Being a joiner

It's funny how things work out sometimes. I had just recently read about Project Spectrum and decided to join at the very beginning of April. Despite showing up late to the party, it turns out all my knits in March & February went along with the theme anyway! It was fate.

I feel like I've had these knits done for a while, but things have been too busy to get pictures and all that jazz. But without further ado....

Project: Jaywalker socks for Ms. Dolan
Pattern: Jaywalker Socks
Yarn: Opal in Flamingo
Needles: size 2dpns

I really like the way these came out. Much better than my first pair by sheer fact that they're all of the same yarn. Which by the way, I really like the yarn too.

And now..oh, the baby knits. I am expecting a little niece in June.

Project: Ruby Red Baby Booties
Pattern: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Booties
Needles: size 5
Yarn: Knitpicks Shine Sport in Cherry
Alterations: I did a ssk, rather than the sl1,k1,psso that the pattern calls for. That method looked neater to me.

I had to take a picture on my hand for scale so you can see how teenie tiny & cute this things are. Freakin' adorable.

Project: Cherry Baby Sweater
Pattern: February Baby Sweater, from the Knitter's Almanac
Needles:
Yarn: KnitPicks Shine Sport in Cherry

I actually bought this yarn for another project entirely, but it wasn't the shade of red I had in mind. It's rather bright, which you can kinda tell from the pictures. But babies need bright colors.

Again, for scale. I can't believe there's going to be another person in my life this little again.

Many more baby knits to come, I'm sure.

sweets for the feet

Pattern: Sweetheart Socks in Interweave Knits, Holiday2007
Yarn: by Ancient Threads
Needles: size 2 dpns
Thoughts: I love the color & the way it worked with this pattern. The yarn is super soft & there was enough in the skein to make them 8inches above the heel with some still leftover to spare afterwards.

Exhale

So the art show opening came & went. Despite the fact that it was pretty cold & that it started raining precisely at 5pm- we had a damn good turnout! A lot of folks from my program at school came to show support as well as some co-workers, professors & some loved ones from New Paltz. Plus there were folks from the community as well.

My amazing friends contributed some amazing food. Kerri made the most delicious vegan potatoe salad EVER. Alan made some awesome Roti & green & black mini pies. He's so incredible, he's even kind enough to share his recipes on his blog.
Meg & Gregory sent me a beautiful & delicious "edible arrangement". As you can see, it was very popular...Here's some quick shots of Milez's side of the room, but you should really check out his flickr page for better shots. I chose to show five photos from my africa pictures. Here's some of the other things I showed besides the photos, but you'll have to excuse the poor quality. The weather has not been very conducive to good art pics."Breathe": Acrylic & paint markers on canvas

"Defend New Orleans": spray painted stencil & acrylic paint on found wood

"Frida": Spray painted Stencil on found wood

"Llama Love": Water color paint

"balance": watercolor & pen & ink

"the taking": watercolor & pen & ink

"knitting is love": spray painted stencil on wood
and....
so exciting! I sold a piece! And not even to anyone I am related to!
I was honestly not going into the night expecting to sell anything. And that's not even self-deprecation. I was just genuinely focused on the huge step it was for me to just be putting myself out there & I'm very proud of myself for that.

All & all it was a great show & I'm really glad we did it.
By the way, if you didn't get to the opening, the show will still be up at CDFI for the rest of the month.

P.S.- You can read more snippets at the CDFI blog & see more photos at their flickr page.

a busy silence

Things have been quiet on the blog because I've been really busy. Well, with a lot of things actually- but artistically it's been all about getting things ready for our art show. Less than a week until we start setting up!

I've had a hard time finishing things and an even harder time quieting my voices of self doubt. But that's what this show is about for me. I haven't even really been thinking about actually selling anything. It's just a big progression for me to be putting my stuff out there. Because of that I'm now grappling with what to offer as prices. Any tips from you business savvy crafters & artists?I hope you'll be there because it would mean the world to me.

Opening Show is March 7th at 5pm
art by me! and the fantastical liberation please!

2007

Apparently 2007 was the year of socks and hats for me. It was kind of neat making this collage because I had forgotten that I hadn't even started making socks before the beginning of this year. They were really daunting to me initially, and now I've made 5 pairs and am whipping them out like nobody's business.

I also think I've done more sewing than is reflected here, and noticed that I haven't really reached a place with my stenciling where I would consider any of these really "finished".

Thus far, my creative ambitions for 2008 are:
1. Creating a cohesive art show in March
2. Experiment with spinning on a wheel
3. Play with color work more in my knitting
4. Do more paintings and drawings again
5. Get "finished" sprays of my stencils
6. Experiment with quilting
7. Make a shirt using a sewing pattern
8. Finish old projects that have been lingering (gloves for dulla, log cabin pillow)
9. Print some of my photographs
10. Incorporate more of my creations into my everyday life and wardrobe
11. Learn more about different yarns

round up

So the holiday craziness is just about through. It's been a lot of traveling for me & I'm finally home long enough to make a quick post before I head out again.

Surprisingly, I didn't do too much crafting for gifts. Between school and work, there was just no deluding myself into thinking that there was enough time to do much of that. Hopefully I will next year.

I did make this hat for Abdulla's brother Meshari, but it's being modeled by my lovely roommate, Milez.

Name: Swampy Green Reasonably Hip
Pattern: Reasonably Hip, Magknits Dec 2007
Yarn: Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice in Olive

I'm not extremely thrilled with this knit. The pattern was a bit confusing to me, but was useful in giving me a template for the short rows of the visor. I increased the amount of stitches I cast on, because the amount called for in the pattern was way too small. The end result was a bit roomier than I intended but I think still works for the style of the hat. Whatever qualms I have about though are pretty irrelevant, because the recipient loved it.

And Milez looked so damn good in the hat, I decided to make him one too for his birthday. (Modeled here by me with Rosca serving as backup cuteness)

It's another heavily modified version of the Reasonably Hip, better fitting, but the real "flare" is in the back...I put the single cable strip and the rest is reverse stockinette stitching. It's sort of a blending really of the Reasonably Hip and this Owl hat pattern.The embellishments, however, are inspired by this version which I love and came across on ravelry.

I love it. Hopefully, Milez will too.

I've done some more work on my tangled yoke, but nothing that will make for interesting pictures. I have one sleeve done & most of the body. I put it down because of the holiday madness and finals, but hopefully I'll pick it back up next week.

I also started the Sweetheart Socks, from Interweave Knits (Holiday 2007).

I was just SO excited to start using this beautiful yarn I got at Rhinebeck from Ancient Threads Farm

They are coming out beautifully. And I can't wait till they are done.

finishing things

This month has been a time of finishing for me. Finishing up my semester (thankfully). Finishing up on some old and neglected projects, as well as some new.

Unfortunately, the piece that I was most excited about finishing is also the crappiest picture I have to share, since I didn't have my camera at the time. I plan on taking a better shot when I get the chance.

It's a Zapatista girl, which I have had intentions of making for a long time. Milez encouraged me to enter it in an art show over in Troy at the Kismet Gallery. If you are in the area, I really recommend checking out that gallery, by the way. It's a great space & the plush, clay & vinyl show they have up right now is really cool. (And I'm not just saying that cuz me & Milez have stuff in it)

Perhaps more so then the end result, making this doll was really an accomplishment for me because I often get these ideas in my head and plunge into them. And if it doesn't materialize the way I've imagined (which it often doesn't), I get discouraged and often abandon ship (though I tell myself it's just on pause). So it's really great to be moving into a space in my life where fellow artists and friends encourage me to move past my barriers.

It's also really exciting for me to be working on our March art show. It's an opportunity to finish more work and create new things as well as further explore my personal style and aesthetic as an artist which is something I have not committed too much to in my life thus far.

Other things I've finished...

Project: Purple Minimalist
Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan from Interweave Knits- Fall 2007
Yarn: Filatura Lanarota Chaco
Thoughts: Sometimes I think it needs a button or something. But I'm not completely sold on that idea either. But I am really happy with the way it turned out.

Project: Koolhas, Take 2
Pattern: Koolhaas, from Interweave Knits- Holiday 2007
Yarn: Leftover Karabella Aurora 8 in "Rust" (I LOVE this yarn)
Thoughts: I made it longer than my last attempt and got better at memorizing the pattern. I liked this one a lot better than my last. Too bad it was a gift for someone else.

And I started the Tangled Yoke cardigan using some beautiful alpaca yarn I got at Rhinebeck. It's actually progressed a good deal since this photo too..

Now is the time when I should just be doing holiday knitting, but I'm not knitting for too many folks this year. So, instead I'm trying to rationalize casting on for some new socks instead.