Inside-Out Cowl -- New Pattern!

Check out the new pattern in my Etsy Shop!

This lovely cowl is knit in the round, and is completely reversible. One side has ridges (as shown in the pictures) and the other side is less textural and features large ridges of purl stitch. It is bulky but not too bulky, and I designed it this way so that it could easily fit underneath a coat. It also looks great worn inside over a sweater. You have the option of making this cowl in two lengths. All of the photos show the cowl in the longer length. Lastly, I chose a machine washable acrylic/wool blend yarn that is very affordable for this project.

Catching Up

Can you believe this kitten? I was doing some homework today, and she just climbed into that basket and sat in there for about 3 hours. I'm home sick today, so I'm using it as an opportunity to catch up on some homework and things that have been piling up. I've also been editing some pictures that I had sitting on my camera, and editing pictures for my class' blog.
Last week Nate took me out for dinner the night before valentines day. We went the night before because neither of us enjoy really crowded places. I'm a lucky girl eh?We went to a really great Italian restaurant in town. Our food was really great, as was the wine. It even started to snow a little bit outside, so it made for a really beautiful winter night. Nate had some pasta with sirloin steak. and I had linguine with scallops, mussels, and shrimp in a spicy red sauce. In this pic it is buried under a pile of parmesan. We had to explain to our waitress we were from Wisconsin, so excessive cheese is the norm for us. :)It was a nice way to escape a little bit from the daily grind. If I am feeling better by next weekend, I am planning a trip into Milwaukee to visit my sister/ force her to do my taxes for me. I am lucky to have an accountant as a sister. :)

Handspun Notebook Paper Project

This semester has gotten off to a somewhat slow start for me regarding my studio work, but I am finally getting into my groove. I am starting a new project that involves spinning notebook paper that I've written on into yarn. It is in its infancy as of now, but I am making progress. Each page takes about 40 minutes to write on, cut, and then spin into yarn.

It is kind of tricky to spin at first, but I am getting the hang of it. It is surprisingly sturdy once it is spun up. I'll be posting more about this project as it goes on.
In other news, I've been fighting this cold and I can't shake it. Any suggestions on ways to battle this cold would be greatly appreciated. :)

Cassiemarie's Crocheted Soap Saver - Free Pattern

About this pattern:
This soap saver is perfect for holding bar soap, recycling small soap pieces, and for using up leftover yarn scraps. It will save you a little money as well. It is crocheted in the round from the top down. The drawstring is crocheted separately, and then woven through the holes in the top of the pouch. You can use the drawstring to hang the soap saver in your bathroom.

Materials:
- Size H Crochet Hook (Go up to a J Hook if you Crochet Tightly)
- About 35 Yards of Lily Sugar'n Cream Yarn

Instructions:

CH- Chain
SL- Slip Stitch
SC- Single Crochet

1. CH 24, SL to join into a ring.
2. SC 2 rounds.
3. (SC 2, CH 2, SK 2 ST) Repeat 5 more times. This row forms the spaces that you will weave the drawstring through. (1 round)
4. (SC 1, SC 3 in the space left by the CH 2 in the previous row) Repeat 5 times. (1 round)
5. SC into the back loop of each stitch for 10 rounds. This creates a very elastic fabric that will stretch to fit most normal sized soaps.
6. To close the bottom of the bag, lay the bag flat and SC through both sides of the bag. Pull the yarn through the last stitch to create a knot and weave in the ends.
7. To create the drawstring, CH until you have a length of about 12 inches. Pull end of yarn through the last stitch to make a knot. This is your drawstring. Weave it through the spaces created by the chain stitches in the 3rd step. Tie a knot at the end to form a loop, insert your soap or soap pieces, and tie another knot to secure it.
Use of Pattern:
If you would like to post about this pattern on your website or blog, please include a link to this entry. Copyright 2008 Cassie Edwards - All Rights Reserved. You may use this pattern to crochet items for personal use or charity. You may not sell the pattern itself, or items made using pattern under any circumstances, neither individually nor in any compilation of patterns. You may not copy this pattern and post it elsewhere, not on a web page, nor message board, nor via e-mail, nor via any other electronic means. If you make modifications to the pattern, please only post the modifications you made, not the entire modified pattern. Thanks! :)

My Neck Will Never Be Cold Again - Noro Striped Scarf and the Gathered Scarf

So, I may have cheated a little bit. I took the pictures for these last weekend, but didn't get around to posting them due to having to read a 80 page essay on dialogical aesthetics. It hurt my brain.
I was on a scarf kick for a while because I only get to work on knitting while doing something else at the same time, and they are both easy patterns. The first is the 'Noro Striped Scarf,' but instead of using Noro, I used bulky weight Tweedle Dee yarn and size 15 ( I think) knitting needles.
I really love how soft and warm it turned out. It is knit in 1x1 rib stitch, so it turns out pretty dense, and is completely reversible. Definitely a winner.This second project is a total cheat as well. I have had this finished for about two months, and just now got around posting pics of it. It is the 'Gathered Scarf' and it is knit with Cotton Fine. I wear this all of the time, and should really knit one in another color so I can mix it up a little bit.
The biggest perk to this scarf is that it washes really well. I just toss it in the machine to wash and dry, and it comes out perfectly. Another win!

FO: Yellow/Green Chunky Cowl

This took me about one evening to knit, and then I let it sit for about four weeks without weaving in the ends. But, last week I bought a new jacket thanks to the super clearance sales going on everywhere, and I needed a new accessory to match it, so I finally finished my cowl.
I love how it turned out! It stands up well, it is reversible, and is snug enough around my neck that it isn't bulky under my coat.
And, it is washable. A big plus when it is going to be worn almost every day in the winter. :)Hopefully, I will get my butt in gear and write up a pattern soon! I have a bunch of patterns halfway written up, I just need to photograph them, proof them, and get them up on my Etsy site. :)

ETA:
I've now got the pattern finished!!
Check it out at my Etsy Shop!
www.cassiemarie.etsy.com

Visiting Artist Yvette Kaiser - Smith, and Crocheting Fiberglass

This week Yvette Kaiser Smith was at our university as a visiting artist. Her work was part of the show, Crossing Threads, Crossing Boundaries. Here is one of her pieces, it is crocheted fiberglass roving that is dipped into tinted resin.
Along with attending her artist's talk, I also got the opportunity to go to a workshop in which we got to make a fiberglass and resin sculpture of our own. Here is Yvette explaining the process of determining what kind of resin to use.
These are some of the samples she brought for us to see, and color cards for mixing up the resin.
This is Yvette explaining some of her techniques for 'posing' the sculptures she makes while they dry.
And lastly here I am posing in front of Yvette's pieces in the show. I got yelled at by a gallery guard soon after this shot for touching one of the pieces, right after Yvette herself told me to touch them. It was quite funny.

Chevalier Mittens and Blog Feature - Part 1

With school going full force, sometimes I need a bit of quality time with my knitting needles. I've been pining after the Chevalier Mittens from Made by Myself for quite some time. I've also been trying to burn through some stash yarn, so this project was perfect for that lone skein of brown Cascade 220 that was taking up room in my closet. I started them in the morning, and got just past the cuff.
A few episodes of Battlestar Galactica later and I'm almost finished with the first mitten. I really want to finish these so I can wear them. It is SO cold outside today!
I also wanted to start featuring some of my friends' blogs. First up is the blog of my BFF, or as some may think, my brother from whom I was separated from at birth, Tony. His blog, After Fighting For Hours, traces his journey from Wisconsin to Vegas, and his (sometimes elitist- haha ) epiphanies along the way. It is good reading, and sometimes I make an occasional appearance there as well. Here is a picture I stole from his blog of our trip into Chicago from last summer:

Studio Clean Up and 'Old' New Work

I've finally gotten around to posting some pictures of my newest watercolor paintings.



I've had a bit of a slow start to the semester for more than a few reasons, but I'm working past them, and getting moving this week. I cleaned out half of my studio, and organized the other half. I wanted to have a blank canvas, a fresh start.
This is the 'business' end of the studio. I switched out the old couch as well and replaced it with a different one. I'll be posting some new paintings soon!

Hopes and Dreams

If you have ever met my Grandpa C, I'm sure you've heard about all of his 'Grandbabies,' and each of our accomplishments. :)
Yesterday, my cousin Alissa, placed first at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships! We are so happy!
If you want to see it for yourself, here are links to the short program and the long program.
She has worked so hard for so long, and it is SO great to see her accomplishing her dreams!
In fact, if you meet my G-pa, you will hear about how all of his grandbabies are reaching for and accomplishing their dreams. The figure skater, the dancer, the hockey player, the accountant, and the artist. I am so thankful for having such an amazing family.

(the artist, the skater, a friend, and the dancer)

Alissa, this is your time, and we are SO pround of you!

Love,
The Artist

A Beautiful Morning

I had the morning off today, which was wonderful. I was supposed to go in to the university, but my meeting got canceled so I am curled up on the couch this morning with the sunlight beaming through the windows. I've been listening to the 'This American Life' podcast, sipping coffee, and listening to Blitzen Trapper, Bon Iver, and the Fleet Foxes. If you haven't heard their newest albums, you really should. They are wonderful.
This week I've got some pieces up in the Graduate Gallery - Gallery 214 right now in a show that Kim put together called 'Pin Up'. It is a sampling of works on paper and works in progress done by MFA students here at NIU.
I've got some of my formica sample paintings up. Feel free to come see them in person!
The gallery will be open all of this week, and also on Thursday night to coincide with the opening of the faculty show in the Jack Olson Gallery.
Yesterday I started the daunting task of cleaning and rearranging my studio. I think it needs a few more hours work, but I think the new setup will help my productivity. I'll post some pictures when I am finished though, right now it looks like an art supply store exploded. Here are some of my paintings in progress. They have a long way to go still... Lastly, I've been contemplating cutting my hair super short, but in the meantime I cut myself some bangs. I wear my hair up most of the time, and I was sick of it looking drab, hence, bangs.
Much better.I hope you all are having a good morning as well.

Brrrr!

It has been a little cold this last week. The lowest it got on my car's thermometer was -22, and that was without the wind chill. This is the Kishwaukee River, I took it on my walk to class on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, it was completely frozen over.
All this cold weather has had me knitting and weaving like a madwoman. My favorite project has been this scarf which is turning out really well. It is going by very quickly, which is good because I really want to wear it!
I'm weaving a scarf from the same yarn (ModaDea - Tweedle Dee) and it is about halfway done as well. I'm still spinning as well. I want to spin enough of my llama fiber to make a sweater. I'm in the process of looking for patterns, but I'm thinking of just winging my own pattern instead....The cold weather has also prompted my amazing sense of style. Take note: Jeans + Leggings + Christmas Socks + Nate's Socks = SO UGLY, but warm! Oh the sacrifices we have to make for warmth. I hope you have all found some more fashionable ways to stay warm!