In August, I . . .

--Saw Jerry Seinfeld perform at the Kennedy Center.  Hysterical.

--Ran the Rock 'N' Roll Providence Half Marathon.  I hadn't been to Providence since I moved from Boston in 2000, and I'd forgotten what a charming city it is.  And the Water Fire was even more spectacular than I remember. 

--Sent my very first order to Australia!  Love that Yellow House Knits are down under now. 

--Saw the Julia Child Kitchen exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. I half expected her to step out from behind the counter.

--Savored the Wonderful Place that is Washington, D.C., in August.  Yes, it's humid.  But everyone who lives here is on vacation.  Congress isn't in session.  The tourists are on vacation somewhere other than D.C.  The streets are empty.  The sidewalk cafes are open (with no lines).  I'm sad that it all ends today. 

--Enjoyed the bounty of fresh produce from Eastern Market.  August tomatoes, peaches, and corn on the cob are three of my all-time favorite things.  So good. 

Artizen Magazine Feature

I just learned that the Chesapeake Street sweater was featured in the August issue of Artizen magazine.  This issue focuses on handmade items for kids and includes some great clothing and toys.  You can see the whole issue here.  I'm flattered to be included with some other beautiful products!

Famous Sweaters

I saw this on Found Item Clothing.  I think they left off Charlie Brown (or maybe that was a T shirt?), but it's still a clever idea.  How many do you recognize?

(And who'd have thought I'd have two posts with references to Weezer so close together????)

Street Level: Volta Place

The next stop on my Street Level tour of D.C. is Volta Place in Georgetown.  Volta Place is a narrow, quaint street just above the hustle and bustle of the Georgetown business district.  It runs three blocks in Northwest D.C., from Wisconsin Avenue to 35th Street, dead-ending at the Georgetown Visitation School.  The street is positively charming, lined with narrow red-brick town houses and overflowing flower pots.  It's a short stroll, but a very pleasant one.

Volta Place used to be known as Fourth Street, back when Georgetown was separate from the City of Washington.  In 1871, a single government was created for the entire District of Columbia, but it wasn't until 1895 that the streets of Georgetown were renamed to match the naming convention (letters, numbers, and states) used elsewhere. 

An interesting fact about Volta Park, which is located about midway down Volta Place, is that the park once served as a cemetery for Revolutionary War soldiers.  (The bodies were moved when the park was built.)  Today it's a place to toss a frisbee and swim in one of the city's few public pools. 

Color Inspiration: Let Them Eat Cake

I hate to use the cliche that the "Let Them Eat Cake" series of paintings by Paul Ferney is absolutely delicious, but it really is.  The oil paintings are just gorgeous.  I can't imagine the actual cakes that served as the inspiration were this pretty!  This particular painting is called "Coming Up Roses."  I wish I could buy it and put it one the wall in the Yellow House.  (Seriously Paul, tell me you have an extra hanging around your studio!)  And this may be one of my favorite art-inspired color palettes. 

You can see the entire series on the artist's website here.  And prints of all of the cake paintings are available as well. 

Songs About Sweaters

Back when I was trying to get psyched up about my impending move from Ann Arbor to Memphis, I put together a playlist of songs about Memphis.  It quickly became one of my favorite collections of songs.  And I was so excited when I walked into my neighborhood grocery stores, Miss Cordelia's, and heard the same songs playing over the loud speaker.  (Off topic: Miss Cordelia's was one of the reasons I liked living in Memphis so much.)  Anyway, that was the start, and since then I've thought it was fun to put together themed playlists: songs about sunshine, songs about highways, songs about dreams, and so on.  It's been a fun way to find new artists and songs. 

My latest and GREATEST?  Songs about sweaters!  I had planned to make this the definitive collection, but it turns out that there are a lot of songs about sweaters!  So let's call this Volume I. 

In no particular order:   (Where I could find a YouTube video, I've included a link below.)  Don't worry, I hadn't heard of most of them either.

--The Sweater, by Meryn Caldwell  [YouTube]
--Undone (The Sweater Song), by Weezer  [YouTube]
--Autumn Sweater, by Yo La Tengo  [YouTube]
--Sweater Song, by Hedley  [YouTube]
--Sweater, by Terry Reid  [YouTube]
--V-Neck Sweater, by Greyboy Allstars  [YouTube]
--Red Sweater, by The Aquabats!  [YouTube]
--Sweater Weather, by The Neighbourhood  [YouTube]
--Blue Sweater, by Poema  [YouTube]
--Sweater Song, by Erin Bode  [YouTube]
--My Sweater, by Susan Justice 
--Varsity Sweater, by Weston  [YouTube]
--Sweaters, by Beth Waters

(from the video for The Sweater, by Meryn Caldwell)

Gorgeous Quilts

I'm probably a little biased because I think a baby sweater is just about the most perfect gift for a new baby or expecting parent.  But I also think handmade quilts are really great presents.  I know more than one new parent who has received a beautiful, colorful quilt and has designed the baby's nursery around the quilt, with spectacular results.  As with baby sweaters, these gorgeous quilts become wonderful heirloom items, to be treasured for years to come. 

Here are a few quilts that I think are particularly spectacular.  They're all available on Etsy.  Click on the title to link to the Etsy listing. 

Blue and lime quilt by Quilts of Color

Chevron baby quilt from Dreamy Vintage Streets

Blue and green baby quilt from b/perrino Quilts

 

Gypsy bandana patchwork quilt from Now and Then Quilts

Gypsy girl quilt from Carlene Westberg

 Orange bright blocks from Tannei Casey

Teal, aqua, and green quilt by Peace Love & Quilts

Penny Candy

You've seen these translucent buttons in red on the Macomb Street sweater, but I recently got some in turquoise and purple as well.  I absolutely adore these buttons--they enhance a sweater without becoming the focal point of the sweater.  The shade of the button is somewhat affected by the color of the button band underneath, so it's important to look at how the buttons will look against the actual sweater (or a least next to a ball of yarn in the same color).  They don't work for every sweater, but when they work, WOW do they look great. 

Yellow House Portrait

I took some pictures of the Yellow House this weekend for my About page on Etsy.  The whole process was quite an ordeal.  It involved me being on a ladder in the middle of the street, which felt a little bit like I was taking my life into my own hands--both because I was on a ladder and because I was in the middle of the street.  The things we do for our craft. 

But I'm super pleased with how well this one turned out.  I love all of the colored houses on my street--it's like my own Rainbow Row.