Book 2: Crafting a Patterned Home

 I love the way Kristin Nicholas kind of throws caution to the wind and puts colors together I would never have thought would work but they do.  I have some of her books and just love to look at the pictures.  This book is all about putting pattern in your home and making it work.

The books starts out talking about patterns, and all the different kinds out there.  Then she moves on to designing with the pattern you have chosen.  She talks about paint, printing and stamping, using fabric and creating your own pattern with fabric and thread, using yarn, and a tutorial on making napkins.  

She then has a chapter for each room of the house, a pottery shed and garden shed, and in the orchard under the pergola.  She does have a blog.  She also has knit patterns and yes there is lots of patterns and color.   

https://www.kristinnicholas.com.

Old blog:  https://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com

Current blog:  https://kristinnicholas.substack.com

Some of My Aprons

This is my January apron with snowmen. 

This apron I made from fat quarters. I love polka dots. But it does not have pockets.

This is one of my Halloween aprons.  It has pockets all across the bottom and is reversible to an orange back.

Of course I had to have one with coffee on it.

This is the first apron I made in the class that I made many from the pattern.  Kaffee Fassett fabric.

This is a bunch of my aprons but I love zinnias and there are oranges on the back.

My gingerbread men have pockets across the bottom.

I love poinsettias.  My fav Christmas apron.

My mom made me one with cats and sewing.

Kind of a fancy one with an elephant embroidered on the bib.

A fancy apron my mom made m.

My mom made me this Halloween apron.

My favorite saying from the book so far.  An apron doubles as a hand towel, never a tissue.
 

Book 1: The Apron Book

 Today starts the Library Winter Reading Challenge.  The theme is Works of Art.  My first book is The Apron Book.  I love aprons, I have my very first one I made for a badge in Brownies and I have an apron that was crocheted by one of my mom's friends for her when she was in HS.  So that apron is approaching antique cos my mom will be 92 in March.  I do not think she ever used it and I have it hanging on my bathroom linen closet door.  

My mom and I took an apron class years ago and between us we probably made 100 of them not only for ourselves but also for gifts.  I have several in my closet and many are holiday ones.  If I am baking I always put one on cos you now flour and stuff fly through the air. If I am crafting I put one on as I am up and down from the basement getting stuff like thread, buttons, etc.  An apron MUST have pockets cos where else do you put your kleenex? I also prefer a whole body apron not just one that ties at the waist, cos you know flour flies through the air, the mixer slings food, etc. 

This book has quite the history and information about aprons through the years.  There is also a pattern in the back.  I will be writing more about the book as I read through it and post some of the more interesting aprons.

This is my mom's apron. I can see why she never work it. It is more of a party apron.

This is my apron I made when in Brownies for a sewing badge. 

Like I Need Another Project Part 2

 I have all the Imagined Landscape gnome patterns and book.  I was planning on starting them this year.  She has a knitting gnome coming out soon that I want to make for my knit group for Christmas.  I decided to take the plunge and jump in the KAL this year, make one gnome a month.  Since I decorate with snowmen for January I decided to start with Snow Matter What.  This one happens to have 2 pieces.  These are fun but very fiddly like making Barbie Doll clothes.  I am using a light and dark purple, and white.  So here goes, I will post pictures periodically.