Floating Leaves B

This project emerged form my 'Lined up & Scattered' post inspired by these two photographs. And what a journey it was. To recap, I based this project on two photographs of pigeons on railings I observe everytime I go past. They seem to be both lined up on the railings and to be scattered all around depending on any given circumstances. And that was what caught my attention.

As I progressed through the initial stages, I found it difficult to find the right title for this project.

It was not until I photographed few samples on a glass table that an idea of a title and the direction of the entire project started to take shape.

The samples seem to flow in the air (as pigeons would do) & I also observed the shadows of leaves on the wall that are in fact the table's decoration...

To fast forward, two outcomes started to unfold. One of a jewellery piece ('Floating leaves A' that I wrote about in my previous post) when the other would decorate and add to a wall deco. And of course it would not be me if there was not an offshoot to the project.

When crocheting for 'Floating leaves A' I decided to change colour. My immediate choice was red (to go in line with the autumn season). Red is quite a dominant colour in the picture on the left, a picture I took some years ago so why not start there...


As I progressed, I decided to put a golden streak in one of the leaves since it is autumn (as partially seen in the picture on the right).


You might have noticed that I do not show many sketches. The reason is that I do not sketch on a piece of paper. It all happens in my mind and then in making. But in this case I actually reached for a piece of paper and some colour pencils to clear the next step in my mind.


Or so I thought...


After joining my leaves to make a pendant and after making a short chain on each side I changed my mind. I decided to turn it into a brooch.

Leaving the unfinished 2 end chains hanging loosely down are reminiscent of branches of a tree, don't you think?

Here is the piece in action...

Being either a brooch or a pin for a scarf it can be used in whichever way the user wishes. What I also like about this design is the fact that because it is a crochet piece the user can decide where the pin goes through the piece and so attach it in any way.

And so let me introduce to you a brooch, the 'Floating leaves B'.

K-)

Floating Leaves A

This project emerged form my 'Lined up & Scattered' post inspired by these two photographs. And what a journey it was. To recap, I based this project on two photographs of pigeons on railings I observe everytime I go past. They seem to be both lined up on the railings and to be scattered all around depending on any given circumstances. And that was what caught my attention.

As I progressed through the initial stages, I found it difficult to find the right title for this project.

It was not until I photographed few samples on a glass table that an idea of a title and the direction of the entire project started to take shape.

The samples seem to flow in the air (as pigeons would do) & I also observed the shadows of leaves on the wall that are in fact the table's decoration...

To fast forward, two outcomes started to unfold. One of a jewellery piece when the other would decorate and add to a wall deco. I am dedicating this post to the jewellery piece, a pendant on a chain I call 'Floating Leaves A'.

Since I photographed these few samples together in such an alighment, a vision of a pendant would not leave my mind. So I made another couple of leaves/pigeons, this time in different colour, connecting them into one piece, a pendant (right).


As if there were lined up... In a curve but still lined up...







Thinking of a chain, I went on making my own. Remembering the railings, I made two rows of stitches that I folded in half giving myself a comfortable width for my chain.

 

 The next step was to centre and join the chain and pendant together and here we are...

This was quite a journey. Oh, how much do I enjoy cracking a 'nut'. And now, off to 'Floating leaves  B'...

K-)

Another sunny day

As mentioned in 'Green to red to yellow to brown' I am about to bore you with more autumn images. This week we have been quite lucky with the weather. Even though it has turned chilly it is also sunny adding a touch a crispiness to the scene all around.


I have already talked about colours this season creates. And again, these pictures only confirm what I have written so far about tones of green, yellow, brown, even red.

How can one tree end up so colourful?, I wonder. I went past this tree one morning and even though I was in a bit of a hurry, I just knew I would have to share this with you.

There is so much colour around this season, don't you think?

Therefore, indulge yourself in whatever nature has on offer this time of a year. Bellow are just two photographs taken on another sunny day this week.

Berries hiding inside a colourful tree crown; 

the juxtaposition of three colours that hold such a contrast to the whole visual experience.

Can you feel the crispiness coming from these images? Taken on a sunny day in a time when nature is in its most challenging mood, one can only admire its power. Power of beauty that is. Kx.

Spine & Veins & Reflection

As promised in 'Green to red to yellow to brown' post last week, I have returned to pursue my desire to create. My latest inspiration is hidden in 'Leafy wonders', a post from last month. This time, apart from using photography as a starting point, I also reached for Photoshop and its colour tweaking features.

I wanted to find colours that are more bold than in the original image. The picture above introduces reds&oranges, blues&purples, browns&beige and of course tones of green. Even though I may not use these colours so boldly, this gives me bigger scope of colours and widens the choice from available yarns. My preliminary research has taken me to a 'Patons Fusion' brand.

I have chosen the colours and now is time to be more technical.

Again with the help of Photoshop the texture here is made more visible. What I can see are small rectangles joined by red 'veins'/'spine'. After all, I translated this as a 'structure joined with material' in the 'Leafy wonders' post. Now, I just went into a more detail.

Last picture in that post was of these two leaves laying side by side.

First, 'very loosely' seen as a mirror image, this time I am aiming more for some sort of a 'reflection' when I see this picture. Reflection hidden or revealing itself in the 'front&back'. Focusing only on these two leaves, one is seen from its smooth front whereas the second is face down revealing texture. Could this lead to a double-sided design?...


I will see you on my 'Updates' page with the progress of this creation. In the meantime, have a good time whatever you are doing and see you soon. Kx

Update: Sunday, 23 October 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

Working on my latest project ('Spine & Veins & Reflection'), I have been in the middle of crocheting what I call 'building blocks'. After last week's experiment with Photoshop's colour features, I have selected three gradient-like colours of yarn: green/grey, brown/grey and red/orange.

Just to give you an idea of my vision into this project, what you are looking at on the picture on the right is what could end up as my material (once joined of course).

Previously, I have focused on a close-up of a leaf pointing out little rectangles that are joined with 'veins'. Mixing two shades of yarn (green/grey & brown/grey), I have tried to join them with the remaining colour I have chosen (red/orange).

Here you can see the front & reverse of the trial; as if copying  a leaf from its smooth front and a textured back, don't you think?

It looks that I am seriously heading for a double-sided design here. I have mentioned this previously and now have an idea how to achieve it. This is like 'the surprising element that has come out of a working process' that has appeared in a number of my projects. And this is just the way I like it. I will let you know how well (or not) I am progressing. In the meantime, have a good time whatever you are doing and see you soon. Kx

Update: Sunday, 30 October 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

A week on and this is what my material looks like right now. You have no idea how much time and effort has gone into these two pieces. I can see very clearly now that it will take me a while to complete. So I will just keep on crocheting...

Update: Sunday, 13 November 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

...so I just kept on crocheting during the past couple of weeks. I am happy to say that my 'Spine & Veins & Reflection' project is taking shape. 

Bearing in mind the form of a leaf, I have made the connection to some sort of a short cloak that would cover my shoulders; similarly to the leaf on the left wrapping up as if wanting to enclose me inside. Such analogy has accompanied me from the beginning of this project and so why not follow this direction?

And so here I am, crocheting and joining and crocheting and shaping. I will see you next time with the progress. Kx

Update: Wednesday, 23 November 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

After my 'Crochet marathon', which was interrupted a number of times, I have an image to show you. A day after my mini-deadline, I finished joining the three previously joined pieces and here comes some sort of a wrap.

There are still certain pieces missing but I have much clearer idea now of where the design process is taking me. The key at this stage lies in wrapping/joining/fastening. The image above shows the design piece wide open revealing the reverse. This is the side that depicts texture of the leaf. It has much stronger visual experience which was created by the joining technique.

I leave you here and delve back into 'Spine & Veins & Reflection'. See you next time with the progress. Kx

Update: Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

I am glad to say that I am reaching the finale to my 'Spine & Veins & Reflection'. As you can see, I have considered a number of ways of folding the wrap/cloak. It is about time now I shared my idea of fastening.

For this I have reached for hooks & eyes rather than buttons. Since their dark colour would not suit the design I covered the hooks individually with red yarn. To achieve this, I used super glue, tweezers, needle and scissors; a very unlikely tools. Despite all this equipment, I still ended up with the super glue all over my fingers. I should have worn gloves...

On the right is my customised pair of hooks & eyes clipped together to keep the wrap in place turning it into a short cloak. As I said, the key is in 'wrapping/joining/fastening'. I just love the freedom to produce such a design, don't you?

Update: Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Spine & Veins & Reflection

This is the final update relating to 'Spine & Veins & Reflection'. Here the wrap is clipped together enclosing me inside like a drying autumn leaf.

When closed on only the top hook&eye, I get looser design whereas when closed on all three hooks&eyes, the wrap is more in control being turned into a cross between a wrap and a cloak.

Since the hooks&eyes are on both sides, I can clip them from each side creating yet another look.

When in motion, I can feel the freedom of material floating and bouncing around me.

Despite the fact that the entire piece is rather loose, I can feel warmth and comfort spreading down my body and this is more than welcome to an autumn inspired design.

Pinning the sides, the wrap turns into a cloak. 

This gives me slightly different freedom in motion yet still allows me to reveal the visual that is so striking at the back and the curves a girl wants to make visible; the waist and the fitting at the back.

My sleeves are rather wide with floppy ends, again corresponding with the notion of a leaf.

Wrapped loosely around me or pinned into a decorative cloak, my 'Spine & Veins & Reflection' can be worn on both sides revealing a smooth front of the material or showing its textured reverse all of which is demonstrated in all these photographs.

This project is at its end, which makes me feel a bit sad. I must say, I had such a great time working on it. I enjoyed the entire journey of the design process and now am looking forward to wearing it to various occasions and be admired (let's hope). K-)

Green to red to yellow to brown

Even though Indian Summer is most likely over there is still so much material waiting for collection. This is the season when we can more than ever focus on colours. Autumn is full of them. I have already talked about this in 'Leafy wonders' post few weeks ago. Therefore, can you imagine what the colour scheme looks like now?

This is the time when trees still have their crowns full of leaves yet these start to change their colour. It is the time before trees shed their leaves completely.

Here, they are turning from green to red.

Trees look more interesting this time of the year. They are not just covered with tones of greens but also shades of reds, yellows and browns. I am sure that between now and the time leaves disappear from trees completely, I will bore you with more images and text relating to them.



This is also the time when wind starts to pick up. Have you noticed how windy it has become over the past few days? Similarly to spring, I felt that I brought half of the park home with me; in my eyes that is. They were full of dust and whatever could fit in.

Wind also makes it more difficult for me to take pictures.

First of all, I find it hard myself to remain still when a wall of wind hits me from any side possible. Once I manage to secure a stable position, I realise that my subject is also moving making it difficult to capture the moment. Nonetheless, the image I may end up with is also rather interesting, don't you think? The colours remain the same but become blurry introducing new possibilities.

On this note, I will leave you for another week. Beginning this week, I intend to return to designing I can make public. The truth is, I have started to produce for Xmas. Yes, the C word I do not want to reveal correctly just yet. After all, we are still at the beginning of October. However, by creating my first gift, I was allowed to explore certain way of making/joining. Therefore, have a nice week and see you soon. Kx