Joyce Makes Art

Ellie Models Ollie's New Meathead Hat

This is Ellie, modeling Ollie's new Meathead Hat.

Ellie was extremely sleepy, but was still going to be a much better model for this hat than Ollie, who fell asleep somewhere around the end of the decrease rows.  He's going to be a happy guy tomorrow morning though!

Here is a view from the top.

The Meathead Hat is one of my favorite hat patterns for two reasons.  First, it's incredibly good looking and a very quick knit (this is my third one).  Second, the very lovely Larissa Brown who wrote the pattern is a really nice person and she was very gracious about helping me locate the pattern when it turned out it was the ONLY hat that my New England bound special needs child would agree to wear last year.  If you are on Ravelry, you can find the hat here.  It is definitely worth purchasing the KnitAlong book just to get this pattern, although I really like the whole book.

I used some of my own Elliebelly yarn, a bulky Blue Faced Leicester in the "Treasure" colorway and striped it with a wee bit of Rowan RYC Soft Tweed (a wool/silk blend) in gray, to make sure that the remains of the Treasure skein wouldn't run out on me.

I'm hoping for a happy little boy in the morning!

And it goes on, and on, and on some more

Sometimes, I think I knit in a big black hole.  I'm knitting forever and ever and not making any progress.  It's like knitting in a dream where no matter how much you knit, whatever you are knitting refuses to grow.

Usually that happens with something big -- a dress or the back or a sweater.  Or maybe a huge tote you are knitting to felt.  But for the last 10 days, it has been happening to me with a sleeve - not even a full length sleeve mind you -- one that just goes done past the elbow.

The sad thing is that this is sleeve one for my beloved Manos Silk Shrug, which I am really looking forward to finishing and wearing soon.  Sleeve one!  That means there is a whole 'nother freaking sleeve to go after this.  I knit in the carpool line, at morning coffee, during ballet rehearsals.  I knit, knit, knit.  K3 M1 Knit until 3 stitches remain M1 K3.  Knit 5 more rows.  Then increase again.  It goes on forever.

In hopes the black hole would dissolve if I put it aside for awhile, I spent most of yesterday afternoon and this morning stash tossing.  I had to do this, because I spent most of Friday afternoon home sick and therefore reduced to sitting in bed looking through knitting books and magazines.  I ended up with a list of projects I HAVE to make.  Hence the stash toss, in the vain hope that there will be yarn for all of those projects in the stash.

Needless to say, there was not.  But, the project at the top of my list is Belinda, the new shawl in the new Mason Dixon Knitting book.  This is the picture in the book, which I found to be irresistable.

It's two layers of Mohair, and vaguely reminds me of a cardigan I bought at Anthropologie the year it opened.  My version is going to be blue and brown.  The brown is some of the incredibly wonderful whisper soft peruvian alpaca my cousin Ann sent me.  It has been sitting on top of my yarn basket, waiting for the perfect pattern.  I knew I wanted to knit with it right away the minute I saw it.  The Blue is a Rowan Kidsilk Haze, the yarn the pattern is written for.

They look fabulous together and I can't wait to cast on.  I'm hoping for a positive synergy between the lacy, airy shawl and the big black hole of tiny silk sleeves.

Swedish Fish Socks!

Oh my but it has been busy around here!  Five days a week of Nutcracker Ballet rehearsals are kicking my bu**.  So far, homework is getting done -- more or less -- but getting into the routine of grabbing take-out for dinner as I leave work and meeting Ellie at the studio so she can scarf down dinner between classes and rehearsal has been tough!

Knitting time is good -- I should have more progress pictures of the Manos Silk Shrug over the weekend.  I'm also taking conveniently scheduled Pilates and Ballet (for the first time in a decade - ouch) classes, which, while cutting into said knitting time feel healthy and strong and wonderful.

Pssst.....Wanna see some sock porn?

Remember a couple of weeks ago at my Thursday yarn stocking, I also offered a couple of slots for sock yarn purchasers to have their socks custom knit by Renate of Nana's Woolies?  Renate just sent me this photo of the first pair she knit up -- this is the Swedish Fish colorway on a Bamboo/Merino blend.  Renate is fast!

I've finally managed to get caught up on some dyeing and have stocked lots of new sock yarn at Elliebelly, including some seawool (seacell meets merino) in the Tree Frog colorway, which is available in stock for the first time -- no stalking necessary!  Organic Merino and the pretty twisted-ply Merlin Merino will be stocked Thursday at noon, just in case you don't already have enough yarn sitting in your house and need more.  (Just face it, you need more). 

Everything Was Beautiful....

Is anyone else old enough to have seen A Chorus Line on Broadway?  Do you remember that line?  "Everything was beautiful at the Ballet."

It was true at our house today.  This is Ellie, opening the card that let her know the results of the Alabama Ballet's Nutcracker auditions.  Ellie is dancing the role of Marie -- Balanchine's Clara.  Alabama Ballet is one of six companies in the country authorized to perform his choreography.  It is a beautiful ballet.

Congratulations Sweetheart!

And just think of the rehearsal knitting time.  Oh my.  The knitting time.

Looking for Elliebelly Sock Yarn?

If you are looking for Elliebelly sock yarn, I just noticed that the lovely Brittany of Knitwitch has put up a new page on her site, offering the first batch of sock yarn I have sent her for sale.  You can see all the yarn, including Bee Balm, pictured above, by clicking here.

Brittany will also be at SAFF, the South Eastern Fiber Festival near Asheville, North Carolina next month.  She has beautiful yarns and pottery, so if you are going, make sure you visit her (and pet my yarn for me.)

How We Honor Them

Sometimes I wonder how it can be that everything goes on like normal on September 11, but then I realize that is the point.  The point is to honor the lives of normal people, going about their business when an unspeakable tragedy struck them and their loved ones by doing the simple things, the normal things.  Kissing your children good by.  Holding them close.

In that spirit, I'm up early making breakfast.  It's nothing special -- fruit shakes and cereal.  But it is done with love and intention.  I'm going to work hard at work today.  I'm going to knit.  I'm going to laugh with my husband.  I'm going to honor them.

I remember leaving work and meeting my husband to walk to the children's school at 3:00 so we could pick them up and talk with them, even though we knew the school had already begun to tell them.  It's the only time I can remember both of us walking over together to pick them up.  And I spent countless moments trying to give our daughter, who had just had her third birthday, some sense of why everyone was so upset, why there were phone calls to make sure cousins in New York were all safe.

Ellie and I used to watch a video over and over, we did it for a long time afterwards, and she would talk about "her people" and "her buildings."  She has a clear vision of that day, unlike her brother, who wasn't born until the following year.

I haven't watched that video in a long time, but I hunted it down to share with you all today.  It's worth taking some time to do simple things to honor them.

Tribute

Pretty Pink Gothic Arches

This week's art prompt at The Gothic Arches Challenge is pretty in pink.  I really love pink and have pretty much had a week long pink affair down in my studio as a result of the challenge.  I ended up doing some more complex pieces that aren't finished yet, but wanted to share at least one pink arch before the week was over.

I'll share more pink art as I finish it.

I Am SO Lucky!!!

I feel so very lucky.

I have wanted to take art classes with DJ Pettit and Deryn Mentock forever.  More specifically, this class.

DJ and Deryn mingle their collage, painting, and jewelry skills, and the class has always looked wonderful to me, but it has always filled up before I could sign up when I've been at retreats.

So, they are coming to me!  Next June, DJ and Deryn will come to Birmingham and offer four days of workshops here.  And I am the luckiest girl!  A lot of artists from the Altered Workshop are coming, so it will be a week to see old friends and make some new ones, as we have a few new people coming!  There are a couple of slots left, so if you think you might be interested in joining us, send me an email!

Knitting & Dyeing

September is a big birthday month in our family, so it's been a flurry of cakes and presents, not leaving much time for other pursuits.  I've also got a lot going on at work, so I decided to put Juliet aside in favor of some easier knitting.

First off, I finished up the lace panel for the Presto Chango baby sweater, which now just needs finishing.

After that, I returned to my Manos Silk Shrug, which I put aside after we got back from vacation.  The back is now finished, and I'm about halfway up the left front, which is so far, an easy and relaxing knit.  I'm sure disaster will strike at some point, but for now, all is well.

It was the beauty of the colorway that made me have to knit with this yarn, and it continues to be infinitely pleasing.

My own dyeing lately has been rainbow-inspired.  This is Crayon.

And this is Tuer Ceatha.

I'm looking forward to knitting with them both this fall -- which means I'll have to start haunting Ravelry for the perfect patterns!

Sock Yarn

This is this month's Club Sock yarn from Elliebelly.

That is Dulcinea, and, if you're signed up for Club Sock, your yarn will be in the mail today or tomorrow!