Category Archives: knits

“Color Me Sunny”

Hello all! I have a new ensemble to show you today. Lucy, my Little Darling, is here to model it for you.

My newest ensemble is yellow! To be honest, yellow isn’t a color I gravitate towards using often. I don’t know why I don’t choose yellow more often; it’s such a happy and warm color.

Sometimes when I am least excited about sewing with a fabric, well, that’s when I am pleasantly surprised. While creating this ensemble all the pieces fell easily in place, and I grew more and more excited about it. Lucy’s radiant smile doesn’t hurt either.

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The golden yellow roses on this print are simple, only a couple of shades, but very pretty. The feel of the fabric is wonderful too, softer than most other cotton prints; it may be a combed cotton. The background is a warm white, so I chose matching English cotton Cluny lace to decorate the skirt’s hemline.

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The golden yellow mohair/silk lace yarn in my stash went beautifully with this print. I chose to knit a simple lace capelet and embroider warm white roses with yellow centers randomly on the panels. The capelet closes at the neckline with a golden yellow pearl and loop.

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Lucy’s lace rose hair tie is made with the same lace as used for the dress. The center is decorated with another golden yellow glass pearl. I had the perfect green shades of wool felt, so used it to make two leaf shapes, and a little cotton crochet chain bow adds daintiness. Instead of tying the hair tie into the hair, it simply slips into the hair with a hand made bobby pin.

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Gina has picked a sunny yellow bouquet for you. It is tied with nylon English cotton Cluny lace and matching pale yellow rayon ribbon.

This ensemble called for pretty jewelry. I made a choker with Czech glass crystals, 14k gold-filled beads, foil lined Delica beads. The beads are strung on jewelry thread with bead tips to hide the knots. I crafted a hook out of gold-filled wire to make closing the choker as easy as possible. The bracelet is made with the same crystals and gold beads. A delicate heart that matches the other golden yellow pearls dangles from the bracelet to show that this set was made with great care and love.

Very pale yellow hand dyed cotton Lycra® tights complete this happy ensemble.

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“Color Me Sunny” will be available tonight (April 25, 2017) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

“Happiness is Pink”

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Does pink mean happiness for you? It does for me—especially when it’s in these vibrant shades. But, who am I kidding? I think I love every single shade of pink! Really, every single one! I’m tickled pink (sorry, just had to say it) just thinking about the endless shades of pink.

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Upon finishing Patience’s ensemble the other day, I noticed that our pink magnolia tree was still in bloom. It makes the prettiest backdrop (this was Patience last year) for Patience when she is dressed in pink. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing like mad; I didn’t dare put her down, but was able to take a few photos while keeping her safe.

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The print I used for this dress is another “must buy right away” print. It reminded me of Liberty of London prints which I love, love, love! This particular fabric is in the pink colorway. (Gracie was wearing the purple colorway last week. And, Gracie will be wearing the blue colorway too, lucky Gracie.) Are you counting? I bought all three colorways!

The hot pink mohair/silk lace yarn in my stash went perfectly with this print, which was exciting since I don’t get to use it often.

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Three different shades of pastel bullion stitched embroidered roses dance around the neckline of the sweater in a random pattern. I kept the pearl buttons the same value as the yarn so as not to compete with the embroidery.

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Hand dyed silk ribbon in the perfect shade is used it for the crocheted beaded headband, waistline sash, and colorful bouquet. Light pink hand dyed cotton Lycra® tights complete this pink ensemble.

By the way, Patience picked this bouquet just for you! Isn’t she a sweetheart!

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“Happiness is Pink” will be available tonight (April 23, 2017) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! Bye for now!

“Beauty and Blossoms”

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At long last, I can say “Spring is here!”, and see that it is true here in northern Illinois. The trees are starting to look plush and green, rather than spindly and grey. Our lilac bushes have tiny cone-shaped growths that are getting larger by the day. The phlox is starting to bloom and turn the garden into a lilac colored carpet, so pretty.

I don’t think I ever see as many shades of purple in gardens as I see in the spring garden.

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Gracie, my Kaye Wiggs MSD sized BJD, is appropriately attired for early spring. Her dress is made from a light weight Japanese cotton floral print that depicts the purple hues of spring gardens so perfectly.

Her dress features a plethora of violet shaded blossoms: dark blue violet, red violet, lilac, light red violet, cool pink.

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A band of luxurious Swiss cotton lace that I hand dyed to a very light ecru adorns the dress’s skirt. It is snugged up underneath a deep tuck near the hemline.

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Gracie’s crocheted hat is decorated with a band made from the dress fabric and crocheted blossoms in three purple shades. The lariat styled necklace is also crocheted. The beads in purple, pink, and white are crocheted into the necklace; tassels decorate the ends.

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Gracie’s shoulders are kept warm with a hand knit lace shrug made with a coordinating color of wool.

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For Gracie’s bracelet, I used six different colored blossoms and arranged them in a gradated pattern. Gracie has picked a colorful bouquet to accompany her spring ensemble.

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