memories

memories 4/365, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Drawing is a way to create memories. Dreaming up hat designs, I imagined a sweet summer day, where two kids in whimsical hats played by the shore with paper boats. I wonder will their memories be the same?

Goodbye summer!

painting together

painting together, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Felix and I have been painting together. We’re taking a class called "the magical tree of everything" and last Wednesday we painted trees that were very different yet looked so harmonious and connected. I was inspired and Felix said he had a lot of fun. This morning he wanted to paint together. It’s so hot outside I was grateful to stay inside.

doll design sketch

doll design sketch, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Happy Sunday everyone! This drawing is for one of my fantasy dolls that I've yet to make. I thought she could be made with hand knit pieces and fancy fabrics dotted with embroidery.

Mexican candleholder

mexican candle holder, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

I'm still not knitting. This morning, I did this painting of a candleholder that decorates my desk. Afterwards, I realized she had no hands, but flowers and then flames where hands might be.

wedding socks

wedding socks, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Due to sore wrists and a numb thumb! I’ve taken to drawing socks instead of knitting them. Enjoy.
For inspiration I drew these from a pamphlet printed in 1931 from the Hispanic Society of America.

poof

poof, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

"Now where was I?"

summer goodness

Painted, Bright flowers for a bright day.


And, a Super, fantastic gift to make a summer day brighter, and better! Habu yarn, a silk boucle, indigo, hand dyed by Michele!

Thank you. I’ve been knitting blankets in the heat and am pleased to have something small and silky to hold and create with.
I got started on a new scarf, something with enough stockinet to show off the crunchy, slippery texture and a little lace (worked on right and wrong side rows). It’s just enough action to keep the knitter awake.

This knitter is awake, well rested and very pleased.

This is I, cat adrift. We're painting the walls in my room. Everything is topsy-turvy. Good-bye pea green, hello butter yellow!




Last night I was restless and didn’t have the right mind for math. I’m writing a pattern and cursing my slacker teenage self who never paid attention to Ms. Masaki in 7th grade algebra.

Making some drawings always helps ha ha, here’s one with some hand stitching.




ATTENTION: If you’re in the Los Angeles area this weekend, run over to the Knit Café for their fabulous sale through this Sunday!

motifs and inspiration

Most of the crochet pins from the last post are made of multiple motifs that I found in this gem: Mini Motif crochet pattern ISBN978-4-02-190416-5. I bought the book at the local Kinokuniya bookstore a few days ago. Dangerous place for me as I saw SO MANY books I wanted. I will be returning soon. There was a paper cut out craft book that I swooned over, maybe next time.


I spent some time pouring over this Karl Blossfeldt book which shows flowers in beautiful, graphic,


stark simplicity but also with a dark edge that highlights their graceful shapes.





The pieces grow motif by motif and have inspired a few simple drawings.



Inspiration everywhere, even in this crowded corner of the yard.

yellow

Beautiful, bright yellow silk yarn from sweetgeorgia yarns. This burst of sunshine yarn was a gift from Mandy and I've wondered about what to knit with it. Finally, something utterly simple knit with good intentions, meaning, I consciously tried to work in a meditative state focusing on optimism, love and peace. It sounds really corny but there you have it.


The yellow diamond drawing was done with much the same thing in mind. I worked a few drawings like this with all my new colored pencils. This is the kind of thing that makes me really happy: lots of sharpened pencils.


My desk in its usual working state. No resolutions this year to tidy it up. Why bother? I'm always working so things have to be out at the ready.
I spent the last three days crocheting and really enjoying it. It's been raining all weekend so I don't have pictures. Maybe tomorrow.

nomad hat

The new Interweave Knits is available, and it's a good fall issue filled with lots of interesting sweaters. I really want to make the Tangled Yoke cardigan. I'm pleased to be a part of the issue. My scarf hat pattern renamed more poetically Nomad Hat is featured in the Minimalist Knits section.


Just for fun, I thought I'd show you the sketch for the design submission. Occassionally, I get asked about what goes into a submission. I'm not sure if this is the right way to do it, but so far it's been working out. This particular design changed a bit from the original idea because the weight of yarn went from dk to bulky and from two colored stripes to one color textural stripes. I think the garter/stockinet stripes on the hat look great (oops if I do say so myself). Blogging is funny that way, I find myself feeling like such a show-off.

lion flower

Happy Birthday to me! My dad wrote me today with this tidbit from the day of my birth:

"I just spent about 10 minutes daydreaming about Santiago, Chile, on July 26, 1962, Exact Spot: the Clinica Alemana. I'm standing outside the delivery room in a kind of side room when the doctor walks in holding you by the feet. You're bawling, He washes you under the sink faucet. I had just arrived after running up the stairs, out of breath. My timing was excellent. I'd just had an incredibly rush-hour drive across town after inaugurating a series of performance by the Chad Mitchell Trio." Dad

wrist dance

My offering to the goddess of the wrist.

mask

mask, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

that's a claw snappin' scorpion