lovely in chicago

While in Chicago Jay and I sought out a show called "ImPaired Visions" at the District 13 Gallery. We saw a link on the Daily Candy (thanks Dave!) and thought it sounded like a good stop. When you know nothing about a city it is hard to understand where the good galleries are, and often people have opposing opinions (really, most folks suggested going to the Art Institute, but we wanted to see contemporary work to get an idea of the type of culture Chicago fosters). In total we visited around 10 spaces, but this one was by far our favourite - and luckily our last stop, so we ended on a high note. Youth, playful restraint and solid talent filled the walls. We each were drawn to a piece - but not the same one. Oddly enough, they were by the same artists so we had to take a walk to decide how we would choose. In the end we picked both because we were in Chicago for Jay's art and we liked the idea of showing our support in return.

The top piece was my pick, titled "supper was delicious mommy"; it was a little more feminine and I just adore the script of "lovely" flowing out of the vomiting daughter's mouth. What you can't see in the photo is the clear gloss printed floral pattern that I think was the last layer screened. Jay's piece, "hope", is printed on solid wood and is wonderfully minimal. The artists are two guys from Minneapolis who form the duo Lovely. They had a number of pieces in the exhibit and even designed the show poster (which we also got a copy of - you can see it here), but most of the other artists were from the Chicago area. I did recognize one artist by name - Shawnimal - from the Plush You II show last year. For a very brief moment, this one degree of separation made me feel like a part of this vital culture, but I quickly resumed my "happy to be absorbing" position.

Someday, someday.

michigan thrifting

Sometimes the secret to surviving a long road trip is finding a small town junk shop. We drove to and from Chicago this past week and stopped in Galesburg, Michigan on our way back. Jay has a knack for spotting signs for such obscure places, and with the 25 degree weather we really needed to get out of the car. The shop was a gem; we spent over an hour discovering treasures and if we didn't have to get back to pick up Sadie we would have stayed all afternoon. The doll's highchair is already Sadie's favourite. She has sat every creature in its' steel seat and served them juice. As for me, I simply indulged in little treats: the tiniest pearl buttons, an old baby portrait, a baby's diary from 1905 and a little something I'm going to pass along to a far away and dearly missed friend. The wool is a mismatched element because it is new and hails from Chicago, but it's such a great colour and the shop was so fantastic that I wanted to include it. If you're ever in Chicago, Nina is a shop worth visiting. The Red Balloon was pretty sweet too, but I'll save my Chicago review for next time.

(There is a reason to my separating posts though - up until Galesburg I had mostly been shopping in retail stores as any new city compels me to do. However, it was so refreshing to go thrifting and rediscover items long loved by other people. I have a love/hate relationship with shopping and consumerism - who doesn't? - but it seems I almost forgot who I was until we walked into this shop. It was like breathing fresh air, regardless of dust content.)

finished, part two

I can hardly believe it, but I finished a sweater! A real, adult sized sweater that I can actually wear. This is when knitting is totally cool, and I think Ragdoll would agree. The pattern is my favourite style - raglan sleeves with rolled edges. Already I have more Cascade in the wings (the fuschia/pink blend...why not be more daring?) to make the exact sweater once more. Before that though, I think my little girl should get a sweater of her own, and after this huge endeavour a toddler sized version should take no time!

The details are: Fleece Artist Kidsilk Raglan Pattern, Cascade 220 Heathered (instead of the Kidsilk) on 5mm circular bamboo needles. Only modification was to make the neck longer and narrower so that it was more of a turtleneck style.

finished

Finally, a finished piece. This is my donation to the Muse07 silent art auction (frankly, I need deadlines to get me working). I struggled with knowing when to stop, but now that the binding is sewn and the piece is set in a frame I'm starting to believe that it reached its' proper ending. Jay finds that the piece makes him quite sad; part of me meant that I'm sure, but there is much more behind this story, and I hope the simple choice of materials adds warmth to that emotional expression. I have been working on cross-stitch samplers for a while (with only glimpses left here) so it is really rewarding to add this new element to my staples of embroidery and hand stitching. Actually, this is really the first piece of mine that doesn't rely on photography as the figural element, though that is partly why it felt unfinished for so long. With Sadie in my life and working space at a minimum (both physically and mentally) the intimate and immediate nature of fabric and thread just works best. Hopefully the things I'm trying to say can be captured in such limited materials.

And now to start sleeve number two of my sweater. Knitting class is tomorrow and I really need a respite from thinking. Oh, and if you're in Toronto, Haley is having a big sale this weekend at Knitomatic. Bank account be warned.

winter girls

I've spent five minutes debating the vanity of posting a photo of myself, but I think I've got my argument straight: Sadie is in it. There is a general lack of photos with the two of us together so I am indulging. Also, my last post was entirely for Jay and I don't want to neglect the fabulous little girl in my life who was so fun to be with this weekend, even if we had to pile on loads of winter clothing for a trip outdoors. Oh, and the TVO Kids hat isn't so much a staple of mine (it's downright blasphemous, being a knitter and all) as it is swag Jay got the other day and Sadie's choice for me.

It would seem that there's not much "making" going on, but I have been busy with my sweater for the class I'm taking at Knitomatic. Ragdoll and I have been making headway and I can't believe how much I've got done (proving that taking a class is the only way I'll ever finish a big knitting project). On other creative fronts I plan to donate a piece to this event/great cause, and I'm working on a submission to the wee space at this shop in Vancouver. But with my full-time work at the fullest tilt I can imagine and Jay working furiously towards a show in Chicago I'm just trying to keep my mind functioning and our little family fed and smiling.

At least there's lots of inspiration out there: Loop, Egg Press, Lucy Jane Batchelor and Thornback & Peel.

love letter

We've had ten years of Valentine's Days.

I wanted you to be mine a long, long time ago. I wanted to protect your ears and be the only one to enjoy those breathtaking eyes. I wanted to hold your hand because it was beautiful and had the ability to create anything and everything.

In return you've given me my own soundtrack. You meet my every grumpy morning with a joke, and you know how to leave me alone. You challenge me, and I love you for it. Even at the worst of times, we can laugh so hard we cry. There is simply no end to your humour and to your talent.

Thank goodness for kitchen stools and locked doors.

(And I promise never to gush in public again.)

wicked needles

After a treacherous journey home Friday night (I literally pushed Sadie's stroller through the snow as though the wheels never even existed) I realized that I wasn't excited about any of my knitting projects. Enter above result. I sifted through pattern books and decided that a bikini top was in order, Queen of Hearts from Stitch 'N Bitch to be exact. Somehow in my exhausted but seemingly dirty mind, I thought this would be nice for Valentine's Day...you know, for the day in February when I pretend my house is carpeted with sand and it's the ocean I see from my window instead of snow covered outdoor furniture we meant to take in. Oh wait, maybe it's for the day my dirty mind was imagining. Gee, suddenly I've entered into slutty knitting.

Must be all this snow.

(As for the pattern details, I did attempt the intarsia bit, but it was annoying and I figured I could embellish the hearts instead. The black is 100% cotton, and the hearts are embroidered with leftover Koigu from the socks I recently finished.)

little old lady

For the past two weeks Jay has been putting Sadie to bed every other night. Luckily it's been working, but the one trick is that I have to disappear from sight at least 15 minutes before bedtime. So I retreat to the studio which is PERFECT! With only these small pockets of time I finished my Month of Softies submission. The theme was "Something New from Something Old". I have a collection of linen napkins and doilies in all shades of white, so I cut up a couple to create the whole body. I only used the machine once, otherwise I hand stitched her together (which minimized the sound - Sadie's bedroom is next door!) Her hair is mine from many years ago, carefully braided and secured. The only other old thing, the tiny MOP button to adorn her collar. I kept wanting to add a photgraphic face, but it just wasn't working. The blank face, reminiscent of Amish dolls, just worked best. She stands only 7" tall, but her ghostly nature is a nice break from the colourful wool creatures of the past year.

have gadget, will sew

Before the holidays I ended up with a Blackberry for work, and not only was the plastic holder ugly, but it did nothing to hide the fact that I was carrying around something that made me blush (I've held out on having a cell phone until now, so I have this earnest look any time I try to make the thing work). So with an extra week away from work and a desire to spend time sewing, this is what I came up with. My other cross-stitch project inspired the text detail, along with 6.5 stitches wonderful quilt. Black denim, toile and ribbon round out the rest of the materials, and because of its' tiny stature it took two attempts and a lot of handsewing to get it right.

I'd really hoped to get a submission for the Month of Softies done, but we've been watching Twin Peaks all week and other than some knitting I just relaxed. I did sign up for a sweater making class at Knitomatic (and chose wool for it twice before I got it right...which I hope my Cascade Heathers choice is) and got to the show Fray at the Museum for Textiles. I was particularly drawn to Sarah Maloney's work - her knit vertabrae and foot bones were delicate but seemed to possess great weight. While there, I wrote down this portion of a quote: "the ability of textiles to communicate human stories." With a little luck, and a bit more effort than I put in this week, I hope that this is the year I add to the communication.

Fingers crossed.

for special feet

You'd think socks have taken over my life, but I swear it's not true. On Christmas Eve we were running extremely late and just as we were loading up the car my midwife came around the corner - carrying a two month old. I didn't even know she was pregnant and it was so wonderful to see her again, especially with her new mother smile. She really is the most gentle woman I've ever met, someone I will carry with me for the rest of my life. She is going to be such a fantastic mother and her little baby boy is in perfect hands. It also turns out that she has moved just a few streets over from us so I thought I would try baby socks and walk over to deliver them.

These socks are the same Debbie Bliss pattern, size 3 needles and Koigu Merino. Luckily I think babies like crazy colour choices, and these are certainly no exception.