be too heavy to wear in the ears from either a Post, French Wire or Fishhook style finding.  I can make a pair to match the drops, if desired.  Please indicate your choice of earrings if interested in the piece.