Fuzz, Felt & Fur

Warm fuzzies - Civic Square, Wellington

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'How are you feeling' - outside the Hutt City Library

The New Dowse has a new touchy-feely exhibition on, aptly named Fuzz, Felt and Fur. Which of course lent itself perfectly to a spot of knit graffiti.

Taranki ahoy!

Cherie and I had a wonderful time up in the 'naki for the weekend. It was such an honour to be asked to take a workshop at the Govett-Brewster - one of NZ's best contemporary art galleries.

I'll leave the pictures to say all the words! And a big thanks to the G-V, and the freaking awesome Belt Road Holiday Park we stayed at. Their motel cabins are simply gorgeous - we honestly didn't want to leave!

Friday Love

pic thanks to Greer

It's a glorious Wellington Friday, and what better day than to say awww, thanks!

Apparently 'You are doing ok' has been taken down - but I want to resurrect it. I'll need a crew to get up though - anyone keen?

You are doing ok

Thanks to Enjoy Gallery, Nikki came down from Auckland a couple weeks ago for the Secret Project.

And here it is...(thanks also to Cherie for giving us a hand on a rather grotty Sunday)

We were a bit sad at removing the old 'It will all be OK'...

And wondered how our new fabric would work...

You are doing ok.

It doesn't stand out as much as the red, but it has a nice gold sheen which is caught when you're a bit further up the road, and hopefully by lights in the dark. A nice progression from future tense to present.

xx Knitsch and stiX (and Cherie)

It's a tree! The prize draw done!

Hooray! We have two winners for the It's a Tree super amazing awesome prize draw!

Catherine M

wins a three month subscription to the Flights of Fancy Yarn Club

and

Tracy

(you know who you are :D) - wins 2 skeins of sock yarn and 2 of 12 ply.

With over 500 contributions I was biting my nails a bit to see who was going to win - and at the last minute decided to do a second chance draw as well - although if I had my way everyone would get something. But the random number generator turned up 158 and 427 (you'll have to believe me - the screen shot doesn't work on this laptop).

Super Duper excited that stiX will be in Wellington this weekend for a Top Secret Project. Hopefully I can drag her out to the Dowse and have a session adding more leaves and things to the trees. Hooray!

It's a tree! The prize draw extended

Hello!

The 12th of June has been and gone - are you waiting with baited breath to know who has won the Super Amazing Awesome prize draw?

So am I!

As contributions were still being received on Saturday, it was decided to continue taking crafty bits for the trees until Tuesday, 22 June. So you still have time! Keep knitting, keep sending things in, and be in to win a subscription to the Flights of Fancy Yarn Club from Knitsch Yarns.

Hooray!

Finally, the LEDs all lit up

LEDs are go!

Well, they went for a fun evening of bubbles, crafting and enhancing the trees.

Yes, it's sideways. But you get the idea...

More photos to come, it looked amazing, and the trees have loads more goodies attached thanks to help from some awesomely crafty people.

If you haven't been out to see them yet, Saturday, and Craft2.0, is the perfect excuse. Pop by and say hello!

Watering the Tree

Despite all this torrential rain, the Trees are standing strong! Just goes to show how well knitting stands up to the elements :D

On Sunday a few wonderful people came along to a knitting session at the New Dowse and helped add more beautiful flora to the trees.

This coming Sunday, the 30th, we'll be there again from 1pm, and hopefully without the rain so we can add to our hearts' content...

Hearts, hearts everywhere

My apologies for interrupting the 'It's a Tree' posts but I've suddenly been inspired to get some pics up that I've been meaning to post for aaaaaaaages. Thanks so much to Sarah and Megan for sending these through. You guys rock. So much.Megan, Jo and stealthy company heartified a fence in Kilbirnie, Wellington. Fitting as I used to live nearby and miss that place.
And then Sarah, wow. Their heart weaving for her birthday looked like so much fun! More here

The super secret amazing prize reveal!

You know that super secret amazing prize that keeps being mentioned? The one where you get an entry for every leaf or flower or thing that is made for the tree?

It is...........dum dum dummmmmmmmm

A free subscription to the Knitsch Yarns Flights of Fancy Yarn Club!

Woohoo! That's over $100 dollars worth of yarn goodness that could be yours, arriving in your mail box every month for three whole months!

Knitsch will also throw in 2 skeins of 12 ply, a new weight to be released at Craft2.0 on June 12.

Are you excited yet?! Snuggle up in front of the fire (or heater), grab your yarn, and get knitting!

Need a hand? In Wellington? Don't forget I'll be at the New Dowse Sunday 23 and 30 May, 1pm - 3pm, knitting, giving tips, and providing yarn and needles for anyone who wants to have a go.

Yay!

LEDs at the Late Lounge!

In collaboration with Amber over at Smart Crafting, we're doing something special to the tree!

On Thursday 3 June is the New Dowse's regular Late Lounge, with music, gallery tours and a good glass of vino. This round they have they amazing Good Laika playing...

And us! I'll be there with Amber and some other crafty friends turning one of the trees into a glowing wonderland using the amazing (and amazingly easy) technology of soft electronics.

The install will start about 7pm, so it will be good and dark, and then we shall knit and hang out in the Lounge area, giving tips and sharing knitty tricks.

Come along to learn a thing or two about LEDs, knitting, and hear some great kiwi music. It'll be fun, yo.

The Hutt News came along and took some photos when the tree was just getting started last week, and this week, the Tree (and Me) made it in for the second week in a row!

The article mentions that I'll be at the New Dowse on 23 and 30 May from 1pm - 3pm giving tips, knitting. chatting, drinking coffee and adding to the tree...come along! (Have I mentioned this before? I think so...)

Oh and don't forget, every item posted in gets an entry into the Knitsch Yarns super amazing prize draw! I've been getting lots of parcels with exciting bits in them all week - can't wait to put them up!

xx

Living, growing, breathing...

It took six hours, but It's a Tree! is now up and growing. Thanks so much to everyone who turned up - and the contributions so far. We still need more - I want both trees to live up to their woolly leafy potential - so keep them coming :D

It's a tree! T- minus 18 hours or something like that

The plan was to have some pretty photos of the most recent contributions to it's a tree, but my camera battery died. Boo.

So here's just one:

Many thanks to Laura who always goes above, beyond and blows away with her enthusiasm, and to Odette, for her flowers. And yep, that's tree bark! Well, of the knitted kind.

I went to the Dowse this morning to find more people had dropped off leaves (let me know who you are so you can go in the prize draw!) and oversee the preparation of the poles for tomorrow. It's going to be fantabulous.

Right, better get back to the knitting. xx

Crochet Flower And Leaf Patterns

For those who have been patiently waiting for patterns to crochet flowers and leaves for the It's a Tree project, apologies for keeping you waiting!

The best place I suggest you pop over to is the Slip project, where they have some great suggested patterns.

Even more exciting, is I have the Slip project! It will be installed at the New Dowse reception desk on Wednesday, 12 May, around the same time as It's a Tree! goes live.

I've been knitting my heart out all weekend making leaves and other bits and pieces for the tree. My 11 year old brother is going to make a needle felted creature, and there are photos popping up all over Ravelry of clever creations for the installation.

I can't wait!

xx

One week to go!

Only one week until the first installation session of It's a Tree - how are those leaves and flowers coming on?

I have a basketful here already, and today received a surprise in the post - sweet wee crochet flowers.

There will be need for helpers on Wednesday morning at the New Dowse - if you're interested in coming along, flick me an email on tash (at) knitschyarns (dot) com

Woooooo!

Look at us!

Does being on the New Dowse website mean we're artists?

It's a tree! The PRIZE!

With a fizz and a pop a couple nights ago, I was thinking about it's a tree. It happens a lot.

And with that thinking, I wondered, what else could Knitsch contribute to the project to make it a bit more exciting? (As if it isn't already! What is it going to look like with all the random contributions??)

How about a prize?

An awesome, amazing, but as yet Secret Prize?

How about, every time you contribute an item to It's a tree, you gain an entry to the Secret Prize draw?

Aaand it's done!

Knitsch Yarns is donating a super fabulous amazing Secret Prize to one lucky winner. The prize draw will happen LIVE at Craft2.0 on 12 June, at the New Dowse in Lower Hutt. Each item contributed will gain the crafter one entry into the draw.

yay!

It's a tree! The Felt Tui

Here's a simple easy to make tui for a tree, many thanks to Sue of Craft2.0 and Supervery...

You don't need to be very experienced to make your own tui, Just the ability to cut felt and sew a simple running stitch.

Plus because the tui is black and lives high up in a tree your sewing doesn't need to be very good because nobody can see your mistakes.

As you can see from the photos my sewing skills are not the best, but at the end of the day it's going to look great on a tree.

Step one: Gather everything you need

- black felt

- white felt

- scissors

- thread

- need

- pins

- stuffing

- pattern (this is a pdf so you can print it off and get stitching!)

1. Cut 2 tui shapes in black and 2 circles in white

2. Sew together the 2 circles

3. Sew together the tui leaving a gap

4. Stuff your tui

5. Sew up the rest of your tui

6. Sew on your white circle around the tui's neck

Now while i've used felt and hand-sewing, there are so many other ways to make a Tui, also i bet other patterns, so have a go make this Tui, or try a Tui with your own twist.

Or maybe a tui isn't your style? don't worry we've got patterns coming for fantails an pukeko's d

or even better why not surprise us with your idea for at native bird or animal that could live in our tree..

Leaves and leaves

Sitting at my desk watching the leaves fall from the trees in the backyard, I couldn't resist getting the camera out. I have a bunch of leaves and flowers ready to go for it's a tree already, and thought they'd make a nice soft contract for the crisp dry leaves on the ground.

Hopefully with your help there will soon be a pile of knitted leave as big as the pile of dry ones - now won't that be a cool photo!

Patterns, this time!

Gah, it's one of those days!

Let's try those patterns, again, shall we?

And the pretty pdf versions will be available shortly.

It's a [simple and easy] Flower!

Cast on 40 stitches, leaving a 30cm tail

Knit for 8 - 10 rows

Bind off all stitches.

Using the bind off tail and tapestry needle, do a running stitch along the bottom edge, pulling tight as you go so the fabric gathers.

Pull it all together and make a few securing stitches so it holds. Stitch the free edge to the out side of the flower. Thread both tails through the needle, make a few stitches to carry both to the base of the flower. Leave these so we can attach it to the tree. Done!

It a Leaf!

Abbreviations

CO - Cast on

K - knit

P - Purl

M1 - Using left needle, pick up stitch between needles, knit into back of new stitch using right needle

SL2, K1, P2SSO - slip 2 stitches to right needle, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch

Cast On 10 stitches

Row 1: k10, CO 9

Row 2: k19

Row 3: k1, m1, k7, (sl2, k1, p2sso), k7, m1, k1

Row 4: p19

Row 5: p9, k1, p9

Row 6: k9, p1, k9

Row 7: k1, m1, k7, (sl2, k1, p2sso), k7, m1, k1

Repeat Rows 4 - 7 two times

Row 16: p19

Row 17: p9, k1, p9

Row 18: k9, p1, k9

Row 19: k8, (sl2, k1, p2sso), k8

Repeat rows 16 - 19, each time reducing K stitches on each side of decrease by 1.

When there are only 3 stitches left:

Row 41: k3tog

Cut yarn, pull through last stitch, and weave in end. Don’t weave in the cast on tail - we need this to attach it to our tree!

It's a tree! The Patterns

Soo...

here are the sample patterns for it's a tree!

These really are a guideline only, feel free to get a bit crazy. There is no specified yarn type or needle size - for good reason. Do what you will. Have fun!

Finished samples can be posted to:

It's a Tree!

c/- Knitsch Yarns

PO Box 45 091

Waterloo

Lower Hutt 5042

It's a tree!

Knitsch, OutdoorKnit, Craft2.0 and the New Dowse are excited to reveal:

It's a tree!

This is a collaborative community project, which means we need you.


The idea is this:

there are a few very tall lamp posts outside the New Dowse in Lower Hutt, and OutdoorKnit decided it would be a pretty fun idea to turn them into something different...trees!

What OutdoorKnit needs is lots of knitted, crochet or even sewn flowers, leaves and native birds to cover these 'trees'. The best medium for this is acrylic - it wears better when the weather gets a bit grotty.

I've been knitting away over the past few weeks to get my pile of leaves and flowers ready. Watch this space for suggested patterns, installation dates and how to get your contribution added to the tree.

Relay for Life - Stitched Up

There is a wonderful group of crafters who are doing relay for life on Saturday 27 March at Frank Kitts park in Wellington.

They asked if I could join the team and do a knit graffiti session to support them, but unfortunately I can’t make it.

If you are able to offer any assistance - knitting, fence weaving, cheerleading, event being a participant (!) PM me and I can give you the contact details. If not, donate! Every little bit counts. There is someone quite close to my family who is currently battling breast cancer so i’m super gutted I can’t go - but also can’t be in two places at once :(

The donation details are:
Donate here
And the team is:
Stitched Up
Event: Wellington

Loving Auckland

Parnell got some loving last night from a team of people gathered together by the wonderful Knitty Graffity. They were machines - putting up 105 hearts in an hour and a half!

I've finally perfected the art of the speedy heart, while keeping with my perfectionist tendencies which dictate that the yarn must all be wound the same way. (Smidgeon obsessive compulsive.) But I had nothing on the speed demons with the fluffy yarn. Best use (only use?) for novelty yarn ever.

We had a great time down there despite the threat (and sprinkling!) of rain. The live music from the bar across the road was awesome and so were the drunk people that wandered out to join in! haha

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

More pics on flickr and on Knitty Graffity's blog.

When do we stop?

First up - CNN! Been meaning to post this for ages, but here it is. Go stiX and the heart fence!

now the thoughtful bit-

Of late i've struggled with whether or not to continue with knit graffiti.

My concept of what knit graffiti is, and why I do it, is pretty strong. I want to challenge, inspire, and do the unexpected. Not only have I not felt that i've been achieving this of late, but the amount of 'knit graffiti' has jumped dramatically.

So I had a conversation with my mother (as you do) about why and how and if. We considered the definition of what I call 'knit graffiti' with 'knit tags'. There are the pieces that are put up because they look pretty, and those that are saying something. The knitted squares that go on trees because it is 'fun', and the carefully considered statement pieces put up to prove that craft can be art.

On the third hand, there are the 'installations' - crafted tags attached with the blessing of an authority, be it in public or in a gallery.

Personally I want to progress OutdoorKnit to keep saying stuff, but say it differently, to continue to find new and different ways to stand up for craft and feminism and thought-provoking public art. Having decided this, I was happy to continue, albeit quietly for the time being.

This week friend in Ireland sent me the link to the video below. I watched it, rolled my eyes and went back to those original thoughts. You can't get more mass media than Vodafone, really.

What's the point if it is mainstream and no longer seen as subversive? And then I thought of Banksy, and even the Wellington graffiti crew who continue to inspire despite the fact graffiti is seen more and more as 'mainstream'. They keep going, so, dammit, will I. But my work will be more considered and carefully crafted. And i'm going to keep saying stuff.

Who's with me?

Spreading the love

This fence was beautified by the students of Miramar South school after I met one of the teachers when we were mid-crafting on Vivian Street. I love that the idea was taken on and that they added their own touch, each student thinking about something they loved about school, their family, or themselves and then weaving each story into the heart. That fence holds a lot of love!

I've heard there are some hearts also at Thorndon School? I'd love it if someone could send me a photo sometime.

Anyway, here's the deal. I have something in the pipelines for Valentine's Day in conjunction with the uber talented and totally inspiring Knitty Graffitty. But then I thought about it and decided I should get more people in on it... so... I want hearts. Tonnes of 'em!

I ask you (very very nicely) to get hold of a little bit of yarn, wrap it on to a bobbin of sorts (we used an ice cream container cut up into 3cm x 3cm squares), carry it in your handbag or pocket, and go fence hunting.

I would absolutely love to post pictures of hearts woven on fences from around New Zealand... nay! The world!

Do you think you can do it? Get out with a group and make people smile!

Dedicate a heart to your loved one for Valentine's Day. I'm not sure I buy into it usually, but it seems a good enough day as any to express some love to your friends or family.

Pxt 'em through to me on 021 2678658 or email nikki@outdoorknit.com and I'll put them up here. Feel free to include a message if you want and I'll put it up with the photo.