This is my first post here in the Art forum, even if it is my major.  

This is the first real oil painting I did about 3 years back. It's 14" by 20" on watercolor paper. I was never really sure if the painting looked better vertically or horizontally.




If you're interested in progress shots, I have a few hosted on my Flickr account. For the most part I'm happy with this painting, though looking back, I think  should have used watercolors for the background instead of the opaque shade.

(...Hope I'm doing this right...)

Yeesh, it's been a while since I've posted anything new. With that in mind, here's a sweater.



This is Angelica, a pattern written by Glampyre for Hip Knits. I used 6.5 skeins of Noro Cash Iroha, color 80, in place of the recommended Hip Knits Aran Silk. (I got the Cash Iroha on seriously deep discount last year and wanted to make something form-fitting out of it, mainly to avoid having to buy any more.) This is the 34" (S) size, knit on 5.5mm circs. it's still lacking a sleeve in this shot.



And this is what it looks like being worn. With finished sleeves, no less.

This is both a quick and easy knit. I can't recommend it enough, guys.

...also, I'll try and post a little more often than once every 4 months from now on.

I finally finished my big project for the year-- the squid hat pattern written by Strangebuttrewe/Craftster's arrmatie. It took 2 and a half balls of Cascade Eco, one set of 6.5mm DPNs, and a whole lot of time, but I'm ecstatic about the results. As the squid turned out roughly as long as I am tall, my original plan plan of using it as a plushie to squeeze while I went to sleep had to be modified somewhat.


A full length shot to start.


insert joke about tentacle pr0n here.


lastly, my Squidmas tree, complete with mini-cthulhu tree topper.

I haven't posted in here since I made my first skeins, I think. I haven't really had as much time to spin since then as I'd like, but I made some nifty plied yarn the other day.



It's half handspun colonial top (yummy green-black heather) and half recycled laceweight cashmere. DK weight and about 115 yards. Not sure what I'm going to make with it, but it's wonderfully soft. I still have about six ounces of the top and a majority of the sweater left, so I may just spin more if I come up with something utterly unreasonable.

The title sounds a lot more intense than the pictures.

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here, so I decided to show off my growing "collection" of Kureyon scarves. Each one is made with two separate colorways striped every few rows. The stitch pattern is your typical twisted rib with english knits and continental purls. I think it adds a little more texture.



The one on the bottom is from last winter. The one on top is from a few weeks ago. Note how nice and straight it is with the use of blocking pins. *grins*

(Actually, it was more like five...) I got my first drop spindle yesterday. I proceeded to spend the rest of my afternoon... and evening... and early morning learning how to use it.



 My first yarn. 15 yards of medium dark Coopworth in single ply. Done on the Ashford spindle in the picture. The yarn tends to halo considerably and goes from worsted to bulky in some spots, but I'm just happy I finally figured out how to get the twist to stay in. Eventually.

I've been wanting to learn to spin for a long time now. I actually had over two pounds of roving saved up for the occasion. Now I'm just wondering how long it'll take me to get an even thread on one these, and if I can earn enough money this summer for a wheel.  

I just finished the last few inches of Tubey (from this past winter's Knitty) the other day. This thing took waaay too long to finish, but I guess that's what happens when school cuts into your knitting time. Done in Knitpicks Wool of the Andes on size 4mm needles, size XS. Which is too big at the waist. (Go figure.) I'm sorry that the "action shot" is kind of lousy-- my digital camera is dying on me and I can't really afford a new one right now.


A progress shot first, so you can get an idea of the colors and detail.


And the finished product. Yep, the sweater is bunchy and rolling at the waist. I'm planning on seaming it, since there's no way anyone could convince me to frog back 12 inches and add in decreases at this point.

Things I did to change the pattern:
The most noticeable, I guess, was to get rid of the bell sleeves and change them to close-fit ribbed ones. I also knit the cross-back piece to fit my actual shoulders, not the size recommended in the pattern.

Things I should have done: Decrease, decrease, decrease once I got past my ribs!

Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thanks for reading, crafty cats.

This reminds me of my Pasha Pengu:



I knit him up with some random acrylics and mohair blends for my dad for this past Xmas. It was my first time doing short-row shaping. I sort of wish I'd picked a yarn for the main color that didn't show definition so well because of it. =P Otherwise, though, I'm pretty happy with the results. Oh-- I wound up using plain black 4 hole buttons for the eyes. (not pictured here, obviously.)

*waits for other people to show off their penguins*

I made a Kate for my mother's Exmas present this year.



I decided on black to match one of our own fat, real-life kitties and dubbed the doll "Julius the Second".

This just convinced me I really need to make one for myself.

Yeesh, I haven't posted in a while. I just finished Candy from the Winter '04 Knitty yesterday, and I wanted to show it off. It's the second sweater I've made so far, and the first full-length one.


A flat view, taken before I got around to adding buttons on. You might be able to tell that I "fixed" the pattern a little from this shot...


And two of it being worn. No, the sweater isn't too short. I just need new pants. =P


The yarn is Lanas Stop Tentacion worked on 4.5 mm circs,  a dead ringer for the Geisha recommended by the designer. I added a few short rows to the back of the neck, made the waistband to fit my waist instead of following the pattern, worked the sleeves in the round, added a little bit of length to the upper section to accomodate my chest, and shortened the rib on the bottom for a better fit. This was a very easy knit, if a little tedious for the miles and miles of stockinette it seems you do by the end of it. The yarn is soft enough and fuzzy enough that I could wear it every day without an undershirt on-- no scratchies! I can definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a striking but simple sweater to work on. It would make a great first project.