My Rhema Creations...a Fiberarts adventure!

Treelander: The Glorious Challenge

2012-01-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to participate in an art exhibition...in Australia.

The inspiration of Treelander came to me one afternoon when I was indexing files at work and listening to the wonderful progressive rock on my iPod. Once the idea came to me, I had to stop my indexing and grab a piece of paper to sketch this (or a facsimile) concept of a tree growing in rocks.

Created with no pattern to speak of, freeforming this piece came in 4 stages. I first knitted the sky in patches and had to figure out how I was going to attach it to a wire hanger. Then to create the tree trunk in random knitting and embroidering (and some crochet) in the branches. Then crocheting the rocks and landscape....piecing it together and adding the tree roots. Finally came the beadwork and embellishments with buttons.

Once I mail out the piece to Prudence Mapstone in Queensland, Australia, I won't see the hanger until I get it back in late November. I hope the exhibit does well.

Roger Dean Inspired Beaded Pullover

2011-12-31T17:20:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about this work in progress...I know, it looks finished but this is the beginning of a wonderful work of art that will be seen at Stitches South 2012 in April.

The next task to this shirt will be some beadwork along the neckline and some embroidery work with that. Then the real task will be freeforming (scrumbling) the knitted area around the torso.

The inspiration for this project began by Yes's album release "Fly From Here" in July. Roger Dean once again designed the album cover. I was instantly drawn to the colors and set about finding the yarns to pull it all together. Yarnhouse Studios in Opelika, Alabama supplied the Malabrigo Silky Merino and then I found a perfectly matched handspun by WhorlingTide's Beth Dinoff. I began from the bottom up by casting on 192 stitches and knitting in the round with two strands of yarn. As I made my way along, I implemented a color shift. Then along the yoke, I shifted into a lattice stitch with beadwork. Beads were supplied by Kindred Spirit Weaver's Linda Dixon.

Morrocon Wool Sampler Freeform

2011-11-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

For the month of November, I received a ball of Morrocon Wool from a yarn shop in Huntsville to play with and talk about. The yarn is aran weight and a spun single. It's fabulous for scrumbling.

The ball of yarn is the Morrocon and in this freeform patch, I used it to test 3 techniques. I first crocheted with it using the bullion stitch in the spiral. This yarn is perfect for bullions because it doesn't split or snag, the yarn pulls through the hook smoothly. Knitting this yarn was just as smooth, and as you can see with the garter stitch, it provided wonderful stitch definition. It bound off nicely without any splitting. I left a long enough tail to test it in embroidery. Yep...this yarn is a keeper. This yarn will felt too for anyone looking for a yarn for a felting project.

This yarn is available at the Fiber Art Work yarn shop in Huntsville, Alabama.

Kentuck 2011

2011-10-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

My items in the West Alabama Fiber Guild booth.

Weaving scarves.

Weaving towels.

Knitting.

Bobbin Lace.

It was a beautiful day for an art show. This blog entry is a photo gallery of this year's event.

Knitting with Exotic Yarns

2011-10-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

This scarf has knitted up to be probably one of the most touchable garments I've ever made. I had around 200 yards of this lovely handspun yarn from Moonwood Farms that I set aside for inspiration. Roo Kline spun this fuzzy peach with the fiber content of alpaca, tussah silk, and angora rabbit. I paired this yarn with 4 other yarns for the perfect marriage of softness and luxury.

The dark brown in the photo is a 100% alpaca from LaMotte, Iowa. The second is a greyish yarn (the photo shows it as a grey yarn) that is 70% mink 30% cashmere yarn from Great Northern Yarns. The light brown yarn is 100% baby camel from Etsy seller NorthcottWilson and the cream/light greyish yarn is also from the same source with the fiber content as a blend of white camel and yak.

The scarf will be finished for this weekend's Kentuck Art Show in Northport/Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Khatruavis Stellaris, A Scarf of Rarity and Beauty

2011-10-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

To the common eye, the scarf may look like any other scarf....but to me, this one is not for sale. Before I start into the story of the Khatru, I must recognize the artisans and materials that went into this garment.

The colored yarn in the scarf came from a spinning artist in Nova Scotia (she formerly lived in Iowa). Claire Moxon has an Etsy shop www.scotiaspinner.etsy.com. The name of the yarn was 'Autumn Calling' spun in a navajo ply (3ply) 100% superwash yarn. The batt was dyed by Natalie Quist (Cloudlover69) from Chicago in a colorway called 'Decay'. When I received this yarn, I was so instantly in love with the color and craftsmanship of the skein, that I put it away with plans to use it only for myself. It had to be special. :)
The black yarn is 100% alpaca in 'True Black' from IrishMeadows in LaMotte, Iowa. You can get their yarn online through www.irishmeadows.etsy.com. This alpaca black is beautiful! It is silky smooth to the hand and knits beautifully. The alpaca that yielded this yarn is a 3 time champion aptly named "Black Beauty".
Next is the cream colored yarn that has a grey companion yarn I knitted together. Both are very special as well. The cream yarn is 70% mink/30% cashmere from Great Northern Yarns. Craig Turner is the founder/owner of this small company in East Orleans, Massachusetts. The mink is humanely harvested removing the coarse guard hairs yielding this buttery soft down. It is then blended with the cashmere at the mill and spun into this soft DK weight yarn. You can get this yarn straight from the source at www.greatnorthernyarns.com.
Lastly, the grey yarn is 100% angora rabbit from FriendsinFiber, another Etsy shop. This yarn came to me as a beautiful handspun, navajo plied yarn. The grey so complimented the white mink/cashmere that they were a heavenly soft match.

Now for the story of the "Khatru". For those of you that plugged the word into your search engine and up popped this blog from some crazy fiber artist in Alabama, USA....well....I'm a fan of progressive rock. I listen to a lot of it and especially enjoy the creative talent of YES and Emerson Lake and Palmer. Funny how the leaders of progressive rock are from the UK...love it! Before the publishing of this blog, I googled the word 'khatru' wondering for myself just what in the heck it is. Most all of the hits came from the yesfans website bulletin board and my goodness are YES fans imaginative in their definition of this word. Out of all of them, I was quite fond of this explanation. (with slight embellishment from me!)

The Khatru, khatruavis stellaris, is a flightless Siberian bird that is only visible on nights when the moon is waxing and the temperature is below -32 degrees Fahrenheit. Those who have glimpsed in on rare occasions claim that it resembles a cross between a crane, an emu, and a hummingbird. The only documented sighting of the rare avian khatru came from Georg Stellar's researches in that area in the late 19th century. It has never been seen since that time and remains as much of an enigma as Stellar's White Raven and the Tarkus.

The only shred of truth in the last paragraph is Georg Stellar, a german zoologist, did travel to Siberian Russia to study and catalog the plants and animals in that region in the late 19th century. The rest is was fabricated...now how is that for fun?

The scarf was inspired by a song by Yes named "Siberian Khatru" from the album 'Close to the Edge'. If you listen to this song looking for meaning in the lyrics, don't do it, your head will explode. The lyrics make no sense at all. Now the music arrangement will carry you on a journey that lasts the length of the song.

So I found my 'khatru' in this knitted scarf...both for the love of fiber and music.

Freeform in Canyon Colors

2011-09-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Purple, gold, coppery oranges and rusty reds are the primary colors in my latest freeform. This piece is also heavier in knitting patches. My freeform knitting class was very helpful making crochet area even more interesting.

My friend Linda has generously supplied me with beads from her aquired stash. It's been nice getting back together with her again on Monday nights to play with fiber and all those pretty beads. I don't think this will be ready for the Kentuck Art show in 3 weeks, but I'll bring it along to show the fiber guild.

Thoughts on Freeform Textile Art and Progressive Rock

2011-08-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

My latest freeform fun has been incorporating weaving with knitting, crochet, beadwork, and embroidery. Yes, it is a 'can do' thing and I'm excited about taking freeform down this avenue. Working without a pattern means no rules or possibly breaking rules. I'm all about breaking rules and working outside the box. After I finished the purple, gold, orange piece, I did run crochet cotton to catch the loops so I can crochet or knit from there. The pin weaving board is once again warped and ready to go. I think I'll weave colors of the sky.

Things in my finite little world inspire me create. The beauty and colors of the day outside to the imagination of other artists...they motivate me to push forward. Music motivates me, be it inspirational lyrics of contemporary praise and worship music to the creative talent of musicians.

Lately, it's been progressive rock that's inspired me to continue to color outside of the lines. Much of prog rock utilizes the whole talent of the band and pushes the listener forward on a musical journey. Not just the lyrics set the theme, but the instruments tell the story as well. I've been listening to a lot of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, Genesis, Kansas, and Rush. Much of these musicians were classically trained and they took the leap of taking classical and rock music to an extraordinary level. I should also include other prog rock bands like Gentle Giant, Tangerine Dream, King Crimson, Moody Blues and Pink Floyd.

Do I ONLY listen to prog rock? Absolutely not! I love christian, jazz, classical, blues, R&B and some country. When I'm stuck in traffic and the world feels a little intense around me, I listen to Steely Dan which is a delightful infusion of rock and jazz.

So onwards and upwards, I'm tinkering around with weaving. This is my first pin weaving piece which will go into my scrumbling bag and worked in a future textile piece.

Keep creating! Keep it real!

A Beautiful Bag from the Sari Silk Yarn from Hell

2011-07-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

I started this bag 4 months ago with much fear and trepidation. Uncarded Sari Silk yarn is some of the awfullest stuff I have ever worked with...coarse silk ribbons from the saris, silk thrums and occasional straw spun together. This yarn is tough on the fingers, overspun and frustrating to work with.

AND contribute to my mental anguish....I made two of these bags!!

I tell myself, I'm not making anymore of these stupid bags...and everytime I go somewhere with one these bags, someone asks "do you make them to sell?"

Well I'm selling both bags this fall at Kentuck. They'll be lined and come with a deer antler button closure. Will I be making more??......not anytime soon.

Mitered Magic Pullover

2011-06-25T17:36:00.001-07:00

It all started with tickets to see Yes and Styx next month in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I hate clothes shopping...yes....I hate clothes shopping. The idea of going to department stores, rifling through racks of clothes to find something to wear to the beach gives me an anxiety attack. Find me in a yarn shop buying yarn with visions of making clothes makes me feel...well...productive.

I very seldom make myself something to wear...I do wear my work but I either give it away or sell it. This one is not for sale, yep, I'm keeping this sucker!

This pattern is an easy knit. It's all in garter stitch so you can take it to knit night. If you're new to mitered knitting, this is a great pattern for first time newbies. Skills needed to create the piece are casting on, knitting, double decrease, pick up and knit (PUK), and casting off. I used Noro Chirimen (60% cotton, 24% silk, 16% wool) worsted weight. Other yarns that can be used Poems Worsted by Universal Yarns or Noro Silk Garden Worsted. Any other worsted that has long color changes will work well with this pattern.

Two-Color Syncopated Brioche

2011-05-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

I bought 2 skeins of Cascade Eco Duo from my local yarn shop with the intention of knitting a One Stitch Below Scarf. When I swatched the pattern, I wasn't happy with the results so...I dug out my Knitting Brioche book and came up with this. This yarn is super yummy soft (70% alpaca and 30% merino) and it turned out spectacular. The syncopated brioche stitch yields a reversible garment with a fabulous color play. This brioched piece will be a neckwarmer for the Kentuck Art Show.

When I was on the Stitches South group on Ravelry, one of the topics was suggestions for classes for Stitches South 2012. I suggested a Brioche knitting class with Nancy Marchant. Maybe.....!!

A Tale of Provisional Cast Ons, Short Rows, Wrap & Turns, Reverse Knitting and Kitchner Stitch

2011-05-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Why do I do this to myself? I choose to work a pattern with the most challenging knitting skill sets for what?? For a hexagon shawl. OK, so the reverse knitting was my idea but geez...all those short rows!!

Really I'm not complaining, I'm finding this shape quite interesting to knit. This is the second project I've done where the provisional cast on is used...because you have to graft live stitches together for the hex shape. If you hate the Kitchner Stitch, stay away from this pattern (Poems Rising Suns Shawl)...or if you want to learn the Kitchner Stitch, you'll be one grafting fool after making 10-12 of these puppies. Short rows make me want to reverse knit...I hate constantly turning my work. I learned how to reverse knit from entrelacing, it cuts 1/3 of your time to finish a project. Reverse knitting is probably the most useful skill you can ever learn. Just ask Gwen Bortner.

These hex shapes sorta look roundish in the photo, I haven't blocked them yet. Thank goodness for that Rowenta Steamer I bought at Target. I was told that steamer would change my life. I'll find out once I have to whipstitch these hexagons together....all 98 of them.

Fingerless Mitts for Kentuck 2011

2011-04-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

Last fall I completely sold all my fingerless gloves at the Kentuck Art Show. Then I think I only had 5-8 pairs of them. Beings it was my first show, I didn't know what was going to sell. These flew off my table.

This year I have more colors, more luxury fibers, more ideas. So far 12 pairs made and more to come. I did find a cone of 100% camel hair from Etsy, 100% silk from the Stitches South 2011 conference plus additional novelty yarns. I can't forget the hand dyed lace weight silk I purchased from SilkandShine on Etsy. Dorith Kasper's specialty is silk and that's all she does. She sells dyed silk for spinning as well as commercial spun silk .

I'll blend the silk with alpaca, camel,angora rabbit, yak (oh did I mention yak from Bijou Basin?), and mink/cashmere from Great Northern Yarns. Not to forget the pop of lurex. I play with the colorway making them different and one of a kind. I don't like to duplicate (except for knitting the mate), I want each new owner to have a one of a kind pair. That's what makes hand knitted items so special.

Aquatic Nirvana Freeform Pillow

2011-02-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for finished projects! A few postings ago, I uploaded a photo of a scrumbled patch for this pillow. Here it is finished and embellished with beads and buttons. I did knit the back in a K1P1 rib in Cascade chunky baby alpaca in a beautiful cobalt blue.

There is lots more close ups of the pillow on Flickr.

Norolicious!

2011-01-22T12:14:00.001-08:00

Awhile back I went on a Noro yarn spending blitz. I buy Noro yarn differently than I buy my other yarns. I buy it with a project planned...and it's usually scarves.

Noro scarf projects are my portable projects that I take to my knitting group or when I have one of those lunch hours at work I just need to blow off steam. The Noro portable projects just work the best for me. The nice part about these yarns is you just knit along and the colors create the most one of a kind fabrics.

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2011-01-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

I've been working on these neckwarmers in luxury yarns. I discovered after finishing the first one on the left, this was missing another color that would give it a more gradual shift...so I started another one. The fibers starting with the dark purple is mink/cashmere from Great Northern Yarns in Orleans, Massachusetts. The varigated purple is a handspun Bluefaced Liecester yarn from WhorlingTides in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The dark grey is alpaca yarn from Irish Meadows Alpaca Farm in La Motte, Iowa. The light grey yarn is angora rabbit handspun from Tail Spin Farm in St. Johns, Michigan. The white is a merino/angora rabbit yarn from Raspberry Farm Angoras in Oregon. The missing color in the first neck warmer is the light grey but just as stunning as the work in progress on the right. As you can see, home grown luxury.

Aquatic Nirvana Scrumble

2010-12-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I would go to the gym 3 times a week and swim laps to relieve stress and free up creative process. As I was swimming one morning, I mentally zoned out and visualized different shades of blue. I doodled around a bit and crocheted five patches. Today I pieced them together in a larger patch. This scrumble measures about 9 inches wide. Note to self: You need to go back to the gym exercise regularly for your health and creative inspiration.

The scrumble is all crochet and presently unembellished. I'll probably dig through my other stash for embellishments because I know I have some really cool stuff in blue. Once I do, I'll post the update.

Runnin' Down A Dream...swing coat finished!

2010-12-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

The swing coat finished Thanksgiving morning. I'm very pleased how this piece turned out. Yes, the name of this coat is "Runnin' Down A Dream", a song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers:

I'm runnin' down a dream,

that never would come to me.

Workin' on a mystery,

goin' wherever it leads.

Runnin' down a dream.

My friend Sarah was more than happy to model the coat for me saying it was much warmer than the other one. I want to thank the following sellers on Etsy with whom I did business.

Aspenmoonarts

Kittygrrlz

TerraBellaSpun

CamelShoppe

LaTeaDaDesigns

Ilashdesigns

JazzTurtle

Whorlingtides

simplytwisted

I also want to thank Linda Dixon for the polymer clay beads that were made for the coat. I also used commercial bought yarns and ribbons to pull all of this together. It was one fun project.

Swing Coat Week 1

2010-11-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

I'm about 2 1/2 inches away from completing the body of the coat. I dropped the sleeves (live stitched held with waste yarn) in the dark brown just before the white section. The piece looks much better in person and I think the coat will look much nicer than the last one.

I have the coat on 2 sets of very long circular needles and it takes some doing to get around now....but with only 2 1/2 inches left, it's not so bad.

Scrumbling Right Along...

2010-11-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad to be doing this again. Here is a freeform patch that is entirely crocheted. It actually started as three patches that I pieced together. The yarns are both commercial and handspun from sock weight to bulky. This is unembellished but I will down the road create more interest with beadwork and buttons. I never know where these scrumbles take me but in the end it's always a pleasant surprise.

The Start of Another Swing Coat

2010-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've gathered the materials for another coat. This one will be heavier in browns. The picture below shows the very beginning of this project. I love working with yarns from talented spinners I've found on Etsy. WhorlingTides, JazzTurtle, AspenmoonFiberArts, TerraBellaSpun, KittyGirlz, LaTeaDaDesigns, CamelShoppe, IlashDesigns, SimplyTwisted, and Fabulosity will be featured in this coat as well as commercial yarns, ribbon, and novelty yarns.

I believe this one will progress a little faster than my last coat. Let the fun begin!

Knitting that Looks like Weaving, The Linen Stitch Scarf

2010-08-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

These scarves are knitted...really! A simple knit stitch with a yarn change at every row leaving a tail long enough to create the fringe. A pattern so simple, yet elegant. The first scarf shown is "Rio Tropicale". This was my first scarf I started a couple weeks ago. I cast on 400 stitches using the long tail cast on method. Long tail cast on is "ok" but I needed fringe on both ends. I kept on knitting anyway thinking about how I was going to correct this in the finishing process and find a better cast on method for the next scarf.

Rio is knitted with sock weight yarn on size 7 circulars. The fiber content is merino, alpaca, lurex, and a little cashmere. The colors are so striking in tropicals and electric blue that it demands attention and awe. I see this scarf and I can't help but look at it.
So after I finished Rio, I looked into my massive yarn stash and 6 small skeins of handspuns from WhorlingTides kept jumping out at me begging to play. However it wasn't enough to make a scarf or a hat. I needed a single coordinating neutral! Hmmmm....I then remembered my dear friend Louann in St. Petersburg, Florida gave me two skeins of Angora Rabbit/Merino/Nylon blend yarn that came from her mom's farm in Oregon. Thank you Louann and thank you Margie at Raspberry Farm Angoras. Check out her website and you'll see Margie holding this insanely huge German Angora www.raspberryfarmangoras.com

Give this lovely lady a call if you need Angora for spinning or knitting.

The yarns are mostly DK/sport weight and was knitted on size 10 circulars. To solve my cast on issue, I used a crochet cast on....Awkward!...a cast on method I never used before. It stopped feeling awkward after the first 100 stitches. With a larger yarn weight and size needles, I cast on 300 stitches and it worked real well for the finished length. I've decided to name this scarf "Native Lands" because the colors are beautiful neutrals. I'm guessing what the fiber content would be but it looked like the handspuns were a blend of wool, bamboo, and firestar. The off white yarn is a blend of Angora/Merino and 10% Nylon for strength.

The Circle Swing Coat finished at last!

2010-08-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

The pattern came from Sarah Punderson purchased on Etsy. I started this coat back in December when my son was home on leave. The yarns are both commercial and handspun yarns. I started the body of the coat and then put it up when it was time to knit the sleeves. I decided a couple weeks ago that it was time for me to finish this (I needed my stash bag)coat and get it out of my livingroom.

The colors and texture combinations make this coat interesting and fun to wear. Beings that it is August, I'm only wearing it to show friends but this coat will be making it's appearance this fall at the Kentuck Art Show.

Seychelles Retreat

2010-08-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

The hat started out as some Merino roving I found at the Worldwide Knit in Public day in Montgomery, Alabama. I had been looking for this colorway for weeks...turquoise, lime and white. A colorway that would lure you to the tropics. Thanks to Beth at WhorlingTides, I was able to do just that with my size 8 circulars. I think Beth was lured to that tropical place as she spun this because she added some silk and firestar glitz to it to give it a subtle shimmer...just enough to give the yarn interest. The yarn turned out brilliant and the hat is beautiful.

Noro in Brioche

2010-06-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

Each summer, I try to have a goal to learn a new skill in either knitting or crochet. This summer it is Brioche Knitting. This technique is from the Netherlands known as "Patonsteek". Nancy Marchant has written a comprehensive book on Brioche Knitting...I figure in an effort to make it more popular here in the United States. The technique is different than your usual knitting, but once you get the hang of it, it's not that difficult.

The really fun part was doing this in two different Noro Silk Garden colorways.

The colors in this reversible scarf went in their own separate directions and there were no real repeats. As I would knit this, I had no idea what to expect. It was just fascinating. Was as if the yarn went on its own adventure.

I have this scarf listed in my Etsy shop. It is unique from the other Noro Stripe Scarves which is what I'm trying to do. Create pieces that I haven't seen listed anywhere else.

Worldwide Knit in Public and Handspun Creations

2010-06-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

WWKIP in Montgomery was fantastic. It is always wonderful to get together with fellow knitters, crocheters, spinners....wow! It was a weekend of connecting with artists and making new friends. Speaking of artists....yes, spinners are artists. Check out these hats I've knitted using handspun yarn.

The hat on the left is yarn from SunriseLodgeFiber. I love Shannon's work, her colorways are so uplifting and positive. She weaves too...one talented gal. The center hat is yarn from FJCruiser on Etsy. Eileen can spin up some gorgeous creations. The hat on the right is a self striping handspun from ceereese1 on Etsy. Charisse was excited to see the result of this yarn and like me couldn't stop looking at the photo.
Coming down the pike will be some more handspun creations. I'll get getting some handspun yarn from Whorlingtides. I look forward to seeing what Beth cooks up!

Alabama Fiber Gathering

2010-05-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Oh did we have fun this past weekend at Oak Mountain State Park. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet textile artists around the state of Alabama and of course play in the fiber workshops. I was having so much fun, I almost forgot to take pictures so I only snapped off one of my friend Linda making a cell phone pouch.

Happy Thoughts Freeform is finished!

2010-05-09T12:40:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! Today is happy colors and a freeform that has been a work in progress for almost a year. Happy Thoughts is a lapghan for someone who is disabled and wheelchair bound. Perhaps a disabled artist who finds this on their lap inspiring...that would be pretty cool.

I've updated my Flickr site to include close ups of Happy Thoughts in my freeform gallery.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilquiz/show/

More hats!

2010-04-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter y'all! It's amazing we're almost a quarter of the way through 2010.

I guess when it's cold, I make cold stuff but the time I get around to listing them, we're headed into summer. Oh well, I create whatever grabs me. Last month it was hats. Both of these were knitted with the Malabrigo worsted. The red hat has a lurex thread carried through to give it some sparkle. Of course it wouldn't show up in the picture!

I'll list these sometime this month.

2 more scarves and other fiberous rantings...

2010-03-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

This has been one crazy week at my real job and I guess when I get stressed, I knit and crochet...a lot...but it's much healthier than smoking...yuck! So my evenings are filled with lovely yarns from all sorts of places and watching a few episodes of NCIS. I digress.

Let's start with another Boteh scarf I crocheted. Once again this yarn came from AlaskanNancy (http://www.alaskannancy.etsy.com/). Inspired by her trip to Costa Rica, she created this colorful self striping yarn I just had to have. I know once she sees this scarf, she'll probably be inspired to dye more.

The next one I finished (I actually finished this one over a week ago)was a skein of Malabrigo SFO Sky that I wanted to see what it would look like in a star stitch pattern. I had a name for this scarf when I got half way through the project. This yarn really brings out the stitch definition of the star stitch and Malabrigo is excellent yarn to work with. If you've never knitted with Malabrigo, go out and get yourself a skein...you'll thank me later. Ok, back to the name of this scarf..."Mostly Cloudy with Snow Flurries", the colorway reminds me of a cloudy day and the occasional white/grey star stitches pop out like little snowflakes. Buttery soft scarf!

From Artisan Handspun Yarn to a Knitted Beauty

2010-02-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

Last year in March I bought a handspun yarn from an artist in New Mexico (www.twistedsheep.etsy.com) and was smitten immediately by the craftsmanship of this yarn. I set this yarn aside from my regular stash saying to myself I will find the perfect pattern or stitch to bring out the beauty of the colors to compliment the artisanship of this yarn.

A couple weeks ago I came across the yarn in my closet, pulled it aside and was tinkering with the star stitch in my knitting exploits. I got about 5 inches into the scarf and looked at how the stitch was revealing the yarn. This yarn wanted to tell it's own story and as the scarf grew, I got excited. WOW, yes, I'm keeping this scarf! I wanted the artist of this yarn to know how much I appreciated the thought and creativity that birthed this skein. I will wear this scarf often!!! Even in Alabama!

Scarf in Crochet

2010-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

When you grow up in cold weather and snow...later move to the south in your adult life, it's difficult for me actually LIKE this weather. It snowed in Alabama Friday, and disappeared Saturday. Now that I can handle.

Sunday was a beautiful photography day and so I caught up on a few items that I needed to get pictures and eventually list them in my shop. This scarf is one of them. This is "Alaskan Midnight Sun". The yarn came from an artist in Anchorage "AlaskanNancy". The yarn was a self striping sock yarn in a superwash wool. Once I finished this piece I was instantly drawn to the colors and the abstract beauty.

A wonderful easy knit project

2010-01-19T17:37:00.000-08:00

This was one of those projects where I had just as much fun photographing as well as knitting.
The pattern is a very simple knit but it creates such a complex, elegant hat.

The pattern starts from the cuff and then decreases to shape the crown. Even from the back, the colors and the design is fantastic.
This is one I did in ice blues and white. These will be in my Etsy shop in a few days. I knitted these in some yarn I purchased at Joann Crafts. The fiber content is 75%nylon and 25% wool, they're pretty soft and stretchy . Both are ladies sizes.
I have another one on the needles, this time it's in Malabrigo worsted in "Autumn" and I'm making this one to fit a man.

Noro Entrelac Scarf

2009-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

I finished the scarf yesterday and here it is blocking in the sun.

I've found myself to be a process knitter (or crochet)...I love the process of creating, but once it's done, on to the next challenge/project. The only project left to finish out the year is the "Happy Thoughts" freeform. I've been working on it this week while I'm on vacation.

Fingerless Mitts and a Wonderful FiberArts Semester!

2009-12-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you just how much this small group has blessed me! It warms me to see another generation of knitters, crocheters and all around fiber enthusiasts get together and share experiences. I wish each one of them a wonderful Christmas and hope to see them next year.

I was at the bank yesterday (and was bundled up in my handmade goodness) and the teller made a comment about my Noro stripe scarf and fingerless mitts. I told her I made these lovelies and she said she does a little crochet. I told her a little about our small group at church and she stopped and asked "what church do you go to?" I told her "Highlands" and she said "so do I!" She told me she considered signing up for the small group last fall but thought the group would be a bunch of old ladies participating in this group....Gals, we must put an end to this evil stereotype and put "cool" back into fiber arts. I would call my small group "Fiberjunkies Anonymous" but I'm not sure the church would understand, so we'll just leave that one alone. Anyway, I've found another person interested in joining us next year!!! YAY!!

It's been cold here in Alabama! I don't know about you all, but I've been wearing my work. Especially the fingerless gloves. I'll be making more for the Etsy shop, but after yesterday's cold day of rain and wind, I'm going to make myself some leg warmers! Here are some pictures of the fingerless mitts/gloves.

Pictured here is "Goth Peacock", "Summer on Oahe" and "Big City". Goth Peacock sold this week in my shop.

Oh, those of you in my group that watched the table piece I crocheted for Darlene grow these last 3 months are gonna be mad at me...I forgot to take a picture of the finished piece. Yeah, you can vent at me, I deserve it. I gave it to Darlene this week, she was in town to spruce up the old shop as it continues to be listed for sale. She was speechless when she opened the box.

Thursday FiberArts Group

2009-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

We've been having fun this fall getting together, fellowshipping, and watching college football. No more stereotypical stitch and gripe sessions here! We share crochet and knit ideas plus patterns. I'm teaching one Auburn student how to knit and crochet. Pictured here is Sarah getting a free counselling session from the family therapist, Darby. As you can see, Darby adds to the relaxing atmosphere of our meetings.

Socks Fever!

2009-10-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

This posting goes out to my friend and fellow child of the Most High, Amy. I found that she has been stricken with this same fuzzy disease with me. Our small group misses you Amy! I love my socks and have more wonderful colors to fuel my sock craving. This is just four examples of what I've finished.

Thank you Darlene for teaching me this wonderful skill of sock making. I think of you every time I cast on another 48 stitches on my size 2, 9 inch circulars.

These socks are the reason why I haven't finished my "Happy Thoughts" freeform. Yes, Shannon, I will finish the piece, it sits in my livingroom inviting me to have some fun. Oh so many projects, so little time. *sigh*

The Big Braid

2009-10-03T13:22:00.001-07:00

One of my fiber friends chastised me for not updating my blog. I have no excuses, just projects.

These three scarves will be listed sometime in the next few days on Etsy. Inspired by a chunky cable scarf by a fellow knitter, I set out to find something similar and this braid caught my eye . I had wooden beads in an old bag from my early macrame days so I used them in the fringe.

I've been learning new knitting skills but the one that got me totally hooked this summer was knitting socks. Yep, I got bit by the sock bug...and was I bit bad! That will be my next posting with my sock pictures.

newborn hats

2009-07-20T17:19:00.001-07:00

Knitted hats have been my learning project this summer

and I'm getting ready for the fall and winter. Perhaps later this year I'll roll out adult size hats, but for now in the middle of July, keeping my ears warm does not sound too appealing.

I'm learning to knit other fun things this summer as well. This week, I'll finish learning how to knit socks. For years, I've been intimidated by the mere idea of knitting socks...well I'm conquering that fear this week.

Darlene has been a dear, patient friend of mine and has been

teaching me knitting skills I've never been able to teach

myself to do. I'm going to miss her when she moves.

Freeform on Flickr

2009-07-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

It's Friday! I'm sooo glad it is, such a long week in my regular job....I'm ready to play in my artwork and enjoy the weekend.

I now have my freeform artwork photostream on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilquiz/show/

I'll be adding to the photostream as I finish and photograph my art. Feel free to check back for updates!

"Happy Thoughts", a new Freeform Piece

2009-07-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a skein of yarn I bought from Shannon at SunriseLodgeFiber, this piece can either be a decorative baby blanket, a lapghan for someone disabled or a tapestry piece.

I must take a moment and say Shannon is a wonderful sister in Christ and I could almost feel the uplifting energy of this handspun yarn. She named the yarn "Mystery Machine" from the Scooby Doo cartoon. I admit, I've seen enough of that "groovy" cartoon as

a kid to see the colorway.

Working with this yarn gave me happy thoughts and ideas...yeah kinda like the way Bob Ross thinks when he's working on one of his paintings. Next to Prudence Mapstone, Bob Ross is another person that inspires me. I'm about a quarter of the way done with it so I'll post the finished photos here and on Ravelry.

These photos were taken in the late afternoon, thus the reason for the long shadows. The finished photos will be taken at midday when the lighting is best.

Kalapana Close up

2009-07-04T06:40:00.001-07:00

Sorry, I'm posting this much later than I planned. Hopefully these two photos will capture the idea I had of pearls captured in a net of molten lava.

Happy 4th of July to you all, I took a moment this morning to pause and think about those who serve our country and those veterans who have served as well. It's also a time to think of our own personal Independance Day from this world.

Kalapana Shawl

2009-06-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Named after this merino tencel sock yarn I purchased from Etsy's Stringtheoryfiberart, this colorway is unique and truly represents the silvery charcoal of molten lava. Kalapana is a beach in Hawaii where the sand is black and occasionally the area gets changed by an active volcano. I crocheted in pearl beads making the shawl appear to be a net with pearls trapped in it. This shawl was difficult to photograph and the closeups turned out fuzzy. I'll probably try again tomorrow. I plan on listing this in my shop in July. I could see this shawl partner with a black evening dress on a cruise somewhere...

Liquid Gold in Shawl and Purse

2009-06-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

One of the goals I've been trying to achieve this summer is challenging my knitting skills, thus here is my first purse. It is a small purse for a night on the town and it has some sparkle to it, though the picture doesn't show it at all. The button came from an Etsy seller and it was a perfect match to the color!

Both the purse and shawl are listed on Etsy and I hope someone

makes a wonderful home for them. The

colors remind me of a sizzling sunset.

I have a couple more goals to reach this summer, one is to learn how to knit a hat-which I can check off my list-and the other to knit a pair of socks.

I came out of the closet!!

2009-06-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

HA! HA! PSYCHE!

Sillies!!! I moved my yarn stash out of the closet into my studio and to sound like a Billy Mays infomercial-"Wait! That's not all!" I haven't moved in my cone yarns and ribbon yet.

Hey Darlene, I moved the painting in too!! I'll have your inspiration, even after you move away.

Love you all and have a great week!

Etsy shop now open

2009-06-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well y'all, I've done it!

The listings have begun today and I'll add some each day.

www.lilquiz.etsy.com

plus two more

2009-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was in a color wonderland earlier this week creating these. It was fun walking into my closet and selecting wonderful colors from such talented spin/dye artists from all over the world. I present you two more skinnies.

This first colorway was inspired by a ball of handspun wool from Ireland I bought from maisiehandspun she called "pools". I combined this with lopi wool from Iceland and a soft cream acrylic to compliment. I will probably name this "the pools at Coolmore".

I had to do a skinny in red and so here it is. This piece contains a handspun from mulchandmore and theflyingewe, both from beautiful Michigan. I paired it up with some wonderful specialty yarns that really pulled this piece together beautifully.

Skinnies

2009-05-27T17:48:00.001-07:00

I know it's been awhile since I updated my blog, with all this rain we've been having along with overcast days, I couldn't accurately photograph my latest work.

I wanted to come up with something that could showcase the handspuns I've been getting and make it affordable for those who are looking for something one of a kind without draining their wallet. So the "skinnies" are born, these long lovelies could be a scarf or a belt.

The first one is a pretty Caribbean colorway with handspuns from Etsy's Dreamymeow and Handspunanddyedtoo. The other colors I purchased locally from yarn shops. The colors represent the colors of the tropical islands with the sun and sand. I just love these colors, it just takes me on a vacation without leaving the house.

The second skinny contains a handspun from Wildthyme, dyed silk from Silkandshine and a mink/cashmere yarn from Great Northern Yarns.com. This next to the skin soft beauty will make a great home for someone who adores purple.

This third cutie reminds me of Smarties candy. This contains peach banana fiber from Blondechicken. The rest is a delightful mix of ribbon and

sugary sweet colors.

When I first created this colorway, I thought

of city lights and a night on the town. Then I thought

"city of tiny lights". This one contains wool, acrylic,

and lurex.

This one is called "Carnivale" reminding me

of a 1990 trip to Venice and the costumes. It contains a handspun from bperry042. The rest is in ribbon accented with white yarn. The bulkiness of the ribbon made this piece a little wider but contains just about every color in the spectrum.

AU Student's Handspuns

2009-05-16T13:15:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year, we had put together a small group some fiber artists from our church (Church of the Highlands-Auburn campus). We had weavers, knitters, crocheters and one quilter come together and share experiences and have some fun. We had a blast and we'll probably do it again this fall.

One of the Auburn students during spring break visited Williamsburg, PA and took a class on spinning with a drop spindle. Pictured here are 3 mini skeins that she gave me that are now in my collection of yarn.

Two spiral scarves from the same skein

2009-05-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

These two scarves came from a skein of yarn from Whorling Tides at Etsy. She is my first Alabama spin/dye artist I found on Etsy that shares my fondness of fiber. She may live on the other side of the state (Tuscaloosa), she is still my "neighbor" and I look forward to taking a 3 hour drive sometime to meet her. If you like her work in her Etsy shop, you can shop with confidence knowing she will give you great customer service.

Most of the Etsy artists I've met have been good to me. The local artists have been super to me too, especially Darlene and Linda. :-)

About my Avatar...the cute doggie pic

2009-05-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Meet Darby Queen, the family dog/therapist. She is quite a useless guard Beagle, she's only good at three things-and she does those three things quite well....eat, sleep, and love.

She became our family member a few years ago when my son carried her home from the county dumpster. She either got lost or was abandoned there, either way, she was hungry and stinky.
She had a sweet disposition that charmed us into taking her into our home.

You probably wonder where we came up with the name Darby Queen, it was my idea, she is named after a Ranger obstacle course in Ft. Benning, Georgia. We are pretty much an Army family and support our US Army Rangers. Why name a dog after an obstacle course?? Well....why not?

I said she is the family dog/therapist....this is where she earns her keep. Our lives sometimes get very stressful and she has this unique ability to calm us down and melt our hectic day away.
She loves anyone that comes over to our house and makes new friend with her calming charm. She is probably one of the most laid back dogs we've ever adopted.

:o)

Playing with NORO

2009-05-07T03:36:00.000-07:00

Knitting with Noro yarn is a lot of fun and this is probably the only commercial spun yarn that you can buy that will knit/crochet up one of a kind gems. I purchased this yarn from Darlene's Yarn Shop in Opelika, Alabama. The yarn may have a coarse feel as you're knitting it up but it does soften up if you hand wash the garment with a touch of fabric softener and let it air dry.

This first ruffle scarf has lovely lilac colors in it with a heather grey and green. It reminds me of the lilacs that would bloom in the spring up north.
I tried taking good photos of this, but I'll probably try to photo it in direct sunlight. Maybe it will turn out better.

The second ruffle has a wider color spectrum with yellows, pinks, greens.
This would be a nice spring time scarf or do what I did and wear with black to make the colors pop.

This lariat/scarf was an experimental piece that yielded a beautiful result. Inspired by a pattern from Timaryart (Etsy shop), it is crocheted corkscrews that from a distance looked like blooming wisteria (the purple part). For anyone that is looking for something different in the accessory wardrobe, this is quite a "unique whip".

More scarves

2009-04-29T17:47:00.001-07:00

This scarf is knitted with high quality sari silk from the lovely ladies in Nepal. I'm so amazed knitting this knowing that the yarn was hand spun on drop spindles by women working from the floor of their huts a continent away. I purchased this yarn from NorthcottWilson on Etsy. The first 100 stitches are casted on with Peruvian alpaca I purchased from Ebay. The silk has a heavier drape than the sock yarn so it will work well keeping the chill away.

I enjoy working with this silk and plan on getting more in the future.

This scarf is knitted with sock yarn from Cosmicfibersyarn on Etsy. The fiber content is merino/bamboo. She hand dyed this yarn in a blue colorways that she called Kazuo Taoka Nefarious series. After I knitted this scarf, I call the colorways Blue Willow (like the dishes). This color was difficult to photograph as was the red scarf from my previous post. I wore this scarf once to work and received positive feedback on the color.

This sock yarn knitted up with a nice light lacy drape. It would make a nice dress scarf to wear as an accessory or to give a little pop to a blouse.

I have a fiber arts small group each Monday at a friend's house. We have so much fun showing each other's projects. One of the gals in our group during spring break took a class on how to spin with a drop spindle. She's been having fun since one of the other ladies gave her 3 rolls of pencil roving wool. She brought in some of her finished skeins the other night! I will take pictures of her work and post it soon. I'm so excited because I asked her if she would teach me how to spin this fall and she said she would!! I'll be looking for a top whorl spindle soon.

busy weekend!

2009-04-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Whew! I've had a busy weekend doing this and that!

First, I'm recycling yarn from a sweater I bought at the thrift store. It is a beautiful marine blue cotton yarn. I plan on twisting this with two other bamboo fibers together to make a shawl.

Second, I finished the body of a crocheted shawl that I'll probably name the colorway "liquid gold". This shawl has 3 fibers that I twisted together with my yarn twister. The fibers are a gold acrylic given to me by my weaver friend, a "fire" colorways tencel that I bought from Webs and a recycled cashmere I purchased from MishMash ya rns from Etsy. I plan on adding beadwork to the fringe to give it more "pop".

Third, I've started taking photos for the Etsy shop I will be setting up soon. These are the ruffle scarves I've been cranking out. The yarn for the red one came from a talented French dye artist Tricoterie from Etsy. The yarn is a merino/tencel sock yarn and the color is just stunning! This photo doesn't give this color justice! The second scarf will be the first of a series of college team colors. This one is University of Michigan! The yarn is a merino bamboo hand dyed by a wonderful Etsy artist in Ohio named HandDyed. I also have this yarn in Auburn and Alabama colors.

I will be posting more scarves in the next few days.

Welcome to my world of FiberArts!

2009-04-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

I've been encouraged to dive into the world of selling my work and have received many wonderful suggestions regarding what to do and where to start. One of them is blogging.

OK so here we go. I am a committed fiber junkie and enjoy working with fibers from all over this planet. I have handspun yarns from New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, Peru, France, UK, Canada, Spain, Italy, and Iceland...so far. I also have commercial spun fibers too, much bought from Darlene's Knit Shop in Opelika, Alabama. Yes, this is where I live. Opelika/Auburn area....home of Auburn University SEC Tigers.

I can safely say I'm not an Auburn fan. I enjoy college football, but I pull for the Michigan Wolverines. I suppose I'll talk a little football during the season-I don't have control over the TV remote-whatever husband says we watch during football season, we watch.

On to warm fuzzy things....I work with alpaca, cotton, wool, rayon, acrylic, bamboo, tencel, cashmere, silk. I also have some mink/cashmere blend yarn from a gent from the northeast. If anyone wants the link to his shop I'll sent it to you.

I will be setting up an Etsy shop soon. I've made all sorts of wonderful friends with the sellers on Etsy. I think about my sellers often and pray for their success. I can't get over how many talented people are on Etsy, it's very motivating.