What 'Ya Doin'?

I recently posted a travelling interview & discussed what & why I craft.  I'm posting today about a few recently completed projects.

A couple years ago I knitted a blanket for a niece who was getting married.  The yarn was chocolate brown (did I mention niece adores chocolate?) and ultra soft.  So soft that when I tossed the finished blanket on the floor to photograph it, in the time it took me to pick up my camera, the cat had bounded onto the center of the blanket WITH a toy and was all set to play on it.  I felt guilty for shooing her off but couldn't have her getting cat hair on the new blanket.  I probably needn't have bothered as niece has several cats of her own and is crazy about them all.

About a year later, the niece's sister asked if I would knit her a headband/ear warmer.  I agreed and found a pattern similar to the design she liked, and used the leftover brown yarn.  As I worked on the ear warmer I kept the yarn next to me on the sofa.  The cat decided I had obviously put it there just for her and each time it was unprotected, jumped up next to me on the couch, kneaded the yarn into a mess of spaghetti and curled up on it for a nap.  She did this even if the yarn was in a protective plastic bag.  She loves the crinkle of a plastic bag . . .

Headband finished, I presented it to niece and wondered what to do with the little bit of soft brown yarn remaining.  I decided a cushion for the cat's favorite bed was in order. 

I used to get gift baskets delivered to our department at work.  After sharing all the goodies the basket either languished in a closet or was tossed in the trash.  Since I planned the annual golf outing, I decided to keep the baskets and fill them with donated items for our door prizes & drawings.  But when I left that job nobody was interested in the remaining basket so I brought it home rather than contribute it to landfill.  It spent some time on an ottoman waiting for a home until the cat found it and claimed it as her own.  I rescued the shredded paper for another use and filled her "bed" with wadded up plastic bags, stuffed into a small cover.  She loved it.

I decided a soft brown cover would be more comfy than her existing accommodations and set out to knit one from the remaining brown yarn.  Alas, I ran out before it was big enough.  I substituted some similar brown yarn (it was on the bottom so the color change did not show nor would the less soft texture be an issue.

I stuffed the cushion into the new cover and placed it lovingly in the basket . . . and waited.  Kitty was not interested in sleeping just yet.

But a few days later she discovered the newly soft cushion and has hardly left the bed since except for meal time and play time.  A job well done.

Quotable quotes; in the category Waste Not Want Not!

"Time spent with cats is never wasted."  Sigmund Freud

A Travelling Interview

A post at this blog (one of my favorites) issued an open invitation to participate in this interview.  I find this blog particularly inspiring so I decided to accept the invitation and conduct my interview.  Here goes.

1:  What am I working on?  I'm actually working on several things at once, which is my usual modus operandi.  I'm knitting a baby blanket for a niece who is expecting her first baby, I'm knitting socks for myself (2 pair) and little pouches that may become gifts or maybe not, it depends.  I'm working on a crocheted tote bag that is quite slow going but I hope to finish soon.  And I'm working on Artist Trading Cards and Altered Rolodex Cards for a swap group I belong to.

2:  How does my work differ from others of its genre?  I really don't know.  Every artist develops their own particular style.  Given the same instructions and materials, each person will create something uniquely their own.  That's why you can always tell a Beatles song or a Bob Marley song - not just the sound of the voice, the the structure and style of the music.  That's why a Renoir is different from a Monet.

In my paper collage I tend to use plainer materials and fewer techniques, where others might use ribbons, buttons, papers, cards, ink stamps and die cuts, I might limit my choices to a background paper, a few cut out images, a little paint or ink, and leave it at that.

My knitting may differ from others in that I tend to read the instructions then pretty much ignore them.  Not exactly, but rather than try to achieve a certain stitch count to achieve an exact copy of the original, I'll work with whatever gauge I get naturally then modify the pattern to fit what I am doing.  In this way I avoid a lot of frustration.  As a famous knitter once said, you are the boss of your knitting.  I like feeling that I am in control and that I am creating something unique even though I'm using a recommended pattern yarn and needle.

3:  Why do I create what I do?  Well, why not?  I knit because I know how and because I like it. There is something about the plain old knit stitch that just fascinates me.  I like its texture, the way it drapes, the feel of the growing project in my lap as I knit.  I guess I create because I can!

Same with the Artist Trading Cards.  When I first found out about them I was blown away.  And although I loved the work of others and hoped to emulate it, I soon found I preferred my own style.  I create these things because I always have.   I have a good friend with whom I used to exchange Christmas gifts each year - always something small & simple, always something handmade.  It's so gratifying to give a gift knowing it came from the heart and to give it to someone who recognizes that and appreciates it.

4:  How does my creative process work?  This one makes me laugh!  I remember a scene in the old "Will & Grace" TV show.  Grace was an interior designer who hired a young intern who quickly proved to be more interested in vodka and clothes than in design - but at the beginning of the episode she said "I'd love to get a sense of what your process is."  Some years later my sister, who really IS an artist, was visiting.  I was making a gift card for someone and asked her to give me a few minutes.  She said to go ahead, she would watch me to observe my process. I laughed out loud.  I didn't view myself as an artist and didn't realize I had a process.  But I guess I do.

It's pretty haphazard.  Based on artist sister's advice I now take a little more time in laying out my collage, moving things around and paying attention to things like negative & positive space, color, spacing, layout etc.  I have also started to implement some of the techniques she has told me about but I'm still a little timid as I still have trouble thinking of myself as an artist.  But my brother (also a very talented artist/painter) says anyone who makes anything is an artist whether it's a loaf of bread, a painting, a building or a sculpture.  I try to believe them.

In knitting it's a little easier, more straight forward.  I start the pattern.  If I don't like it I might start over a few times using a different needle size or stitch pattern.   If I still don't like it I might eventually rip it out and start on something different.

Don't ask me about painting.  I haven't mentioned it yet because it's still a mystery and a struggle to me.  But I still try.  I mix paint, wet my brush and force myself to get something down on paper.  I usually give up pretty quickly but the desire to paint is so strong I keep the paints & brushes near so I can try again.

I haven't mentioned writing.  I write whenever I think of something.  I completed a novel several years ago but it has not been published.  I also wrote a picture book story and just sent it to a publisher a week ago.  We'll see if they respond. What's my process?  Write when I remember to I guess.

Wow!  Even if nobody reads this blog post I feel it was a good exercise.  It got me to think about myself in a way I maybe haven't before.  If you did read, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought - and like my inspiration I invite you to conduct your own interview!

Quotable quotes; in the category Who Am I To Argue With An Expert?

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."  Vincent Van Gogh.

Crafty

I have been planning and crafting for a sale in a few weeks.  This is the first craft show I have participated in since I consigned some hand crafts to an art center's Christmas market many, many years ago.

I have been sewing and crocheting, making jewelry and planning my displays and hoping it all goes well and that I sell some things.  Wallets for holding tea bags, credit cards, business cards, little acorns made of cloth and stuffed into real acorn caps and my own invention, crocheted lip gloss cozies!

I also lucked into some lovely stoneware pedestal Coffee mugs.  I plan to fill each one with a tea bag or two, a packet of instant gourmet coffee and a few chocolates or cookies, then wrap them in cellophane and tie with a bow.  I thought children might like to buy an inexpensive gift for their mom or their teacher.

Here is a random sampling of a few of my craft items.  I'm pretty sure the picture is self explanatory.

As I said this is my first craft sale in years and years.  Wish me luck.

Quotable quotes; in the category Oh I Think We Can Safely Say I'm More Than A Bit Compulsive!

"You want to be a bit compulsive in your art or craft or whatever you do ."  Steve Martin

Taters

A while ago I blogged about my garden and specifically about potatoes.

I harvested my potatoes yesterday.  Not a bad return for a crop that required little more than cutting up some potatoes and tossing them into a tub full of dirt.

I figured since the greenery had long since died away the potatoes (if there were any) were ready to harvest.  I dug in with my hands and felt around.  Sure enough, there were some round lumpy bits in there.  A few were chunks of bark from some compost but most were potatoes.

I got spuds as small as large peas and a few of quite a respectable size.  I heard freshly dug potatoes are delicious.  Since we were having pot roast for supper I scrubbed a few of the smaller specimens and cut them in half (if larger than bite size) and tossed them into the pot with the simmering gravy.  I can't say as they were the best I've ever had but who doesn't love taters?  Not me!

I'm hoping I missed a few and will go tater digging again in a few days to see.

This may be the beginning of a beautiful relationship . . . with my potatoes.

Quotable quotes; in the category  Pooh To You!  What About The Ladies?

"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow."  A. A. Milne

The Mad Doctor?

I'm still working on the first of the Golf Club Covers for a Chemist.  I have finished the part that goes over the club and am now working on the cuff that fits around the - - - stem?  handle?  whatever the thing is called that the head of the club it attached to.  The part the golfer holds onto as he swings the club and yells "FORE"!

I am about ready to start working in the white stripe and I'm putting it off because I hope to avoid a jog in the stripe. I found some sites that offer instructions to avoid the jog and I am using this one as my guide.  I guess I'm just afraid to jump in and get wet but if I dip my toe in I might find the water is fine so then I'll have to commit.  Isn't procrastination a wonderful thing?

In the meantime I researched my knitting books for charts for initials.  I did not find just exactly what I was looking for so I decided to chart my own.  I like the style of the letters and I think even the chart looks good.  I'll include the chart with my knitting directions when they're finished.

Quotable quotes; in the category Oh Lord, Why Do I Do This?

"The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course."  Billy Graham

There’s Chemistry!

My niece has no qualms about asking me to knit for her.  I love to do it.  I love to knit, I have a huge stash of yarn (most or all bought either on sale or on deep discount clearance) and I love to give handmade things to loved ones.  She has asked for hats, scarves and most recently a headband/ear warmer, which is well in progress.  She sent a photo of one she found on line and I researched and found a pattern with a similar stitch.  It has wood buttons.  I asked the Big Guy to cut me a few slices from a fat twig and plan to bore holes in them to make custom buttons. 

I have pestered her for ideas to make something for her boyfriend/partner/possible future spouse.  He does not want a scarf, does not wear ties or hats and does not play Frisbee so a flying disk is out.  Finally she said golf club covers might be a good idea.  I researched patterns and found shapes I liked.  Then I started to get ideas.  He is a PhD student at Northwestern University.  I found a link to their official Pantone shade of purple (Pantone is a color coding system printers & designers use to ensure the proper shades of color are achieved).  Since the Big Guy is a printer.  I asked if I could borrow his Pantone sample book.  We took it to the craft shop to match the yarns.  I struck gold when I found the store brand was nearly a perfect match for the “official” Northwestern Wildcats Purple.  I purchased a skein of purple and one of white.

Driver Cover In Progress

Then I got the brainstorm of the century – boyfriend is a chemical engineer (I relish teasing him about being an engineer while completely ignoring the chemistry aspect of his studies).  I can’t tell who enjoys the teasing more, him or me - - - yes I can - - - last time I was with niece & boyfriend they both remarked that I wasn’t teasing him nearly enough.  I confessed that I was having a few personal issues and was off my game – but by the end of the evening I was back in good form and he was reassured I liked him enough to tease him unmercifully.

I got the idea to knit the covers in purple, with white stripes on the cuff to denote the Driver, the 3 wood and the 5 wood – and the brainstorm to stitch the atomic symbols from the periodic table rather than the numeral on the head of the cover.  It will be a private joke and hopefully he plays golf with non-chemists who will wonder why his covers bear the initials H, B and Li instead of 1, 3 and 5.  I am beyond thrilled and very, very proud of myself for this flash of genius, if I say so myself!

Since my yarn and needles are not the same as those specified in the patterns I have found I decided instead to knit the covers from the top down (which allows the knitter to establish & measure gauge as they go rather than having to create a gauge swatch in advance.  I cast on the approximate number of stitches (thinking this might be the middle size) and began to knit.  I soon discovered my gauge was such that this test piece would easily accommodate the driver (the largest club) and went from there.  I decided to make notes of my stitch count as I went along and turn the experiment into a pattern for my Ravelry page.  This post contains my initial efforts.  I'll post updates as the covers progress and will publish the pattern in when it's done.

Happy knitting and may you have a Bogey . . . or an Eagle . . . or even a hole in one!  I think I just had my personal best!

Quotable quotes; in the category If My Golf Score And My Bowling Score Were Reversed I'd be Great At Both!

"It took me seventeen years to get three thousand  hits in baseball.  I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."  Hank Aaron

Early Harvest

I haven't posted much about my garden, mainly because once it gets hot I tend to stay inside and let the weeds grow.  Which they have.

A couple weeks ago I did pick several cherry tomatoes from a volunteer tomato vine that grew on its own.  The two tomatoes I bought at the garden store and planted did nothing, by the way.  The volunteers were deliciously sweet & juicy.  There are a few more out there waiting to be picked and enjoyed right there in the garden.

I also picked an apple off our tree.  It's about 2 inches in diameter with a golden skin and a rosy blush.  And a myriad of brown worm holes around the stem.  The apple trees were planted many years ago and if there ever were apples they were always destroyed by squirrels or fell to the ground before they were ripe.  I stopped wasting the effort to spray them for bugs long ago but for some reason there are apples this year.  I couldn't resist picking two, eating one and photographing the other.  Not sure of the variety but it's pretty, no?

The potato came out of the plastic tub which I planted with many potatoes from the kitchen that had sprouted eyes.  Rather than throw them away I planted them and kept adding soil as the leaves grew higher.  This technique is supposed to increase yield.  A few weeks ago when I dug in the earth I found nothing but then I dug again and found this little specimen, about an inch in diameter.  I've heard freshly dug potatoes are delicious and cannot wait to find a few more and add them to my supper menu.

So here we have the first fruits of the garden.  Hopefully there will be more.

Quotable quotes; in the category I Could Have Told Him!  It Was The Squirrel!

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why."  William Hazlitt  English Writer & Painter