Today is Korean Liberation Day, a major holiday celebrating Korea's 1945 emancipation from the Japanese empire. We're in holiday mode and the Korean taegukgi (태극기, national flag) is flying high. A much more humble observance underway for us crafters is the yearly commemoration of the granny square, a familiar, homespun classic that's found on countless… Continue reading Aug. 15: Love for Korea and the Humble Granny Square
Afternoon trip to Gyeongsan’s Bangokji reservoir
My second summer "staycation" in Korea has included a number of local day trips that have increased my appreciation for the area I live in. I've always thought of Gyeongsan as a booming college town, but it also encompasses a lot of farmland and charming pockets of "boondocks" countryside and small bodies of water to… Continue reading Afternoon trip to Gyeongsan’s Bangokji reservoir
Orléans blanket is finished! Plus, market bag free pattern
Finally, I can share the finished Orléans crocheted blanket, which was a joy to make, although I did take many long breaks in between sewing the components. The blanket pattern is designed by Priscilla Hewitt and is made to resemble the texture of matelassé. It's a pretty big blanket, with 48 octagons and 36 squares,… Continue reading Orléans blanket is finished! Plus, market bag free pattern
Octagon blanket is nearly finished & bonus! :) Peach pie
We are deep into monsoon season here in South Korea. I think last time I wrote, I described a torrential rain; we had a heat wave after that, and now thunderstorms have returned. Peaches are in season now, and for awhile I've been imagining a wonderful peach tart, so I made one this evening, with… Continue reading Octagon blanket is nearly finished & bonus! 🙂 Peach pie
WIP updates & Busan sea view
Korea is deep into the mid-summer monsoon season, with heavy rains, heat, humidity, spectacular cloud formations, and glaring sun when it does shine. I just returned from a quick trip to Busan, Korea's second-largest city, at the southernmost tip of the peninsula. I lived in Busan for three years when I first began working in… Continue reading WIP updates & Busan sea view
“Backstage” with the mystery project + other WIPs
Time for another entry to my crafting log - this week I have only ongoing work to share. I just began a new project that I am doing entirely free-hand, that is, no pattern. This idea involves three cylindrical forms of different proportional widths, as well as a great deal of scrap/stash yarn! Two of… Continue reading “Backstage” with the mystery project + other WIPs
Current WIPs and summer projects
Summer is finally starting for me, and I will be staying in Korea for the foreseeable future. That means I'll have a chance to visit some of my favorite cities (Busan, Seoul), as well as take a short trip to the historic city of Andong, a plan that I had to abandon last year. At… Continue reading Current WIPs and summer projects
Moon-shaped shawl
This jade green shawl took me only two days to crank out. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Sita, a breeze to work with, and the pattern is simple. I'm so used to working with tiny yarn, hooks, and complicated patterns that take ages, so this was a nice break. For this one, I used a… Continue reading Moon-shaped shawl
Finished Sierra belt
Just a quick post to share the finished Sierra belt, made with Scheepjes cotton lace weight yarn and a 1.90mm hook. The belt is made of several flower motifs linked together, reinforced with a border, and finished off with Romanian cord ties and tassels of the same yarn. PHOTOS: Sierra belt front and back. I’ll… Continue reading Finished Sierra belt
A peek at today’s forest walk
I've been awol here lately, not for lack of motivation; I've just been underwater with work. I managed to get out into the forest today with my pup and take some photos of how things look around the Solstice time. It's becoming a proper jungle out there, as it always does, and there are great… Continue reading A peek at today’s forest walk
The Frill Seeker 