Quilting Inspiration

I really don't want to make another quilt, but these might make me change my mind.

via Modern Quilt Guild

Photos for the Web

You really don't need any special equipment to take photos for web pages, especially if the pictures are taken fairly close to the object. All you really need is a digital camera, a neutral background, and photo editing software.
For example, I took this photo with my iPhone in a coffee house with just regular lighting on a sheet of paper:

And here is the same photo with a few adjustments to the levels in PhotoShop (I also resized and cropped the photo):

Noro Silk Garden, color 269

Now I've seen this colorway twice today, and I love it in both projects. This may be the most muted colorway that Noro makes, but it's gorgeous! However, it seems to be discontinued! There is a similar colorway in Kureyon that would work in the patterns.

First pattern: Deille by Mathew Gnagy in Knitting of the Axis. This lace cardigan is knit sideways so that the striping occurs vertically. The subtle monochromatic colors work nicely and don't stand out too much.

Second pattern: Oyster Mittens by Rebecca of "Dolies are Stylish" -- They do look like the pearly inside of an oyster shell or the oyster itself.

I'm Still Crafting!

I know, I've been missing from this blog for awhile...there haven't been many finished projects, while there are a few in progress. Under the "Finished" heading: a pair of slippers for my friend Marnie. She mentioned the "corn cob" slippers her grandma used to knit, so I resolved to find a pattern and make her some.

I used Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Washable Ewe in Clover and Duckling. My original plan was to knit a pair of slippers that looked like corn cobs. But the pattern recommended holding two strands of worsted weight yarn together (and it did make a nicer fabric). The pattern I used was Aunt Maggie's Slippers by Beverly A. Qualheim. (Links are to the Ravelry information.)

Heels and Toes

Today I spent some time learning some new techniques for knitting sock heels and toes. Donna Druchunas has spent quite a lot of time researching knitting traditions in Lithuania. I can't wait for her book! I learned tons and have some samples to photograph and post. But I'm worn out...commuting is hard work.