Etsy Discount!

...an Etsy discount in honor of the fact that I'm furious that winter hasn't gone on its merry way yet, that is.  Are you with me?  We're almost there.  

For the next couple of weeks, reinvigorate your life with a print of a fiber art installation or knit mushroom from my shop for 20% off!  Use the coupon code "IsItSpringYet" at checkout.  

Hang in there!  We'll be feeling the sunshine on our faces, the breeze on our arms and the grass between our toes in the VERY near future.

On the Horizon

There's not a lot to share at the moment... I've gotten my studio painted and am in the process of setting it up at the present moment.  Still requires some painting of a bookshelf, but it's nice to be able to find things again!  My studio room has three huge windows facing the front yard (to the south), and they let in SO much natural light!  I'm itching to go plant shopping, but will need to hold off for a bit.

In addition, I've started working on pieces for a couple of different installations that are coming up this spring.  You'll be seeing more progress on these in the near future, as it develops!  One aspect entails venturing into similar, yet very new to me territory... working with lichen!  Can't wait to share more on this project, and others.  And, you know... to stop being so cryptic.  More to come soon!

Snow and Socks

Has winter been ridiculously miserable everywhere this year?  We've had so much frozen rain and snow, and it's been extremely cold.  That said, it's been too unpleasant to get out much so I've been knitting A LOT.  Mostly on knit wear.  Socks, more specifically.  This year I vow to knit at least a few pairs of socks all the way through without dropping the project for several months before picking it up again.  The Halloween socks I started back in October lay neglected until a couple of weeks ago when I finally got over my "second sock syndrome" and finished them.  I'm working on a wintry/Valentine's Day pair now, and Knit Picks must have heard about my socks kick because they discontinued all of their Felici color ways.. so of course I had to go and order yarn in the ones I've had my eye on.

However, news!  I'm in the planning stages of a couple of big projects, and also have some knitwear pieces to shoot photos of and post soon.  Plus, this weekend I will be painting my studio!  I'm really excited to get everything set up in there so I can really get to work.  I hope it's warm in your neck of the woods -- spring is on the horizon.

Top left: socks knit in Knit Picks Felici, pattern: Kai-Mei from Sock Innovation by Cookie A

Top right: the Lisa Hoke installation, "Come on Down" at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Bottom left: working on Hermione's Everyday Socks in foxglove Knit Picks Felici, flipping through Emma Robertson's         

               new book, Knitting By Design.  Beautiful styling and photography.

Bottom right: a frozen pond at Martin Nature Park.  It's beautiful there in the winter.

On My Needles || Toulouse

The moment I spotted Toulouse by Leah Thibault in Knit Scene last year, I knew that I HAD to make one.  Maybe it's because I had a mean case of hat envy (seriously, I love floppy hats but hats just tend to look terrible on me), but I think it had more to do with the beautiful reminiscence of vintage blouses incorporated through the neckline tie.  The tie is what did it - the tie.  I can't believe I went all this time without expediting this project to the top of my queue, but here we are and maybe it's a good thing... the anticipation has just made it that much sweeter.  

One thing I should point out is how vibrant, yet earthy and neutral the yarn color is.  I'm lucky enough to have a mom who is even more into knitting than I am - I'm a fledgling in comparison, as she's been a serious knitter since her teens.  Anyway, one of the really cool parts about having a mom who knits is her exuberant yarn stash... and the opportunity to every once in a while take some of it off of her hands.  Such was the case with this yarn - some supremely soft Cascade Alpaca Lana D'Oro.  Thanks, Mom!

I was about halfway done with the body when I took these photos the other day, but at this present moment I'm working on the bottom ribbing section and may even get to move on to the sleeves tonight!  More top-down, seamless, easy stockinette knitting.  The project has gone really quickly and considering how long I've waited on making it, that's a great thing!  You'll likely see an Off the Needles post for this baby soon.

Also on the finishing list is Cardoon, which has but one sleeve left to be seamed and set in.  And maybe one day I'll get to unpack all of my studio boxes, find my Lanesplitter skirt and a strip of elastic and get that one out of the black hole that is my unfinished objects list too.  Another day...

52 Forms of Fungi || #22

Clavaria zollingeri.  Dazzling, bright, ascending wisps of coral fungi incredulousness.  I've wanted to knit this species since I first laid eyes on a photo.  Its otherworldliness appealed to my senses and imagination. (which I suppose is a sense, isn't it?)  You know how sometimes you see something and think how it can't possibly be real?  Moments like these are what fuel my thirst for observation and inspire me to ponder the depth of what we are surrounded by.  I could never fathom it.  How sweet it is to coexist with such magnificent creatures!

Clearly, since this fungi grows in eastern North America, I will be obliged to at some point visit that area in the fall to look for some.  Even if I never find it, I am at least happy to know that it's just out there being amazing.  As fungi does.

As with the Lactarius indigo, I would like to thank Berroco for providing me with the yarn for this fungi!!  It is made with Ultra Alpaca Light in Viola.  Oh, stitch definition...  Vibrant color scheme...  Soft and cozy...  I'll never get enough of Ultra Alpaca!  Good thing I've got a few more species to go with the generous support Berroco has provided to my project.  Thanks, guys!

I also want to put this out there - if there's a fungi out there that you LOVE and would like to see it in knitted form, please share a photo (with scientific name, if you know it) on my Facebook page!  Even though the project has extended into a 2nd year, I am committed to finishing all 52 forms... suggestions are welcome!

This structure was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project. Check out more of the forms from this project.

Wall Hangings || Turkey Tail

Meet "Turkey Tail", a wall hanging inspired by the turkey tail fungus.  I created this piece at the same time as "Riot II" this past summer, but unfortunately never had a good opportunity to get photos of it in an open space with good natural light... until now!  The individual polypores were knitted and then mounted onto a large piece of elm bark.

Off the Needles || Brise

Brise was really a breeze (see what I did there?).  A long-winded breeze, but a breeze nonetheless, just like the other Knitbot projects I've taken on.  Effortless Cardigan... Walpole... who says miles of stockinette are mundane?  I like having at least one project going that doesn't require my full attention so I can keep my hands busy while watching our fave HBO shows (who caught the True Detective premiere last night?!) or a movie with my husband.  Truth be told, now that this piece is finished I will likely move on to the Featherweight Cardigan (also designed by Hannah Fettig aka Knitbot) using some gorgeous Malabrigo yarn I ordered with birthday money last summer... but that's another blog post.

This pattern called for Quince & Co.'s Sparrow, a linen yarn that the collection was designed around.  Since Hannah's patterns are of course simplistic genius, they are on the queues of many and this yarn was totally sold out when I went to buy it.  This may actually have been lucky for me, because I've been looking for an excuse to splurge on some Louet Euroflax Sport for quite some time... so in the spirit of seizing opportunities (as seemed to be my theme for the year), I went for it.  My normal color choices fall under the bold and bright categories, but since I do like to wear such bright colors I figured it would be great to have a neutral tone in my wardrobe.  This shade is called Ginger and had just enough punch to grab my attention.  (Hey, neutrals can be enticing too).

As I've said before on other Knitbot projects, the seamless design of this cardigan made it simple and non-stressful to create.  Sure, it took FOREVER, but that was due in part to my over-zealous period of cast-on addictions, and then it sadly sat on a shelf for the majority of the fall while I was working furiously on Saprobia and then preparing to move.  If you erase September, October and November from this timeline, it really didn't take all that long.

What do you think?  Have you tried any Knitbot patterns yet?  Have I convinced you yet that they are AWESOME?!?  I do feel like I should put this out there for those of you who have not ever knitted a sweater but are interested in attempting it:  Knitbot patterns are a great place to start.  Seaming is a chore, and it can be especially confusing when you're not that familiar with sweater construction and shaping.  Lining up pieces to sew them up can be tedious.  Why not just get used to the sweater knitting part and not deal with the seams?  All you have to do is put live stitches on waste yarn and then return them to your needles later, or pick up stitches along an edge and knit on.  Just something to think about.  You can do it!

Top and Jeans: Loft