Who, pray tell, is not bothered with winter yet? We anxiously watch the weather forecast on TV, waiting for someone to conjure up some sign of spring. To shorten the time until spring’s arrival our ancestors would gather to sing vociferously and without interruption believing their magical songs echoed from one village to another, always […]
I have more creative ideas rattling about in my head than the time required to accomplish them all. This is very frustrating, although I’ve often heard, Rome wasn’t built in one day. Seeing creative ideas materializing is one of the greatest satisfactions in life. A small example is My Heart Aflutter hooked pillow. It’s a […]
Grandfather Frost is not really a ‘Santa’. In Belarusan culture his name is Ded Maroz, which means ‘grandpa frost’ or ‘elder frost’. He lives somewhere far in the northern forest and his job is to ‘make’ winter. He has a big staff with a magical top made of ice. When Ded Maroz walks in a […]
Designer Jo Gatenby loves to collect sayings – and they often inspire designs such as this one! One of the first homes Jo and her husband Bill owned had a row of holly hocks along the back wall, which bloomed brilliantly each summer. They remain one of her favourite flowers to this day! Read more […]
I created this filet crochet scarf one summer while visiting my son’s cottage in Prince Edward Island. I had just completed a large stole in filet crochet (which you can see on my website) and had some thread left over. I was inspired by the roses surrounding the deck, and this piece was born. Filet […]
Knit Together with Cynthia MacDougall Decades ago, when spring cleaning was an all-out ritual, housewives would wash all the winter woollies. Then they would wash down all the cupboards before replacing the winter garments. Woollen rugs were draped over the clothes line and beaten soundly. Walls were washed and baseboards scrubbed or vacuumed. One of […]
These stunning table accessories are surprisingly fast and easy to make. No special knitting skills are needed – just casting on and off, and the knit stitch. The wire is easily found at your local craft or beading shop. “Artistic” or “craft” wire is found in the jewelry making section. It’s affordable, tarnish-resistant, and comes […]
Spring is a time for chasing off the doldrums of winter and becoming a hive of activity. It is no wonder that it is the season that we so closely associate with throwing open windows to let the sun shine in, cleaning floors, windows and comforters, sorting through forgotten items, and so on. With this […]