WIP Wednesday, and opinions needed :)

Is it really Wednesday already? I feel like this week just started!

I had a really hard time deciding what to talk about for today's WIP Wednesday without making it sound like the same old projects again. Yes, I'm still working on the shawl (ready to start lightest stripe), and the top (hasn't gone anywhere since my last post). Today though, I am going to talk about my headbands.

For those of you who did not see my Etsy link on the right, or even if you did, I am knitting black headbands with colorful borders and flowers to sell. They seem to be very popular around the winter time, so why not take the break time I have at work and get a head start on my inventory?

I finally bought a foam head!

I am hoping to have at least 1 a week made so that by the end of the summer I can finish them up and sell them.

In progress, this is 2 hours (four 30 min breaks at work) worth of work, will be done by tomorrow!

Here's where you all come in. I have been knitting them with black wool yarn (Paton's -- a Random Act of Kindness from a fellow Ravelor -- to be exact) and am debating whether to keep doing so or not. Would people be O.K. with acrylic? If I choose acrylic, does it have to be 'luxury' acrylic, or can I get away with something like Simply Soft?  Will it lesson the value of the product?  My thing is that for those allergic to wool, this is a nice option. Plus it's cheaper to buy for me to knit with, and also most of my customer base may not really know the difference anyways. What would you do?

And then there's the borders, made with hand dyed and spun superwash wool/nylon blend yarn. If I did acrylic, for those allergic, would this small amount of wool still irritate the wearer?

I pretty much run out of previously spun and dyed yarn, except for these 2, which I am thinking I will over dye soon. The pink because I already did one band in it. The red/yellow because I think that a different color may sell better. I am thinking of overlaying both with blue, to make the pink a purple color and then the other a purple/green variety? What do you all think?

Obviously, I cannot make up my mind on much of anything. I was debating this all day at work (all 8 hours, really!) and finally decided to ask all of you. I value your opinions so much because you are all such creative knitters and spinners!

One final thought. I don't usually reply to comments on here because I am unsure if you guys read them. If I know you read or look for replies, I will start doing so. What do you all think?

I hope the week is serving you all well! I finally got more stuff moved to my new place. It's starting to look less like an empty room and more like an empty room with boxes!

Don't forget to check out Tami's Amis for more WIP Wednesdays!

~Lisa

Sasha being awesome! Courtesy a photo message from my little sister!

Discoveries in Painting

I've mentioned a few times that I was working on a 'super secret art project' and also that I was REALLY excited about. Not only is this project itself amazing, but the doors it opens up for my future are (as of right now) endless.

I guess I should explain. I'm in a painting class right now titled "Mixed Media Painting Workshop", which was required for my major. I had absolutely no interest in taking this class prior to the beginning of the semester. 1) Because I am just not a 'collage' type person and 2) I heard the teacher is rather odd. Turns out I was wrong about both. The class is so much more than collage and the teacher is a little weird, but I love him. He lets us do pretty much whatever we want and really helps us expand our thinking. 

Anyways our latest project was a 'surface' project, as in we had to explore different surfaces for painting.  The first day was our workshop, where we just had to bring in random surfaces to experiment with paint on. Being a knitter, I decided to knit up a swatch of white Red Heart (What else would I EVER use it for anyways). Doing that was torture, I couldn't believe I ever LIKED Red Heart! But that day in class I did some experiments with the paint and mediums on it and I really liked was I saw. My teacher then told us that we should try and make 3 dimensional surfaces, his example being using wire to build a structure to put paper around. The second he said 3D the wheels in my head started turning. 

I think the work speaks for itself:

There are so many things I really like about this project. I got to knit for school, which was a plus. The ball pattern was easy and quick, as well as Red Heart being more manageable in balls than swatches. For every ball I just went at it with random paint, no real plan in mind. Each one is unique and shows a different technique of applying the paint to the surface.  I originally wanted just the balls to be on the wall, but then I thought more about it and how the project was structured and figured they needed to be mounted, so I went with some super cheap plexi glass. The painting of the glass came as a second process, for I wanted the balls to look like extensions of the glass more than added on after. 

This project has opened up so many doors for senior studio next year. I am slowly filling a special sketch book with ideas for where I want to take the knitting and painting thing. Some of them are very interesting, let me tell you. I think I've also finally figured out what I want to do with my degree (cuz I haven't said that before!). I plan on going to grad school for painting and then teaching at a university while being an artist. If I can keep doing things like this for awhile, I will be more than content with being a 'professional painter'.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! It's in the 90's here! Maybe I'll spend some time outside this weekend.

~Lisa

PS: The title for this work is (appropriately): Yarn Bombs.

Turing Scraps into Gold

 Let me start by mentioning that I finally finished my Effortless Cardigan. I will post pictures and more details after it is blocked, whenever that is.

Anyways, as you may know, I am trying to only use stash yarn all year and not buy any new yarn at all. (although that may get broken very soon because Berroco just made some new amazing colors of Vintage and I freaked out for at least 5 minutes when I found out). So in my attempts to reduce my stash, I have been working on a few projects with my scrap/lower amount yarns.

The first one was a a headband I knitted up with some handspun.  This is the handspun that I made last semester for my spindle drawings , and I didn't have very much of each color so I couldn't do too much with it. I didn't even have enough to finish the headband, as you can see. There are 3 different yarns in there, a blue/black/green 3 ply, a blue/black 2 ply, and then a green 2 ply.  It's really fun to wear because of it's changes in color and bulkyness, but I wish it would lay flat. I guess I need to find an iron and try steam blocking it.

(This photo does no justice, but I can't get a picture of me wearing it...)

Next up is a pair of socks I started last night. I have a ton of random scraps of Vintage, and after finishing my cardigan I wanted to just get them out of my stash. So I am making random stripe worsted socks from the toe up.  I sat down for 3 hours yesterday and am already at the heel cup. I was going to do them 2 at a time, but my yarn got tangled really fast so I changed my mind. Worsted socks knit up so fast though so they'll still be done in no time. I am really excited for these because I am going to make them super long, basically until I use up all my Vintage!

       

Finally, as many of my fellow knitters can attest to, Red Heart, or any cheap acrylic, is AWFUL to knit with! So then why I am finding myself making tons of little white balls with my extra Red Heart? Well that's a secret for now, but lets just say it has to do with my art!

I have so much on my plate with school right now, I can't even keep it straight. I am really surprised that I have found time to knit (and post about it on here!) but I have noticed that when I spend time knitting it makes me want to do school work more later.  Taking a few hours on a Saturday to knit is a great stress relief and prepares me for Sunday when the homework load hits.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend and is ready for the week to start! I have a very busy one ahead, so I'll be lucky if I get through it unscathed.  Take care!

~Lisa

Playing With My New Toy!

Merry Christmas to everyone who is probably reading this! I hope you all had a great holiday and a chance to just relax and spend time with family and friends.

I also hope everyone got everything they wished for, material or not. As for me, well I got a new toy...

And after the relatives left I went right to work playing with it. ;)

Sadly, all my mom has around the house is mountains and mountains of acrylic. She likes to make afghans, A LOT, and has all this extra stuff sitting in her closet. I couldn't just let it sit there, calling me, so naturally I wound it for her! She now has several nice little cakes of acrylic ickyness.

Ok Acrylic is not completely icky, I just don't prefer it now that I have experienced the yarn shop. But she does crochet some pretty amazing things with it, see for yourself:

Mom's Afghans are pretty sweet, but I don't know what she's going to do with all that extra yarn that I wound for her!

After winding all that acrylic, I'm out of things to wind, as I left most of my stash at Manhattan over break. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

~Lisa

PS: To those interested, my brother and sister both LOVED their knitted gifts!

It's FINALLY Summer!

It's very hard to believe that another school year has past and that I will soon be a JUNIOR (gasp!) in College! Wow. Alot of things have happened this semester, so I'm going to take some time and reflect as well as share my recent creations.

First of all, Relay for Life came and went. I expected so much, so I guess I had high hopes. Sadly, we got rained out and were only able to stay until 10 :( But we still kicked KU's butt on funds!

Second, ART! I went through C.A.R. (Concentration Admissions Review) this semester, hoping to get accepted into the Painting Program, and guess what? I DID! I was so happy when I got the acceptance email! However, I still have this crazy dream of working for Disney, SO I am going to go through C.A.R. again next semester, to try and get into the Digital Arts. This means that if I get in I will be doubling in Painting and Digital Arts, and I will probably be stuck with atleast an extra semester of school But this is what I truely want to do with my life, so I think I can handle it.

As for the summer, well I plan to knit like crazy, mostly dishcloths (Explaination below) but also socks and all the projects I didn't finish over Christmas Break. Also though, I will be in SCOTLAND! Yep, I am taking a study abroad trip with a class for 3 weeks to Scotland! I'm really excited, I've never been outside the USA.

Besides Scotland, I will be working 40 hrs a week all through June, then taking another class when I'm back as well as working, so I don't honestly know how much free time I will have, but it will still be better than normal school.

Ok so here are some of my recent projects:

Multi-directional scarf for my friend Rachel, who turned 21 in February. I just always like making things for my friends if I can! This is a nice heavy scarf made with Deborah Norville yarn.

Headband and Scarf I made for my friend Lynnsey's Birthday. She loves pink and I knew she'd love these! I feel bad because I used "cheap" yarn,but I was on a budget and I knew she wouldn't mind. She loved them btw.

Blue headband I made with leftover yarn from that hat. I LOVE this! I have even had a few people ask me to make them ones also. Maybe if I ever have time I'll set up an Etsy shop and sell them. :)
So I am making dishcloths. Not my favorite project, and I sometimes wish I had more time to make things for me, but it's for a good cause. I plan to be selling these, as well as homemade dish soap and other things, at Farmer's Market to raise some money for Relay for Life next year. Yes, I'm insane. Whatever. I think that the profits are going to be pretty good, because cotton is super cheap and the amount you can make with one ball is nice too. Wish me luck!

Besides all of these, I also have a lacy purple scarf started, a pair of socks with just one done, and I also learned 2-at-a-time socks, so that pair is about half done. I'm really excited to get some time to knit, even with work and summer school, hopefully there will be time! I've also learned how to spin on a drop spindle, but I'm no where near good enough to feel good about it yet. Maybe once I am I can make my own yarn!

Hopefully I'll update this more often as the summer goes, I can't wait for it all to begin!

~Lisa

Amazing blue hat and headband.

So school has started back up and I'm already feeling the pressure I've put upon myself with the crazy schedule of classes I have. It's my own fault, and I am up to the challenge! However, I won't be getting as much knitting done (or atleast that what I keep saying...). But I did manage to make a hat last week and use the scraps for an earwarmer headband.

The photos do this hat no justice, but then again, it's hard to see this without looking close anyways. I made the design from scratch and it has cables and ribbing it's really pretty. It's a bit bulky, which is what led to me making the headband below.

This was made from a pattern I've used before and I had extra yarn from the hat. I love this and I wear it alot. It's really pretty!


So I wish I could say more, but I'm out of ideas. Talk to everyone soon!

~Lisa

My Scarves

So I have made a total of seven scarves. Two were gifts, so I don't have pictures yet. One is at home ( I hope). Below are the rest of them. I hope you enjoy. If anyone wants my patterns (although some weren't planned), let me know.


Made: Winter 2008W
This was crocheted, but whatever. I had the yarn sitting around and just started crocheting it, no plans or anything. This is the end result. It's ok, I like the fuzzyness and length (it was actually longer when I made it, so I had to cut it off and sew the ends). The colors are a bit crazy though, so I don't wear it alot.





Made: Winter 2008

This was my first scarf after I learned how to purl and make the V's! I was so happy after I learned those! This was with super bulky 'furry' yarn, so I didn't want to block it and chance losing the fuzz. That's why it's curly (I didn't know it would do that when I started). I like this for the colors.

Made: Winter 2009

This was some leftover yarn of my mom's so I went crazy. It turned out really long, and despite my efforts to prevent rolling (by knitting the edges) it still rolls anyways XD. Oh well I like this one because of the colors and how long and warn it is.

Made: January 2010
This is my most recent. The style was titled 'bramble', which is what those 'bumps' are. I really like this one because the yarn was think and self striping, I just wish it were longer (ran out of yarn). Left side is the back (which is kinda cool actually) and right is the front.

I hopee you enjoyed!

~Lisa