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?

Creativity Series: Renewal

Yesterday, I was invited to photograph a fashion model in downtown Austin, TX by a photog friend. We had a great time talking and laughing, and of course-taking great pictures. For the first time in a while, I feel like I pushed my self creatively with photography, and I pushed my camera/lens to the fullest. I got some great pics, as did my other photog cohort. I couldn't wait to get home and see the photos.

Photographer: Whitney Christmas, Model: Katy Clark, Austin, Texas

 

As far as the ratio of great photos to the whole, I wish I had done better. I had a little issue with lighting and needed more light in most photos. But I did get some really great shots.

There is something that happens when you push creatively for a day or more. When you devote a day to your art medium, with artistic friends and in an inspiring location. A sense of renewal always hits me, and I am so happy and feel relaxed and creative. I want the creative process to continue as long as possible, prolonging the good vibes. Its the same feeling I get going to conventions or museums, only better. This feeling is why I create art with others. So we can share in something greater, a sense of community, and even perhaps contributing to the greater good of art.

When asked what I am professionally, the answer is always "Artist." Art is the mark of civilization and grandeur, excess and frivolity. But it is as essential to my soul as breathing is to my body. That creative renewal of purpose, setting goals and reaching them, is what its all about, and I believe as universal a feeling as "happiness" or "fear."

Photographer: Whitney Christmas, Model: Katy Clark, Austin, Texas

People can reach this feeling through other means, and this feeling is what I call "following your passion/bliss." But, too often we get caught up in the day to day work, even if it is art, and forget to play. Don't do this. Play. Go out. Try something new. And then come back here and share your success.

Where do the lines blur between work and play?

I love to knit. Really. Don't get me wrong, I love to knit. And sew, and sculpt, and bead, and crochet, and... and... and...

I am in the middle of a knitting project now-a design for a magazine-that has a mid-December deadline. And of course, after focusing on my knitting for months, I don't feel like knitting! I have been playing with polymer clay, so much fun. And this morning I made wire earrings, too fun. Knitting. Knitting in the round in stockinette... For miles.. Is not that fun.

I think all of us who do what we love, especially if its multiple media, find times where its just impossible to concentrate. Its a universal fact-when you have to do something, you want to do other. So how can we manage the fidgets and get on with it?

I get up very early in the morning, and find I am the most focused in the wee hours. Therefore, most mornings, I knit. Especially design work-the math and things come together great when I've just woken up at 4 am. If I try to do the same work say, around 4pm, it just isn't going to work. I get more creative toward mid morning (11am) and try to follow that trend as well. Sketching, clay play, etc, have been coming around then. I'm tired after all that, so anything for the rest of the day is something like... stockinette in the round for miles. Requires no thought. I'll turn on a movie and go to town.

It is key to figure out when you're at your best-for a particular task-and follow that muse. It has helped me get routines going for most of the day. Instead of fighting the trends, like trying to do math at 4pm, I go with them. This makes the work more fun and the play more fun. Try it!

When are you at your best for logic work? For creative?

Nexus 7

I've been neglecting this but wanted to write a status post right quick.

My project for KnitEdge is going well, I have a huge and cryptic spreadsheet going and have started the first piece in the set. I m so excited o be doing this project!

I also received a wonderful gift from my boyfriend. A Nexus 7 tablet. I am loving it, and am posting from it now. Yay for technology!

NaNoWriMo is going, i'm about 4000 words behind the times, but my goal is more to finish the book than 50k words, though if both happen that would be nice. I've been to a couple of write ins so far, and plan to go to more.

Hmmmm What else am I working on? I did quite a lot on Frost Thread last week, and it is going swimmingly. Really beautiful!

Mythos

Below, both Suzanne and I reviewed the Mythos Collection by Fiddle Knits Designs. I have been following Erica Jackofsky's work for a while now and and am pleased and honored to be a part of her blog tour!

Whitney's Take:
 
Mythos, by Erica Jackofsky (Fiddle Knits Designs), is a wonderful collection of shawls and shawlettes designed along the theme of the Gods and Goddesses in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Overall, I am really impressed and pleased with the collection.

Wrought

In looking at the book from an “art” standpoint, it is pleasant to read and look at. I would like to have this as a coffee table book! The photography is both clear in showing the shawls, and creative in the posing. The patterns are easy to read, and the designs are cohesive, as a group and individually.

There are several features that make this a great informational book for knitters. Several talks are given on gauge particular to knitting lace, as well as tips on knitting and reading each pattern. Pre- and post-blocking gauges are given. I wish this was universally done in knitted lace!

The only shawl I wasn’t wow’ed by was Harvest. The design is interesting, with the curved bottom and angular lace pattern, but, beyond that I wasn’t impressed. Some people love it, though-and Erica is right, it is a great design for variegated yarns.

Allure

My two favorites were Allure and Wandering Waves. I also keep returning to Underworld. Interestingly, these three shawls have different constructions! Wandering Waves is especially interesting as it is knit on the bias, which is explained in the book.

Overall, this is a beautiful collection and I am going to make one or more of them. I often dye highly variegated yarns, and these shawls are great for that!

Suzanne’s Take:

I had the chance to take a look at the Mythos Collection of shawls by Fiddle Knits. I really enjoyed the look of the book because the pictures were beautiful. I felt like I was on a Greek island on holiday. 

The example shawls were beautifully done. The patterns were well-written with added hints and tips. I really appreciated that even though I am not a beginner. 

I believe there is a shawl for anyone in this collection with different techniques to please anyone. I particularly liked Solar Flare, but with no chart for it I have been put off, but still, it has been added to my queue on Ravelry. I also liked Wrought in some ways but the edging looked too tight or too small in the photo. The only one that I absolutely didn't like was Underworld. It just wasn't my taste at all.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but I did not like just a few aspects.

Wandering Waves

Wandering Waves is a free pattern! Enjoy! 

Which shawl in this collection is your favorite? Why?

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Today marks the beginning of the amazing fun known as NaNoWriMo. I am prepared to write my novel, unlike last year! I have prewriting and outlines, character sheets and place descriptions ready to go! Last year, I decided to start writing on Nov. 3, and only got to 15,000 or so words, when the goal is 50,000.

NaNoWriMo is a writing exercise participated in by 300,000 people from high schoolers and college students on up to major authors. The goal is to write 50K words, in the month of November, in something somewhat resembling novel format. This is an interesting exercise, to say the least!

I am currently waiting for a write-in to begin, where WriMo's from my area get together and write and have fun. Got to have some kind of kick off festivities! Maybe someone will bring candy, I didn't get any for Halloween.

I'm sure you can tell from all the exclamation points that I'm pretty excited. What are you excited about this month?