Not a ton of things in this kiln because there are a lot of tall pieces on this top shelf. I love the leaf bark globe at the bottom of the kiln. That's from my workshop with Michael Harbridge. It came out better than I can imagine. The witches had at the top is also from that workshop, rather disapointed with how that came out. I had hoped to make the spiders pop. I'm worried the vase in the top right didn't come out like I wanted it too, but I can't really tell yet.

On the very bottom of this kiln is a leaf platter I'm hoping turns out well. I hate waiting!!

I started off wanting to make a butterfly shawl, but with these colors I think leaf is much more appropriate. This yarn is from Feederbrook Farm and is their silk DK weight yarn. I bought this at the Maryland Sheep and Wool and the colors aren't listed, but its 2 skeins of a burnt orange color, 2 of a cranberry red color, a skein of dark brown, and a skein of a nice deep purple for a total of about 1500 yards.




This didn't come out exactly perfect as the top isn't entirely flat, but once its on you'll never notice it. I think it's because of the different types of stitches that I used trying to create some different texture. The single crochets definitely aren't as wide as the other stitches. I used the same color until it ran out and always switched on rows.




This uses a 4 mm hook.
Stitches used:
ch - chain
ch sp - chain space
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tc - treble crochet
bphdc - back post half double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet
shell - 2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc
v-stitch - 1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc
sk st - skipt stitch
bobble - yarn over, pull up, yarn over, pull up, yarn over, pull up (7 loops), pull all the way through
picot - chain 3, insert the hook into the same stitch and pull it through

Start with a magic ring with the orange
Row 1: ch3, 7 dc, 1 trb
Row 2: ch3, 1dc in same st, *2dc in next st*. Repeat from *. In the last stich 1 dc and 1 trb
Row 3: ch5, sk st, *1 dc in next 4 sts, ch 2, sk st. Repeat from * 1 tc in last st
Row 4: ch3, in the chain space (1dc, 2ch, 2dc), *sk st, 1 dc, ch2, 1 dc, sk st, shell in the next ch space *, Repeat from * once. Sk st, 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc, sk st, in next ch sp 2dc, 2ch, 1dc, 1trb in last st
Row 5: ch3, sk st, * in next ch sp shell, 1 dc, sk st in the next 2 sts, in next ch sp v-stitch, sk next 2 sts, 1 dc. Repeat from *. In the last ch sp shell, sk st, 1 tc in the last stitch
Row 6: ch3, sk st, 1 dc, *In next ch sp shell, dc, dc, sk 2 sts, v-stitch, sk 2 sts, dc, dc. Repeat until end with a tr in the last stitch.

Ok so here is the pattern to follow for the rest of the shawl - in row 5 there was 1 dc between the shell and the v, in row 6 there were 2, in row 7 there will be 3....are you seeing the pattern here? The number of stitches between the shell and the v increases by 1 every row from now on. That's the big secret for this. Like I said before I decided to make it texturally interesting so I experimented with different stitches. You can follow my path or create your own.




Row 7-9: dc
Row 10: alternate dc with 3 dc in the same stitch
Row 11: dc
ROw 12: alternate dc with 3 dc in the same stitch
Row 13: dc
ROw 14: alternate dc with 3 dc in the same stitch
Row 15: dc
Row 16: hdc
Change colors - red
Row 17: sc
Row 18-20: sc, ch
Row 21: hdc
Row 22: dc
Row 23: hdc
Row 24: sc
Row 25: bp hdc
Row 26: bp dc
Row 27: bp hdc
Row 28: sc
Change colors - brown
Row 29-30: 2 hdc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 31: dc
Row 32-33: 2 hdc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 34: sc
Change colors - orange
Row 35: dc, ch
Row 36: 2 dc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 37: dc, ch
Row 38: 2 dc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 39: dc, ch
Row 40: sc
Change colors - red
Row 41: hdc, ch
Row 42: dc
Row 43: hdc, ch
Row 44: 2 hdc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 45: hdc, ch
Row 46: 2 hdc in the same stitch, sk st
Row 47: hdc, ch





Continue to use the red at this point to do a sc across the flat top. This helps to even it out if it hasn't been even.
Change colors - purple
Row 48: bobble, ch
Row 49: tc, ch 3. In the shell spaces ch 5 instead of ch 3
Row 50: * sc, hdc, dc, hdc. Repeat from *. In the shell space - sc, hdc, dc, tc, dc, hdc. For the v-stitch make sure you still sk a stitch then just sc in the 2 chains
Row 51: sc in the sc and hdc stitches. Picot in all the dc stitches (and in the tr for the shells)
When you get to the end sc across the top again.

This yarn is so gorgeous it almost didn't need a pattern at all. It is "Textured" Handpsun Yarn from Windsong Farm. It's only about 18 yards. I hesitate to even call this a pattern since it's so simple, but it did take me a bit to figure out what I wanted to do with this yarn so maybe it helps someone else.


I used a 12 mm hook and chained 40. That felt like the right length that if I needed to loop it twice I could, but I could also just wear it as a necklace.

Row 1: join the loop using a slip stitch making sure that there are no twists. *Chain 3, skip 2 stitches, sc. Repeat from * slip stitch to join.
Row 2: *ch 3, sc in the chain space. Repeat from *. This will not make it all the way around. Weave in when you run out of yarn.

You'll see in the picture above that there is clearly a place where there is an extra row. When you double loop it (below) then I think it really pops. When you're done pull out the extra hangy bits that got caught up as you were crocheting. I feel like this will lay really nicely over a long sleeve shirt, once again looking forward to colder weather for this.




Also, don't forget about the Bel Air Festival for the Arts tomorrow Sunday September 18th. I'm in booth 220.

How cute did these wine stoppers come out?! I'm so happy that I got these done before the Bel Air Festival for the Arts which is this Sunday September 18th. I'll be at booth 220 which looks like it's right in the middle. This is the first of the juried art fairs that I'm doing over the next couple of months.


These gnomes have been waiting for their stoppers for a while. I did these while we were up at the cabin and the hardest thing was getting them to stay upright while they were drying. They fell over a few times before I found a way to prop them up. I need Craig to make me a wine stopper holder so I can display them standing up.

I don't know that I've ever made anything before where I get it to the kiln and go - hmm is this going to be too big? When I was doing this last bisque I had that moment when I was looking at this elephant ear piece. Ultimately I think this is going to be a bird bath, but I still have a few things to figure out. This just fit on the kiln shelf and I was super careful not to hit the sides while placing it inside.

The sides and back of this sweater are made all in one piece. It makes for really nice panels in the front that you can wrap around yourself. We went up to Chaumont for the holiday weekend and the weather was chilly so I got to wear this sweater earlier than I thought I would. I think I might add some buttons so that when it gets real cold it will stay in place.

I did a good amount of frogging working out this sweater. When I make a shirt or sweater to sew I usually aim for the back to be about 23-24 inches. I did that with this sweater and found that I was swimming in it. Since it's made all in once piece it was closer to 14 inches when it felt right. I'm not entirely sure why that is, but the sweater fits great so I'm going with it. I'll ponder that more and see if I can come up with a reason why it's true.

This pattern uses 4 skeins of Yowsa from Miss Babs in Bewitching for about 2200 yards of yarn.


This pattern uses a 5.5 mm hook.

Stitches used:
ch - chain
sl - slip stitch
sk - skip stitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
bobble - yarn over, pull a stitch through, yarn over, pull a stitch through, yarn over, pull all the stitches through (7 loops at once)
X - skip a stitch, dc, go back to the stitch you skipped and behind your new stitch dc
picot - sc, ch 3, sc into the right side of your sc


ch 119
Row 1: sc in the second stitch from the hook, ch, sk - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 2-5: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 6: ch 3, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 7-16: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 17: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 18: - 27: ch 1, 2 sc in the space, sk - all the way across.
Row 28: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 29-37: ch 2 hdc all the way across
Row 38: ch 2, hdc in the first 22 stitches, ch 22 (we are making the first arm opening here), sk stitches 23-30, hdc in the 40th stitch and all the way to the end. Option: if you want to create a flap between the front panel and the back panel then instead of going to the end ch 10 at the end and skip the last 10 stitches
Row 39: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 40-44: ch 2, hdc all the way across
Row 45: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 46: ch 2, sk, sc, ch, sk - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 47-50: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 51: ch 3, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 52-56: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 57: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 58-62: ch 2, hdc all the way across
Row 63: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 64: ch 2, hdc in the first 22 stitches, ch 22 (we are making the first arm opening here), sk stitches 23-30, hdc in the 40th stitch and all the way to the end. Option: if you want to create a flap between the front panel and the back panel then instead of going to the end ch 10 at the end and skip the last 10 stitches
Row 65-73: ch 2, hdc all the way across
Row 74: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across. dc in the last stitch
Row 75-84: ch 1, 2 sc, sk - all the way across.
Row 85: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 86-95: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 96: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 97-101: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc





This will give you your back and front panels. The front panels will drape nicely down. I decided that this needed a border all the way around. Row 1: start at the bottom right edge. ch 2 bobble, ch. When you get to the corners - 2 hdc in the corner stitch, ch 2, 2 hdc in the corner stitch. You'll end on a corner, but only need to do 1 hdc since your ch 2 will cound as the second hdc. Join via a slip stitch to the ch 2. Row 2: ch 1, sc, picot in the ch between the bobbles, sc into the bobble. When you get to the corners - sc into the first hdc, 2 sc into the second hdc, ch 2, 2 sc into the 1st hdc on the other side of the corner, sc into the second hdc. Then keep going with your picots. Slip stitch to join and then tie off




I decided I wanted to make my sleeves end about 3 inches back from my wrist. If you want your sleeves longer or shorter just add in a few rows.
Row 1: starting at the bottom of the armhole (the underarm section) ch 2, hdc around, sl stitch to join. I picked up 45 stitches. The exact number doesn't matter to me as long as it doesn't look like I have any holes and I pick up the same number on the second sleeve. Row 2-3: ch 2, hdc around, sl stitch to join.
Row 4-10: ch 2, hdc around, in the last 2 stitches hdc together, sl stitch to join
Row 11: ch 3, X stitch - all the way across , sl stitch to join
Row 12-16: ch, sc into the chain stitch, sk stitch, 2 sc. Repeat until the end, sl stitch to join
Row 17: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across, sl stitch to join
Row 18-22: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across, sl stitch to join
Row 23: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across, sl stitch to join
Row 24: ch 1, picot in the ch between the bobbles, sc into the bobble - all the way across, sl stich to join and tie off

I'm not super careful about counting my stiches in the arms. I know I want it rather wide on the top and then the same width for the forearms. If you want looser or tighter arms play with the number of stitches.






Pockets (make 2): ch 20
Row 1: sc in the second stitch from the hook, ch, sk - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 2-10: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc
Row 11: ch 3, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across. hdc in the last stitch
Row 12-21: ch 2, sc in the chain space, ch - all the way across. End on a sc

Turn so now your side becomes the top.
Top Row 1: ch 2, bobble in the chain space, ch - all the way across, sl stitch to join (I had 13 bobbles)
Top Row 2: ch 1, picot in the ch between the bobbles, sc into the bobble - all the way across, sc in the last stitch and tie off

Sew on the pockets on the front panel just above where the arms end. Remember the sweater will stretch.