Playing with Light

I've been working on a new project lately.  Actually, no, I've been OBSESSING over a new project lately.  Something a bit crazy, but completely magical.  A bit out there, but completely fantastic. A bit... well... illuminated.

It started with a project at school - paper mache - and seeing students use balloons to make their forms gave me an idea.  Why not blow up a balloon around my own forms so they can be hollow? Then I can put a light inside!

I gave it a try and after trying a couple of different yarn weights, decided that a lace/fingering was the right pick for this project.  After coating in a glue and water mixture, I popped the balloon and the form held! 

Now, the possibilities were endless. I could make a bunch of these and hang them from the ceiling! Or make free standing sculptures with more balls attached! Or change the color of the light! So many fun things were ahead. 

I decided to knit smaller balls and attach them, to create "cell-like" forms that (to me) represent memories and dreams.  

As I shared on social media, more people began to give me ideas, many of which were that I should make them hang from the ceiling.  I ordered some hanging fixtures and gave that a try with my colored lights. 

I liked it, but it didn't feel right.  Somehow, the freestanding just worked better for me and my ideas. 

Another friend suggested mirrors one day, saying that they could work well with my ideas of space, dreams and surrealism.  I thought about it and got intrigued.  Enough to go buy mirror tiles at the hardware store and give it a try.

I fell in love and knew that that this was the route to take for awhile.  I built more forms and began playing with multiple mirrors, until finally I got something that I am extremely proud of.  Proud enough to enter in a major fiber show in Houston.  Proud enough to share with you all.  Proud enough to keep making more.

The above photos are the final results and I am so happy with them.  The way the light plays with the reflections and the way the forms all glow from within.  Something is happening and I cannot wait to explore more.  

The next step is to do some research.  Learn about dream cycles and memory.  Make these forms truly represent our dreams and emotions, through size and stitch pattern.

This has been fun!

~Lisa 

On My Needles and In My Studio

Well, 2018 hasn't been a fantastic year for blogging, but that doesn't mean I don't at least think about it.  I will try and get better, but when there is little progress from week to week it's hard to think of topics to discuss.

Luckily I have some things going on right now that I can share!

First up is a FO in the form of socks for my friend Jayde.  Finished the week of March 26th, they have reached their recipient safely and fit well.  I love the pattern - Hermoine's Everyday Socks - as it is just subtle enough to show off the stripes but also add interest, and the yarn is definitely a favorite.  I wish I had more (time to stash hunt on Ravelry!)

Shown with original artwork by Jayde Archebold. 
Check out her site and shop if you like what you see :)

As soon as the socks went off, a new project went on.  This lovely shawl is for a friend who is moving to London at the end of the summer.  I think the weight and size will work well for her over there, and the pattern - Madeleine Shawl from Vintage Modern Knits - is knitting up so quick that I am already on the decreases!

The yarn is worsted, single ply from the UK titled Mapuche.  I don't really have any other info, as it was a gift and the tag was bare bones. 

The other knit project currently consuming my mind is this fantastically interesting knitted sculpture project.  I came up with the idea a few months ago and have been obsessed since.  I am creating ball sculptures that, to me, represent fallen memories and dreams, and are completely hollow (thanks to balloons and glue) and have a light inside! They started out as standing, table top pieces, but I recently acquired some hanging fixtures and have been playing with hanging them.  I can't decide which I like more, but I do know that I am going to keep making these!

Shown with a yellow "bug light" bulb inside.

Finally, I have been developing a few new colors of yarn! Although I haven't been able to dedicate a good chunk of time to dying full skeins, I do have a few minis I created as tests for color.  My plan right now is to roll out a new "series" of colorways based off my EnchantKnit Forest paintings, with the first two being in the purple family.  

Frozen Summer Harvest is on the pale purple and blue side with pops of pink and green, while Sleeping Moon Ice is on the darker side, with indigo and navy showing through.  When I finally get full skeins I bet they would knit together really well!

Sleeping Moon Ice

Frozen Summer Harvest

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Is it summer yet? I know spring just started, but I am really ready for a break from school! April has many many events happening and I am trying to take it one day at a time and also get some knitting in.  I hope I can make that happen!

~Lisa 

My Weekend in San Antonio

This past weekend I had the the privilege to host a trunk show at a new-to-me yarn shop in San Antonio, TX.  Yarnivore is a located in a strip mall just outside the SA Airport, and while it looks basic on the outside, stepping inside is anything but.

It's a lovely little shop, run by a really excited and energetic knitter and you can tell her passion radiates throughout.  There is a reason it's called "Our Happy Place"

My show consisted of both art and yarn, and was well received. I didn't have a huge turnout, but several people came to meet me and talk about my mission.  And at the end of the day, the own even purchased some items to keep in her inventory.  So if you are in the San Antonio Area, you can pop on in and pick up a skein or two!

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Given that it was a bit of a drive for me, I decided to stay over and make it a weekend. And my first stop after the yarn shop was to visit some friends at Mantle Art Space, a space I exhibited at over a year ago.  Their current show, "The Light That Remains" consists of resin based works as well as reflective and transparent materials arranged into abstract compositions.  You can read more at the website, but aren't these just beautiful? 

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Weekend trips always need a little knitting time, and I was able to find the perfect spot to do it on Sunday morning.  "The Art of Donut" was a cute little shop that featured gourmet donuts and a fun atmosphere.  I got to try both an egg sandwich on a donut and a white chocolate pistachio sweet donut, all the while finishing up the first sock in my 'Jayded Gemstones'. I will for sure be back!

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Finally, I spent Sunday afternoon exploring the SA art scene with an artist friend.  We got to experience some amazing spots, including Blue Star, Cinnabar and The Southwest School of Art.  One highlight was this fantastic mural they just put in at the Blue Star Complex!

Overall, it was a fullfilling weekend and a great start to my Spring Break.  However, how that break must come to an end and I am not sure if I'm ready to go back to teaching.  Some days I really just enjoy a good day off, knitting and creating.  But doesn't everyone? 

~Lisa 

What I'm Knitting

Hello, Hello! And Happy Monday! For me it's the last Monday before the week off known as Spring Break.  And man am I ready.  But let's not go into that.  Instead, I wanted to do a quickie post on several projects I currently have on my needles.

First up is a pair of socks I am working on for a good friend who recently moved back home to Florida.  Jayde was here for about 8 months participating in an artist residency and we became really close while she was here.  Before she left she gifted me with some art and I am returning the favor with socks!

She claims to wear 7.5 shoe, but we measured her foot and it's longer than mine.  However, her ankle is the same measurement as mine so I am doing what I know fits me and adding extra foot length.  The yarn is Fortissima Socka Mexiko Color and the pattern is Hermoine's Everyday Socks.  Actually my first pair with this pattern, but won't be my last!

Next up is something I started on a whim.  I was at my LYS and found this yarn in the bargain bin and decided I wanted another Lucente Tee.  This will be my 4th one!  It's such an easy project to knit up and looks good over almost everything, that I love having multiple in my wardrobe. Plus the sheen of the Silkystones yarn is just beautiful.

Finally, I have an art experiment that is also on my needles.  I have decided to play with light in my installations and I think I finally found a way to make my forms glow! I am knitting with a white, light fingering weight and using larger needles to create a nice airy ball.  Once the ball is done, I decided to blow up a balloon inside it and then covered the whole thing in glue.  I let the glue dry and held my breath as I popped the balloon.  Thank God it worked! The final result is very fragile, but with an opening in the bottom, I am able to place a lamp fixture inside and make it glow!  I'm hoping to make more of these and find a way to install them on a wall or even from the ceiling someday.

Isn't that awesome! I am so excited for where this can go!

Well, I hope that spring has come for you, it has for me! It'll be 70-80 degrees here all week and I am so ready for it.  Nice weather always trumps cold weather in my book.  Plus I can wear all my spring knits!

Have a great week!

~Lisa

2017: The Year That Was...

2017: The Year That Was...

1) The start of a new tradition: knitting journals.

Gifted from a fellow knitter, I have spent the year chronicling every project I worked on and cannot wait to do it again in 2018.  I just wish I didn't have to retire this really nice journal.

2) An (almost) successful attempt at keeping my feet forever warm.

You can see all my projects here!

I am happy to report that I finished 11.25 pairs of socks.  The December pair is still on sock one, as I just cannot speed up those cables.  But I plan to finish them by the end of January, which was when I declared the goal to begin with, so that counts, right? 

3) A major inspiration in my painting world.

With these beauties being my most successful to date (although I am kinda sick of looking at them), I feel like my art is going in a new direction and cannot wait to see how 2018 goes!

(Also, I recently sold the Originals!)

4) The start of many new and exciting things.

I cannot believe I only started this dye journey in March! It feels like I have been doing it for so much longer.  But I guess when you find something you love, time seems to fly.  I have truly enjoyed this new endeavor and cannot wait to introduce my new colors (last 2 on right) and new ideas in 2018!

I have two shows coming up already! One in March and one in June.  I cannot wait, but that means more work for me...

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What else can I say? I went through and re-read all of my posts from this year and am very impressed with myself on how consistent I was and my ability to share what was happening.  Thank you to everyone who read and commented this year, it always means so much to know someone is listening.

I'm leaving you all with this song, which is from a movie I saw last week.  The lyrics are stuck in my head and are very inspirational for me as an artist.

Bring on 2018!

~Lisa

Bombs Away

There's something about the concept of yarn bombing that just cracks me up.  Maybe it's the colors people tend to use - bright and out of place.  Or the whimsy it adds to a location.  Of just the title itself.  Yarn Bombing.

It seems like lately I've been enjoying this concept on a whole new level, by utilizing it in my artistic practice.  Bombing, or taking over, a place is a fun concept that I have been applying to locations around my area in a way you may not first think about.

When I booked a show for this month at my local (and favorite) cafe/gallery, I knew I wanted to do something that would appeal to a huge audience and make them smile.  I had been playing around with painting on old postcards and decided to try doing the same thing on my own photos.

 The ones you are seeing as you read this are just a few examples of the 50+ that I completed for this show.  Some are serious, some are funny, but all should bring a smile to the viewer's face, especially when they see all of them lined up like below.

I've placed oil paintings along the other walls of the cafe, so overall the show looks nice and cohesive.  The official reception is this Thursday and I think it's going to be a good turnout.

In other news, I recently booked my first Trunk Show! During the Hill Country Yarn Crawl, various shops stay open longer hours and host indie dyers to share their yarns.  A shop in Wimberly, TX, reached out to me via Instagram and asked if I could come sell some of my yarns with her one weekend.  Of course I said yes! So now I am in major sample mode, making things with my newest colors to encourage buyers.  

The willow cowl seemed like a good fit for this yarn, and a quick knit.  I chose to use my Mushroom Petal Bloom colorway and so far the variations and pooling are looking so amazing.  I really do feel like I am meant to do this. 

August FO's

A few weeks ago I talked about all of the WIPs I had on my needles and how I seemed to just keep casting on more and more things.  Well I'm happy to say today that many of those WIPs have found their way off my needles, with plenty of time left in the year to make even more things!

The biggest of these is my Fallen Moon Drops Cowl, which I designed myself with my handdyed yarn.  I was really nervous about this as I got to the bottom as I wasn't sure how the holes would work out with the feather and fan, but after blocking they turns out perfect! I even discovered a new bind-off that is perfect for any type of lace knitting.  The Frilled Standard Bind-off is a great way to end any type of wavy lace design and stretches so nicely.

The next thing that I finished is a bit of a miracle. But knowing my knitting skills, maybe not so much.  I mentioned wanting to knit a pair of socks for my little sister using some Neon sock yarn.  Well I was able to cast on those socks over my long weekend last week and finished them in exactly a week! I ended up not using that neon yarn as it was scratchy and she gets irritated easily.  So I went with some self striping that I had scraps of and paired it with black mini-mochi to make up the difference. I had just enough to finish the pair and gifted them to her this past Sunday.  She didn't try them on there so hopefully they fit!

Her entire birthday gift! She turns 11 tomorrow!

I also finished those dishcloths I mentioned and gifted them, and the crochet tank I had is currently in time out, likely to be ripped, as it doesn't stretch and is too small.  I guess you can't win them all.

With all of these things done, I've been working on my Breathing Space sweater, which is turning out really nice.  I plan to cast on my September socks soon too, but I can't settle on a pattern or yarn.  Sigh.

My final FO for now is a painting that took me over a month to complete.  With school starting, the dye business going and just the realities of life, it's been hard to really focus on new paintings.

Currently untitled, this painting is an extension of the glowing tidepool-esque paintings I have been working on.  I like this one with the blue, but I feel the first three were more successful.

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I hope everyone is having a good start to the month and if you had the day off yesterday, you were able to enjoy yourself. I got quite a bit done so I can't really complain.

~Lisa

Drifting Off

Every time I turn around I have a new art project to share with you guys, it's a wonder I even sleep.

Remember the little woven paintings I discussed last month? While I enjoyed making them and thought they were a good solution to my "what is fiber art?" question, I ultimately decided I needed to try something that fit in better with my current paintings.

A trip to Houston and all the galleries that I love there got me back to thinking about making puddles again, but this time I came up with a better idea, partially due to seeing the works of Paul Flemming and Harumi Shimazu.  With Paul's works, while hard to see in the photos, he creates little ceramic basins that he then fills with a colored resin.  As for Harumi, her installation of the wax petals and floating orbs really made me want to try similar.

Paul Flemmings

Harumi Shimazu

My recent paintings have been branded (by me...) as "Tide Pools", despite the fact that are representative of more than just floating forms in water.  To me, they are a representation of thoughts, ideas and memories and how we are always gaining new ones while old ones just sink and float away.  But that's a discussion for another day.  Where am I going with this?  Well I decided I needed to push the envelope for that show here in town and propose a small installation.

Trying to achieve the idea of water before seemed hard, as creating free form puddles wasn't working with any material I tried.  But seeing Paul Flemmings' works reminded me that I don't have to have free-flowing puddles.  They can be contained.  Well, one thing led to another and the next thing I knew I had this:

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present my first physical tide pool! Created using paper mache as a base and filled with a polyester (and really strong smelling) resin to represent the water, I think this could really be the installation step I've been needing.  While my other installations have been fun and simple, this really is unique and interesting.  

This project was a complete experiment for me.  While I have used paper mache before, this was a whole new realm of sculpture.  Building up the pool and filling it with resin got messy and smelly, not to mention expensive.  I wish I could have added more resin to fill it up, but I just couldn't afford it this time around.  Playing with the placement of the knitted forms within the pool was also an experience.   As usual for me, I left the whole thing white, so that I can shine colored lights on it and play around with the mood.  

Photographing these with random lights was so much fun.  I am sad to say, though, that the light is not this prominent in real life, or at least not in a daylight setting.  Can you imagine these at night?? 

The plan is to have this in a gallery setting, with more balls hanging from the ceiling at various heights to represent new forms falling in.  It was really hard to photograph that in my apartment, so I don't have that yet.  

I am really really proud of this and want to make more when my budget allows.  I really hope it gets into that fiber show!

I hope you all had a great week.  See you next time.  ;)

~Lisa

July Projects

And here's August.  I say it every month and mean it every time: Where did the time go?  At this time next week I'll be in teacher in-service for another school year.  Really....

I wanted to just take a moment and discuss the things I've finished this month, which has been plenty despite how fast it went. 

On the knitting front, I have a couple projects off the needles. The first was "Gray Gardens", a cowl/shawl hybrid that I really enjoyed making and enjoy wearing.  The shape is nice because you get the drape of a cowl without having to deal with it falling off or trying to find a place for those ends.  My only complaint is that I wish I had bound it off looser, so the lace edging wouldn't curl in so much.

The other project off my needles for July is my pair of socks - "Striped Panda Socks" - with some left over panda sock yarn I dyed to stripe a bit.  I thought I would enjoy these more, but somewhere around sock two I got anxious.  So much that I ended up making the foot too long and binding off too loose.  Soooo instead of ripping out I tucked the toe in and sewed it.  That's how much I wanted to be done with these.  Can you even tell in the photo? (Hint, it's the sock on the right)

Probably the biggest accomplishment of the month is the completion of my latest oil painting, thus completing the series.  The "Glowing Tide Pool" Series is officially complete! And I love all three together so much.  The are definitely my strongest works to date and I plan to play with this concept more coming soon. 

PS: You can buy prints on my Etsy if you want!

And finally! I dyed more yarn this month and settled on a Launch Date for my yarn selling.  This Friday, August 4th, I will be officially listing my handpainted yarns on Etsy.  Word of warning though: It will only be available to those near me for the first weekend or so, so that I may give those who have been supporting me the most a first pick and so that I may hand deliver it.  Whatever is left after that launch will be made available to the whole internet community.  And after that I'll be dying more!

(2 of the 4 colorways I'll have)

Starting a small business has been an adventure so far, and based on reception among friends and followers, I can tell I'm in for a ride!

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How was your July? Did anything exciting happen? Any great FOs?? Do share!

~Lisa