Colonial House

Winter Cottage House quilt pattern

 

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We usually vacation in winter.  Last year, however, with a move over 400 miles and then dealing with a major earthquake, I didn’t have a chance to plan a vacation.  The mountains here are also very dry this year, not a speck of snow on them.  So we decided to stay home.

 

 

Winter Cottage House quilt pattern

 

Purchase Colonial House Pattern

 

I love the outdoors and I love camping.  Weather permitting,  we camp most of the time when we visit the parks of California.  One year we went to Kings Canyon National Park and it was already too cold for camping.  We rented a cabin during that stay. 

 

In a nearby building, there was a very large common room with a gigantic fireplace for everyone’s use.   We would go there later at night when most people had already left and have the place to ourselves.

 

 

Winter Cottage House quilt pattern

 

 

Since I am a little trip-starved this year, I decided to bring some old vacation memories back by drawing this winter scene which was inspired by the our stay at Kings Canyon.   Very soon it became this Winter House quilt pattern. 

 

It’s a 12″ block, and I added a 2.5″ border all around it.  The fabric used for the border was going to be the sky originally, but then I decided to use white to mirror the snow on the ground.  I embroidered black lines on the doors and windows to add a little more definition. 

 

Then I started hand quilting the slanted dashed lines as if it was raining outside, and quilted solid lines on the snow.  It would be wonderfully cosy to sit inside by the fire on a day like this.  I can also envision changing out the snow for a green and flowery meadow, that would be lovely too!!

 

-Soma

 

 

 

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Staying Warm

Nettle Finger Mitts With Malabrigo Yarn

Nettle Mitts

Exactly a year ago during a visit to Napa, we found a yarn shop in downtown.   It was a crisp December weekend and I found myself gravitating toward the warmth of the yarn shop.  Even though I had no mitten-making skills whatsoever at the time, I couldn’t resist this fingering yarn and the mitten pattern.  Then, a few weeks ago, when the weather started getting colder, I also started knitting.  I watched a few youtube videos to learn how to even use DPNs!  I had to use some seriously thin, 2.5mm needles for this project.  I persevered and here’s my very first set of mittens. 

Harvest Date Fingerless Mittens With Madelinetosh

Harvest Date

A year later we stopped by the same yarn shop, now as Napa residents, and I picked up this beautiful orange-yellow shade of yarn and a set of knitting needles.  It has been raining nonstop for the last couple of weeks and I found myself yearning for another pair of mittens.   This one was even faster to make with a chunky weight yarn and 5.5mm knitting needles.  Even with my deviating a little from the pattern to knit the thumbs, I finished this set in no time whatsoever.  I love my mittens and they are definitely keeping my perennially frosty hands very warm.

Penguin Quilt Pattern

This little one is staying warm as well with his very own winter clothing.  This one belongs to Sandra.  She made him from my Little Penguin Polaris quilt pattern.  Love the little thing with his super cute red hat and scarf!!  He is so perfectly dressed for his winter holidays!!  Many thanks to Sandra for letting me share him with all of you!

Stay dry and warm, and have wonderful holidays, everyone!!
-Soma

 

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