Such Sweet Hands

I’ve had an unstoppable sinus ick going for a few weeks. Today I went to the doctor. Actually, Rob took me to the doctor and pointed out how vocal I’ve been in my complaints of feeling woogey and full of atomic snot. Of course the raging-puffy-eyed-sneezing monster living in my sinus cavities went for a nap while I was actually at the doctor. She lectured me about my allergies and sent me home with a prescription for antibiotics to use if things don’t clear up in a few days. I haven’t had antibiotics in years, but I admit I’d love to dive right in with them now. I’m sick of feeling sick.

But I have my yummy, squishy, oversized, comfy book sweater to wear. It was so nice to sit in the doc’s waiting room wrapped up in it. I think that’s one of the great things about making things for ourselves… I am able to make the sweater that comforts me when I need comfort.

And thus my mind is swimming with sweater pattern inspirations. I have to get to designing again.

Well, the brownies in the oven should be done now…

November 2005 has been pretty relaxed, but last year this month was crazy.

We moved into a new apartment. A few days later we welcomed houseguests for over 20 days. All the while my mind was filled with excitement and ideas involving crochet. I had just met Kim and I had my first contributions to Crochet me to write and phtotograph. Luckily David Liney (the best houseguest anyone can ever have, we LOVE him!) had a fabulous new camera and volunteered to help me take photos…

It was very exciting to start to synthesize my ideas into words and photos. The process of working on this tutorial did much to get my mind ready for what was to come later.

I can get snippy and stressed when trying to get certain ideas to materialize just as I see them in my mind. Liney not only helped me get great photos, he also helped keep me sane.

We shot this tutorial in Rob’s office (yeah, I don’t have that many computers in my own office!) using a combination of natural light and strategically (strategically= on milk crates) placed lamps. We used a large piece of red handmade paper for the backdrop. A large piece of thick, but bendable paper works perfectly in this kind of situation, it curved against the wall and gave us the background we needed. With my elbows braced on the table, I would get my hands into the position I wanted photographed and then bend my head so Liney could move in right above me to take the photo.

graffiti near the tracks

Originally uploaded by such sweet hands.

..feeling under the weather with a stubborn sinus infection. thought i’d share an old photo of something i like since i’ve nothing new to report.

this was my favorite graffiti in town back in 2002 or so. in this photo much of the wall is in transition, the big multi-armed buddha guy stayed on the wall for a long time though. it was huge and impressive.

Yeah, I’ve had this “coming soon” sign up for a YEAR now. Ack. I’m working on it! This blog is a start. I have all sorts of things waiting for a home on this site. Pictures, ideas, and patterns. I’m gathering friends to contribute extra content too. Soon this will be a cozy home for all the things we make with our sweet hands…

And by soon I don’t mean another year…

Thanks for your patience!

Little Box of Motifs

Originally uploaded by such sweet hands.

It’s a great feeling to open a box and find all these colorful things I made last summer! It’s envigorating to receive all these things. I worked so hard to complete them. I made them as perfect as possible, blocked them with care, labeled each one, and packed them in neat order. Then they were shipped away to the photographer….

Weeks later I got to see them as interpreted by the photographer. I spent a great deal of time helping to organize and label the photos.

Editing and sorting the final drafts of the book became stressfull and draining. I started to miss my cozy sweater, my felted bag, my precious motifs and swatches. I’ve never completed so many projects at once, but now they were off in the world and I was lonely for the physical proof of all my creativity and hard work.

I know I will feel a further sense of completion when I hold the book in my hands. I know it will bring me joy to sit next to Kim and thumb through the pages together. But before the book is open to the world to make judgments on, it feels great to appreciate this work I’ve done.

It’s so sweet to hold it all in my hands…