I finished and put a new yarn bowl up on my ETSY site - (click HERE to see that page) - which sold today and is now on its way to NY... I also put the cards on the etsy site and added a few other ceramic pieces and one knitting book.  I plan on putting more knitting books on there as well as collections of yarn by color (for freeform knitting/crochet) to see if people are interested in buying it... but that'll have to wait for now - so many things are going on it's difficult to schedule much more into my day!

I was also able to get more large knitted pieces into the kiln last night - along with some glazed pieces I should be able to show in a week or two.  The class is off to Davis next week for a ceramics conference... I am not going - saving my time away from work for my trip to NY for the Men's Knitting Retreat - and looking forward to it.

Next year, maybe I'll be able to swing both... it sounds like a lot of fun...

Sorry for the short post - just wanted to share about the items on ETSY and also my excitement about the pieces that are high firing as I type!  Have a great weekend!

It may not look like much, but I knitted about this far (around row 23) of the pattern for the vest before realizing that I was on the wrong gauge... remember, I am working with 240 stitches and two yarns for this pattern - it's complicated for me (ok, not really complicated - but tedius, yes) and after a weekend of serious knitting I am pretty much back where I started!  I decided to keep the ribbing and just go up a needle size.  My gauge is still way off from what it is supposed to be (remember, this is TEST knitting) but it's looking good and if I can find someone to wear it (I think it'll take a 34-36" chest) I'll be happy. 

On Saturday, I went to the Hammer and hung out with Lisa Anne Auerbach (an exhibiting artist there) along with a bunch of neat fiber ladies, including my blog pal Ellen Bloom... we visited the exhibit and experienced the fervor of museum security when we were trying to do our group photo during our visit! - with the artist there, it was really OK, but since we hadn't made the official requests, etc. etc, all kinds of speakers and walkie talkies started going off... it was almost funny!

I am also working on my "theme" sweater that I'm designing in collaboration with Lisa Anne.  I plan to have the design ready in the next few months, completed and assembled in time for the Men's Knitting Retreat in New York -

That's about it for now... just an update about my grumpiness regarding gauge and my vest - but it's OK - I am thinking of this one as practice... and the next kauni I do I'll do in the right gauge (haha)

At the urging of my internet pal Holly (who blogs HERE) I have started a kauni effektgarn vest.  (Note the link for the yarn is not where it came from but will show those unfamiliar the color ranges and gives a definate "diving off" point for anyone willing to take the plunge!).

This vest started with a twisted rib - casting on 240 stitches and knitting in pattern for 3 inches on size 3 needles!  It took a while, but now I'm acclimated and a few rows into the fair isle part (which generously allows the increase of needle size albeit only to size 5 in my case!)  The vest is made in the round, with STEEKING (eek) for the armholes and neck opening!  I am ready and tackling this with fervor.  Last night I didn't want to sleep - I wanted to keep knitting on my vest... I can't wait to show you a pattern repeat of the trees!

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and spring break - it's back to school this week and time to focus on closing in on the last weeks of university! 

Yes, it's true... I really DO still knit.  Although this has been done for a while, I didn't show it to you..Yarn - Mondial Oggi

How much? @17 skeins = 1683.0 yards (1538.9m) Colorway blue 

Purchased at Hissy Knits in Los Angeles(now closed)

I finished this a while ago.... back in August, 2008 - but never got around to taking a photo.  I gave it to a friend in St. Louis but it doesn't fit him all that great either... the V-Neck is too big... it's a bit "revealing" if you know what I mean... I'm not sure how to repair that (ideas, anyone?) - I'd like to fix it up so that someone would wear it... the pattern was interesting...

The other news is that I put some pieces in my ETSY shop - a few ceramic pieces... hopefully they'll find good homes :)

I'm in the process of planning a lot of fun ceramic pieces, about to finish a secret project, and close to starting my fair isle sweater project (which I am planning [haha] on having completed before the Men's Spring Knitting Retreat - we'll see how that goes!

Paragraph.

The survey is wrapping up - final submissions MUST be made no later than Sunday, March 22, 2009!  THANK YOU for all the people who have participated - we're at just over 900 (can you believe it?!) responses - all of them valued and appreciated!

the link is HERE - click and take it if you haven't already - I'll be researching the data and developing the project further as time goes by -

and last but not least.... any of you guys who are interested in participating in the project - check out www.knittingmeninamerica.com and get in touch - we're st

Saturday was an all day Ceramics day for me... I'm starting to work on forms for YARN BOWLS! - I am hoping to be able to offer a number of these for sale by the early summer.  If you have particular wishes regarding sizing, color, etc. be sure to email me and let me know and I'll try to make one to fit your needs :)

I also started work on an organically shaped "knitted" vase - this piece stands about 14" tall and is highly textured on one side, less on the other (but the same pattern) - I like the feeling this is conveying; marriage of clay and knit.... we'll see where it goes from here.  Any suggestions as to what color you might like to see this vase?

Here's my first attempt at a truely knitted "vase" - there are holes in this one where the stitches gap apart... but it should be a great holder for knitting needles!  it's drying and waiting to be bisque fired...

And this... ladies and gentleman is a porcelain knitted swatch - it's about to be bisque fired as well - and may end up as a framed piece... it's a test for future projects... but I'm having a great time experimenting...

I have 3 bowls being bisqued right now, and in addition to these pieces 6 more bowls waiting to be trimmed and to go to bisque firing... it was a fun Saturday class this time - quite productive!

I also knitted on a secret project that I can't reveal quite yet... it's about 30% done... and I'm truckin' along on it!

Lastly, the Knitting: Men in America survey is coming along nicely - lots of amazing bloggers and websites have linked to it and we're getting a great cross section of contemporary knitters contributing to the data.  I am learning all kinds of neat things about the way we think of each other and can't wait to share it with all of you!

Just a quick note to announce the completion of my first sweater for 2009- it's a test knit of the stacatto hoodie (minus the hood) that will soon be available from www.throughtheloops.typepad.com - keep an eye out - it's an incredibly fun knit - and next time I'll be knitting the hood as well!

I did a few mods - I obviously changed the hood for a polo type collar and I did ribbing around the base of the sweater instead of the turned hem...

I am crazy enough to have decided to attempt 12 sweaters for 2009 - one month down... 11 to go.  I started a cardigan last week - I'm done with the first sleeve and about halfway through the second one - my goal is to complete the second sleeve this weekend - keeping on track will be more difficult once the school semester leaps into full gear but I'm going to do my best!

My partner is saying that I'm insane... but after finishing the back of the Dave sweater on Saturday, I was itching for something new to work on - I wanted a "break" from the monotony of knitting plain knit and purl row after row... but this... Kaffe Fassett is a genius (and wayyyyy amazing) - I'm starting the Gridlock Cushion and I have done 10-12 rows so far.  Ther notes aren't 100% accurate in the pattern - the pattern for the cushion is the same as the one for a blanket in the book - but the blanket "squares" are 25 stitches across, and the cushion "squares" are 20 stitches across... This means that everything within the pattern has to be adjusted accordingly - it's a pattern that you have to stop, move slowly and pay attention to in order to keep it looking they way it's intended...

That being said, I like knitting it - I wish I had a room where I could lay out all the yarns (I put each one in a baggie and labeled it with its corresponding letter) it'd be much easier to work if there was a space to do that...

Anyway, I like it... it's a challenge - and I'm probably crazy for starting this a week or two before the new spring semester - I hope I'll be able to get it done... before the semester gets crazy...

 

I know I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I just was shown by my friend Chuck how cool the fiber trends felted slippers are.... He made a pair for a relative - so after seeing his, I just had to make some... so I went this weekend to stitch cafe and bought some cascade 220 to make Gregg a pair.  He picked the colors for his shoes and I am excited about making them!  I have heard that they're complicated and I was a bit anxious about starting... but last night I decided to dive in - I got my yarn and wound it into little cakes...

The best treat about the pattern is that it's NOT difficult!  Just read and follow the pattern... work slowly and after an hour or two or three (I don't know how long it took; only that I was tired at 10:30 when I finished the first one) you have what looks like a giant slipper!  I have to make the second one and do the magic felting part, but it looks like a slipper! HOORAY!

Once I get his done, I have plans for a second pair for me - these are easy and fun - depending on how they turn out, I might be making felted slippers for everyone! :)

We plan to have a calm new years... visiting with friends, staying near home - counting our blessings as usual.  I just wanted to share a tiny bit of knitting content since it seems I have been talking about everything BUT!

Happy almost 2009!

What a beautiful place for a retreat - nestled north (I think it's north?) of the Golden Gate Bridge, we were at Point Bonita YMCA - bunkbeds, staying up late, knitting and learning...

The grounds were beautiful - we saw deer, racoons and even a skunk (who was cute!) - I was enamored with the fog, cool temperatures, drizzle, moss and atmosphere - it's not what I'm used to in Los Angeles, that's for sure! 

a short and easy hike down the pointe brought us to this big steel door through the mountain - it is the entrance to the path that leads to the lighthouse - and is open only a few hours a day a few days a week - I loved the rust colored algae or rust or whatever it is around the door - the color was so beautiful!

I tried to get a photo of the bridge at night - and while I was very still (sat my camera solidly on a post, set the timer, did long exposures) I didn't take into account the mist and fog in the air... it's fuzzy because San Francisco is a bit fuzzy - it's misty and hazy and foggy and I LOVE it!!

Here are some other photos from the trip - I had a great time and suggest any guy who is interested in knitting visit the Men's Knitting Retreat website or the group on ravelry!

Poor Darrellllll... (founder of menwhoknit.com) - when are ya gonna get out of the brigade? :)

a view from inside a part of the brigade (used for WWII I think) - not sure what this really was, but we thought it'd be a great place for a bar or dance club - that is; if they'd put up some railings...

Mr. Farris again taking great photos of the city and the bridge...

me and my buddy Michael - he helped me immensely with my circular sock knitting machine... (and he MADE a pair of socks on his while doing so!) - see that sweater?  he made it - an insanely talented guy - can't wait to learn more from him and the other guys next year!

and last but not least, Point Bonita Lighthouse - a beautiful spot... (and I got great cell phone service out there!)  I know I didn't show much knitting on this post - but knitting WAS done - I just didn't photograph it... I got about half of the front of a sweater done, and took a few classes as well.  we learned twined knitting, hand spinning on a drop spindle, freeform knitting/crochet, mosaic, and entrelac among other things.  Wanna be involved next year?  please do... just get in touch with the guys who organized it and they'll email you as it gets closer.  WonderMike and HizKnits from Y Knit were the ones in charge this time -- amazing men - along with everyone who attended...

I can't wait to go back!