Details in the knitting

I realize that I've been posting more writing than photographs lately so I wanted to share some shots of the work coming off my needles these days. What a change from when I first started this blog and was too scared to write anything because I felt like I sounded stupid! Oh, the invisible audience that terrorizes us all.

Above is my latest text knitting venture, where I'm riffing off of the ideas I started with "Full-On Meltdown". So far, I've only had one significant mistake that ultimately turned into a happy accident. I changed the direction of the striping every 10 rows, and the text had been designed to fit into 12 rows......SHIT! So, I had to delete the 2 spacer rows I initially had between the letters and, once I saw the results, I came to the conclusion that it made the design more effective than I had originally intended! PHEW!

May all our mistakes turn into happy accidents!

 This is a knitted hot water bottle cover I made as a gift for my boyfriend's birthday. Nowadays, when I'm faced with any knitting project (especially those that are not my design), I have to find a way to make it that much more interesting, or at least involve some new technique so I can learn and grow. I customized this simple cover with a hexagon pattern and chain-stitched lettering. 

My boyfriend was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis last year and this was my way to aid in a difficult situation that I have virtually no control over.

And I HATE not being in control!

 I couldn't stop thinking about these 2 toothbrushes that I had designed originally for this piece. And after buying a great miniature antique painting a few month back, I've been thinking about small art. I'd love to do more with this simple format. I think we'll be getting around to building frames sometime next month so only then will I really get an idea for how this will turn out. Looking forward to that.

This idea came directly out of a personal experience I had when I first started dating my main man. We had been seeing each other for a few weeks and I had already taken to spending the night over at his house. In an effort to 'be cool' and not be like 'other girls', I decided to leave my toothbrush in his medicine cabinet, but hide it on the top shelf where I thought it wouldn't be seen. Adam is like the coolest guy. Seriously. I've never seen him do anything uncool. We hadn't officially labeled our relationship so I was working extra hard to be cool. By the next time I came over, he had found my brush and placed it next to his brush by the sink.

It was such a small gesture but it really said something to me about us.

So now I look at 2 toothbrushes side-by-side as a real, everyday reminder of the deep intimacy I share with my wonderful man.

This is a secret that I must not reveal for fear of those who might been looking! 

Stay tuned for more on this project...

Until then, I'll be in my studio.

Have a great day!!