Fatty Lumpkin the African Violet Pony

Fatty Lumpkin is a crochet pattern I ran across today (along with most of Ravelry's members) and I just HAD to start making one. These are the yarns I've chosen:

Classic Elite Magnolia in merino silk, in Eggplant, #5456
KnitPicks Galileo in merino bamboo, in Luminous (teal) #4936
Cascade 220 Superwash in... Ruby Red I think :)

I'm really happy with both of my test motifs, I haven't really decided which color schema I'll go with!

I hope they are worked tight enough. Great pattern so far!

Alternative Aperture

I have started another project over at Alternative Aperture lately. A lot has been happening lately and I will blog more when I get it sorted out. Good things are afoot!

Creativity Series: When you just want instructions...

I am wanting to make a purse today, something simple, no printing required, rotary cut and then embellish, sew outer and lining, and put it together voila!

No dice on a pattern.

I guess I'll design one, but it got me thinking... why can I rarely find patterns I like? I think that's one of the big reasons I design. Too bad pattern writing is sometimes a bore, or I'd make patterns for everything I make. I'll probably do a tutorial on my wild and wacky purse today, though. We shall see how it turns out! I'm thinking to just alter my basic square bottom tote into a purse shape, and done. Now I have to decide on size! And imagery for applique! And so many more options are open but I really, truly, just wanted to follow a pattern and be happy with the result. Such is life, as an artist. Sometimes I wish I had another artist me to pick things out of my brain and write patterns for me to follow. But, it doesn't work that way unfortunately.

Maybe my requirements aren't so simple after all...

I'm thinking soon will be an artist/crafter art vs craft postie, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I think I'm an artful crafter. Or maybe a crafty artist. Who knows. And why does it have to have a name anyway?

Alphabet Game

If you know how etsy works, you know that one of the search features is the "common searches" list if you start typing something in the search bar. It is a list that pops down, starting a few rows from the top of that list are a list of relevant searches starting with those letters. The first word in the list is the popular search.

Well. I thought of a fun game tonight! The alphabet game, with the search titles.

Here's a good place to record it! Let me know if you like the concept, and you'll see it again, right here!

A: Adventure time

B: Baby

C: Iphone 4 Case

D: Doctor Who

E: Engagement Ring

F: Father’s Day, Fabric

G: bridesmaid Gift

H: Harry Potter

I: iPhone 4 Case

J: Jewelry

K: Knuckle Ring

L: Leggings

M: monogram

N: Necklace

O: One Direction

P: Harry Potter

Q: Quilt

R: ring

S: Steampunk

T: Game of Thrones

U: Unicorn

V: Vans

W: Wedding

X: 3ds xl

Y: Yoga

Z: Zelda

The number of big name brands included in this list is interesting. As is "Knuckle Ring." 

Questions, comments?

Whitney

OH So Exciting

I'm doing exciting things lately. Pretty damn exciting to me anyway! My first and probably shorter to mention excitement is listing new things in my PomegranateAndPuce shop on Etsy:

New are the quiltie kits (OH so much fun!) and the cuffs (OH so fashionable!) and also my How to Make a Wholecloth and Raw Edge Applique Art Quilt (OH so informative!).

Next, after alllll that work over the last few days, I wrote a business plan! A thing I'm only slightly ashamed to say I've never written before now. I am super (guess what!) EXCITED about the things Pomegranate and Puce has in store for you! (Hint, Hint: It might involve some web design!)

OK, I'm going to sign off and say goodbye before you're over-exposured to exclamation points!

Spacefem's Big Etsy Contest and Pomegranate and Puce's New Adventure

I've been playing around and getting on twitter more lately (Follow me @myvioleteyes), and have found a cool thing! Each day, Spacefem's Big Etsy Contest pulls newish items/newish shops to feature, in a "who's hotter" type fashion. Two items pop up. Click your fave, and that's it! Wash, rinse, repeat!

I think its an interesting story-she says she started the site to feature items that have "fallen under the great Etsy radar." I've sold on Etsy for many years, or at least had an account at all times for 7 (yikes!) years, and have managed to consistently feel like I'm falling under the radar. 

Do you feel the same way? 

Then SIGN UP! 

Its free-and we all like free promotion...

Now, let's face that falling under the radar problem together. A group of cohesive products seem to help that. Sooooo Guess What! I'm going to be putting together a line of QUILTING products. Stay tuned for a fun new future for Pomegranate and Puce!

The first item in the line up, is a tutorial with my secrets to How to Make a Wholecloth Art Quilt. 

How to Make a Wholecloth Art Quilt

Now, this one pictured is not wholecloth but its such a pretty picture, I just had to use it-and you've got to start your fiber art journey somewhere. Wholecloth is a great place to start. In fact, only one technique not mentioned in the tutorial is used to create this quiltie, raw edge applique!

My next tutorial will cover my method for raw edge applique in detail!

Creativity Series: Why write?

I ran across an interesting quote in a podcast today, that has really made me think. First, the quote, then, my thoughts!

"There is no one-to-one [correlation] to 

the things you make and who 'you' are." 

Fizzle

I define myself by what I make, and I need to rethink this process. As a creative "maker" type person, it is easy to use what you produce as the essence of who you perceive yourself to be, but in reality, I am who I am regardless of what I make

If someone were to see a piece or collection of my work, they would be no closer to knowing "me" than had they not. This is something, however, that I do want to change-and that change will begin with my writing. So, in order to write more authentically, I need to take a moment to catalogue who I am, my values and belief systems, and how this impacts what I write. Almost more importantly, I need to explore why I write what I write.

Creativity is a subject near and dear to my heart. Creative is the essence of who I am. Helping others reach the point where they can feel creatively fulfilled is one of my passions. This is why I am writing the Creativity Series to begin with. I feel like others can see my journeys into the idea of creativity, and what it means to me, and start to explore their own creative selves.

Creativity Series: 5 Ways to stay Motivated

If you've been a reader of this blog for a while, you'll notice a common thread lately. I'm lacking in motivation! Today I'm feeling a bit more active and wanted to create a post for both you and I to reference during those times that "working" just seems too hard.

1) Consider your Goal(s)
Goal setting is an important skill, one that I have been putting to the side lately. Well, its time to get out those markers and make some signage for my office! I need to stay constantly reminded of my goals, in order to keep things ticking along as they should. Its time to make some concrete goals (with deadlines) and keep those in mind on days when I'd rather stare at the wall.


2) Just do it/Small Steps
Nike had something with this slogan, its gotten me through many a tough passages in my life. Sometimes, you just have to get in there and get your hands dirty. It doesn't matter what is created, as long as its something that can, even abstractly, be related to your goals. Small steps is often how I get this accomplished. For example, I have been having trouble "getting going" on a quiltie. I broke it down, literally into steps as small as "clip thread, thread needle" then take a break and walk around a bit, then "tie knot, make one stitch" was the next. Somewhere in the repetitive "take 5 stitches" step, I got going on it and haven't gotten blocked again.


3) No Fear
Another slogan, I miss the tees with this emblazoned all over. Fear is something that gets me down quite frequently. Its as often fear of success as it is fear of failure. Consider your goals, what happens when you reach a goal? Do you celebrate and take some time off, or do you jump right in on a new project, perhaps stemming from what was just completed, and take time off another day? Knowing how you handle completed goals is as important as completing the goal itself. Next time you complete something, do the opposite of your norm, and see how it affects your productivity!

4) Research
Ahh, an excuse to surf the web, or go to the library, or people watch. All those guilty pleasures in one tiny step. Research and learning are the backbones to creating fresh work and having a fresh life, no matter the topic at hand it is crucial to always be learning. Something I plan to research next is "hand washing dishes" for several reasons. 1) I want to be the most effective in this, as food poisoning is one of those things I don't enjoy. 2) I need an excuse to make/buy dishcloths, sponges get too dirty (or do they? Must research cleaning sponges) and 3) I don't want to do the dishes, but I might just get motivated if I find a new technique.


5) Play
Play. It seems so simple-but to me, this is the most important way that I stay motivated. Just all pressure off PLAY. This is how I started with my quiltie project. I wanted to experiment with freeform embroidery but I didn't expect anything to come of it, I very much enjoyed stitching trite little pictures that someone else had drawn. BOY WAS I WRONG. Freeforming it is a completely different medium! And that has led to incorporating fabric, and quilting, and making some of the best work I've made in my life. Goes to show, kids have it right when they just want to play!


What is your favorite way to stay motivated? Does it tie into any of mine? What is one step that you could take today to get closer to your goals?

Making it

Too many ideas, not enough time to make it.

Isn't this every artist's conundrum? At least at some point or another? There is also the converse that happens.

Too much time, not enough ideas to make it.

This one I hate more. Right now I seem to be waffling between one extreme and the other. I'm on a supply "diet" and not purchasing anything new right now, so I'm working with what I have, which I have plenty and that's not the issue. I want to make a chevron maxi dress, and a print skirt, I want to dye cotton fabric and make tutorials for fabulous things on my blog. What fabulous things do I want to make, you ask-dear reader? I have no idea. But fabulous none the less.

I also want to do hand work, like quilting etc, and just spend the time relaxing. I have a quiltie going right now that will be totally fabulous. Very excited about it, but can't seem to get going on the quilting part of it. No idea why, maybe because that is a somewhat less showy part of the work. Though the quilting will "make it" so wonderful.

Harper Knit Skirt and Top for Cooperative Press Knit Edge Mag

I absolutely loved designing and making this set. I started with the skirt, from the bottom up. There is a kick slit with a decorative garter stitch border, then on with stockinette for the body of the skirt. It ended up the perfect length-which is great because you can try on as you go to get it to the length great for your body!

Next came the peplum, which took a lot of math and figuring to get it to come out to exactly the number of stitches needed for the cable ribbed waist shaping. Short rows shape the fashionable peplum, and then it nips in at the waist.

The cables for the waist were a stroke of genius! I love it. On to the bodice, and more short rowing for bust shaping, then armholes, front keyhole, and neck band. LOVE IT.

Model Katy Clark, Copyright Whitney Christmas 2013
Stunning!

I loved creating this design, because it was very complicated to get it as close to perfect as possible, yet will be a straight forward knit for anyone who chooses to make it. I really love the look and think it is one of my best designs to date.

Creativity Series: Little Projects

Heart Quiltie, approx 12" sq, cotton with
hand embroidery and hand quilting

This is what I've been doing lately, little quilties, with simplistic imagery, hand embroidery, and hand quilting. I am loving the process. Each one is getting better and better! The Heart Quiltie is the second, and I am on the third now-a house with tree. Home Sweet Home. Its pretty awesome too!

Little projects are great, not too much commitment of time or materials, great to get the creative flow going even if you have little energy to work. These projects are making me sooo happy, finally I'm making the art I want to make-cute, but gritty at the same time.

I highly recommend working in a new media on a small project if you find your creative juices are slowing down, I didn't do much for almost a month, but now I'm back into "making" hard core :) It does make me happy! Mornings are still best to work, for me, as nights can get pretty rough, but you can get a lot accomplished in 6 hours of morning!

What is your favorite "Little Project" you've done? Was it in your usual media/style of working, or something new?

Therapeutic Art Making

As many of us artists and crafters know, making things is therapeutic, in the best ways. Slowing the heart rate and breath and lowering blood pressure are proven results of things like knitting and quilting-repetitive motions, that end up with something great!

I have been doing hand embroidery and hand quilting lately. Small pieces, expressionist, cute. This is the art I want to make, stay tuned for a photo of my next FO!

Fake "Hits" on your Blog-vampirestat, uglystat, etc

So I've been getting a few more hits than usual on this blog, so was looking around, and found vampirestat.com as one of the main sources. A handy google search revealed that this is an automated hit count inflator, and not to go to the sites as malicious code may be present. At the very least, ads will be encountered which we all hate.

Creativity Series: Lack of Interest

Lack of interest characterizes depression, one of the main symptoms, in fact. I know when I start losing interest in things (going on a month now) that the depression is back, and needs attention. I haven't knitted or crocheted in at least 3 weeks, I'm getting frustrated and just want to QUIT photography, and really feel no desire to convince myself otherwise. Interestingly, I've been writing more.

I say interestingly, because previous to this I wouldn't have considered writing as one of my creative outlets, but it is!

People handle "lack of interest" in many different ways, by forcing the issue and discomfort etc that come with it, or by just doing something else/nothing for a bit. The only thing I haven't had to force has been writing, though, I am on my 3rd chapter in my novel and can't seem to keep going on it for some reason. I think because I'm not happy with the beginning of the chapter, it is an information dump. I am doing embroidery right now, too, but because I want to-also not a main outlet for creativity for me.

I feel like forcing it only gets you so far. Now if you're making something, vs designing/art, that already has a plan going, I think some force needs to happen, its too easy to abandon half made projects. But, creativity itself is hard hard hard to force, takes more work than usual to get a suitable outcome, and generally isn't as good as "normal" work. Beware!

Burnout

I'm a bit burned out on modeling photography, I think because I'm putting out effort but not really getting much in return, experience, yes, but not financial gains. I've been doing this long enough to know that people want free photography, I don't want to do family portraits, and I do want to move into the boudoir (plus women, army wives) side of things. I may be canceling several shoots this week, I'm not sure yet, but I don't feel like putting out so much effort, striving for things to come together, and then boom, no money at the end of the rainbow.

I feel the need to define goals right now. Doing what I want to do when I want to do it is at the top of the list, and I am lucky to live such a lifestyle that most of the time it works for me.

Targeted Marketing

I found a really interesting article this morning in my etsy-gram that is getting the rusty wheels turning in my head. What is the business I want to own? What is the product I want to sell? And who is my customer?

Knitting/crochet pattern design, one-off design, custom commissions comes to mind first. This is what I know best, maybe? I've certainly done a lot of it. How can I take it further? How does one, who does not and will not work a "day job" take these things and turn them into success.

There are a lot of stitchers out there trying to figure this out. Some are successful, some are not. But the key to determining success is the definition of success. Anyone who knows me, knows that this is a key to how I live my life. Therefore, it would make sense that it would become a key in how I run a business.

I think defining a customer niche is a good way to begin to figure out what I want to throw my head and heart into.

Photography, jewelry making/design, fine art, writing-all of these things I am passionate about. I think my next step is to define goals, ideas, ways to succeed with each and see which will be the most satisfying, and therefore successful.

Who is your customer? How does that define your success?

5000 Views on This Blog!

I was checking on things this morning, and noticed that I am at 4999 hits on this blog-if you're reading it, you may be 5000!

There have been lots of changes in the last year, but things are slowly settling down and I'm refocusing on my photography and art. I've done several shoots lately, but had to cancel several others due to fibromyalgia pain. Hopefully plan to make those up in the coming weeks.

Stay creative!

Plus Size Models

I read something yesterday that has kinda been on my mind.

"Plus size models promote obesity."

Ok, I have a few issues with that. Lets compare to the French model body ideal. It hit the news recently that these models will go to almost any length to remain "Paris thin," up to and including staying in the hospital on a drip most of the time, to eating tissues to feel full. How is that not promoting unhealth? OK, now back to reality. The reality is that most women are overweight in America. Most plus size models are still smaller than many women, but have a healthy body, healthy outlook on themselves. It takes guts to go away from the so-called ideal in such a way. Pinterest "Plus size model" and there are many, many absolutely gorgeous women, confident in themselves.

I have found with my own weight, that I tend to lose when I'm feeling good, confident, beautiful which increases the chance I will continue to lose. I gain when I'm eating emotionally, from the opposite of those feelings. So. To me, plus size models increase the good feelings, increase my drive to lose weight, not the opposite.

Thoughts? I'm especially interested in what the models who read this have to say.

Creativity Series: What is the art you WANT to make?

I've come to a realization lately that the art I make is much different than the art I WANT to make. I want to gain a cutesy style, mixed media with a twist of fine art, but cute-not the same as everyone's (No more butterfly winged fairy children photos) but not so entirely different either. The work I make is more gritty, expressionist, surrealist at times. My photography is clean and, well, not that creative. Drawing is something I need to improve on in order to get to the next level in my pursuit of Cute.

Pursuit of Cute. That's a good name for it. I'm not sure why I want to seemingly regress into cutesy, but I do. So many people work to free up their artistic style, which is a wonderful thing. Maybe it was art school's fault, but I need to work on tightening down. My sewing is tightening up, I made the decision starting with my current design, that if I'm going to sew I'm going to do it more accurately than I have in the past, no point in making clothing with bad workmanship.

Seems like I am doing that with several media at the moment. I'm zentangling, which is an interesting study in free vs. tight. I like the free patterns executed tightly, I think. My knitting is getting more accurate over the last year, I need to make another knock out design, like the one for KnitEdge (Out in May). It is very structured, short rows abound, with cables, structured stockinette and garter stitch. There is an amazing kick pleat type slit in the back, very structured, that I happened to knit on the fly. Details are where its at. I did a watercolor of a cutesy bird the other day, next steps on it are to add some of my new pearlescent watercolors to it, then draw on it, maybe even a hand lettered quote! That is something that scares me, writing. My handwriting is terrible but I actually can letter, I need to internalize that difference and GO FOR IT with lettering.

I got a book entitled "Creative Paper Quilts" and have been having the urge to work with paper lately. I may look into alternative media publishing-like paper, beads, etc. I have experience (of course) with getting knitting and crochet published, but I think publishing my other types of work would be so satisfying.

What is your favorite style of art to create? What do you want to create? Why don't you?

Lately...[Wedding in a week]

I've been absent lately, I know, I know. I think about posting pretty regularly but things have been so busy, I've been stretched too thin. The wedding (WHOOT!) is in a week from tomorrow, and things are going great for it. I have a few more things to do but otherwise ready to go. One big thing I have left is music. I'm not sure exactly how to arrange it, I guess I'll download from spotify. I still don't know who's pushing play!

I was going to have an art show this month, but had to cancel. My father passed a few weeks ago, and going to visit him while he was still living took over a week of art time. I'm glad I saw him though, got a bit of closure, and I'm glad he's out of pain.

Coming up is Camp NaNoWriMo, in April. I plan to write Aether's Heir (working title) during the month, and get my career as a writer going!

Lately I haven't really been giving love to my spinning. I was busy doing other things or just never up in my studio. I love spinning really and I was missing it.

So I finally finished spinning this lovely merino silk top from En Ulden Affaere in the colour petroleum. I bought this a while back (aug 2011). I love the colour it is so lovely. I spun it on my Lendrum with a Woolee Winder on the second whorl slot. The plan is to ply it a 2 ply for a shawl. 

I don't usually do the whole amount of fiber at one time when I am spinning, but separate the fiber I have into 1 ounce sections and spin one section at a time, then wind it off onto weaving spools then after I have all of the fiber spun I then will ply them. This gives me "permission" to switch around fibers so that I don't get bored. My spinning tends to be very fine and it can take a while to spin a large amount. Right now I have many different fibers going at once and when I was done with this last ounce I realized that I ran out of spools! Knitking cone winder to the rescue for that last bit and I will hurry and ply that first. 

I love knitting with handspun there is just something about it that is so soothing. From the start this fiber has been destined to be a shawl.

Which shawl would you do with this yarn?