Inspiration in Glass

As an avid gardener I've always enjoyed the lush variety of exotic plants and flowers displayed at the Franklin Park Conservatory near downtown Columbus. 

So it was with much delight that a recent visit rewarded my husband, cousin and I with not only amazing flora, but the conservatory's extensive collection of glass pieces produced by, or under the direction of, renowned (and sometimes controversial) glassblower Dale Chihuly.

Although I revel in the tactile appeal and warmth of fiber arts, the afternoon light shining through the glass was a feast for the eyes. 

A full spectrum of color dazzled in light streaming through walls and ceilings  of glass into the gardens.

Glass pieces were placed strategically throughout the exhibits.

 

A Chihuly-taught artist gave an interesting glassblowing demonstration to round out the afternoon.

I left the conservatory with a new appreciation for the way light affects how we see color and form, and how that can relate to fiber content, spin and stitch patterns. 

Look around you wherever you are, because you never know when or where inspiration will strike!

Franklin Park Conservatory exterior photo

Favorite Thing - Yarn Shade Cards

Choosing yarn for a new project is a fun part of knitting, and to have a successful project it's important when choosing yarn to know as much as possible about it - the fiber content, the weight, the ply, the color range, and so many other things. 

Some of these questions can be answered by reading a catalog or website description. For more information on how to decipher yarn labels, see the Craft Yarn Council's website or check out Lion Brand's label reading tutorial.

Reading up is terrific, but for most of the knitters and crocheters I know, the way a yarn looks and feels in person is an essential factor in making a final decision. 

I always look first to my local yarn shops for yarn purchases, but sometimes I'd like to try something not carried locally and this is where one of my favorite things - shade cards - come in handy. Most small companies offer these cards, with yarn swatches from their full range of colors, allowing you to see and feel the yarn before purchasing.

Brooklyn Tweed offers a virtual shade card you can download from their website, 

but for reasons stated above, I like the tangible version, such as the card (shown in the first photo at the top of the post) featuring their Shelter line, with several pieces of yarn affixed to the card. The gorgeous yarn palette really stands out against the white background. 

Brooklyn Tweed now offers shade cards that include colors for both Shelter and for their new Loft line.

My Quince & Co. Lark tri-fold shade card arrived neatly packaged,

enclosing swatches with small tails left free to allow you to move the yarn.

Some cards offer generous lengths for experimentation, like those featuring lovely Irish tweeds from Blackwater Abbey's Worsted line. This is especially helpful for moving colors around to compare and contrast them when planning color work.

The only problem I can see with yarn shade cards is that now I want ALL the colors and must tame my yarn stashing temptation, lol!

I hope you have as much fun collecting the cards as I do. Thanks for stopping by today, and happy knitting!

yarn tutorial graphic via http://blog.lionbrand.com/2012/02/17/how-to-read-a-yarn-label/

brooklyn tweed graphic via http://www.brooklyntweed.net/BTShadeCard.jpg

Inspiration - St. Patrick's Day Green

Many things inspire my creativity, but perhaps none more so than texture and color. And since today is St. Patrick's Day, I'm claiming the smidgen of Irish heritage in my ancestry to do some sharin' o' the green along those lines, with a few green images like the one above featuring part of my collection of vintage knitting needles in green aluminum, plastic and bakelite.

There must be shamrocks, of course!

And Irish Spring soap (original scent). I wrap chunks of this soap in mesh bags to use as moth repellent in my stash. So far it has worked wonderfully and leaves my stash with a fresh fragrance.

Dewy moss sparkling in this morning's sun.

And always, a favorite yarn!

I believe it is commonly accepted that on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish, and I wish for you one of my favorite traditional Irish blessings:

 

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

-traditional Irish blessing

Natural vs. Neutral and Recipe

Recently I was pondering a new knitting project and what yarn I wanted to use.  After some consideration, I decided on a natural color.  I realized then, that when I think of 'natural' colors, what I really mean is neutral colored, or natural sheep and plant colors like the obvious and myriad shades of white, beige, brown, gray, black and green.   All colors I am particularly fond of.

But I am constantly amazed by the spectacular colors found in nature. This morning I came across such an abundance of wildflowers that I had to share some photos here. 

 

  The wild roses are about gone now, but this little beauty was still blooming brightly, scenting the cool morning air with a fresh, pleasant fragrance that invited you to stop and enjoy. 

I'm not sure what the name of this flower is, but it grows en masse here and the butterflies love it.  Talk about spectacular!  The next time you think of color in a yarn or knitting project, be sure to add these 'natural' colors to the list of possibilities!

In an attempt to eat more fresh, organic foods, we managed to put in a small vegetable and herb garden in our yard last fall.  Thinking we had better start small so as not to try to do too much the first season, we only built it to about 4 x 8 feet but the fecundity of the little patch has already overwhelmed us!  

It is only the end of June and we have harvested armloads of radishes, peas, onions, chives, lavender, rosemary, thyme, mint and cilantro.  And I can hardly believe how large the cucumbers have grown already.  So I thought it only fitting to share a favorite, simple recipe using some of these same ingredients.  

The cool fresh taste of the cucumber and cilantro is nicely balanced with the bite of the peppers.  Add as much or as little of the hot stuff as you like, and feel free to experiment with the other ingredients to your liking, perhaps omitting a flavor and substituting something fresh from your own garden.  Chill well to allow the flavors to meld before serving - if you can wait that long!  It's great as a dip, or fantastic as a topping for other dishes.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Cool Cucumber Salsa

2 cups cucumber, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp Poblano chili pepper, diced

1 cup sweet red bell pepper, diced

3 green onions, diced

2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp mint, chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp lime zest, grated

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste)

Combine cucumbers, garlic, peppers, onions and herbs, stir to blend.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.