"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Monday, March 23, 2015

My Spring Pattern Line















Recently, my good blogging friend Teresa and I had a rather comical conversation in which she tried to help me appreciate that I had created a new pattern.

We were looking at the yellow baby hat pictured above on the right that I finished crocheting. With  joy and enthusiasm like Tigger's, Teresa proclaimed, "Gracie!  You made a new pattern!"

With  gloom and doom like Eeyore's I admitted, "Uhhhh...  I was trying to follow YOUR pattern."

It would be flattering to embrace the idea that I was being purposefully clever in creating a new pattern, but in the spirit of honesty that Meredith promoted recently in her blog, I confess that I didn't.

However, I am addicted to Happy Endings, and I have found one in this latest edition of my story.  First of all,  I imagine that the baby hat will one day warm the precious head of some little one many miles from here thus fulfilling the purpose for which it was created for Taci's Hat Project.

Secondly, this incident prompted me to ponder patterns in general, how they are formed, and what patterns I find pleasing.

I am fascinated to realize that while I am strongly attracted to the patterns I have seen in illuminated manuscripts, I am quite put off by some of the elements that form the patterns.  Grotesque, scary, dragons and creatures are not what I want to learn to draw to form my patterns!  But my eyes are beguiled by the general forms and colors of the illuminated manuscripts, and somehow I would like to create works that reflect the wonderful colors and patterns I admire.

My blogging friend Christine recently sent me a link to an exciting [to me] site that produces coloring books of modern illuminated manuscripts intended to be used as a form of Christian meditation.  I am eager to use them!

Other patterns around me that have attracted my attention recently: The pattern of the rounded petals in the fragrant purple-blue hyacinths my youngest son, Tim, gave me is so beautiful.  The pattern on the frogs my youngest daughter, Elisabeth photographed  is so interesting. The pattern of the fort my oldest daughter, Mary Kathrine, built from the tree felled to protect our home intrigues me and my growing granddaughters. The majestic pattern Mt. Hood thrusts from earth to sky demands my attention and admiration from whatever location I view it.

My Spring Pattern Line of interests is varied as you can see, but I have another pattern [I showed you many posts ago] that I have been sporadically working on this Spring. The pattern is timeless [endless].  Why did I start knitting it [YEARS AGO]?  It is not my pattern, but I chose the color [and the pattern]. Why did I choose the color? Why did I choose the pattern?   I am knitting it on circular needles.  Will I knit backwards in the middle of a row like I did  [and left in] in the cowl I recently finished and proudly showed you several posts back?  I think I still have 170 rows left before the next color change in the blanket I am knitting. Is that even possible?  I suppose I should reread the pattern and recount the rows just to check. Mercy!

What is in your Pattern Line this Spring?

xx
Gracie










30 comments:

  1. Hi Gracie, it looks like you have a lovely line-up of patterns for spring. :-) While it shows spring on the calendar, we are getting snow right now. It won't last, but I'm ready for some fresh green growth sprouting out of the ground and the trees starting to bud. :-) Your home always looks so warm and inviting, I'd enjoy a cup of tea by your cozy fireplace. Take care, Heather

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  2. Oh, Gracie, I always love the photos of your home - they always look so warm and cozy and today's are very spring-like. I love the blue bottles lined up in front of the window, the colorful tablecloth and the little Easter vignette on your coffee table. If I were you, I'd never want to leave home!
    Happy Spring to you!

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  3. Beautiful knitting and crochet and clever you Gracie and wonderful spring items. Love that little frog and all of your pictures.....I am in the middle of making something called Sophie's Universe crochet with 20 weekly parts and loving it although very slowly producing, mojo problems lol

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  4. I love the hat that you invented - its gorgeous :)
    I also love when you share your photo's with us...I especially liked the hyacinth and the egg cosies, such a beautiful mix of colours.
    I hope you continue to enjoy your spring, and also that you will share it with us x x

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  5. I love you Gracie. Plain and simple. I love your gentle, happy spirit. I love your faith that shines forth in everything you do and say. Your spring line is beautiful. (I see a doily I recognize there too). The hat is beautiful and I can just see in my mind the conversation between you and Teresa. :-). Pretty, pretty, pretty. Your spring line will be the envy of all crafters and artists who see it.
    Blessings always,
    Betsy

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    1. Betsy, I am thrilled and honored and amazed by the many wonderful gifts you have made and given me, including the intricate doily on the lazy susan in the first photo of this post. Your friendship and faith are a great encouragement to me. I admire your energy, generosity, and your giftedness in rapidly stitching and following patterns to make so many wonderful things! I love you, Betsy and am so glad The Lord allowed us to meet through cyberspace and then face to face :-)

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  6. What beauty you have on your blog today! I love the new baby hats...the sheep (I adore sheep)...the hot tea (I could use some right now) and your family with the frogs! I really love the fact that your frogs are green too:):)
    Someday, someday I am going to talk my ultra talented in-laws to teach me the fine arts you practice so very well.
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  7. What pretty hoots Gracie!!!! Isn't Spring grand!!
    XO Kris

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  8. I remember our conversation about your hat using my pattern. You didn't mention we were in the pool chatting about this while motivating ourselves back and forth in the water.. which makes it even more comical! I enjoyed all your photos in this post.. and I also love the coziness you've created in your home and love to visit with you there. Hopefully we can do some more crafty things together soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. A beautiful post Gracie. Love the colour in your home. I am just trying to enjoy life's ' rich patter' at present. Hugs Anne x

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  10. You have such a beautiful post today, along with a beautiful home. A beautiful invention, the hat is gorgeous and made with love for real people in need.

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  11. What an excellent post, Gracie. I'm sure many new patterns are created by accident. You certainly live in a colourful world, meaning that you surround yourself with colour and focus on colour - and shape too, like the blue glass pieces. I'm glad you like the Lindisfarne Scriptorium materials.

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  12. Gracie, my post was supposed to read, what pretty photos!!!!!!! I was typing on my iPad, which can be difficult.
    I also loved your reference to pattern among the things around us.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  13. Your house is so bright and colorful, Gracie! Love the little frog as well.

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  14. Oh I love your home. It looks like such a warm and wonderful place where you could sit and knit/crochet for a while and have tea with friends. Your post has inspired me to think of the patterns in my own life as well. Thank you. :) What blanket pattern are you knitting? Blessings to you always. :)

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    1. Here is the post I put a picture of the pattern in, Vickie. I bought the blanket as a kit from Morehouse Farm.
      http://grayseasailor-onesaylorslog.blogspot.com/2013/02/australian-tea-on-wip-wednesday.html

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  15. Hello Gracie How cosy your home looks, such a lovely place! Lovely photographs, with the spring sun shine flooding in. Your blue hyacinths are gorgeous (I can just imagine the wonderful scent too), and all your other colour and pattern inspirations were so interesting to see.
    Wishing you a happy week.
    Helen xox

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  16. Greetings Gracie, well your house is decorated so lovely with all the Easter themes. Love all the crocheting you have done. What wonderful pictures, I see someone peeping out of the wood pile.

    Hugs diane

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  17. Wowsers your house looks like such a creative hub. a place to sit and chat and drink tea and make wonderful things. I loved your post today. Jo x

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  18. First of all Gracie I just love your warm and inviting home. I would love to sit there and chat with you about patterns or anything you wanted to talk about. I think most new patterns are discovered in error, you want to do one thing and end up doing something else, it is part of the creative process. I think you are wonderful by the way.
    Thank you for your honesty and your great outlook on life.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  19. I love your home too and all the pops of spring color-beautiful
    I don't create patterns, but when I do a fiber art piece-I just go for it and do what ever happens-no planning at all-lol
    that is a big frog-I haven't seen one that size here yet-I love spring as the woods comes alive again
    hugs Kathy

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  20. Gracie, I think you're correct that the ribbing is too loose. I would try casting on with a smaller size needle and doing a k2p2 ribbing instead of a k1p1 ribbing and using the smaller needle. Then switch to the larger needles for working up the rest of the hat. Try it and let me know :)

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  21. Ha-ha! You certainly have a way with words, Gracie. Beautifully written. Spring inspiration is everywhere. I've yet to try Teresa's hat pattern but I have a feeling she might exclaim that I had created a new pattern, too, quite by chance of course. I'm not so great at reading patterns. And don't like lengthy ones or unusual stitches. Crochet should be fun. Not time consuming and tedious, right! Good luck with your knitting. Have a wonderful Sunday. Tammy

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  22. What a lovely blog post, so much Easter happiness beginning to spread! My spring makes seem to involve a lot of rabbits this year, sometimes life goes like that doesn't it?

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  23. What a warm and inviting home you have! I do like all the happy colors and textures. Happy Easter!
    Amalia
    xo

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  24. What a lovely post, Gracie. What a dear wee green frog. What gorgeous cobalt glass. I think those rich colours you so admire in illuminated manuscripts have definitely found their way into your beautiful home.

    My Spring pattern line ... I don't know! I will look about for one when I have finished the crochet projects still looming on the near horizon. (Perhaps they are my pattern line.)

    A blessed Easter to you and yours.

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  25. That is a darling little hat, and those granddaughters of yours look very at home in their fort!

    It's the pattern of days that I'm focussed on here, as the season's change and members of my family make some big leaps ... including my elder daughter and her partner''s imminent leap into parenthood ... just a few weeks to go!

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  26. Hello Gracie,

    What a delightful, rainbow of a post you colour our lives with here. Everywhere there is a joy and a warmth in what you create and in your charming house. A perfect welcome to Spring and the hope of Eastertide.

    Alas, we are not in the least bit practical and are completely amazed by your talent and skill. Even threading a needle makes us nervous and we are in complete awe of what you can create with wool. We found you via the equally talented Annie whose comment is above us. We cannot hope to come close to either of your creative talents but we love to read about them.

    We are your latest followers.

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  27. What a beautiful post, Gracie! And inspiring, too! I am WAY behind in Blogland these last weeks, I'm afraid, but I just haven't felt like writing much. I am busy with spring projects, and I am so happy focusing on them right now. Your post inspires me to get back on the horse, so to speak! My patterns this spring: the color aqua, the twiggyness of sarvis berry branches with baby buds on them, the straight stitches of patchwork quilting, the various knitting charts of the Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood for Brooklyn Tweed. Hugs to you, Dear Blogging Friend! :)

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