Puesta de Sol

I give you a peak at the newest art project.  It is a vessel method three dimensional fish, representing the colours and culture of the Caribbean nations.  The brights remind me of the houses and decorations and whimsical style of the people.  The fun and humour and relaxed attitudes.  The dark is the clear, calm and magical nights.  I can hear the ocean and the music and the sway of the palms.

 The body is worked with a resist inside, and lots of design features.  Nuno felt and hidden pockets that will reveal white fibre underneath.

 I had to fold the piece to work with the tail, as the whole thing was too wide for my table.

 Everything was attached during the initial felting stage, two layers of tail, separated by plastic sheeting, each tail with resist inserts to allow ruffling of the colour over the black fibre.

 Hanging it for photos... 20 inches of snow to climb through on my deck!

 and it was -12C....

 so I came inside to finish.  Here it stays in my Florida room.
Puesta de Sol, means sunset in spanish.  The time when the colourful hot days turn into the warm beautiful evening.

New and Improved Leather Gloves (cuff knitting pattern)

I have always found that my favourite leather gloves, with their soft and warm lining, still leave my wrists a bit chilly with a gap between my coat and the gloves.  I have so much leftover sock yarn, it became a quick and easy fix.  Since I "improved" my leather gloves, I LOVE them even more!

Leather glove CUFF pattern:

Yarn: any sock yarn.  less than 25 grams (half a skein).
Needles:  4 double points 2.25mm.  (gauge is not particularly important, these are really stretchy and that is what you want)  

Cast on 48 sts, divided between three needles (16 per needle).  Join without twisting.
Work k2, p2 ribbing for about 4 - 5 inches.
Cast off LOOSELY.

 With a needle and thread, turn the bottom edge of the gloves over so that the lining is showing.  Loosely and evenly (stretching a bit as you go) sew the cast on edge to the lining only (try not to catch the leather).  Flip back and prepare to have warm wrists!

Such a simple solution, I am surprised I did not think of this years ago.