Monday, October 31, 2011

Trick not Treat

I have been working on a pair of socks for myself since the bus ride to Asheville.  They were coming along quite nicely - 38 rows finished.  They are from Patons Kroy Socks yarn in Ragg Shades and knit in a simple 3x1 rib pattern.  I had made a pair earlier this year for my daughter out of the same yarn but in a different color.  I loved her socks - they fit well and I want to keep them for myself.  But as a good mother - I am letting her have them. 

Sock - AM October 31st
I wanted to make mine slightly longer and I knew I had yarn left over when I finished her pair but was not sure how much. The extra had disappeared into my studio - to be unearthed today as I was doing a massive straighten up.  I was so excited to find the yarn - until I looked in the bag and saw the needles.  I realized to my dismay that her socks were knit on size 1 and I had been using size 2 for mine.

After much trying on of her sock and my partial finished one - I decided that 38 rows was not too far in and that a sock that spent its life bunched at my ankles would not be one that would be worn often. So I frogged it.
Sock - PM October 31st

Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair or SAFF

Yesterday I was fortunate to go to Asheville, NC to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair with the Palmetto Fiber Arts Guild.  We were up early to catch the bus and spent the morning and evening riding and knitting.  Spent the day visiting the animals - llamas,

A camera shy llama
 alpacas,


A too cute alpaca


 and angora bunnies (no sheep - the arrived as we were leaving) and lots, and lots of wool and yarn.

We came home with lots of new fiber and yarn to play with

But left some for the rest of the southeast knitters, spinners and weavers.  The show runs until Sunday at 4.


  

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

School - An ATW Challenge

My art group issues challenges on a regular basis and on our last one was revealed on Saturday.  We were to take a book, an article, or a class that we had always wanted to explore further and create a piece.

I had purchased a book at our Cobblestone Quilt Guild auction a few years ago - Designing Tessellations, The Secrets of Interlocking Patterns by Jinny Beyer.  Tessellations are interlocking designs that repeat across a surface.  M.C. Escher is a famous artist that uses this technique.

I had often looked at the book - but had never used it.  Three months ago when the challenge was issued I thought, at last an excuse to dig into this book.  I read the book, I played with the exercises, and I decided to do fish.

I started drawing fish try to come up with a pattern that would interlock and repeat.   I do not know how many fish I have drawn in the past three months - but they are quite a school.  The Friday before the challenge was due - I finally had the light bulb moment and designed a fish that worked and that would be easy to sew. 

Here is the result:

School

All the fabric used is my own shibori paint work and the fish are both fused and thread sketched. 


I like this pattern and technique and may start a series based this.  I am thinking Tardy, Tutor, Class . Cast . . . .