balloons

It was time to introduce a new project in class. This one has to do with form in space and textiles used to define space. I thought that it would be a good thing to start this off away from knitting and the machines. We began the exploration of form with balloons.

I don't think that the class was too thrilled with the material, but everyone pushed through

There was some fun

We maintained our calm demeanor

The Craft Hack Project

warning - image heavy post

The First Project for the Material Construction Class was due this past week.

Project - Craft Hack
"Hacking is a subtle and arguably mystical art, equal parts wit and technical ability" - urbandictionary.com
Using your knowledge of machine knitting techniques, and other non woven textile structures, develop a work or series of pieces that explore the notion of craft as repurposed technology. Please use the knitting machine for at least part of the work.

I was blown away by the diverse interpretations that the class presented in the critique.

While I tried to get photos of each of the pieces some of my photos were less successful than others.
Just so members of my class know, some of the photos were really crappy. These are the ones that are less crappy. It is not a comment on any ones work.

Here's some of what we looked at.

Wes

Veronika

Stacie

RachelC

RachelB

Maud

Matt

Maria

Madeline

Chaney

Alex

Eun Hye

Andrew

A lot of information to take in, and huge places for these ideas and work to go. I'm excited.

A peek

A little bit of what I'm working on photographed in the shop in between people coming in and me mopping the floor because of the salty slushiness.

Yes, here I am.

The shop is the shop.

The real news is the fantastic class that I'm teaching at MICA in Baltimore.

Material Construction, the emphasis is on machine knitting but we'll be exploring all sorts of off loom/non-woven techniques.

It's been years since I have been in academia so I thought it would take a while to get into the groove of it, but no. I have loved teaching this class from the very first moment.

The students are all very engaged and interested and that makes my job that much easier and exciting.

I'm hoping to give updates here at the blog and hopefully get some images of things that are going on in the class.

The first 2 sessions have been devoted to the most basic of machine stuff. casting on and off and some stitch manipulation. I can see some frustrations but there is a learning curve.

Now that we have gone over the basics the real fun should begin as everyone takes control of their machines and really starts creating.

I am soooooo excited

this seems likely to happen

If you were me what would you think of you?

still around and I will eventually get back to posting

really

a fuzzy image

There is a little work going on in the studio.
Mostly though I'm still tied to the shop.

R.I.P. Mary Travers

My friend Melissa's film at the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) check it out and vote!!!, I think you have to register on the site to cast a vote
Thanks all

You Are So Beautiful

The Charleston

Do not run with knitting needles

or maybe you should
full article with pics and video
at extreme craft

The Needle (and the Damage Done)

Knitting Needle Accident Reveals Cancer - ABC News

As most Extreme Craft readers know, craft can be a dangerous, even life-threatening business. 55 year old Ellin Klor found this out the hard way when she was on the way to a knitting club meeting. Apparently, she was so jazzed to show her friends some new patterns that she bounded up the front stairs, knitting needles in hand. Unfortunately, Ms. Klor tripped, and one of the knitting needles (the actual remnant is pictured above) pierced her chest, lodged in her heart, and snapped off. She didn't even notice until she got into the house, where 911 was promptly called.

The trauma team at Stanford University Hospital successfully removed the (shockingly large gauge) needle from her heart, stitched her up and sent her home. Twelve days later, Klor woke up with a pain in her chest and shortness of breath, and got back in touch with her doctors. When she went back to the hospital, every test came back negative until a doctor noticed that one of her lymph nodes was swollen.

Sherwood-survior--knit-So01-horizontal

Klor was soon diagnosed with breast cancer, which she had successfully fought a decade earlier. Doctors actually think that the knitting needle incident saved her life, as the malignancy wouldn't have been caught until it started to spread. According to a Newsweek article, her line of thinking that got her past the breast cancer was something like "if a knitting needle through my heart isn't enought to kill me, there's no way that a little thing like cancer is going to get in my way."

20/20 ran a video piece about Ellin Klor last Sunday, and although they didn't provide embeddable video that I could directly put up, they do have an archive of the piece HERE.

If this isn't an argument for playing fast and loose with craft, I don't know what is. Don't be afraid to run with scissors (or bound up the stairs with knitting needles). It might just save your life.

All that wine is gone

Yma Sumac

Wine tasting

Thinking of old Shanghai