Sunshine Day Afghan and Higgins Glass

Just wanted to show you where I am on the Sunshine Day Afghan   I think I have to fiddle around some more with the color on photoshop and I don't love the weird angle in this photo but oh well... I am still getting used to my relatively new camera.

These colors are a kind of curious mix of mid-tones and pastels with a bit of dark navy thrown in .... and I'm very smitten with this Debbie Bliss' cashmerino aran wool in silver.  It lightens the color palette up and unifies the blanket.  That is probably what I liked so much about the original designed by  Alicia Paulson of the blog Rosy Little Things   See the  completed blanket and pattern  here. ... Before seeing her blanket I would have done all the bright and pastel colors and skipped the neutral.    I know it sounds a bit silly but I've had this bunch of wool on my mind since last February and now I think I know why.

Growing up in Michigan,  my parents had a  friend who was a decorator for J.L. Hudson.  Occasionally we would visit her in her very modern beautifully "appointed" ( why does that word make me laugh? ) house in Birmingham, Michigan and I was always in awe of a hanging of round and square glass that covered completely the huge plate glass window in her front entry hall ... It must have been 16ft high. This gives an idea of what it looked like though these photos aren't ideal.  Can you see the similarity with my squares above?

These fused glass pieces were designed by the  Higgins Glass Studio.    Founded in 1948 by Michael and Frances Higgins, they are credited with  rediscovering the ancient art of glass fusing which preceded glass blowing.  Glass fusion is a much for labor intensive method of creating glass pieces. This hanging is  referred to as rondelay and can be used as a wall hanging, window hanging or room divider.       I definitely have Higgins Glass rondelay envy!!  I hope to have a place one day to hang one of their works.

Just a close-up to end the post.