Adri Makes a Thing or Two

Block of the Month: February

2012-02-05T04:12:00.000-08:00

This month's Craftsy BOM blocks were puzzle blocks. They were a lot of fun to make, and it was a good chance to use up little scraps from my stash -- a win on both fronts. Special thanks to Emma who gave me most of the fabric (except the batik blue) I used for the Chunky Chevron. Balkan Beat Blox in progress Balkan Beat Blox Complete Fabric references: Balkan Beat Blox uses the white

Block of the Month: January

2012-01-31T14:18:00.000-08:00

January's Block of the Month... As part of signing up to be a monthly quilt block maker on Craftsy, I'm following along every month and making a 12.5" block or two each month. Of the two January variations, I've yet to do the wonky pound sign, but here's my wild asterisk! This block was made from some really old scrap fabric. I was so happy to finally use them... together. glamour shot of

Beatnik & Updates!

2012-01-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

Wow. You don't realize how much and how often you use the internet until you are cut off. Cold turkey. The last blog post took about three hours to upload using a random connection at a nearby cafe within a mall. Finally, internet has been installed and I can now blog regularly again. ((phew!!)) January was a busy crafting month for me, and I was really pleased with the completed Beatnik, a

WIP: January is Flying By

2012-01-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

After moving in December, I took a trip to visit my family, and then returned to a flat full of boxes and a nervous dog. So, after much unpacking, organizing, and finding a local cafe that has wi-fi... I can post again! Hopefully soon I'll have internet once again at home, but just wanted to post my latest in-progress photos. Sewing In sewing, I've been cutting out paper patterns and readying

Bombshell Dress: Part 2, the Dress!

2011-12-25T00:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! It's definitely holiday party time! This dress is my New Year's Eve dress. (( How in the world? Did you make that? ))Yes, it can be done by you, too! I followed the Craftsy course led by Gertie (Gretchen Hirsch of Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing). The Craftsy course featured a Burda pattern for evening dress #122A Bustier Dress w/Draped Detail from the

Thank you, Munich!

2011-12-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to move is such a grueling process. For some, this may be an exhilarating use of their organizational and leadership skills, but for me, it's just torture. Living amongst the chaos of half-filled boxes, partially disassembled furniture, random paper, and all that snow falling outside; it just stresses me out. Once things are finally in the boxes, and once they're in the truck and

Bombshell Dress: Part 1

2011-12-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

With a lot of help from Gertie's Craftsy Course: Sew Retro Bombshell Dress, I finished this big sewing project. And, because it took a lot of hand-work, hand-sewing, and thoughtfulness, I thought I might walk you through the whole process. In a following post or two, I'll show you the final dress. ((tee hee anticipation)) cutting out the paper pattern In the beginning there were the muslins

Seamless's Challenge for 2012

2011-12-20T03:49:00.000-08:00

I recently came across this challenge from Seamless blog. Elena Cresci's challenge is to "abstain from buying any new clothes" until she finishes her degree in 8 months. As for me, I'm taking the pledge until the end of 2012. I was already on my way to not buying new clothes anyway. This year, I knitted several jumpers, hats, vests, scarves, etc. Then, I sewed several new skirts, PJ

Illustration: Unwind on the hill

2011-12-12T03:23:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun illustration to do. It all started with a request from a repeat client who was establishing a crafting group in Queensland, Australia. She gave me some details and background on the group and wanted a header illustration for stationary, Ravelry, blog, etc. The Unwind on the Hill group is made up of women who come together and meet up at a local Senior Citizens center,

Illustration: Winter Classic Program

2011-12-08T03:24:00.001-08:00

One of my recent illustration projects was this cover illustration and program layout design for ESME e.V. Their winter concert took place last weekend, and I was lucky enough to do their cover design as well as the inner layout of the concert program. I was happy to do an architectural illustration after not having done one in a long time. First I photographed the location... and trudged

Homework Dress

2011-11-30T04:03:00.001-08:00

Here's my latest finished sewing project, Butterick's See n' Sew B5235. This one's called "homework dress" because I was sewing along with a high school student who is using the dress pattern as a base for a project of her own. I wanted to see what possible problems she would encounter, and so we had a 2 person Sew-Along. I always learn when I make something, and during this project, I learned

New Illustrations! Twist Collective Winter 2011

2011-11-17T06:38:00.001-08:00

When the editor at Twist Collective approached me to do an illustration, my heart skipped! Lately, I've been focusing a lot of my time on knitwear design and graphic design, but hadn't had much opportunity to illustrate for someone else. So, needless to say, I graciously agreed! Here and here are the illustrations is within the Winter 2011 issue. The goal for the project was to illustrate an

November Knitwear Designs!

2011-11-14T06:46:00.001-08:00

This month I had two designs published with Tangled Online Magazine. Tangled is a "bicraftual" team that runs a shop and online magazine from Bozeman, Montana. ((Bicraftual = crochet, knit, sewing, etc...)) The first design was a direct response to their call for patterns inspired by celebs and film. I was inspired by Kate Middleton's wedding shrug, and came up with "Cambridge Shrug" in

Pro Work: 3M Unitek Teens

2011-10-21T02:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a year since I did these illustrations for use within the 3M Unitek: Teens site for braces website... Now since it's finally online & published, I can share them with you all! I've highlighted the illustrations, and described what I drew in the captions since most of the final images are a blend of my work, and my colleagues' work: layout, stock illustrations, studio photos, and text.

Tutorial: Centered double decrease

2011-10-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

I love this centered double decrease because it pops the center stitch. It's great for use as the center "V" stitch in V-necks and mitered cornered edgings... Complete Instructions: Work to 1 stitch before marked center stitch. Slip the next 2 stitches together as if to work a K2tog. Knit the next stitch on the working needle. Pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knit stitch. Step 1:

Academia Projects

2011-10-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

Lately I've seen a few variants of the published version of Academia, and I'm so chuffed about them I just had to share. These knitters had a really keen eye for color and even substituted yarn gauge in one case. The end results are really beautiful. Bravo, knitters! In Foxfire Fiber & Designs Cormo/Silk/Alpaca: (c) Buddhasocks, via Ravelry (used with permission) (c) Buddhasocks, via

Limited Time Discount: Hopi Mittens

2011-10-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things in the making as I type and hopefully my next posts will be about just-published designs, but in the meantime... Hopi Mittens is just $3 for a limited time. Discount on one of my self-published designs: Hopi Mittens is on sale throughout October! Photo of Prototype #2

Butterick B5613 View A

2011-09-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

September is National Sewing Month and in keeping with my previous sewing project, I present finished sewing project #2! I was inspired by Gertie's Sew Along via BurdaStyle.com or her blog here. Butterick B5613 - View A, yoke from View C Featured in this project were batik from Quilt et Textilkunst (a local fabric shop). The contrasting pockets were made with fabric by Kokka, purchased from

Simplicity New Look 6557

2011-09-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

Finished this summer dress... in time for fall! It's too cold these days to wear it outside, but I'll hopefully get a chance if the weather decides to be unseasonably warm. You never know! Simplicity New Look 6557, View B I used a lapped zipper for the back, but it still needed a hook and eye closure which I added after the photo was taken.

Published: Hopi Mittens

2011-08-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hopi Mittens: Now Available Just published this one via Ravelry! Hopi Mittens are a pair of fair-isle mittens knitted with only 2 colors throughout. Difficulty: Intermediate Recommendation: These are a good second project for the fair-isle beginner. Why second project? Usually, if this is your first fair-isle project, your first mitten will be a different size than your second. As your

Academia Design Process: Part 2

2011-08-31T04:36:00.000-07:00

Waiting Game Over Proposal: Accepted! Once you've had your design proposal accepted, what's the next step? The sponsored yarn for this project came in hanks, so my first step was to wind one hank of each color yarn into center-pull balls. Classic Elite Yarns: Fresco Then, I began the gauge-swatch process because the gauge of this yarn was different from that of my proposal. I knew the

Academia Design Process: Part 1

2011-08-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Design Process Series: See the original swatch in the background? First comes the idea... Inspiration comes from many different sources. Sometimes, I am inspired by something I see on the street, in a movie, on a magazine cover on the newsstands, or even at the museum within a painting or sculpture. Inspiration can also come from practicality - Me: "Gosh, I really would love a cardigan in

Sewing Adventures: 2011

2011-08-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

crazy baby quilt, nearly complete! The quilt in the photo began as a gift for my niece... in 2009. I began this, my first quilt ever, with a really complicated block (a 9 square center, sashes, squares, etc.) and lost the size notes somewhere in the in-between. Now that I have a sewing machine in working order, and have brushed up my sewing skills with a few books and Craftsy tutorials, I

Dipped Infinity Scarf & Sewing

2011-08-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

After winning one of Juniper Moon Farms (fiberfarm.com) Friday Giveaways, I knit up the pattern with some adjustments. It is currently draped over my newly covered dress form which is modeling a current sewing project. That's the second version of the muslin bodice for the Bombshell Dress Sew-Along hosted by Craftsy. The dress form is slightly larger than me, so it's wrinkling, but it's

Academia

2011-08-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

(c) Jane Heller, Photographer In an earlier post, I posted a sneak preview of this sweater vest. The yarn used was Classic Elite Yarns Fresco, and it's an amazingly soft yarn. Check out this new pattern in Twist Collective's Fall 2011 issue here or at their shop here. It was such a surprise to see the vest accompanied by a banjo! Love it! More posts to follow about the design process for

So Busy!

2011-07-28T00:56:00.000-07:00

Between the 2 upcoming designs that will be published in September and the 1 upcoming design in Twist Collective... I have my hands full, but not much to show for it. Very soon indeed you'll be able to see what my hands have been busy making. I think, though, that after this final sample is knitted, I will focus on fonts and self-publishing for the rest of the year. Phew. Knitting for

I won a giveaway!

2011-07-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it, but I actually won one of those great Friday giveaways from Juniper Moon Farm's Blog. Super exciting times I tell you. I won a Dipped Infinity Scarf Kit (design by Laura Chau) sponsored by Dirty Water Dyeworks! Yay! The kit included a bunch of mini-skeins of Julia, a really squishy and easy-to-knit blend of Superwash Merino and Tencel. I'm knitting this project as my "

July 19th, Typodarium Font of the Day!

2011-07-19T02:11:00.000-07:00

For those of you typophilic enough to have the Typodarium calendar, my font "Fiddleshticks" was today's date!

Montreal - Mouliné and More

2011-07-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

Just to fill in the last gap of my yarn-travels... After visiting the Southwest, we headed Northeast over to Montreal. It was still warm, though, just a lot more humid. There, I was able to visit Mouliné, a really lovely yarn shop near a string of cute cafes and across the street from an antique shop with a great collection of vintage magazines! This shop was tended by a very knowledgeable

Yarn Travels: The Yarn Store at Nob Hill, Albuquerque, NM

2011-06-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Yarn travelling continues, and I had the pleasure to visit The Yarn Store at Nob Hill in Albuquerque by the University of New Mexico. What a pleasant surprise! This place is really neatly organized and features a wide range of yarns from yarn standards like Berroco and Rowan to indie dyers, handspun, and roving. They had some lovely handspun and some amazing indie hand-dyed yarn.

Austin Yarn #2: Hill Country Weavers

2011-06-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

I finally uploaded the photos of the interior of Hill Country Weavers. I'm sad that I couldn't spend more time in Austin and really explore more of the fiber arts community there, but I was really happy to visit HCW again in order to take photos of the interior. Their rooms are organized by fiber... buttons and softness

Austin Yarn: Hill Country Weavers

2011-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hello from the U.S.! Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit Austin's Hill Country Weavers, a yarn and fiber store on South Congress. I was so overwhelmed by the beautiful yarns that I forgot to take photos of the interior!! Hill Country Weavers, Austin, TX I need to go back again today to photograph the inside, but my experience there was great. The associates at the shop were extremely

Prototype 2: Hopi Mittens

2011-06-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

Using a different color scheme and different yarn can really change the effect of a fairisle pattern. As you can see from Protoype 1, color makes a huge difference! Prototype 1: DROPS Alpaca Prototype 2: Wollmeise Twin Prototype 1 was knit with DROPS Alpaca and Lang Yarns Baby Alpaca. Alpaca hides some of the stitch definition giving the mittens an aura of softness. They're also really

My font was May 8th!

2011-06-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Typodarium put out a 2011 Calendar, and I forgot to mention when it was May 8th that my font Trellis was featured as the font of the day! Yay!

Mitten in Progress

2011-05-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hopi Mitten... Prototype 1 A few weeks ago I posted some "research"; a mitten project that I had knitted in order to learn how mittens are made. Here is my interpretation of the Norwegian mitten. I was inspired by patterns of the southwest as well as some needs for practicality. I thought that it would be more practical to have a ribbed cuff rather than the flared open cuff as in the

Intermittent Cute Post

2011-05-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Not a DIY post, but a post about my dog, Rex-e. He recently recovered from a cut on his paw. Here's what the vet ordered... His paws were too small for the protective dog sneakers, so they opted for these. Yes. It's a baby sock; one baby sock with a red airplane on it. He looked so solemn in this photo, I had to share it.

Sewing Project 1: PJ Pants!

2011-05-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

Pattern: Burda 7765, Pant A My first project with the new Pfaff went really well technically. The machine runs like a dream. The over locking stitch is awesome and so is the automatic buttonhole maker. Maybe I should check the size more closely next time I jump into a project. The pants are a bit tight around the thighs. Oh well. It was lots of fun to make! I bought more fabric so I can

Say hello to my beaver... yarn

2011-05-10T02:43:00.000-07:00

I could not resist the purchase of this yarn. We were on an island in Denmark in a shop called Kunstladen which is pretty much in the middle of paradise. I sensed yarn and made my way to one of the most extraordinary collections of yarn from around the world. As soon as I realized that the secondary content of this yarn was beaver, I had to purchase it. It's made by a Danish yarn company

Introducing my new Pfaff Hobby 1142!

2011-05-03T02:31:00.000-07:00

It's here! My new sewing machine arrived last week, and I'm nearly done with my first project. I had a few delays, though. My instruction manual was in Italian, and the seller was German - so he sent me a German digital version. Both of these instruction manuals were really colorful and tantalizingly detailed... but I know sewing terms in English best! So, they sent me a digital version

April: Month in Review

2011-04-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

April is nearly over, and I feel like I've left readers in the lurch. It's been a hectic, but productive month. I've never had so many requests in one month! I'm counting my lucky stars that's for sure... So here's what I've been doing this month... Web ads Test Knitting for a Fall 2011 project... make of this super-secret preview what you will!! I also finished this project which has

Neverending Nostalgia

2011-04-19T01:31:00.000-07:00

I had to share this t-shirt with you all... Yes, it's ridiculous. Yes, it's playing on my generation's nostalgia for things slightly cheesy from our childhood. Yes, it's Falcor. T-shirt title is "Neverending Solo". It would appear that Falcor is wearing his Jem (Jem is adventure!) glasses and playing a Keytar whilst brandishing his special never-ending snake charm a la Flava Flav. Oh,

@adriprints... I'm on Twitter!

2011-04-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

My brother convinced me. That's all I'm saying. I'm not sure how much I will use it, but it's a good way to stay extremely current with my work. It's tough for me to blog when I'm working on proprietary stuff that I cannot photograph until after the publishing date. So, hopefully this will fill in the blanks! You can find me at: http://twitter.com/adriprints

Mod Podge: Updated Version!

2011-03-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Constant Reader, This is a post to let you know that Twist has an updated version of the pattern "Mod Podge" originally released in November 2010. Please see the newest version here. Those who have purchased it should receive a link to download this latest version. What happened? There was an error in the stitch counts throughout the back portion (+2 sts) and front panels (+1 st).

Finished Project: Apres Surf Hoodie

2011-03-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

After many months of working on this lace-weight project, it's finally finished! It's a very comfortable garment, somewhat large under the arms, but otherwise it's perfect for in-between weather. I wore it with a tank-top in Miami and am wearing it here in Munich under my coat as a layering item.

Found Objects

2011-02-25T14:19:00.001-08:00

My mom found this illustration of mine in a drawer of my grandma's house. We've been working our way through many years of accumulated things, and this was a really funny and pleasant surprise. I remember those styrofoam figure 8s featuring in many of my early arts and crafts projects. I think they came from the shoe factory that my grandmother worked at, but I'm not sure. In this portrait,

Color Inspiration

2011-02-19T07:03:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine thought I might enjoy this clothing line from Spain called SkunkFunk, and boy was she right! I love their creative clothing items - often they have multi-uses and/or options like zips that show or hide lovely bright patterns and color. I love clothing items that are flexible and, needless to say, colorful! Photo from Skunkfunk.com LookBook

Research: What's on my knitting needles!

2011-02-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

People sometimes ask how I research a pattern: how do I know how to make something I've never made. Well, the short answer would be: I make it. Or at least, I try to make this thing that I see in my head. But, before I jump into making something abstract, I definitely do research. I look for all kinds of knitwear (or crochet-wear) exhibiting the features I'm interested in, I find other

A Friend in Need... Originally from JMF

2011-01-26T09:56:00.000-08:00

So, a few days ago Shepherd Susie from Juniper Moon Farms posted about this terrible barn fire that happened to a friend of hers that owns a vegetable co-op. She was posting to try and connect those of us in the knitting, crafting community to help out. If you haven't heard, the blog post is here: A Friend in Need... UPDATED with lots more Prizes! There is ample opportunity not just for

Tutorial: Fisherman's Rib

2011-01-20T04:11:00.000-08:00

Fisherman's Cowl from the Quick Gifts Series I just wanted to add a video tutorial that helps those knitters who want to make the Fisherman's Cowl but are more comfortable with video tutorials... Here is a video tutorial that shows you how to work the fisherman's rib after you have casted on the appropriate stitches... Quick Gifts 4: Fisherman's Cowl from Adriana Hernandez on Vimeo. If

Quick Gifts 4: Fisherman's Cowl

2011-01-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

I just put out a new "quick gifts" series pattern and it's available via this link on Ravelry for free until the end of February 2011. So enjoy it while it's still free! Fisherman's Rib Cowl It's a very warm and fluffy cowl pattern suitable for bulky yarns and probably takes a few hours to a day to knit.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T02:35:00.000-08:00

So, we've been in the midst of moving and settling into our new place. Unfortunately, having a new home office also means that we were disconnected from our old internet source. So, I have been unable to blog for a few weeks. That's okay, starting near the end of December, I will once again have internet and will be able to post my latest projects, patterns, fonts, and other ideas! Merry

Wedding Card Illustration

2010-11-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

Greeting cards are something I am frequently asked to do at my job. Here's one of my favorites...

Pattern: Mod Podge Jacket

2010-11-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to introduce my latest published design... Mod Podge Winter Jacket! If you'd like to buy the pattern and knit it yourself, Twist Collective has published it in it's Winter 2010 edition here. Enjoy!

Sneak Preview: Twist Collective Winter 2010

2010-11-13T01:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a tiny eensie weensy teenie weeny little tantalizing hint of the upcoming pattern to be published in Twist Collective's Winter 2010 issue... Hint: It's accessorized... (c) adriprints 2010 Only two more days until publication!! Check it out in Twist Collective's Winter 2010 edition here or on Ravelry here. Happy knitting!

Maker's Lament

2010-11-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's been little over a month since my grandmother passed away, and I'm still reeling from it. Mostly, it just doesn't seem real. Then I come across a photo, or a letter (there are many), or think of something I have to tell her, and realize immediately after the stab in my heart, that she's really gone. I don't usually talk about my personal life on this blog, but this blog is about me making

Video Tutorial: Tunisian Simple Stitch

2010-10-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Below you can find a video tutorial to accompany the written and illustrated versions of the Tunisian Simple Stitch tutorial in a previous blog post.

StitchinCrochet: In Action!

2010-10-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to receive a message from someone using one of my fonts in their work! I'm so glad they found it helpful. Fadima78 on Ravelry sent me a link to her lovely crochet scarf pattern called "Fan Pattern Scarf". In it, the chart uses StitchinCrochet in combination with Inkscape! Photo Copyright 2010, Fatineayla/Fadime78 Thanks for sharing your work! If you'd like to purchase

Tunisian Simple Stitch

2010-10-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the upcoming pattern that will be published in Twist Collective, I've conjured up a tutorial on the Tunisian Simple Stitch (sometimes known as an Afghan Stitch among other names I've encountered). It really is a very simple stitch that uses a regular crochet hook as long as you don't require a very wide simple stitch. The pattern that is in the works uses the simple stitch to make

Recipe: Tasty Oatmeal

2010-09-26T03:36:00.000-07:00

We had a late-night guest at our place a few weeks ago, and with nothing in the house except rolled oats, I decided to make oatmeal for us. Mostly, I am an observer of the oatmeal eater. My grandfather has eaten oatmeal for breakfast every day of his life. And, my husband eats it for breakfast, but both have exceptionally different styles of preparing it. Gramps makes it by boiling it with

Motel One: Web Ad Illustration

2010-09-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

This month Motel One is running a web ad on their site featuring an illustration of mine... Yep, those little shopping bags were illustrated by me! :) Here's a link to the site: Motel One

Typodarium!

2010-08-27T01:59:00.000-07:00

This past week I received my contributor's copy of the Typodarium 2011 Calendar... It's really cute! It's really an honor to have my fonts near those of Sudtipos, Linotype greats, and so many really talented typographers. If you enjoy typography and fonts, check it out.More photos...

Inspiring T-shirt...

2010-08-04T02:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling all that well today, and with so much to do, complete, edit, make, etc... This little t-shirt brought a smile to my face. Hope it does the same for you. The longer I look at the illustration, the cuter it gets.

Alligator Prototype... :D

2010-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Working as a graphic designer means that you are somewhat separated from that which you design. You make something digitally and then six months later you see the printed results... This is one of those rare times where I actually got to see what I worked on get made nearly immediately! Here are some rough photos from my mobile: This is an alligator that I designed as a sample piece for

Magpie Yarns: Illustration Project

2010-07-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

It's nearly live! I worked with Elly of Magpie Yarns UK to create some custom illustrations for her web-shop and blog... check them out here! those are my li'l illustrations!

Updates: Working... a lot.

2010-07-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Constant Reader, It's been a little bit since my last update and that's because I've been so inordinately busy! I've been working with a local design firm as a graphic designer and illustrator. And, I'll be posting all the lovely work I've done for them once my contract is finished (and I figure out what I'm allowed to post). One of my design proposals was accepted by Twist Collective,

Blog Headers: Street Hanger Updated

2010-06-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

Street Hanger's Vanessa Borge and I worked up some updates to bring a fresher look to the blog header, along with some major changes to the background, fonts and color. We brought back some of her original ideas of having a really colorful background, and I drew up some accompanying illustrations to bring a bit of flourish and to add some weight and presence to the header. It's a cool site

What to do with Amish Friendship Bread Starter Dough

2010-06-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back a friend of mine, Diana, started some "Amish Friendship Bread" also known as Herman Bread Dough. All the recipes that came with it seemed so strange, included pudding or lots of oil, and after one not-so-tasty experience with my first batch, I decided to come up with a better solution... Here are my Amish Starter Chocolate Chip Muffin-cakes: I had about 500g of starter (1/3

Blog Headers: Street Hanger

2010-06-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

I just had the pleasure of working with Vanessa over at Street Hanger, a lifestyle blog. She asked me to re-do the blog header and styling, and it was lots of fun. Here's what I came up with for the header... She wanted a simple, stylish header to match her aesthetic, and I think whilst working together, we came up with something pretty pretty. Go team! Next, I think I'm going to work up a

Thanks for the yarn, Ma!

2010-05-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

My Christmas present from my mom this year included this beautiful 50/50 silk/merino blend from Malabrigo in Raspberry. I knew I wanted a scarf and I knew I wanted something ruffly. The perfect pattern combination was found in Laura Chau's Cosmicpluto Knits: "Just Enough Ruffles". Here's my adaptation... I used a thinner yarn, worked less amount of wrapped stitches, and an alternative bind-off

Finished Objects: Little Birds (modified)

2010-05-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

I began knitting Little Birds about two months ago, and I learned a lot about garment construction whilst knitting it. The pattern uses a steek down the center/diagonal opening to allow for continuous knitting on circulars despite the eventual need to separate the piece eventually. The pattern does have it's blips. For example, Twist Collective editors must have had a mix-up because schematics

pretty yarn, long journey

2010-05-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

Some really lovely yarn finally arrived after... nearly a month! I think the Icelandic volcano in conjunction with the customs here in Germany probably added to the length of the journey. But it's here now, and I have plans for it... It's smooshy and has a really vivid green hue to it. It reminds me of newly sprouted leaves... my favorite green. Pretty 100% Fine Wool yarn in "Huck Finn" from

Finishing Little Birds: Button Vote

2010-05-04T09:10:00.001-07:00

Help me figure out which buttons to use. These are all from my vintage button collection (aka my button jar) which means some of them are limited in number... but that's okay. Let me know what you think! Which looks best on my funky Little Birds?

Win a 2011 Fiber Farm Share and Help a Puppy

2010-04-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

It's a win-win giveaway to help a pup that had a fall and his owner is incurring the costs of the not-so-cheap vet bill. The basic idea is to buy a pattern from the owner who is a knitwear designer in order to raise money to cover the cost. Then let Susie at Juniper Moon know and she'll enter you into the giveaway... If you're interested in helping Crush, check out this post at Juniper Moon

Finally... Stitchin Knit

2010-04-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

And after over a year of development and testing, no further ado... You can find it via Fonts.com here or via MyFonts.com here if you're interested! And the PDF files are now available through the gallery view...

How to Use StitchinCrochet with... Adobe Illustrator (Final Steps)

2010-04-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here are the final steps in the StitchinCrochet video tutorial series which began a few weeks ago with an example star pattern. Step 4: Step 5: Thank you so much for following this series!

New Font: Fancy Pants

2010-04-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to tell you all, but I released a new font last month, and apparently in the rush of having my parents visit I forgot to post. Fancy Pants is my first attempt at a semi-linking cursive script. It was developed from some sketches I did last year (I KNOW!!) and finally got around to converting and tweaking. It's available from MyFonts.com and has a bold and italic

Poached Pear Souffle Cake

2010-04-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Tartelette Blog and her generosity in sharing recipes, I was able to make my own Poached Pear Souffle Cake. Both of us were feeling a bit sick and under the weather. The signs of spring were hiding behind the clouds and cold weather, until we went into the grocery store where there was a plethora of pears awaiting our consumption. I immediately remembered Tartelette's recipe from

Quick Gifts 3: Crochet Baby Headband

2010-04-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been seeing lots of baby headbands with giant flowers attached to them. So, I thought it would be nice for my friends who craft to have a quick guide to make their own. I made this band for my cousin whose baby has a head circumference of 16.5" but really, it's a flexible enough pattern to adapt to any size (width and length) all you need are the measurements. After crocheting

How to Use StitchinCrochet with... Adobe Illustrator (Step 3)

2010-04-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

I started posting tutorials on how to use the font I created, StitchinCrochet, with Adobe Illustrator. In today's post, I will finish off the tutorial on how to use those symbols from the font to arrange the final center row, and then the points of the star. Step 3: doubling the single crochet stitches Step 4: adding symbols for the star points, and finishing ((to be posted soon...)) Update

How To Use Stitchin Crochet with... Adobe Illustrator

2010-04-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is the first tutorial using StitchinCrochet, the crochet symbol font I designed last year. I realized after many requests that a "how to" would be nice to share with you all. So, without further ado... Our example pattern: Preparatory steps and prerequisites for this tutorial: download/install/purchase font (you can do it here), have adobe illustrator, basic knowledge and skills within

Thin Minty Chocolate Cookies (Beta Version Recipe)

2010-03-30T02:31:00.000-07:00

Some of you know of my desire for the perfect homemade Thin Minty Chocolate Cookie. And, after a few weeks of research and three hybrid dough recipes, I present you with my own... My ingredients for the cookie base: 2 cups + 2 tbsps of flour (I used whole wheat flour) 1/4 cup tapioca flour (starch could be a possible alternative if you can't find it) 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps of cocoa (Dutch

Finished Object: Percy Shawl

2010-03-10T02:51:00.000-08:00

I finally finished the Percy Shawl for my mom last week, and have some photos to share for those who haven't seen it yet on Ravelry. It was quite a challenge because of the blooms chart (Chart B). It's the first lace shawl I've knitted that has knitting instructions on both sides- instead of detailed knitting on one side and purling all through the opposite side. It's what creates that

Finished Objects: Ravelympics Projects

2010-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

I was able to participate in the Ravelympics: a knitting event coordinated with the Winter Olympics timetable. Rules: Challenge yourself to knit a project or two during the span of the Winter Olympics. I reached all my goals except one... I could not finish the Percy Shawl in time, but it's almost done... Here are my finished projects with their corresponding Ravelympic medals Sam's

Another Adventure Dyeing Things Blue

2010-02-25T05:08:00.000-08:00

A new colorwork project dictates that I must have the perfect colors for the pattern. So, in advance of working on Little Birds by Ysolda Teague I have searched through my stash and decided upon these colorways from my Wollmeise sock yarn... Fuchsia Nobody's Perfect Wasabi and... A light blue that didn't exist until I hand-dyed it earlier in the week. Here is the story, in photos, of it's

Adventures in Hand-Dyeing Yarn

2010-02-14T02:48:00.000-08:00

I had this mystery cone of yarn that was acquired on a road trip with friends of mine. She had it in the back seat of her car and wasn't sure she would ever use it, so I gladly gave it a home in my stash... that was last year. I washed it to remove the machine oils and made a few swatches of it singled/doubled... Then, another knitting friend decided to bestow upon me some dye that she wasn't

StitchinKnit Version 2.1- Beta Testing

2010-02-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share the latest beta test of the updated StitchinKnit font. After several rounds of beta testing, downsizing the symbols to the top most popularly used symbols. Refining the position of the glyphs within the keyboard... here's what I've got to offer. I used Open Source Calc to plot the pattern. I formatted all the cells within the pattern to be center-aligned, and made

Simple Photos

2010-02-09T02:20:00.000-08:00

I've been taking photos with different impromptu soft boxes... a curved piece of parchment on a chair, a box by a window and a card opposite to reflect the light... Here are some of the results: environmental light (a window) with items on parchment a box with two desk lamps (yellowish bulbs) and a tissue paper filter with overhead lighting item on thick illustration paper

DIY Product Softbox

2010-02-01T02:50:00.001-08:00

DIY Product Softbox, originally uploaded by martigras - shooting film until 2010.I think I'm going to have to make one of these. Perhaps I'll make mine a bit sturdier than the gift box as the structure, but I think it's a great investment to show the best face of a small product. The one shown is from a flickr member and he gives his light specs, etc. for his soft box. Andy's DIY Softbox is a

Tutorial: How to Knit a Beaded Butterfly Stitch

2010-01-21T06:26:00.000-08:00

I've been working on writing a vintage-inspired top pattern for a while, and I've been waiting to publish it here because I've submitted it to an online knitting magazine. As a result, I'm waiting for their response and didn't want to violate the soft terms of submitting a pattern proposal. But, in the meantime, I will explain the star technique used in my upcoming pattern: the beaded

New Yarn: Wabi Sabi Yarns are here!

2010-01-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

It's here! The Wabi Sabi Yarn direct from yarn artisan Lisa in Boulder, Colorado (aka Wabi Sabi Yarns and/or Poppy Flower Fibers) has arrived. I'm so excited! The package arrived whilst I was barely awake, but now that I'm fully conscious I am totally appreciating these colors. Thank you, Lisa!!!"Jaded" is much more intense and richly colored in person than what is pictured. Somehow the

Textile Design: Toile de Jouy

2010-01-11T10:29:00.001-08:00

For the upcoming Spoonflower contest, I illustrated several vignettes and put them all together in the style of a Toile de Jouy motif... My theme centers on animals taking on human roles, but it is somewhat frivolously taken on as a theme because you still have birds nesting and flying, and sheep still grazing. I had lots of fun drawing it! I love drawing in this style. It brings me back to

Printed Textiles

2010-01-07T03:14:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share the printed samples of my printed textile designs... They're available for purchase through Spoonflower, a fabric printing website, here.

Finished Objects: Bond

2010-01-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

One of the easiest patterns I've ever knitted, and one of the most satisfying. It's a very practical, comfortable, and lovely design, and I hope that some of my work ends up in this category.This is "Bond" designed by Kim Hargreaves. Her work is often featured in Rowan knitting as she was a designer for Rowan for over twenty years. The original "Bond" is supposed to be long-sleeved or 3/4

Quick Gifts 2: Afternoon Beanie

2009-12-30T03:19:00.000-08:00

Named after the amount of time it took me to knit it, the Afternoon Beanie is a very simple hat made with DK weight yarn and knit in K2P2 ribbing. I used Dyelot Yarn's Merino in "Gringa" and "Tres Santa Fe" which are both 100% Merino superwash to make the two different beanies. One was made shorter to fit my head and the other longer (exactly like the directions) to fit my husband. For

Holiday Giveaway: Free Printable Tags

2009-12-18T05:42:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays!I just wanted to give something to my blog readers during the holidays, and so I designed these gift tags to share with you!Here you go!

Screenshots of the upcoming site...

2009-12-08T03:08:00.000-08:00

My website has undergone simplification, and now further simplification. It's tough to be your own critic. Really tough. So, I've teamed up with a fellow Raveler to help me out with the technical part of my site. Kristle at The Knitting Penguin has been helping me with code for the last few weeks. Thanks, Kristle!!!Here are some mockups for www.adriprints.comCurrently, I'm testing different

Textile Designs: Holiday & Others

2009-11-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my new textile designs: You can check out more of them here on Spoonflower.

Trellis Poster

2009-11-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

Here's Trellis and Trellis_Alt! You can check them out in depth here.

Trellis a novelty font!

2009-11-13T03:43:00.000-08:00

Just welcoming my new font, "Trellis" into the blogosphere...

Quick Gifts 1: Ponytail Beanie

2009-11-09T02:26:00.000-08:00

Ponytail Beanie PatternQuick Gift by: Adri H.It's tough when you have long hair to find a hat or something that will warm your ears while allowing your hair to easily go through it. Here's a quick pattern to knit a beanie that has a hole large enough to fit your ponytail through it...What you need:~40 grams to 50 grams of worsted, aran, or slightly bulky weight yarn (I used Caron Simply Soft and