#14 - HOLIDAY INSPIRATION

From Blogger Pictures

Talila Abraham's Dantela, 2004

via The Curated Object

The holiday season gets me thinking about ritual and how we move further and further away from it as a society by being so wrapped up in consumerism.  On this train of thought and in search of good reading material, I stumbled upon the exhibit Reinventing Ritual at The Jewish Museum in New York, running through February 7, 2010.  Ritual allows us to transcend our everyday activities and to provide them with meaning.  Some artists are seeking to revive our connection to ritual, and pieces like Talila Abraham's Dantela are of great inspiration to me.  Merging art, technology, and craft, Abraham has created a metalwork object that is reminiscent of traditional lace textiles.  An item to be used at the Passover seder, it connotes tradition, family, faith, and history.  I hope that my holiday activities can similarly reflect upon these ideas, and the process of hand-making gifts helps me to do just that.

From Knitting, etc.

From Knitting, etc.

With all of that in mind, I finally have some finished objects to share!  First off, the Building Blocks scarf from Interweave that I shared in the veeery early stages last time.  I knitted it in an admittedly small gauge, thinking I could figure things out as I went.  I made no alterations to the long scarf pattern, and after blocking, it was still much too short to actually be a scarf.  Not wanting to frog it, I decided to stitch it up into a loop, making a lovely double-wrapped cowl.  It's so soft and the colors look great, so I hope my friend doesn't notice my measuring error and thinks I intended to make it as such.  Also, please excuse these sort-of awful photos that illustrate how irritated I became with my camera's self-timer.

From Knitting, etc.

(yeah, PhotoBooth is the worst.)

From Knitting, etc.

I also knitted up the Cable and Bobble Headband, also from the Interweave Holiday Knits issue for another friend of mine.  She requested a headband-type item with big pom poms, so I'm pretty sure this delivers.  It was quick and really simple - made from Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica in an afternoon's time - and I think the pom poms are a nice touch.  Here's hoping she agrees!

Now, I'm working on some fingerless gloves - the Spirogyra wristwarmers from Knitty, yet another gift.  I'm altering the pattern a bit so I can use up more of that giant pile of Turkish yarn in my stash.  Depending upon how these turn out, I may make another pair for my sister-in-law.  If not, Fetching is a reliable standby.  

I'm so very glad that the semester is wrapping up this week... because I have so much more knitting on my plate to complete by December 25.  5 hats, 2 pairs of socks, and a shawlette - if all goes according to plan.  Undoubtedly that will change, but I like to aim high - so we'll see what happens!

#13 - KNITTING IN SLOW MOTION

From Knitting, etc.

Everything is overwhelming me right now, so it makes sense that I start a knitting project that is simple and laid-back. Not to mention that it's the end of November, and I have yet to complete even one holiday gift. So, I've started up my first one - the Building Blocks Scarf from Interweave Holiday Knits.  I'm knitting this up in the gorgeous Nako yarn that a fine gentleman bought for me in Turkey this summer.  45 balls of this have been sitting in my stash, impatiently awaiting the right project, and I love this yarn in a dense garter stitch.  I think one of my lovely lady friends will like the saturated colors, the softness from the cashmere, and the slight sheen the bamboo brings.

Otherwise, my knitting progress is at a crawl, due to schoolwork and applications and exams and whatever else has landed on my plate until Wednesday.  Until then, I'll take a yarn break from time to time with this easy-to-knit scarf and hope I get some more projects on the needles soon!  What are your favorite handmade holiday projects?  I'm sure there are some amazing ideas out there that I've yet to see.

#12 - ETSY LUSTING

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade superhiprachel.etsy.com

hello friends.  in lieu of a post documenting some yarny progress, i wanted to share some of my favorite things for sale on etsy right now.  i could spend hours browsing the handspun yarns, unique jewelry, holiday knick-knacks, and fun accessories.  as always, i highly recommend etsy for holiday shopping - buy handmade, sustainable, thoughtful gifts for your friends and family!  and feel free to buy some of these lovely little items for me, wink.

there is some knitting in progress, including baby knits; holiday gifts; and a fun addition to the Jacques Cousteau hat, which was rather well received by its owner.  in the meantime, what are your current etsy faves?

#11 - MAKING PROGRESS

From Knitting, etc.

The Cousteau hat is complete!  Excuse the poorly-framed photograph, but it's hard to get good shots when no one is around to help.  It looks a little awkward, mainly because it's a little too big for my head, but I'm pretty happy with the way this one turned out.  The Cascade Heritage sock yarn doesn't halo, stretches nicely, and has a good sheen to it.  Hopefully I'll get a few additional photos (especially to detail the crown of the hat, which is my favorite part) when it is received by its rightful owner.

Now, I feel like there's so much more to make.  I admit that my progress on that tiny, stripey, baby sweater has been a little pathetic... but I think my enthusiasm is returning.

From Knitting, etc.

Plus, the upcoming holiday season has me in the mood to get knitting, especially after getting my hands on this year's Interweave Holiday Gifts issue!  Some major stashbusting is in the works.  And I finally have plans for some of that magnificent Turkish cashmere-bamboo yarn.  My friends and family will be on the receiving end of some swell goods if all goes according to plan.  Keep high hopes for me, folks.

#10 - LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BOAT.

From Blogger Pictures

If you know me, then you know my love for all things Wes Anderson. So in between studying and researching and PhD application-ing (oh yes, pity is appreciated), I started work on a fun, little hybrid project inspired by one of my favorites. I'm mixing the aptly named Jacques Cousteau hat with a braided cable trim to create a classic winter knit for someone who shares my fondness for both Anderson's films and Bill Murray's charm.

From Knitting, etc.

Fingers crossed, this will be completed in the coming days, so keep a look out.

#9 - OH, BABY

From Knitting, etc.

Hello, good people of the interweb. I told you all that I was busy knitting, and now I'm here to deliver the goods.

First off, congrats to Kerry for being the only participant in, and therefore the winner of the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival ticket giveaway. I hope you had a great time!

From Knitting, etc.

Anyway, I've been staying up late to work on piles of baby knits for a very important little niece-to-be. I started work on some of that Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino that we bought in Charlottesville, and knitted up two classic Debbie Bliss patterns. First off, the striped hat which is too cute in cream and dusty lavender. I love the sprout on top!

From Knitting, etc.

With the leftover yarn from the hat, instead of diving right into the sweater, I opted to make the baby sandals instead. These are my first booties, and I think they came out relatively well. To mix it up a bit, I made the strap contrast to match the hat and future sweater. Now, I just need to find the perfect buttons. Any ideas?

From Knitting, etc.

I took a break from the baby cashmerino to make a pattern from the fantastic folks at Purl, Whit's Bulky Baby Blanket. On our weekend in New York, I insisted that we stop at Purl after the most delicious brunch at Hundred Acres in Soho to pick up yarn for this project (as well as to geek out in one of my favorite yarn shops ever). I fell in love with the Spud & Chloe line from the start - super soft, squishy yarns that are machine washable - perfect for baby or child knits. I picked the bulky Outer in soapstone for the seed-stitched body of the blanket, and Sweater in popsicle for the trim.

From Knitting, etc.

I admit that I didn't love knitting this pattern - I get bored easily, so making the body required some extra coffee and motivation on my part, and my circular needle was a little too short, which added to my crankiness when I started the border. Nonetheless, this turned out to be an adorable blanket that's so soft and full of texture for little hands.

From Knitting, etc.

It seems that this baby will be the recipient of all of my metropolitan yarn purchases... lucky girl. Now, I need to crack the whip on the striped hooded pullover (the work-in-progress above)... not to mention maybe finishing up the Clapotis for myself! :)

#8 - SUGARLOAF CRAFTS

Glass cufflinks by Gerald and Donna Keener

I love autumn, and it's just getting a little cooler outside - which makes it the perfect weather to visit the Sugarloaf Craft Festival at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium this weekend.

I always enjoy checking out the local events to see what's going on in the craft community and really encourage you stop by - especially since I have a pair of one-day passes to give away to one of you! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post with your email address. If you don't leave an email address, I won't be able to contact you to send the tickets. I will pick a commenter at random at 10am tomorrow.

ps, I've been a busy knitter, so expect a substantive update soon. Until then, good luck in the contest, and hopefully I'll see you at the festival!

#7 - STASH

From Knitting, etc.

it looks like i may have spoken too soon. the boyfriend returned from turkey with more than a few balls of yarn in his suitcase. look at how gorgeous this stuff is!

From Knitting, etc.

he brought 45 balls of a cashmere and bamboo blend in lots of great colors - really saturated plums and greens; pretty pale pinks and blues; and creamy pastels perfect for someone's niece to be. my yarn stash was already bursting at the seams, so it looks like i need to get the needles moving asap.


The front window of The Needle Lady in Charlottesville, VA
via The Needle Lady Blog

he ended up adding a few more skeins to my collection this past weekend on a visit to charlottesville. while on the downtown mall, we went to the needle lady, an adorable LYS where i snagged 4 skeins of debbie bliss baby cashmerino for a tiny striped hat and sweater for a tiny little one on the way. these are my first official baby knits, so i'm excited to have at it - and this kid will surely be spoiled with lots of handmade gifts.

and i have a feeling that even more yarn purchases will be made this weekend in nyc. finished work is on the way.

#6 - PLUM TUCKERED

From Random

i am always tired when i wake up in the morning. no way around it, really... but this morning, i was even a little more groggy than usual - likely because i stayed up studying, knitting, and baking.

i'm not much of a baker. it requires more precision than i care to attempt. but when i saw the loveliest of plum cakes on one of my favorite knit blogs out there, it seemed like the perfect 'welcome home' for a certain mister who is currently on a plane from istanbul.

From Random

i better get some amazing turkish cotton yarn for this.

#5 - APOLOGIES

isn't it funny how summer has this way of speeding things up and slowing them down at the same time? life has felt really full right now - the days are so busy and hectic, exciting and tiring, and despite being stressed, i can't really complain. when i reflect, everything this season has been completely unexpected, but it seems that life is shifting on my own terms for once.

but what i really mean to say here is this - i am terribly sorry (to the 7 of you who actually read this) that i've turned out to be such a horribly inconsistent blogger/knitter/maker/do-er of things. i've come with the best of intentions. i realize that life will never slow down, but i will continue knitting and sewing and photographing and thinking about new things to create. i have some really big plans up my sleeves. that's the only promise i can keep.

with that, here is some of my undeniably slow progress on the yarn-front:

From Knitting, etc.

the springtime bandit is complete! this is probably my favorite FO thus far, for good reasons - this yarn is luxurious, the acid yellow color is perfect for the early spring, and it was a really fun pattern to knit.

From Knitting, etc.

i only had 4 skeins for this, so i had to cut out a few sections of the beautiful lace rows in the edging. oh right, and i have short hair now.

From Knitting, etc.

also working on the silk kerchief, also from kate of the fibre co. i love how the noro silk garden yarn is striping so perfectly. i'm on a triangular scarf kick, lately. this one will be excellent with blazers in the autumn, no?

From Knitting, etc.

i waited the longest time to get the perfect yarn for my clapotis! i love love love this yarn, and it was quite a splurge - impressionist regal silk in paris rain. i cannot wait to see how this piece turns out, but here's a peek at my progress.

there are a few other projects on the needles right now, but i'll save those for some FO photos. and i'll be back around these parts of the interweb more often, fingers crossed.

#4 - CATCHING UP

From Chris and Bethany's Wedding

Taken on 05.15.09 in Stevensville along the Chesapeake.

i hate to admit that i've done hardly any knitting at all since my last post. life (especially school) was constantly getting in the way. oh, those silly term papers. nonetheless, summer looks like it's shaping up nicely with plenty of good friends, good music, bike rides, cold drinks, and warm city nights. and i have some swell summer knits in the works, too!

but first off, let me share an FO that i didn't post on earlier...

From Knitting, etc.

it's erica's acapulco scarflet!

From Knitting, etc.

this was a fun and super fast project. i made this with two skeins of copihue alpaca from araucania yarns. the most harrowing part of this project was the button search, but i scored these pretty etched shell ones that worked out perfectly! the tangled moss stitch really shows off the yarn, and i think the colors will go beautifully with erica's hair. here's hoping she agrees.

now, i'm back to work on the checkerboard lace scarf, and i'm starting up on the springtime bandit from kelbourne woolens as my confidence as a lace knitter grows. i'm also itching to start some of ysolda's whimsical little knits. but until then, here are a few to illustrate my impossibly slow progress...

From Knitting, etc.

From Knitting, etc.

now my evenings of back-porch knitting and mojitos are back. wahoo! i also have some yarn spinning plans in the works, but i'm not going to spill the details on that just yet. plus, i was finagling with my sewing machine today, and started work on a pretty little something with some of my leftover scraps.

From Knitting, etc.

my mind is so full of ideas and my hands can't seem to make everything quickly enough! we'll see what develops.

#3 - THE LEARNING CURVE

From Lace in Translation, an exhibit at the Design Center, Philadelphia.

via The Curated Object


warm weather is taunting me. i want to frolic outside, but no. silly school work has me trapped in my apartment. i am itching for something new. summer is around the corner (or, the semester will be over before i know it) and i am pleased as punch about it. life still feels constantly in flux.

but in-between the paper-writing and the research, i finally started my first lace project! the checkerboard lace scarf will be a gift to my mom. i'm loving the yarn - canopy fingering from the fibre company - and i have a feeling it will drape beautifully.

From Knitting, etc.

however, i've already frogged this thing twice! eeesh. so, lace lesson number one: always use life-lines!

From Knitting, etc.

so while springtime is breezing past my window, at least i can turn on some simon & garfunkel, knit for a bit with the curtains open, and pretend i'm not studying my days away.

#2 - SEEKING INSPIRATION.

I find that inspiration strikes me most often when I'm not seeking it. Case in point: Fairly recently, I was re-watching I'm Not There, the Todd Haynes film based on the life of Bob Dylan. I love how the film is an obvious pastiche of Haynes's influences - Godard, Fellini, etc. In the segment with Billy the Kid, we're set in a fading western. The colors were once rich, but now take a hazy, vintage look.



This clip doesn't really do the film complete justice, but I think you get the idea. And it doesn't hurt that this segment includes one of the best covers from the soundtrack (in my opinion) by Jim James and Calexico. This imagery has been floating around in my head and from it, my recent yarn purchases have been rich fibers in muted tones.

From Knitting, etc.

Araucania Yarns - Copihue Alpaca in Color 910

From Knitting, etc.

The Fibre Company - Road to China Worsted in Citrine


I'm planning to use the Road to China on Kelbourne Woolen's Springtime Bandit scarf, my first foray into lace knitting. I'm still seeking out a simpler lace pattern to try before I start this one. However, I found a quick-to-knit and surprisingly fun pattern to use up my 2 small skeins of Copihue - a cute little scarflet called The Fidget. The twisted moss stitch pattern really shows off the colors and creates a lovely, layered texture.

From Knitting, etc.

These new colors are quite a contrast from the bold, saturated tones I was using in the dead of winter - take this Quant headscarf made with Malabrigo in a deep purple, for instance (but excuse the poorly lit self-portrait).

From Knitting, etc.

A few more FOs should be ready in the coming days, fingers crossed.

#1 - BEGIN.

So, here it begins.

This blog has been laying in wait for more than half a year now. I kept hoping for life to become less hectic, or for me to produce more art, or for something generally miraculous to happen that would inspire me to write incredible words. Now that reality has set in, I've decided to dive in headfirst and hope this thing develops into... well, anything. My goal is that BMORE CRAFTY. becomes a place to not only share my work, but the inspirations behind it.

Ravel me if you'd like, although my profile is in a similar state as this blog. Photos of my recent FOs are forthcoming, I promise. And I'm getting a new project on the needles soon - the Kelbourne Woolens Springtime Bandit scarf, which will be my first actual lace piece. Any advice would be super helpful!


And one last thing: At the first of the year, I stumbled upon Ali Edwards's blog and her One Little Word for 2009. Yes, it's already March, but I think it might be a helpful starting point for this little blog of mine.

The word I've chosen is intentional -- To live my life conscious of my actions and their repercussions towards others; to be aware of my choices and how they will affect my situation in the long-run; to treat those I love in a way that acknowledges my concern for their well-being and my hope to honor those relationships.

More to come soon.