Happy Summer Solstice!

I know that was a couple of days ago, but I had to at least mention it.

I am happily celebrating summer and so I decided to blog about it and show what I've been up to...

First off an obsession has been satisfied. A couple of weeks ago I visited the beauitiful and amazing kitchen store, Sur la Table which is full of all my favorite homie things with that perfect French twist which they of course apply to everything. Well while I was there I fell deeply in love with these perfect brown linen placemats with white detailing. They are so simple and uncomplicated... and in this way they are so very beautiful that I just could not live without them! I did not buy them the first time I saw them, though, because I talked myself out of it thinking I really didn't need to randomly buy placemats on a whim... but I could not stop thinking about them in the days that followed so now they live with me and we love each other very much! I bought four!

There is something so beautiful and so French about the natural look of linen with the softening clean look of white detailing to complete it... and also add sophistication and subtly frame and highlight whatever is placed on top the placemat.

I believe I mentioned that I was beginning Anjou as my next project from French girl... well since this is beautiful seamless construction I was able to try it on... but not on me on the dressform. It does look a little funky... but it is also still on the needles and the fit is pretty much right... I just have a feeling it will a trifle different on me than on the model. But I am not exactly built like that model either... Anyway it's still a gorgeous fit and I am very proud of the work... I am anxious to inspect the final result!

It is quite pretty... it's just that the neckline is not quite so wide and open as on the model... however I am fine with that. The back is a bit wierd looking without the sleeves which are going to make all the difference in this particular project because they will soften the sharp shape of the small back and tone down the wide front while flattering the shoulders and drawing attention to the shoulders and upper arms.

See? The Sleeves need to be put in to get rid of all that ruffle! Grrr... but then that's why K. G. put those sleeves that way I guess... and I applaud her for it!

I don't know if I have ever mentioned it, but I am also a new quilter. I fell in love with Kaye England's Back Home Again quilt. I did not quite understand the magic of quilts until I saw this quilt completed in a store I visited near Anya's house. It was so wonderful... I was in awe. I had to have it!!! So I bought the kit for it and loooooove it. It has been so fun picking out which fabrics I will use for which block. Each fabric is gloriously beautiful... it is very French country- love of my life flag goes up immediately. I just gape in glorious awe!!!! More pictures will follow but here are the blocks that have been completed thus far... I am about halfway through piecing it (which apparently means sewing it together before quilting it).

Aren't all the colors just so beautiful together?!!!

I also want to mention summer reading... I've got some wonderful reads for this summer: especially The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye. It is so beautifully and cleverly and excellently written! I cannot quite explain what it's about... but all I can say is that I love it. It takes place in India in the late 19th century and it is so real to me. I feel not only as though I am there, but that I actually am the main character. The way she wrote it is so clever because she does it in such way that the reader feels and experiences everything that Ash, the main character, does. For instance, details that seemed random before suddenly become so important and the shock that thing you barely noticed before is suddenly so crucial that it is as real to the reader as it is to Ash. A critic wrote that it "reminds us of everything we want from a novel" and I could not agree more, nor could I possibly come up with a more perfect way to express how I myself feel about the book. It is by far the best work of fiction I have ever read. I do not want it to end... I would be content to read it forever.

Naturally [since this is me we're talking] this summer also includes several knitting books!!! Oh my oh my!!! I got a new book recently called Sensual Knits [ooooooooooooooh]... lots of lovely lovely patterns that are figure flattering and well... just plain sexy but in a not slutty way... in an Ingrid Bergman way.

And as a special goodbye treat since this post is now at its end I will include this wonderful, adorable, amazing picture that I found of my favorite animal- the Tiggy (most people call them hedgehogs but I call them Tiggies after Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle... perhaps the most famous of her species!!!)

Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

Any My Fair Lady fans? Well this is a printscreen from the scene towards the beginning where she goes to get the flowers to sell for the day. It's one of my absolute favorite parts of the entire movie because it runs over all the beautiful colorful flowers... the stuff of dreams!!!!

The right half of celeste is in fact done and the lace front band is underway. Pictures will be coming be shortly!!! It's pinned up on the dress form so it can begin to hang well like it's left sister. I pinned them together and I am trying to get them to sort of... hang together but they are kind of battling... that's what blocking is for. I've never blocked mohair or even done anything with mohair really so this is going to be a new experience for me! I have only ever blocked with pin down and spray blocking but I hear immersion blocking is preferable for this yarn on this project...

The front band is not tedious per se, but it is definitely not as fun as the body itself so to cheer myself I at least began the work for Anjou, the other French Girl object of my affection! It's coming along nicely so far, though only a few rounds are so far completed. Again we have seamless construction- top down with a "set in sleeve" style shaping. It has some interesting parts to it. I love the anatomy of the sweater itself. It really flatters the feminine form. It highlights curves and has a nice low scoop neckline yet remains modest... and feminine without turning hopelessly frivolously girly... not that that is always a bad thing it's just not exactly me.

The yarn for this project is the green one I showed a couple posts back- Kidlin by Louet... the pear green linen and kid mohair blend. It is heaven to work with and so strong!!!! The doublestranded thing felt the tiniest bit wierd at first, but I'm getting over it and the feel of the yarn both in my hand as I work with it and as it knits up is just so amazing it more than makes up for it. I am looking forward to getting further into the body so I can observe it both on the lace knitting on the upper body/neckline area and the plain stockinette of the body. This sweater looks like it will have challenging aspects but for the most part be pretty simple. The stockinette will be a breeze especially since it's in the round so only knits and no purls! That makes everything go much simpler and faster... I have embraced the seamless craze!!!! Made in pieces does have a sophisticated look- but that same look can be achieved plus a little more grace and fluidity with seamless construction... it's amazing I think I'm in love!!!!

Oh! oh! oh! Visit Anya's website because she has made my Firefly-loving soul giggle with glee and jump for joy with her newest Inara artwork!!!! Link at the bottom of the page and here:

http://www.anyaprynn.com/

Go! Oh and as you can see she has promised to make a Langley artwork and Langley (from X Files) is one of the all time loves of my existence!!!!

See? Gotta love that elfy blonde hairdo!!!! And the glasses oh man!!! I think I need black false glasses too... although my tortoiseshell ones are pretty me!