Flower Headband

By request from some ladies from the knitting club I managed to find the pattern for this knitted headband. I could not wait to make it... so I did.

I was in front of my computer trying to follow the pattern, counting stitches and trying really hard to concentrate, but my mac's mail application kept jumping up and down(announcing that I had a new email e-v-e-r-y 2 minutes).

Meanwhile in NYC fireworks were seen near La Guardia airport! apparently the knitting girls were throwing a party for Ilana. And I? well, I was busting my butt trying to finish the headband to make sure it came out like the one Mery wanted (I think she needed a fancy accessory to dress up for the cousin).

I used less than one skein of Patons Classic Wool in Dark Grey for both the headband and the flower, and a pair of size 6 us (4 mm) needles. The pattern can be found at T. Mattews Fine Art blog.

For those of you that need help understanding the abbreviations and want to learn how to increase and decrease stitches, I strongly recommend you to visit Knitting Help. This is a wonderful site where you can find many tips, easy to understand instructional videos, a glossary of common knitting abreviations, patterns and tips on knitting. If you like learning things on your own, this is a site you must bookmark on your computer.

The flower on the headband is from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B Anderson. The flower is made with 4 layers. Each layer is made separately, then stacked from largest to smallest and sewn together.

She has a video on youtube where she demonstrates how to make one of the layers. For the first layer (10 petals) cast on 112 stitches, for the second (8 petals): 90 stitches, for the third(6 petals): 68 stitches and for the fourth(4 petals): 46 stitches.

For my friends from the knitting club I must tell you, when you visit the site you will find, that the instructional videos are shown in two styles of knitting: Continental (pink button) and English (blue button). Pick the continental one. I also recommend you watch the video on Combined Knitting, which is the way I was taught to knit and I think many of you as well. It explains why we end up with twisted stitches on the hat project while using circular needles and also how to adjust our stitches when following western patterns.

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves last night, and I ask you nicely...next time, throw a party for me!!!

Knock Knock

Daniel Beaty is a spoken word artist and writer whose video I came across a few days ago. I found it very powerful and inspiring, I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Dave Cole

Dave Cole- Contemporary American Sculptor born in New Hampshire in 1975. Cole deals with controversial themes and unique construction techniques and often places his subject matter in a violent context to create shock.

Cole deconstructs the process of knitting itself by utilizing unlikely materials, such as extension cords and shredded American dollars in place of wool, and poles and fork lifts in place of needles. While we associate many of his materials (i.e. kevlar, shotguns, iron, and fiberglass) with pain, aggression, and violence, themes of comfort and domesticity often dominate his sculptures.

Cole’s work simultaneously evokes tension and humor. Visual puns are common, for example in Money Dress and Electric Blanket, as are flags and symbols of war. The domestic process of knitting is often exaggerated or made hyper-masculine.*

* From Spinhandspun Designs Blog

Dress made of shredded dollar bills !!!

"Knitting with Loaded Shotguns (Safties Off)," 2008, spun statuary bronze with 12 gauge shotguns, 72" x 66" x 10".

The Knitting Machine, comprising two excavators specially fitted with massive 20' knitting needles, was one part of a three-part exhibition of Cole's work at the MASS MoCA museum.

Electric blanket

Rose Hip

I often visit Etsy in search of new ideas and inspiration. This is a place were hundreds of talented artist sell their handmade creations. I can spend hours browsing through the beautiful stuff and often buy knitting and crochet patterns. It is here I found Rose Hip; she lives in Vancouver and offers a collection of pillowcases made out of new and vintage fabrics. What is so special about these is that she tastefully finishes the pillowcases with a lovely scallop crocheted motif using a soft cotton yarn in stunning contrasting colours.

I noticed the link to her blog and was happily surprised when I realized she has 2 great crochet tutorials absolutely free.

Her Crochet Flower Square Pattern and Crochet Flower Pattern were a fabulous addition to my "things I want to make" list. These two patterns are perfect for making throws and pillow covers. The colour combination she uses reminds me of the stuff at pottery barn kids with a bit of a vintage twist.

Check out her Flickr photostream where I find inspiration on all the fabric she uses. I like to open my Color Munki palette creation software, where I throw in photos that inspire me and pull out unique color palette combinations I can later use on my own projects.

Worst Felting Project

Aaaaaaand the winner to our first knitting club award of 2010 is:

None other than Shayne .... She tried sooo hard to finish the slippers for her daughter, following the instructions so precisely, and yet the friggen slippers came out looking like something the grinch would wear. Dahlia tried her hardest not to make her mom feel bad and even said to her she would gladly wear the slippers, she only wanted them to be comfy. The truth is that Dahlia later confessed that they were not only huge and odd looking, but they were so uncomfortable she could not even wear them.

Hold on girls Shayne might try it again ... Third time's a charm (la tercera es la vencida)!

Knitting Graffiti

Guerrilla Knitting is a group of knitting terrorist with similar obsessions. Their mission in life is to promulgate the knitting revolution and expressing it by creating knitting graffiti all around the world. They call their movement Knittivism.

Magda Sayeg began the graffiti group three and a half years ago to tag with knits instead of spray paint.

" it's about making people smile and bringing art out of the galleries so everyone can appreciate it" Magda Sayeg explains.

Denise Litchfield of Sydney, Australia, is one of these global artists, she explains: "It's a response to the growing street art world to make a distinctly feminine statement in urban art in a way that is far less harmful to the surroundings. As in, it does not need solvents or cleansers to remove. It's stitched on, and if you don't like it, you unpick it."

Tree trunks, door handles and street signs are fair game. Projects as large as buses and buildings have been undertaken as a response to garden-variety shenanigans. The artists seek to bring their own feminine flair while beautifying their surroundings in a nondamaging way.

A FAMILY OF PUFFS

If you were inspired by my last post where I showed Christien Menderstma's Urchin Puff (which btw retails for $800 at Design Within Reach ...Ouch!) , you will be happy to know that Anna & Heidi Pickles offer a whole family of Puff patterns for FREE. These Puffs (Norweigan word for stool) are meant to be knitted in a much thinner yarn, Acrylic is recommended and you need to get yourself a pair of size #19 US circular needles.

PUFF DADDY:

Materials:

Eskimo, 18 balls (Or yarn suitable for US #13 needles)

Acrylic yarn would probably be a really good alternative, as it´s a piece of furniture

US #19 circular needles 2 cheap duves (feather and down)

Instructions:

Cast on 35 stitches using three threads.

Knit the garter stitch until you´ve knitted all the balls, and there is just enough yarn left to asseble the stool.

You now have ONE rectangular piece.

Cast off loosely.

Assemble the short sides (35 stitch side) as neatly as you can.

Assemble the first long side. This is supposed to be the top or the bottom of the stool. Put the needle through the end stitch of every second row and tighten, tighten, tighten! Repeat on the rows in between and tighten until there is no whole in the middle.

Stuff the duves into the stool. We tried to make a ball of the duves before we stuffed it.

Assemble the other end in the same manner as the first.

And there you go! Your first knitted furniture perhaps?

YOU CAN FIND THEIR OTHER TUTORIALS HERE

PUFF MAMA:

PUFF DADDY'S BABY:

PUFF MAMA'S BABY:

PUFF GRANNY'S BABY

Mega Knitting

Kwangho Lee is a Korean Designer who utilizes re-purposed recycled electrical wires, cables and garden hoses to create home furnishing art.

Kwangho Lee's knitted lighting was spectacular, hanging throughout the ballroom of the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto during the Come Up To My Room exhibition 2009 . CUTMR is part of the Toronto International Design Festival. It is an annual design event in which selected artist and designers show their most innovative pieces. The four-day event features 11 rooms and 14 public space installations, and over 50 designers.

Full size area rug created by Jean Lee using cotton rope it is all hand knotted. The Mega Doily rug will be featured in Meg Mateo Illasco's upcoming book, "Crafting a Meaningful Home" (STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, Fall 2010).

Aran Rug by and Urchin Pouf by Christien Meindertsma

Andrea's Candy Hat

My daughter Andrea managed to finish her second project. This is no soldier hat, she made it for a cute little baby boy named Andres whom Andrea just adores! Good job knitting girl!

Aviva's Shawl

I think the story behind Aviva's Shawl is really moving.

Erika is an older lady, a holocaust survivor who had been sheltered by a family during the war. The lady that saved her also taught her how to knit and crochet.

Many years later, Aviva met Erika while working as a volunteer in Cafe Europa where she provided emotional support for survivors of the holocaust. Erika in return offered to teach Aviva how to crochet, this is the beautiful Shawl Aviva made!

What Not To Knit

Here you have it , an entertaining collection of knitted and crochet items you must never ever attempt to duplicate.

There must have been one of this at every Bubby's house:

The original one and only JJJOT PANTS:

She or he must have ran out of things to make.

The good thing about these is that together with cloth handkerchiefs they are 100% eco-friendly...Lola, are you listening?

Ilanita: Don't even think about it!!!:

Just where would you even put this ?

No words to describe these, It kills me that somebody actually posted these in the internet to show off their creativity:

No jokes, my aunt still has one of this in her bathroom - In 20 years this might even be retro cool :

I thought Mary might want to make this one for Galia's whinny dog:

What Ivana Trump will knit for her grandaughter: