Fiber
Works in fiber are my true passion. When I was younger I used to say I didn't have the patience for crafts involving yarn - but as time moves forward, I have learned that working in fiber allows me to explore the limitations of materials, and to discover how my view on a project affects its outcome. Each work teaches me more about the craft, my abilities, and reminds me that in this craft the journey and finished object can be equally treasured. My blog will give more information on many of these pieces.
Angkor - 2011Inspired by the beautifully patterned hand-woven textiles seen during a visit to Southeast Asia, this pattern serves as a wonderful introduction to the world of Fair Isle or stranded knitting. The design features repeating diamonds that blend into a modified star at the crown. The colorwork focuses on high-contrast positive and negative shapes, while highlighting the variegated colors of Blue Moon Fiber Arts® Socks that Rock® heavyweight yarn. Buy the pattern HERE.
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Rialta - 2011Deceptively simple, the Rialta scarf pattern takes full advantage of yarns that slowly change color. Announced in THIS post, the pattern is FREE and provided for you to use, share, and enjoy. Click on the "buy now" link to download your FREE copy of this pattern:
FREE (.pdf download) 
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Cure - 2011100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this pattern are donated to
Project Open Hand; a non-profit organization offering “meals with love” to people living with HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses and to seniors in San Francisco and Alameda Counties since 1985. Find out more at www.openhand.org. Have life saving information to share with someone the next time they ask about the hat you’re wearing. Using this pattern, it’s easy to create a custom hat supporting HIV/AIDS awareness! Check out the fact sheet at the end of the pattern to learn more about this disease and what you can do to help reduce your risk. $4.00 (.pdf download)
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Four Directions - 2011Announced in this blog post, This hat was designed for a workshop at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.
Honoring the Navajo (Diné) people, the Four Directions hat features a water border symbolizing the cycle of life and eternal renewal, and four stripes representing the four directions and the daily repeating cycle of life; reminding us that each day we are offered the opportunity to begin anew. $4.00 (.pdf download) | 
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Cause - 2011100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this pattern are donated to
Living Beyond Breast Cancer.Using this pattern, it’s easy to create a custom hat supporting awareness of breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, or any other cause you choose by simply changing the color of the ribbons. Knit one for yourself, make another for a friend or charity! NOTE: Crafty Andy created a crochet version of this pattern! Please visit his website HERE to view and purchase the crochet pattern. $4.00 (.pdf download)
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Seahorse Cardigan - 2011
Kit from a vintage Mary Maxim pattern (1959), the seahorse cardigan was an exciting adventure into the world of colorwork. The biggest hurdle when tackling a vintage pattern is finding yarn to substitute.
Once I realized that I actually substitute yarn in almost every pattern I knit, that process became easy! The bottom button is vintage and features a seahorse.
Once I realized that I actually substitute yarn in almost every pattern I knit, that process became easy! The bottom button is vintage and features a seahorse.
Mitered Square Blanket - 2011
Started in 2007, this blanket forced me to work on a large scale project and, as a finished work, I could not be more pleased! To keep better track of the pattern, I made a form - i just check off boxes for each row, and work down the worksheet for a block - the worksheet, when completed, makes 20 blocks. I find this method much easier than trying to come up with new “marks” for each different row on a ratted copy of the pattern. Here’s the LINK for the worksheet I made.
| Boxer Shorts - 2010
As part of a knitalong with my knitting boys, I made a pair of knitted boxers! - striped green and beige/brown, they turned out pretty well... we posed for a "group photo" at the Men's Spring Knitting Retreat at Easton Mountain, NY, May, 2010.
John and Chuck went "above and beyond" and also knit coordinating socks... (Kenny and I did not get that memo!) |
Technicolor - 2009
Completed in 13 days (August 16-29, 2009) - using a basic top-down raglan knitting pattern and adding a technique of alternating 2 yarns every 2 rows, I created this sweater using 12 different skeins of Noro Kureyon wool yarn. Exploiting the subtle color changes, I was careful to try to blend the end of one skein with the beginning of another.
There's no way to know what a sweater like this will look like until it's knitted - the yarns all change so randomly that it's always a surprise! [2nd Place] Los Angeles County Fair, 2009 "Men Knit Too" Contest | Carlito - 2010
I started knitting this cardigan at the Men's Fall Knitting Retreat, 2010 in Easton, NY, and continued working on it through the following few months, and was very proud when I was able to put it on! The cable travels around the chest and across the back, and it features some biased ribbing that pulls the cardigan in and makes it feel very snuggly. After it was completed I visited my vintage button collection to find the perfect accent for this project. The result is a quite warm cardigan perfect for cold mornings.
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Forest Canopy Wrap - 2009
Completed: July 12, 2009 - Began July, 2008 after a class in freeform knitting & crochet, the recent months have driven me to finish this work. The button on the wrap is a converted button from Edgar Berebi, and the base of the piece is a felted fleece from Ozark Handspun. More can be read on the blog post announcing the completion of this work HERE.
2009 Los Angeles County Fair Awards: [1st Place] Division 2350, Class 3, Freeform Knitting or Crochet [Best of Show] Division 2350, Freeform Knitting or Crochet | Desert Sunset - 2010
I began this top down raglan with SWS Patons in color Natural Wood for neck and intend to use this for the cuffs and neckline - decided to start with this till the short rows were complete… then added scraps of brown yarns from a previous project that used many different fibers. I knitted the entire body in a weekend, and completed the entire sweater in only 9 days.
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Life Before the Cure - 2009
Completed: May 13, 2009 - This was a collaborative project with Los Angeles Based artist Lisa Anne Auerbach. After discovering her work online through her website, I began to talk with her through email and we quickly became friends. She was gracious enough to invite me to her studio where she showed me how she makes her amazing sweaters... I was in awe at the design and talent, but also the process. Generously, she offered a workshop through The Public School, where around a dozen artists met to learn how to develop a viable design for our own sweaters. Mine is based on the idea that once a cure exists (to disease, famine, whatever) it's easy to forget the struggle prior to that realization. I wanted to make a sweater in honor of those I know who fought (either winning or losing) battles with Cancer, among other fights, that would hint to the idea that one day we'll find a cure to the plight and the fight will be over. Lisa was amazing to help me with my sweater, and the experience is one that taught me much more than I can begin to know at this moment.
[2nd Place] Los Angeles County Fair, 2009, Machine Knitting | Jason's Comfort Blanket - 2009
Approx. 72" x 64" blanket created for an online friend battling cancer in Holland. Collaboration with knitters and crocheters around the globe. Described in THIS post on my blog, the blanket was a true labor of love. Each 8" x 8" square was attached to its neighbors using three needle bind off, and a beautiful crochet border was added by Doug Laughlin and Ivar Asplund.
[Private Collection, Amsterdam, Holland] |
Pinwheel Blanket - 2009
A friend showed me a baby blanket she made for her new daughter - I instantly fell in love with this pattern and after her convincing me how easy it was (it IS easy!) I decided to take a collection of yarns I had and make an adult sized blanket. I grouped the yarns in order of how I wanted to stripe them, bagged them (together if I intend to strand more than one at a time) and numbered the bags in this case, 1-36. I just followed the pattern, and changed the color of yarn every 2 or 4 rounds.
This piece started and ended with some amazing yarn from Manos del Uruguay - in one of my favorite colors. I am happy to have found a use for all these novelty yarns, single balls, etc. I’m using some beautiful handspun, vintage yarn, and even the yarn I had made through VIP Fibers of my cat Winky's fur! The final blanket is just over 4' in diameter. | Elvis the Lamb! - 2008
Yarn: Ozark Handspun and worsted weight handspun (that is made from my cat Winky's hair!) |
Snowflake Sweater - 2008
My first adventure into fair isle knitting, I made this sweater to prove to myself that colowork is not difficult. The conclusion to the exercise is that I am correct; if the knitter follows the directions carefully, the works almost complete themselves! | Dr. G's Memory Vest - 2008
A beautiful cable pattern created to honor the designer's father and whose proceeds benefit Alzheimer's reserch, this was my first serious cabled project. |
Top Down Wool Raglan - 2008
Knitted using a simple pattern based on "common sense" much like those devised by Elizabeth Zimmerman, this raglan was a fun and quick knit! Photographed November, 2008 at the entrance to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, San Francisco, CA
