savage snowdrop this saturday!

oops, i almost forgot to mention that this chickadee will be making an area appearance at the savage snowdrop craft show on saturday, 16 february (that's this saturday, nothing like advance notice). if you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of beautiful savage, maryland between 9am and 3pm saturday, stop on in and say hello! this chickadee will be sharing a table with friend and fantastic jewelery designer, dandelion blu. take a peek at her latest and read all about her HERE.

p.s. if you check out the website, don't be alarmed that this chickadee is not listed as a vendor. this is an event sponsored by etsy c.r.e.s.t. and i'm not up and running on etsy just yet. but i'll be there!

down-to-earth messenger man

what do you get when you cross an array of bold browns, a striated earthen palate and a certain chickadee? well...after factoring in the recipient's love of patchwork and functional pockets, you end up with something like this:

to make this daydream a delightful reality, brown twill, canvas and corduroy were squared up to fashion the outer shell. inside, these three fabrics were used in combination to create a complementary lining. then, asymmetrical stripes in terrestrial tones like chestnut, cocoa and cream came together to provide pockets and places to stow away necessities. they also provide contrast to the fold-over flap. the functional 14"L x 11"H x 3"W was then finished off with a sturdy strap and a few unexpected touches. coverall clasps provide closure and adjustability up front, while on a coordinating snap keeps it together out back.

there are plenty of pockets to highlight. a zipper compartment lies hidden beneath the front flap. the interior is host to several slip pockets, even some specially designed for pens and pencils (see left picture, below this paragraph). and a sneaky, slender slip on the back is paired with a petite pal on one side.

so...what can brown do for you?

one skein wonderful

this is a fantastic book that hasn't been spending much time on the shelf. there are many reasons for its recent popularity. inside are thirty projects (mostly knit but some crochet) and i want to make just about all of them. the projects range from socks to scarves, bibs to bowls and totes to tank tops. there are even two rug recipes. the ones that i've tried so far have indeed been quick, as advertised on the cover, and they've also been fun to work on. a great way to utilize lonely skeins of yarn...a great excuse to buy one skein of something perhaps too pricey for purchase in multiples.

my first foray into the book yielded great results. in fact, i liked the asymmetrical cable hat pattern so much that i made it twice. for the initial attempt i used blue sky cotton from blue sky alpacas yarn in a minty green...the second, andean silk from knit picks in cranberry. both worked great and encouraged with the success, i tried another pattern. the single cable scarf is one of four patterns for twisty neck warmers. knit with the same blue sky cotton, it turned out to be a great complement to the cap.

patchwork progress

lazing on a sunny afternoon...

big momma

when this chickadee was asked to make a special bag for the mother of a little one, this chickadee went BIG. small as they might be, those babies sure live LARGE and pack accordingly. diapers, wipes, bottles, toys, books, booties, burp cloths, back-up outfits....the list of necessities goes on and on. thinking about all this tote needed to tame, there seemed no other choice but to give it some girth and an array of artful pockets. after several hours of labor, the big momma bag was delivered!

meet the chickadee version of the diaper bag. a healthy, happy, 18" x 14" bouncing baby-bits bag. the outer slip pockets will accommodate potables for mother and child. inside, asymmetrical slips are ready to corral wipes and whatnot. there is even an interior zip pocket for smaller items, like those plastic baby keys or maybe some real keys. both equally entertaining when the need arises.

the bag is interfaced and the handles received extra tlc to make them stable and secure. tough enough to carry a toddler, tender on the eyes. a labor of love indeed.

happy chinese new year!

it's the year of the r.o.u.s.
(i don't think they exist)

coming attractions

things are humming here at chickadee central! there are so many projects on the horizon in both the fabric and yarn arenas. here are two works, not yet in progess, from the department of hooks and needles. you'll get to follow them from seed to flower, or from skein to scarf or sock or hat or ???

the first is january's stitch dc stash club selection:

the yarn star for january comes from three irish girls. this is their adorn sock yarn in connemara valley. and it sure looks like ireland...the emerald green, the bright blue, the earthy brown and the faintest hint of rose. these three little lassies have created their own pot of gold. each skein is hand dyed to perfection. you can see all of their amazing "colorways" on their website and sign up for their yarn-of-the-month club. dying to dye your own? they'll even get you started. st. pattie's day is a month away and i'm already feeling lucky. several pattern suggestions accompanied the yarn including a modern irish beret, leg warmers, and the connemarra crochet cowl. i'm not sure what is at the end of my rainbow quite yet, but rest assured that i'll keep you posted on how this turns out. perhaps a guinness would provide the proper inspiration?

next up, a surprise skein of luxury:

this cream colored bundle of joy was a prezzie from my über thoughtful mother-in-law, whose own knit and crochet creations are superfantastisches. it is some of the finest yarn that i've had the chance to meet, 100% alpaca from the fleece of wild and wooly pennsylvania-raised camelids (don't call 'em llamas). who knew that pennsylvania produced anything other than great quarterbacks and a variety of affordable beers best served "ice cold" (iron city, yuengling, rolling rock...) this special skein will almost certainly be transformed into a scarf...but the decision is not yet final. stay tuned to find out what happens when a couple of hapless pennsylvania alpacas meet sheers and a spinning wheel...and dr. chickadee's needles.

valentina

valentine's day is coming up, and although this wasn't planned...it does suit the occasion. please, show some love for the baroque burgundy bag!

(the color is darker in person)

there are many sweet details, like the front zipper pocket and contrasting handles. inside lies not a cold cold heart, but one filled with love and more slip pockets! can you see how much this bag cares? at 16" x 13", it cares a whole lot and can carry that much as well.

sorry potential suitors, this sweetheart is spoken for.

tweed-le dee

hot off the needles! this plucky little patchwork head warmer isn't afraid of the cold. its tough tweedy texture is offset by a soft underbelly, making it the perfect combination to battle the elements and soothe the sensitive scalp. the yarn, jo sharp aran tweed, gives it texture and feel appeal. the 85% wool lends warmth and weight, while the splendid addition of 10% silk and 5% cashmere adds a light, buttery feel.

a chickadee original pattern!

update!!!! axis: bold as love blanket

behold the majestic purple piece of the patchwork puzzle. four sections down, one more to go before this treasure is complete!