Win a Polished Aluminum Yarn Bowl! 12/16/2009
I have the second set of gorgeous yarn bowls available for sale - I will be posting them tonight on my ETSY shop - there are a limited number of dark gold or violet yarn bowls available! Here are the two colors available:   If you're interested or know of anyone who might be, please send them a link to my blog or etsy shop and have them buy right away - these are sure to sell out this week! Because these bowls are made of cast aluminum (they won't break!) I had lots of requests for a polished aluminum bowl just like the first prototype. You asked, I responded: Polished Aluminum Yarn Bowl Raffle The only way get this ONE polished aluminum yarn bowl is to enter my raffle! Remember, I'm training with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program? Well, I'm still looking for tax deductible donations. This bowl is your online raffle prize! Here's how to win: 1. Visit my donation page - http://apla.convio.net/goto/kylewilliam 2. Make a tax deductible donation in any amount ending in $___.26 - with a minimum donation of $5.26 (Five Dollars, Twenty-Six Cents) - The donation site requires a minimum of $5, and I am adding $.26 in honor of the 26.2 miles I'll be running and also so I can easily find the entries. YOU ARE WELCOME TO ENTER MORE THAN ONCE - SEPARATE ENTRIES THAT MEET THIS RULE ARE EQUALLY COUNTED!!! 3. PLEASE Share a link to the site on your blog or facebook or by email to friends, your knitting group; anyone you think might be interested. Posting a comment on this blog entry helps get folks excited as well! I will pick a WINNER on December 26, 2009 with the random number generator and make a post announcing who it is once they are contacted. I will pack and ship this bowl at my expense to you - and you will be the only person to have a bowl like this. The only limitation I can only ship the bowl to a U.S.A. street address. Email me with any questions - and remember that your donations are tax deductible - the money you give benefits AIDS Project Los Angeles and helps me reach my fundraising goal while I train for the Los Angeles Marathon!!! Thank You! Where does the time go? 12/07/2009
Holy cow. It's December. Cold outside. Near the end of the semester in school... frighteningly close to the holidays and I am not ready! Don't get me wrong... I love the holidays - but this year, with finances being tight and the somber mood of our country, for some reason, I'm just not "into" it... we might or might not put up a tree... we will probably light the candles for Hanukkuh... but much more than that will be a feat - Last weekend was the Winter Arts Festival at Pierce College. It was the first time I showed my knitting... the first time that I sold any. And I was amazed that I sold quite a few scarves... a shawl, even a felted bag! I was asked to sell my knitting in a local shop, and to do another charity show in April. I didn't commit to anything - as you probably know, my life is busy with wonderful things. Including the training for the Los Angeles Marathon. This past Sunday, I ran 12 miles! - I am amazed that I am doing this... that I have the ability to somehow wake myself up and crawl into my car - to drive to the training site and run every Sunday morning! It's not easy. Of course, I am still raising money for AIDS Project Los Angeles. I appreciate every dollar that is donated. Currently, I have been able to raise $2581.00 with a goal of $5,000.00 - if you're interested in donating (even $5 would be a big help!) please click this LINK - and give. It's tax deductible and feels amazing. I'm finishing up a number of ceramic pieces soon and will post about those once they're ready. I am also about to release the second wave of cast metal yarn bowls - the first set sold QUICKLY and I am thankful for every purchase made. If you know someone interested, please remind them to keep an eye on my etsy shop. That's it for now - sorry, no photos, no amazing news - just some notes and a hug to each of you! Save the Alpacas!! 08/14/2009
 Have you heard of Matthew Modine's new cause? he's doing his best to help a tribe in Equador save their alpaca flock! click on the shirt on the left to be redirected to a site that explains his efforts - and if you're in love with the shirt (like I am!) click on the "Schwag" button and buy your own... there is also coffee mugs, tote bags and lots of shirts... show your support what.... you don't think there's a problem with the alpacas? OK, OK, you're right -it's just a brilliant marketing scheme by the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, CA for an upcoming play - "Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas" coming up next month!  interested in finding out about the play? click on the title and you'll be directed to a link explaining some about the show... I have heard a few yarn shops might be trying to organize groups to the show - talk with your local yarn shop and see if they're interested... I am getting a shirt - and love the idea of this fun site... lots of the alpaca photos on the flickr page are from my NY trip this past March... I can't wait to see the play, Matthew Modine, French Stuart and Peri Gilpin, along with the rest of the actors promise that it'll be a hoot! Please repost and share with your fiber friends - the Alpaca thank you!!! DESTASH SALE! (Repost at will!) 07/27/2009
We'll keep this posting short and sweet - check out the SHOP and if you're interested in any of them let me know... I'll be adding more as these sell off - but the ones we're starting with are all one of a kind sets. Remember, the proceeds go to help Living Free Animal Sanctuary - during these uncertain times, the animals still need help - you can save lives!!!  I just received the first prototype for my metal yarn bowls - this one is aluminum - let me know your thoughts - what would you change? Once we get the design part figured out they will be made in some artistic finishes and offered for sale - online (through my website) as well as through local yarn shops - and with any luck, if there is interest, we'll be selling them to yarn shops across the U.S.A. - but that's later. Right now, we have to find out if anyone is interested in a metal yarn bowl :) Raku fun and Yarn sadness 03/30/2009
 Seriously - sad day in yarn land - Simply Knitting is shutting its doors - if you're in the area, it's 50% off EVERYTHING (she's selling her bookcases, furniture...everything) so get up there...  This is an extruded form I did last year - it was fired and ready to go when the raku option came around... so i tried it and love the way it looks! I think it might end up being a planter (but I have to line it first)  on to fun news... I got to do RAKU on Saturday in ceramics... this white bowl is approx. 7" dia x 5" high and will be used as a planter. Raku is not food safe, and is not watertight but with a liner, it'll make a cute little planter. I apologize for the poor photos - but wanted to share. What is raku, you ask? Well, once a piece is made and dried, it is fired to ^6 (cone six) which is around 1830 degrees I think - after that firing, the piece is called bisqueware. Then, special raku glazes are addes to the piece, using whatever techniques the artist wishes - and those are allowed to dry a minimum of 24 hours. After that, the raku kiln is taken out (we did it outside) and the kiln is loaded and the pieces are heated back up to ^6 - THEN while the pieces are glowing red hot, the kiln is opened (deep breath; hope nothing explodes from the thermal shock of "normal" air temperature hitting the wares), the pieces are removed using tongs and put into metal trash cans filled with anything combustible - newspaper, straw, dried leaves, sawdust, even vegetable oil! The material burns hard and fast, and a lid is put on the can - the flames go out, smoke billows out, and the oxidation process takes place. After about 15 minutes, the can is opened, the piece removed, put on a fireproof tile, hosed gently down and allowed to cool slowly. In the end, you get beautiful color... it's unpredictable - the colors react with the burning pieces... and chancy - the pieces can break or explode... but it's super fun and felt like Christmas all day long!  Knitting Needle Vase - knitted ceramics - approx. 4" dia x 5.5" high  "Knitted" ceramic platter (flat piece) approx. 7" x 10"  starburst interior with fish scale exterior, hand painted wax resist and raku bowl, approx. 7.5" dia x 3" high  "More Yarn Please" raku yarn bowl (suitable for sock yarn or something small) - approx. 5" dia x 3.75" high  Link Bowl - wax resist and 2 color raku interior, black oxide exterior with raku rim, approx. 7.5" dia x 3" high  And the best for last... Raku Yarn Bowl, approx. 6" dia x 4" high (approx. 4" opening) - this is what the pieces look like... as far as the type of coloring. I am considering putting ALL of them up for sale - so if you're interested in any of them, EMAIL me and let me know how much you are offering - of course, we'll have to ship these (in most cases) so there's that additional cost... as always, a portion of any sales I make from the website go to Living F  in progress.... waiting to get into the kiln! Happy Valentines Day! 02/13/2009
 I received the best valentine EVER from my good friend Chuck - he's way too clever - he found a valentine of a girl KNITTING with YARN and a KITTY! - The only thing that could have made it more perfect would be if it were a boy knitting... but how thoughtful! Kreativ Blogger Awards 02/10/2009
 I am excited that my buddy Home-Spun gave me this award and I'm glad to spread the love to 8 of my blog pals! Feel free to copy and paste as needed... and congrats! [NOTE] I continue to update this list to reflect the remaining states still needing representation -The response has been overwhelming - thank you to everyone who has expressed interest! So far, we have over 40 men who have signed up to be a part of the project - I am still looking for guys from the following states: (I will remove the states if I have at least one participant for that location - but if your state is not included, and you want to participate, PLEASE EMAIL ME ANYWAY! I am glad to have more than one person for each state! - the project will possibly include more than one version of publication! Alaska If you or someone you know (a guy!) wants to participate in the project, please email me and let me know the name, email, blog (if you have one) and the state you claim - which could be your residence, hometown, birthstate, whatever... and I'll get you included in the project - as soon as I get most of the states included, we'll be sending out questionnaires, etc. On my website you can click on the Knitting Men Project tab and read more about the process. Thanks for helping me get the resources together to assemble this project - with any luck it will become a force to show publishers, designers, magazines and LYS's that there are guys all over the USA who are knitting (which might lead to an increase in male oriented projects!)  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!!  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... |     ArchivesFebruary 2010  CategoriesAll  |
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