Manufactured by: Marian Nelson-Patternwrite
The last couple of weeks I've been loving to knit and crochet with Koigu! It slips through my fingers and the resulting fabric is delicate and sturdy at the same time. The first two crescent shaped scarves I knitted.
They wrap elegantly around one's neck in a number of ways and their shape and length make them less likely to slip off or dip into a puddle.
Frieda scarf
Manufactured by: Marian Nelson-Patternwrite available for $6 on Ravelry
A couple days ago I started a crocheted scarf also by Marian Nelson called Melrose. I fell in love with the colors and texture and love how quickly it works up!
The other item I've been working on is a cuff kit from Laura McCabe. Many years ago I had one of my favorite workshops with her. Her easy going manner and abundant talent with colors and design thrilled me. I love that she uses unconventional materials like prosthetic eyes, but uses a historical perspective from her background in costume design. To me she's a rock star in the beaded world. From time to time I've bought kits from her so I could wear her designs using my labor. However, finding the time to just relax and bead for myself doesn't seem to come up often enough.
Smart Cuff
design by Laura McCabe; stitched by me
Since I have some ideas for cuffs of my own I thought I'd do Laura's cuff as well as one by Sherry Serafini (another rock star that I dream of taking a class with!) to have some success and ideas on sizing and form. A good excuse, no?
So what I want to know is whether you make things for yourself. If you're a handmade shop owner: how and when do you fit in the time? Do you treat it as a training exercise or purely as pleasure?
