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 

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