#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.