Stamps etc.

In the last couple of weeks I have really been wanting to make a stamp. It was almost an urge that wouldn't leave me alone - odd eh? So today I went to the local craft store and foraged for materials. After coming across a 4-stamp cube made of a thin foam sheet, I decided to give the materials a try.

One of the shapes in the one I bought was this cute little bird:


I wanted to make a flower, so I drew one on the foam sheet and cut it up with an x-acto knife. The foam sheet is soft and very easy to cut, but I still managed the edges to look kind of angly, rather than round. Somehow, though, it looks fine when it's on the fabric.


I glued the cut shape onto a piece of deli container lid, and attached a bottle cork at the back, as a handle. The idea didn't work so well, as there is uneven pressure at different parts of the shape, and I have to press the rest with my fingers. You can see the 'stamp' in blue at the right, next to the 3 printed flowers.



I applied the color using a foam brush, using some cheap fabric paints I found at the craft store. I wasn't sure I wanted to invest in high quality paints in case I wasn't impressed with the process. I have discovered I really like it, though, so I think it will be worth looking for some different colors than the 3 basic ones.


I printed a few testing shapes on a piece of scrap fabric, which may be cut and attached to other works. First, though, I need to test the fastness of the color, during the next laundry day.


In other crafty news, I was out of town last weekend, with flights that involved long layovers. During the trip I managed to whip up a quick cowl, made with a little under 1 skein of Knitpicks black Suri Dream Alpaca. Just in time for the weather to turn really, really warm. The cowl is very warm and soft and pleasant to wear, so I am (almost) looking forward to using it in the next winter (but not really).



Last but not least, here is some crazy kitty artwork I spotted in a store at the airport. Their expressions are priceless!

Thinking ahead (and back)

Catching up with a bunch of little things that didn't get mentioned or photographed recently. I really can't figure out why I am so very, very lazy with locating these camera wires.

A couple of weeks ago I was wandering in SOHO and indulged on some green yarn. I can't resist green yarn. I am thinking of making a hat with it, but it will have to wait for next year. As mentioned, I 'm done with hats for this winter.

The irresistible rise of Green Yarn

This is one of the two last hats of the year that I mentioned earlier. It is for L, who likes them to sit small on top of his head, and it is also his own design.

L's hat. Designer: L.S.

I have been thinking of making a yoga platform for myself, something to spread on the carpet underneath my yoga mat. The best place in the house is right in front of one of the entrance doors, the one we have got to use most of the time lately. It is quite dirty as a result, as even if you take your shoes off inside the house, this part is inevitably stepped on with shoes. At the moment I am using a nice woven rug, but I decided to make a thin quilt for the purpose. I know it will take quite a while, especially as this will be my first quilt, but it doesn't really matter. In fact, I am looking forward to the time and effort I will need to put in for it.

During my impromptu trip down South last week (more on this later), I did my usual pilgrimage to JoAnn's fabrics and bought the fabric I will need. I will aim for the What A Bunch of Squares pattern from this book. I say 'aim for' because I seem to find it impossible to follow directions faithfully, despite the fact that I know it would be for my own good. The colors in my browser look much more grey than they are in the reality, and there is a dark blue piece of fabric that isn't included here, but you can tell the general idea.


On the long drive down South, the flight back and during a sick day yesterday I worked and finished the first of the Lorna's Laces wristwarmers. Unfortunately, Skid liked it so much that she wouldn't let me try it on to photograph. That's the best I could do - messy, I know. It is a modified version of the Monkey socks lace pattern, shrunk to a 14-stitch repeat to fit my preferred number of stitches (56).


The decision to drive was very impulsive and unexpected, and I had about 20 min. to get everything together. When I grabbed my camera I didn't think to check the battery level, which was very low. Not too many photos, therefore, of the beautiful ride. I seem to have been fascinated with roads and paths, though, because this is pretty much all I took.

I love road trips as much as I hate road movies!

There may, or may not be a subconscious symbolism in my theme choices, but I 'll spare you the vineyard philosophy (I literally translated αμπελοφιλοσοφία!) .

We had a lovely time taking a walk down the rail tracks,
covered in dead leaves that squeaked under our feet.

Home stretch. The back window of our apartment looks
straight onto the white, blooming tree.

Playing around

Today I decided to play with freeform knitting/crocheting. I pulled out one of the 'yucky yarn' bags, which is full of acrylic yarns with harsh colors that make my eyes and fingers hurt, and started toying around.


The whole experience was quite liberating. Starting to knit without a plan tapped straight into an untouched pool of creativity and technique, which was exhilarating by itself.


It was also a great learning experience. Every piece made here is an answer to 'what will happen if I do this or that?'


Putting the shapes together reminded me of being a tourist in a new place, preferably an old medieval town with meandering narrow streets and something exciting to see every corner you turn. In places like that, I just walk around with no plan, letting whim and inspiration determine my path and enjoying the surprises of exploration.

Putting the colors together was challenging, due to the limited yarn supply. This, of course has nothing to do with inspiration, and everything with the bag that I pulled out. Not worried at all that when I work with better yarns it will be just as fun as all other aspects of the process.


For the time being, I wasn't even concerned with trying to control the direction to which I was going, or the shape to create. I was just enjoying myself. Like learning anything, taking time to play around without expectations in the beginning has benefits that are hard to grasp but are invaluable for the overall understanding of how things work.


With time, control will come naturally and I am looking forward to it, whenever and however it manifests.


For now, I 'll just put this rather horrid result aside and bask only on the pleasures of learning, even if the actual product is just as ugly as the yarn that created it!