Kleas

mosaic monday

1. CREATION 4, 2. Untitled, 3. eggshell spoons, 4. pinhas, 5. beachcombing 005, 6. colours, 7. wool and wood, 8. urchins, 9. Untitled

Some images from Flickr that have been inspiring me. 

creative spaces

I've been playing with couching following Feeling Stitchy's January Stitchalong.  I'm using wool roving and yarn on burlap.  I'm not convinced this is the way I want to go.

More creative spaces here.

let's talk

Remember these?

I posted this sneak peek twenty days ago-Jen nailed it right away and knew what I was up to.

I spent the New Year knitting cervices for my dear and talented friend Sonya Philip.  Sonya has not only inspired me with her knitting on ordinary objects but has also wowed me with her new undertaking, The Felt Cervix Project-a collaborative art installation currently on display in Oakland, California.

Sonya has created a pattern for a knit cervix and is asking volunteers to knit a cervix or two or more to add to her growing pile.  Why?  To raise awareness about female reproductive and sexual health and in her own words,  The aim of The Felt Cervix Project is about engagement, creating, and community. Help carry on the conversation.  Get people talking.

I knew immediately I wanted to contribute to Sonya's project.  My thoughts went back to when we first met in person, unbelievably it was exactly five years ago this month I was in San Francisco.  Our friendship came fast and our conversation intimate.  I had been suffering.  We began talking and before I knew it I was telling her about my three miscarriages, my desire for a second child, the tumor the size of a grapefruit that was invading my uterus and seemed to prevent pregnancy, I went on and on and on and on.  And Sonya?  she listened, really listened, she held my hand, gave me a hug, and bravely promised me it would happen.  And it did.  And to celebrate, she knit him a blanket (and an owl!) and I will never forget.

Sharing our stories is a powerful thing.  And I found there is nothing like knitting a cervix in the presence of many women that can really get some interesting conversations started.

It was New Years, we were at the farm, and we were at a party with about forty people.  As I sat knitting, women of all ages shared their stories.  Birthing stories, cancer stories, menstrual stories.  It worked Sonya!  It got us all talking!  And that's just for starters.

The details:

I used two kinds of pink yarn.  Patons Classic wool (easy for wet felting) and vintage wool tapestry yarn I picked up at the thrift store (not as easy to wet-felt, but with extra muscle, I managed).

I used size 8 double pointed needles and for the first time learned how to knit in the round.  (Thank goodness for instructional videos on the web!)  I was not familiar with the MAKE 1 stitch, but figured that out quite easily too.

Each cervix took me about 75 minutes to knit, and even after knitting ten of these I was not able to memorize the pattern.  But that's just me.  Chawne only needed an impressive 20 minutes to knit one and memorized the pattern after making two.  Sonya's pattern is easy to read and well written and after learning to knit in the round I may give socks a try after all!  

I wet felted them using rubber gloves which really helped speed up the process.

And I'm happy to report they made it safely to Sonya.  See them in a tower here.

Do you knit?  Consider making one or two or three and mail them off to Sonya.  Spread the word.  Help grow her pile for the installation.  Get women talking.  xx

thrifted collections-mini wall art

It's always a treasure for me to find these mini art wall hangings while thrifting.  I think it is just the size that makes them so sweet.  They fit into tiny corners on walls where nothing else will.  I found this one last week for less then a dollar.  

This one hangs at the preschool near the handwork table...

...and these two at the farm.

I had no luck when trying to find more information about these miniature pieces, but I did fall in love with these two adorable framed vintage pastels at Etsy.  

year of the dragon

1. Wooden dragon, 2. Dragon, 3. DSC02838, 4. Dragón, 5. Felted toy 'Dragon with snowdrops', 6. Dragon ornament

I'll happily celebrate the Chinese New Year since it's predicted to be a year of good luck and positive change. 

And just for fun:

• learn how to draw a dragon
• cross-stitch a dragon
• knit a (fierce little) dragon
• learn dragon origami
• stitch a dragon out of felt 
• print out a dragon to color
• make a dragon mask
• or make a card from this free download

So were you born in the year of the dragon?  I myself am a horse.

asleep

I went into hibernation mode last week.  It wasn't planned but I kind of avoided the computer.  Went to bed early.  Caught up on some much needed sleep.  I hate to be on the computer in front of the boys, so usually wait until they are in bed.  I'm refreshed now!  I think the new hair helped sort of "wake me up".  Cutting fifteen inches and adding some blasts of color will do that for me.  I'll be back tomorrow. xx

this week at the preschool...

...we have been making peace doves in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

About a year ago I posted instructions on how to make these which can be found by linking here.

The kids were so excited to make them fly!  (and fly...and fly...and fly...)

taking stock (part 2)

Last year I sorted through all my wood bowl findings from the thrift store.  Over the weekend I decided it was time to look at all the pottery pieces I've acquired.  

If you know me, you know I have quite a weakness for thrift finds that are hand made.  Just look at my vintage needlework collection!  

My obsession for these abandoned ceramics began sometime last year when I found the most beautiful cream white hand thrown bowl for under a dollar.  I just turned the bowl over and over in my hands feeling the weight of it, thinking about the person who made it, wondering why it ended up where it did.  I didn't hesitate taking it home with me and with that purchase a new thrift find was awakened.

I guess I sort of see it as my mission to "rescue" these mismatched, one-offs that were either a potters discontinued/not perfect piece or a students one time class assignment.  Then I got the idea of seeking out mugs.  I started with large ones...

...but seemed to keep coming across these smaller cups.

My goal is to collect at least 12 of the smaller ones so I can bring them to the preschool.  I have a sweet vision of serving all the children hot tea in these miniature mugs after a chilly morning in the backyard. So far I have seven, so you can bet I'll be scouring the shelves to complete my set.  

We use these pieces every day-I think food and coffee just taste better out of something so pretty.  

back to normal

This past weekend we greeted Los Reyes Magos (the three wise men)...

...we ate Rosca de Reyes (delicious bread) dipped in thick hot chocolate...

...we took down the tree, and I finally finished my holiday greetings and thank you cards.

I really like to make the cards although I spend so much time on them they undoubtedly get in the mail much later than they should.  These trees were made with wool felt...I felt a little wistful adding a strip of wool felt "snow" at the bottom as we have none.  It has truly been one odd winter...it's 45 degrees right now! (???)

One week ago I looked at different ideas and challenges I'd like to try for this new year, and have decided that one I am going to commit to is Take a Stitch Tuesday.  How wonderful to have 52 new stitches to add to my somewhat limited repertoire of what I now use.  The first weeks stitch is "fly stitch" and I've just begun experimenting with this new (to me) stitch.  I loved searching flickr for inspiration here are some favorites.

1. January flower, 2. Fly-ing in the Breeze, 3. Fly stitch (TAST 2012), 4. TAST 2012 week #1 - Fly Stitch

And I love how Sara uses as background stitch in this photo...(it wouldn't upload in the mosaic).

Were are all back to school today and back to "normal" (whatever that may be).  Happy Monday all!!

creative spaces

A little sneak peek into my first project of the year.