It's time to buy with heart! We have over 30 different handmade pieces listed in the 75 Squares fundraiser! Each one is $150.00, and that donation is enough to serve 75 meals to those in need.

Click the image or HERE to be directed to the shop.

Here's to helping others!
Kyle

It's time to announce the call for submissions to the 75 Squares fundraiser! This event benefits Project Open Hand; a nonprofit whose mission is to provide "meals with love" to seniors and the critically ill. 

In one of their larger programs, a single, healthy, well-balanced, "square" meal costs Project Open Hand about $2.00. 

75 Squares is a fundraising sale of handmade scarves, cowls, wraps, and shawls that is planned to launch Saturday, September 26, 2015.

As a donating artist, the "feel good" comes from contributing a piece (and the time it took to make), and watching that item be the reward for another person who makes a contribution to Project Open Hand. Then, the knowing that as the piece is loved and worn, that the wearer carries the story of how through this fundraiser they were able to help provide nutritious "meals with love" to so many.

Please consider donating a scarf, cowl, shawl, or wrap that you've made to the event. Each piece will be listed for sale online for $150.00, and all the proceeds will go to feed the clients of Project Open Hand. Each item sold in this fundraiser will feature a 75 Squares label, reminding the wearer that 75 wonderfully nutritious meals were served to those in need as a direct result of their purchase. 

Note your interest by filling out the sign-up form HERE, and send in your work as soon as possible. All items must be received no later than Friday, July 31, 2015.

Questions? Email me HERE.

San Francisco has mild (but unpredictable) weather. Traveling across the city folks who live here know it's wise to always carry a jacket. In the cooler times of year, a finely knit cowl or scarf also comes in handy. Inspired by architectural detail in San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House, Cabaletta is a fine knit that uses two different yarns from Crystal Palace to create a lightweight (but warm) cowl.

The name “Cabaletta” is a term in Italian opera defining a brisk aria that usually follows a more contemplative one. The word was derived from the Italian “Cavallo” (horse) and often the music accompanying the cabaletta can be reminiscent of a horse’s gallop.

I love the way this cowl feels. It's the perfect weight... I also think that for colder climates this design would be nice if the height was doubled.

The pattern is available on Ravelry (via the link below). 

$4.00

Full details about this design are included on the pattern page HERE.

This men’s half-zip pullover uses a gently shifting motif to create a modified houndstooth motif. Carefully tailored with set in sleeves, and solid cuffs and hem, a zipper finishes off the neckline and completes this timeless design. 

This pattern is worked flat and requires basic knitting knowledge, including knit/purl, increasing, decreasing, reading charts, stranded knitting, and finishing.  

Yesterday I spent the day at the Museum of Craft and Design in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco, assisting Arline Fisch in her workshop that provided participants the opportunity to knit and crochet with wire.

I met up with the Museum staff a few minutes before class began and, along with Laurel, another volunteer, had a crash course on the projects we were making.  The workshop (and the speaker series event on Friday night) were arranged to compliment the current exhibit: Creatures from the Deep, which displays a beautiful collection of sea creatures crafted from wire. 

The class was sold out, with folks even flying in just for the workshop.  Yes, Arline is THAT well known; her work is even in the collection of the Smithsonian.  Others talked about week-long retreats they had attended led by this artist decades ago.  Students brought in copies of her books and asked for autographs.  It seems most (if not all) of the books are out of print now.  I looked through a few of them and was overwhelmed with the creativity and inspiration they contained.  For those interested in jewelry or metal arts, I'd suggest getting one (or many) of her books as budget allows.

As the workshop progressed, we circulated, offering help with projects.  For this workshop, students were first able to make a little jellyfish, then a bracelet using special wire and a round knitting loom.  The process of using the loom was pretty easy, and working with the wire was surprisingly fun! 

As we worked, Arline related the workshop to the exhibit, explaining how she used the same technique for many of the pieces in the show.... even explaining how she had custom rings made for projects of varied scale.

Arline was generous with her time, even staying during the lunch break to answer questions about the workshop or projects that students were working on.  I was pleased to hear how everyone had a great time at the workshop, and it was a joy to watch this woman who has spent much of her life devoted to the art she loves, enjoying the experience as much as her students!

The participants came from varied backgrounds - social workers, engineers, social workers, landscape architects and gardeners - and it was really neat to watch them work as they were gathered by this common interest.

At the end of the day, students filled out a survey for feedback about the workshop, gathered their new creations, and headed out into the beautiful Saturday afternoon.  We cleaned up the room, folded up our aprons, and got ready to go.  Arline gave me this sweet little jellyfish that she had created as thanks for helping out with the workshop.  She gave Laurel a knitted bracelet.  I was giddy with excitement to have a work made by this legend and asked to take a photo with her.  

Leaving the Museum, I realized how important craft is to my life, and I look forward to being a part of their workshops in the future!

I'm working on a swatch for a design proposal at the moment.  It's taking a bit of my time away from progressing on things that I can talk about on the blog.  I'm happy with how it looks and (some day!) I hope to share it with you!

After a fun day working with Arline, I came home to a little gift!  John remembered how I had wanted the "Space Needle" drop spindle by Cascade Spindles when we were at Madrona  last year, and ordered one for me.  So... last night, after having a beautiful dinner outside, I gathered up an art batt made of wool, alpaca, llama, firestar, angora, mohair, AND silk/soy silk from Lush Fiber Farm and started practicing on my new beautiful drop spindle.

The first time I tried working with a drop spindle I didn't like it because it took a long time.  Last night when I was experimenting with it, I realized that using a drop spindle means I can take spinning with me! - (yes, I know, that portability is one of the major reasons for using a drop spindle... I just had never thought I might want to take my spinning WITH me!)

What fun.  (now I can start hunting for other drop spindles to add to the collection!)

I'm happy to share with you my latest hat pattern!  This time it's a design inspired by old quilt patterns.  Using a number of different colors throughout the hat, it's fun to knit... and the pattern would be a great opportunity to use scrap yarn (perhaps some leftover sock yarn?) 

What's involved in this pattern?  It starts with a provisional cast on and a lining worked in the round using a main color and smaller needles.  Once a turning row is completed, the stranded knitting begins.  I worked most of this hat on circular needles, switching to double points for crown shaping.  (Some people would use magic loop at this point.)

Once the project was complete, it was time to find a place to do photography.  I did a lot of research, looking for an exterior location that would offer the right feeling.  I settled on the Palace of Fine Arts.  San Francisco is an amazing city for photography - lots of hills, water everywhere... and even the fog can make things interesting.  Anyway, The Palace of Fine Arts was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Expo. Built out of paper mache,  It was only meant to exist for a few years and actually fell into disrepair until the 1960s.  After some generous contributions, it was re-created out of concrete and lasted for a good while.  The past few years brought a re-furbishing of the monument and visiting it was truly a magical experience.  I look forward to discovering more places in my hometown for photoshoots!

We took photos in a few different spots at this location.  The doors in the background of this photo are used in a lot of wedding photography.  I thought it was really interesting how the pattern in the door is almost identical to the motif in the hat!

Knitting this pattern went pretty quickly.  The chart is easy to follow, and the color changes encouraged me as I worked.  I am excited to see the color combinations others come up with!!

I'll leave you with a few images of the architecture around the Palace of Fine Arts.  I hope you like the new hat!

I'll be the first to tell you I LOVE the view from my house.  It's probably one of my favorite things about where I live, and I didn't think it could get any better than this.  At sunset it's fun to watch the sunlight bounce off the buildings as the city and bridge light up.  See that big tree to the left?  It seems that although it looks beautiful and green, there were bits of it that had begun to die.  The owners of that property made the hard decision to remove the tree for fear that it would fall and cause some serious damage to the homes of their downhill neighbors. 

So, this week, the work begun.  Workers with ropes, chainsaws, big scary chipping machines and strong work ethic started to chop away.  After the first day (a full day!) of work, they had removed this much of the tree (see the photo below) - and you know what it means?  an even more expansive view of the city!

They finished the visible part of the tree removal yesterday and now I can see the entire skyline of San Francisco from my front window.  There's still a smaller tree in the view and I think it helps to add a bit of scale to the view.  We can see the dome of City Hall now! 

In other news, there are lots of things going on in the studio, most of which I can't talk about; which can be frustrating!  I have sent in quite a few pattern proposals in the past few weeks and have a few more to complete and turn in.  In addition, a number of projects have flown off the needles recently and have found their way to their new homes for tech editing and publishing.  I want to share with you what I'm up to, but I have to wait.