inspiration – Page 10

June 3, 2013May 31, 2013

A Yarn Holder for Camp

Throughout the summer months, we try to spend as much time as we can outdoors. Our families LOVES going to the beach, camping, having backyard fires, canoeing, and biking to name just a few things on our list of activities to do this summer. As summer vacation has been approaching, I’ve been working on a plan for keeping the kids entertained. It’s clear to me that we will be spending a lot of time going from one adventure to another. This means that my knitting will also be going from one adventure to another. In order to keep my yarn untangled and clean, I made a yarn container to use while on the go.

These containers are great. They are easy to make, don’t require any fancy supplies. They can be made while on the go or in a pinch. I consider them essential, to the summer survival of any knitter.

Here is how I made it.

Supplies

You will need 1 plastic bottle, a pocket knife (or scissors), and some duct tape.

Directions

1. Clean out the inside of your plastic bottle, and take the label off. Goo Gone can be helpful for getting any remaining glue off the outside of the bottle.

2. Cut the top portion of the bottle off. You want to look for a place where the bottle is at it’s widest so it can easily slip over the bottom portion.

3. Cut off the bottom portion of the bottle. Here you want to find a place that is narrower than the top portion. Make your cut so that there is a 1/2″ section that easily slips inside the lid so that the 2 portions of the bottle over lap.

4. The cut edges can be fairly sharp. It is a good idea to cover them with duct tape so you don’t accidentally hurt yourself. The duct tape also can add a little bulk to the overlapping edges, making the lid fit snugly on top of the bottom portion.

I needed to add some bulk to the cut edges of mine, so I tore a strip of duct tape that was 1/3 of the full width of tape. I wrapped this 1/3 section around the outside of the cut edge. Then, I took the remaining 2/3 piece of tape, and wrapped it around the outside too (on top of the 1/3 section). There should be a portion of the duct tape sticking up beyond the plastic bottle. Cut slits around the top portion of the tape that sticks up, and fold the tape over the cut edge.

5. Do this again for the lid.

May 31, 2013May 29, 2013

Arabs with Altitude Update

A couple weeks ago, I shared a fun youtube video produced by the Arabs With Altitude expedition team to Everest. It was a fun a little video the team made at the start of their expedition.

I wanted to share with you an update of their historic summit.

The team made it to the summit of Mt. Everest on 5/21. I am excited for all of them. Climbing Mt. Everest is a huge feat, but I am especially proud of Raha Moharrak, the first Arab woman to climb Mt. Everest.

While we’re on the topic of Mt. Everest, (I’ve been a little obsessed with the mountain lately. I get like that sometimes), another great expedition that took place at the same time as Arabs With Altitude, is the United States Air Force 7 Summits Challenge. This group of airmen climbers also reached the summit of Mt. Everest last week, 2 days earlier. You can read about their experience here.

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Just for fun > > > I found this free pattern for a chalk bag!

May 29, 2013May 25, 2013

Color Scouting: Tractor

What is color scouting?

May 24, 2013May 23, 2013

Color Scouting: Late Spring

Yesterday, the lighting outside was fantastic. The weather couldn’t quite make up it’s mind as to if it wanted to rain or not. This indecision created a crisp bright sky with ominous shadows.

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What is color scouting?

May 20, 2013May 20, 2013

Wisteria & Lilacs

Dream catchers are something new for me that I am really enjoying making. What I love most about them, is the combination of textures, fibers, and nature. I love the process of gathering together all the bits and pieces of what I find inspiring at the moment, and using them to create a piece of art. I made this 6″ dream catcher over the weekend. It is inspired by the month of May, the scent of lilacs in the air, and blooming wisteria.

If you are interested, it is available in my shop!

May 18, 2013May 16, 2013

A sweater from 1969

I read a blog post today from Knitish that shared with readers the reasons why this one sweater has become a most prize possession. It reminded me of how textiles can hold such strong memories for us. The feel of the fibers, the smells that are stored there as time keepers, the comfort that is felt. It is stories like these that make me love knitting so much. Hand knit items are not just things that we use or are pretty to look at. Knitting absorbs life like no other medium, and holds the memories there in it’s fibers to be cherished for years to come.

May 14, 2013May 11, 2013

Mandalas

I was looking around on Etsy the other day, when I discovered MandalaArtByCloe. I was immediately drawn in by the bright colors, and contrasting designs of these mandalas.

The artist, Cloe lives in Amsterdam. Her hand woven mandalas are inspired by the ancient mandalas of Tibet and Mexico where mandalas have been used for their calming effects on the mind.

The icing on the cake for me, is the knowledge that a portion of every sale is given for the support of a Tibetan family and their guesthouse in Nepal.

Go check out her website Art by Cloe!

May 12, 2013May 10, 2013

How can you not want to follow this climb?

This is a group of Arab climbers who are working to raise 1 million dollars for Nepali education projects. Check out their website and get to know the climbers. They will be pushing for the summit in just 1 week!

I wonder how these climbers will feel after the climb?

May 10, 2013

Warp & Weft = Life

My dear friend and mentor, is currently working to complete her master’s degree in social work. It has been her joy to find ways to use the fiber arts in her work.

How setting up the loom parallels to life

By Kim Hanes

Good evening…I was thinking throughout the week, as I was in and out of families lives how our lives are like a weaving. The warp is the “strength” of each weaving. It is the foundation. Just like our families and our community is our foundation. If the foundation is strong, then the weaving is sturdy. It is the same for us. If we have a strong foundation, then we are able to be more resilient.

In contrast, if our ” warp” in weaving is not strong, our weaving will have holes, and is weakened. In life, if our foundation is weak, it easily breaks, and we have gap. Sometimes I experience individuals that break easy.

The weft is like the lives we live. The more colors and texture we have, the more variety we we have in life, the more beautiful the overall weaving becomes. However, if we do not have enough fiber, the weaving is never finish. In this circumstance, it is hard to even visualize a final project. I have found that within families it is quite similar. Without enough resources, such as friends, money, food, etc, it is hard to visualize a goal. Working as a social worker in people’s lives, I can walk with them to seek more resources, teach them how to develop positive friendships, and find mentors. I then see them start to set some goals. The weaving develops into a beautiful piece of fiber art. As we unravel life together, there are many lessons that lie in a ball of yarn.

April 18, 2013April 17, 2013

A conversation I had . . .

My mind has been racing with projects. I’ve been waking up early, eager to start. My days have been spent trying to make my hands keep up with my ideas. I love these times in my life when my inspiration seems to be a bottomless well to draw from. Everything else is abandoned as my mind is distracted with art. I can’t help it.

I had the following conversation with my husband:

ME: You know, if I didn’t have to eat, or sleep, I think I could work on these projects for DAYS without stopping.

HIM: (stopping to look at me in my eyes) Is this like crack to you?

ME: YES! Yes it is, and I am addicted

note: The yarn above is one that I made by unraveling a woven fabric that I had from Tibet. I plied 3 strands together to give it strength. It has been a long time since I sat behind my spinning wheel. It felt so good – like having tea with an old friend.