Back on the design train!

I've been itching to design my first non-accessory knit wearable for a while and life just hasn't given me much of a chance recently. This week, I was wandering around the shops looking for a birthday gift for my mother - a notoriously impossible feat - and noticed that there were some super cute knitwear cardis out there this season. So, there's me standing in the middle of the store rifling through racks of awesome knits and next thing you know I'm completely distracted and instead of shopping for my mom, I'm standing there with my camera phone taking photographs of the sweaters. Talk about a sudden rush of inspiration!

So, yesterday on my lunch break, I sat here and thought about what yarn I have that I can get started with and drawing out potential cable designs, checking sizing and writing down notes for construction. It was irritating me that I'd actually have to wait and get home to cast on my design. I know there are some designers that can sketch a design and write out full instructions without knitting the item itself, but I'm not one of them. I have to knit it up myself - which means I'm simultaneously test knitting, sample knitting, tweaking and get something to wear at the end of it!

Well, the project is well underway and all I can tell you is that it's a cardi...with a cable design. You'll have to wait and see for the rest!

Project Runway...it's back!

I have been an avid viewer of Project Runway since the first season and am very excited that it's back again. While the majority of summer TV leaves me luke warm, this show keeps me inspired and wondering what I would do if I were participating in the challenges that the designers are doing.

Last week, the challenge was to use items purchased at a grocery store. While it wasn't the winning entry, my favorite design was the one pictured here, which involved the ironing down of plastic cups into what is really quite an amazing dress considering the materials used! I was a little disappointed that more people didn't use produce and so many of them went the table cloth route. I think the judges might have been with me on that.

So, what would I have used? I'm thinking that a nice corset involving a rack of ribs and a skirt made from asparagus spears would have done the trick.

This week, Natalie Portman is a guest judge - which is intriguing to me as I think she has a really classy personal style and of course shares the name Natalie with me (hence she rocks!)

Etsy Featured Shop - Designed With Glass

Whenever I am looking for a shop to feature on my blog, I always try to look for something unique. When I happened across the shop Designed With Glass, I was fascinated by the gorgeous things that the artist, Carrie Millen, has to offer and couldn't wait to share this with you all. How and when did you get your start making stained glass?
I got started making stained glass when my husband and I built a wine cellar and decided we wanted a piece for the window after moving to MA in 1995. I've been in the arts my whole life, and when I started inquiring about them, cost, how they're made etc., I decided to take some classes at Whitimore-Durgin in Rockland MA. I fell in love with the craft. I love working with tools, creating my own designs since I have a drawing background from the Toledo Museum of Art and Toledo University. I started creating window hangings, mirrors, sun catchers, lamps, probably in the hundreds and gave lots away to family and friends before I decided my work was good enough to start selling. Having done many local craft fairs and even organized my own with a very close friend, I decided it was time to focus on doing larger windows on commission. I continued to solely work on commission until my move from MA to Ohio in 2005. I'm now online on Etsy, and slowly building up a commissioned business again.

Can you explain how stained glass is made?
The process of making a stained glass piece varies due to the complexity and size of the window. Basically, I start with a design, drawn to the desired dimensions. I chose my glass based on what I feel will look the best and generally lay it out. The glass is cut using a specialized glass cutter, by hand or sometimes with a glass saw. The piece is ground to the right shape and to blunt the edges of any sharpness. It is then copper foiled and burnished. Care is taken as to not allow any uneven edges. The foiled pieces are then either taped together or held in place by hand, flux is applied with a brush and the pieces are soldered together using a soldering iron with temps of 700°. Care is also taken to achieve a smooth solder seam, this is where practice is imperative. After the piece is completely soldered on one side, it is turned over, and the process is repeated on the other side. It is then cleaned with a detergent to remove the flux. Sometimes, depending on the finish desired, a chemical is applied to the solder seams to turn the color to black or copper. The piece is then rinsed again, and polished with 100% carruba wax.

How do you create the shapes and designs to make within the glass?
The designs are created from inspiration by nature. I love the sea having lived on the East Coast for 9 years. I love incorporating sea glass, sea shells, agate, stones, and anything else that can tolerate the high temps of the soldering iron. I also love the Victorian Era and designs, Art Deco is fun too. I love working with clients who see my work and give me free reign to design something for them. Having developed that trust is really something special for me, a gift!

Where do you find the objects that you incorporate within the glass?
Most of my sea glass was found on the beach, some from the coast of France where my son brought back to me a lot of it. I comb the beaches while on vacation in Sanibel Island and various other beaches in FL and bring back a lot of shells. Some I purchase via the Philippines.

How long does it take to make a piece?
The time to make a piece varies by the complexity and size. If I had to guess, anywhere from 1 hour for a hanging star to 35 hrs for my most elaborate window so far.

Tell me a story about this piece? [Inset right]
This window was my most difficult and favorite creation so far. The couple built a magnificent summer home on the coast of MA and had purchased a window I had for sale at one of the local art boutiques. They had commissioned me to create this interior door to their indoor pool and sun room using sea shells the client had saved from her grandmother's collection. The clients also wanted to have me represent the 3 primary fish in the area, stripped bass, bluefish and flounder. They absolutely loved my original design, and I can truly say it's the piece I'm most proud of so far.

What inspires you as you create your designs?
I'm mostly inspired by nature and color. I love free form designs, those that look like what's below the sea. I love whimsical designs, and playful colors. I love creating "functional art" for the home too.

What other arts or crafts do you enjoy?
I still enjoy drawing and painting although I haven't devoted the time to either for quite a long time. I'm interested in getting back to figural drawing sometime soon.

What do you do to relax?
I love to garden, grow herbs and find lots of different ways to use them. I love to cook, read fitness and home magazines to relax. I love working out, walking and weight lifting, yoga and Pilates.

What do you listen to while you are working on your glass designs?
I listen to alternative, today's contemporary and classic rock. Sometimes the Food Network is playing on TV in the background. I mostly love it when my teenage kids come down to my studio while I'm working just to talk to me.

To view more pictures of Carrie's work, feel free to visit her Flickr page, http://flickr.com/photos/designedwithglass.

Not quite a scarf

So, I have started seeing a lot of neck-warmers about. They're not quite a scarf, but serve the same function when wearing a jacket, without generating bulk or unwrapping themselves from your neck at inopportune moments.

Seeing as I'm always looking for new things to do with low-yardage skeins of yarn, and had a lovely wool blend to play with, I thought I'd give it a shot and design my own. This one involves alternating stockinette and garter stitches, with complimenting 3 button closure.I'm really happy with how this turned out and seeing as it gives me such an opportunity to play with new stitches and fun yarns, I think I'll probably end up making a whole bunch for my Etsy store and holiday presents of course!

My winnings...thanks to Bari J!!

A few weeks ago, Bari J was hosting a contest on her blog in honor of her 101th post. I do love contests, so I thought I'd enter...but then promptly forgot about it. So, when she e-mailed me to tell me that I was the winner of one of her beautiful bags, I was stunned and surprised.Lucky for me, the bag arrived today, and is even more stunning than it looked in the picture on her blog (see above)! It's sitting in my office behind my desk and I've now had 3 people come in here just to see what it is, and another person who seem to be waiting for me to leave so they can steal it. ;)

If you haven't seen Bari J's work before, I definitely suggest you check it out. Each of her bags (from make-up bags and clutches, to hobo bags and totes) has such a stylish and fresh look that can be dressed up or down. I also love the "design your own bag" feature on her website, www.barijonline.com, which allows you to pick your style of bag and your fabric to create a perfectly customized bag to suit anybody's tastes. Go take a look for yourself, I think you'll like what you see!