Twitch

The uncertainty in my life still looms large and I've developed a twitch in my right eye. I'm not joking. For four days now my right eye has had an intermittent twitch that is disconcerting to say the least.

As of this moment we still have no idea which city we will be living in in the coming months. I suppose that even if there is a new job in a new city it will take a few months to get moved, and so it is safe to say we will still be in Austin for Halloween. But what of Thanksgiving? And New Year's? I just can't know for sure. I wouldn't hate a white Christmas. In fact I might love it a little bit.

But the right eye is all a flutter.

Here's a taste of what's not happening; I'm not registering for either the 3M Half Marathon or the Austin Marathon. I did 3M last year and would love to do it again -- it's a great race. Austin would be new to me, and it just so happens to be on my birthday. On October 11th I will officially start my training schedule and train as if I'm running both races. But I won't register until I know for sure that I will actually be here to run.

I'm also not applying for the Cherrywood Art Festival, which I would love love love to do again -- it's a great show with good crowds. But again, I can't say for sure if I will be around to actually do the show, so I haven't applied. Just as soon as I have even the slightest indication that I'll be around I'll apply, although the deadline is fast approaching and I may miss out all together.

And I haven't sent those queries, or scheduled those workshops, or ... or... or...

And all the while the right eye twitches and sleeping for more than 5 hours in a row eludes me.

Here's what is happening; I'm knitting some. I found solace in The Urbanity Vest by Amy Swensen -- it's straightforward and uncomplicated, and round after round of stockinette leaves my mind available for worry, which is, as I have said, what I do in times like these. This is progress.

At least some of the design work has moved beyond half-baked to just not done. I've got yarn ordered for several new projects, and have made real strides on a trio of hats. Here's the teaser: one pattern, three hats, the common thread is itty-bits of hand-spun yarn.

Again, it's progress.

I read Into the Wild -- captivating enough and more difficult than third grade. I also read Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac -- a pithy, and smart little number that every knitter should read.

But the nuno felting remains untouched. And the embroidery goes slow. And the house is still really clean. And there's not a speck of laundry left to do.

And the uncertainty looms large. And my right eye has a twitch.

Progress!

Workshops - Taking Some and Teaching Some

A few weekends back I took an all day workshop at the LYS with Cookie A. The class was based on her fabulous new book Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks and the focus was to design your own pair of socks, based on a stitch from a stitch dictionary and custom fit to your measurements. We did a lot of math and a lot of knitting. The result is a great new sock design in progress. I'm working with a simple lace pattern and a bamboo and silk yarn that has just the slightest sheen. I'll be finishing the pair, making changes if necessary, and perhaps publishing the pattern in the near future.

This week I started the first of three classes at The Stitch Lab here in Austin - Artistic Embroidery with Kat McTee of Artcloth. I've been hand stitching on my felted pieces for some time, but my technique has always been a bit rogue. Now I've learned the proper way to execute the stitches, but without the tyranny of "the embroidery police". The next sessions of this class we will be using various transfer techniques - photo transfer, ink jet printable fabric, and iron on - to give ourselves a custom pattern for stitching. I've selected images, and planned a project that involves maps and photos from New Mexico and Minneapolis. I'll be sharing my progress and some photos soon.

And finally I'll be teaching a few workshops. I've scheduled some dates in September for both my "Get Your Knit On!" class and my "Knit This and Felt It!" class. "Get Your Knit On!" is designed for the true beginner, I'll be teaching all the basics from casting on to binding off, the knit and the purl stitch, simple increases and decreases, and knitting in the round. Students will complete two projects, and leave the third class ready to start a third project of their choosing.

In "Knit This and Felt It!" participants will knit, felt and embellish with needle felting either my Althea Bag or the Notorious Tam. The choice is theirs.

Afflicted Featured in a Show

Great news! My book Afflicted has will be a part of the Sitting Room and Sit Down and Read - side by side shows of artists books you can pick up and read. The show, sponsored by Another Room Book Arts Bookstore, was curated by Tom Sowden and Lucy May Schofield and will feature 110 Artist Books by International Artists.



The thing I love about this show is that the audience can interact with work, and actually read and enjoy the books. That doesn't happen very often, although I believe it should. In most gallery shows the work is displayed under glass or on the wall. It has always been my feeling that books, even Artist Books, are meant to be held and read. It is that interaction with the audience that made me want to create books.

Another Room and Gallery K are a part of Rythmix Cultural Works in Alameda California. If you're in that part of the world stop by and fondle some art.

Be the Change: Art Clothing As Expression

As I mentioned ever so briefly in a previous post I am participating in a wearables show at Ripple River Gallery in Minnesota. The show - Be the Change: Art Clothing as Expression opens October 17th with an artist reception on October 20th, and will stay up thru December 9th.

I've known about the show for some time and have had several projects that either I decided were too ordinary, or that I didn't love enough. However, most recently I decided that a shawl of my own design from this bundle of color and delicious fibers was going to be the ticket.

The gathering of colors and fibers

The finished object is not only extra-ordinary, I also love it. The color combination and fibers all worked beautifully together. The shawl has a beautiful hand, and drapes well. It will be a pleasure to wear. This was my contribution to the show.

The shawl close up

The shawl full length

If you happen to be in MN, you should try and find your way to the Ripple River Gallery. This show happens to be just in time for fall colors, and I'm sure will feature many innovative pieces from some very talented artists.

ETSY TX Crafters Trunk Show

I'll be participating, although not attending, the ETSY TX Crafters Trunk Show at the Etsy Labs in NY City Sept 28-29. See http://www.etsytx.org for more details & join in all the fun!!!