More crocheting

.....with rainbow colors.

The time of harvest

We went apple picking to Garwood Orchard in La Porte. Apple picking is the best activity for us in early September. We tried this orchard for the first time and it was one of the greatest orchards in the region. It was a huge, beautiful, and very family friendly fun farm. They also have many kinds of vegetables and berries for U-pick. We got tons of apples in a several varieties.

Of course, I baked two apple pies that week.

And also my favorite Irish apple cake.

We've given away lots of apples to friends and we still have about a dozen left. I think I will make another apple dessert.

The leaves started coloring here in Northern Indiana. It is sad to know the Summer is surely over. But Fall is filled with the beauty of the nature. It is the time of harvest. What are you going to harvest this Fall?
I hope you are having a wonderful week.

Love,
Hiromi

Work in Progress

Just a quick WIP post with photos for now.

These puffy flowers eat yarns pretty much. The texture of soft baby yarns makes me smile (^^).

Working on several different fabric manipulation. This is Canadian / North American smocking.

I am knitting this cardigan pattern (Olinda by Georgie Hallam) for Nina. Also an adult cardigan for myself is on my needles. For mine I have lace weight. The pattern is more complicated than Nina's. So I think I am going to finish this first. Lace pattern is really fun to knit. Though I sometimes miss just simple stocking stitches, or garter stitches which I can knit watching my favorite dramas or movies.

Thank you for reading. Hope you all have a good weekend. Happy handmade!!

Japanese Magazine "Knit Marche vol.18"

Japanese knitting and crocheting magazine "Knit Marche" vol.18" is now on the market. I am writing two pages serial articles in this magazine titled "手芸家のアメリカ暮らし / Designer's life in America". In this issue I wrote about sock knitting with circular needles. It is always hard to put many ideas together in only two pages. I tried to make it more intelligible with some photos and my own illustrations. I hope that will interest many new sock knitters in Japan and bring them simple pleasures of sock knitting.

There are many cute designs and patterns in the issue. You can see photos of items in this issue here.

How I make a knot so quickly.

I have been asked many times about this when I teach sewing and embroidering. "How can you make a knot so quick? It looks like a magic!" I was asked the same question at the last workshop I had in July and I answered. So I think I am going to tell my secret to make a knot on the end of the thread with a VIDEO!! This is my very first time to post a sort of tutorial video. Yei!

 

It doesn't seem so quick? OK, I am doing it very slowly here in the video for you to see well! It really save time when you need to make knots again and again! I hope you like it.

Happy sewing!

FGGS Bag Handles Tutorial

Hello folks! I hope you had a great start of the week.

Some people asked me about how I crocheted the Flower Garden Granny Square Bag handles. So I write a quick tutorial today.

Hook : 4mm (Japanese size7) for 5" square.
Yarn : 4 ply worsted weight cotton yarn ( Sugar'n Cream from Lily).

Row1 : ch 71, sc in the second ch from the end. sc in each ch to the end (70 sc total).

Row2&3 : ch1, sc in each sc from previous row to the end.

 My handle measures 50cm (about 20"). Make two handles and sew them on your FGGS bag body.

Thank you for your interest in my Flower Garden Granny Square pattern. Please do not forget to upload the pictures of your finished FGGS Bag to FGGS Flickr group! You can share any items made with the FGGS pattern.  I am looking forward to seeing them!!

That is it for now, but I am going to make another post today for telling you a sewing tip. Thank you for reading. Happy crocheting!