knitspiration: artist kate jenkins
i follow a lot of amazingly talented makers on instagram, and am constantly discovering new artists and inspiration. when i came across the work of kate jenkins, i was immediately blown away by the level of detail and texture she has achieved; her knit and crocheted foods manage to look both playful and realistic at the same time! i love to discover artists like kate that are creating such fun and whimsical pieces. check out some of my favorites:
© kate jenkins
this is such a beautiful and colorful plate! i love the wrinkly walnut and microgreens.
© kate jenkins
how great is this sequined crab eating linguine? she has a lot of other great work in sequins including shiny lobsters and little sardines coming out of the can.
© kate jenkins
happy little mussels :)
© kate jenkins
i love the snips of "chive" on this plate of crocheted penne!
© kate jenkins
pineapple hunk!! very cute and clever. i love the bobble texture and the shaping of the arms!
check out kate's website to see more of her work and pieces for sale, and follow her on instagram @kjcardigan so you don't miss out on the knitspiration!
knitspiration: knit snowman ornament maker photos
last week, i posted the instructions to make your own knit snowman ornament using my free pattern. today, i wanted to share some serious snowman knitspiration!
this pattern has been live since last year, so i've seen so many talented knitters posting photos of their snowmen. it's so awesome to see the way other makers interpret your designs and make them all their own. check out these super cute creations!
made by deborasoule on ravelry
those chunky scarves look so cozy! I love the loopy ends on the blue and green one.
made by ah2 on ravelry
so much innovation on this one...put a knit hat on everything! i love the addition of the bobby pin arms! french knot eyes is such a great idea!
made by initsox3 on ravelry
i love the super long scarf on this little guy, and the excellent job on the face embroidery!
made by marthajane73 on ravelry
the whole gang!!! love the creativity of using buttons and beads for the faces, and i'm dying over that tiny knitting basket!!!
made by marthajane73 on ravelry
the first fan snowman! love the hat and scarf combos and the knit carrot nose.
made by borntopat on ravelry
i love how this maker embroidered some singing mouths on this snowman family!
made by vtnora on ravelry
last but not least, the 12th snowman in seahawks-themed winter garb! i love this idea, it would be super easy to customize it for the sports fan in your life!
download my free pattern from ravelry here or check out my blog post from last week! happy knitting and be sure to share your creations with #elisemade!
-Elise
knitspiration: artist phil ferguson
following the release of my turkey hat pattern and with thanksgiving only a week away, what better time than now to highlight an artist who crochets incredible, oversized hats in the shape of different foods?
if you haven't already heard of phil ferguson and/or aren't following him on instagram, he began crocheting whimsical food-themed hats in 2014 and has been killing the game ever since.
© Phil Ferguson www.chiliphilly.com
© Phil Ferguson www.chiliphilly.com
one of my favorite creative outlets is to knit in 3D, to play with form and shape and try to create the designs i see in my head. when i discovered Phil's work, i was so inspired by his obvious mastery of the art of crochet and his ability to render his ideas into a perfect blend of playful and realistic. literal goals!
© Phil Ferguson www.chiliphilly.com
© Phil Ferguson www.chiliphilly.com
i might be biased, but of course my favorite piece is the yarn ball hat with knitting needles!
go follow chili philly on instagram here, and check out his website, www.chiliphilly.com.
Do you have a favorite food that you would wear as a hat?
knitspiration: artist dave cole
this week, i want to share some amazing work by the artist dave cole.
i first discovered his work sometime around 2007 when i was a junior in art school, focusing in hard on fiber and textile arts. i was just starting to discover the world of fiber artists and how they were transforming materials and processes typically associated with "craft." when i discovered dave cole's knitting machine, a large-scale installation from 2005 that utilized custom john deere excavators to knit a giant american flag, my whole notion of what knitting could be went out the window.
photo credit: Mass MoCA, from www.davecoledavecole.com
the installation took place over the course of a week, during which the machines knit the entire flag. this piece is inspiring because it introduced me to the concept of extreme knitting (now pioneered by the incredible artist jacqui fink), and to the idea that knitting can make a social and/or political statement.
to check out the video of the machines in action, click here.
another piece by dave cole that i love is the money dress:
photo credit: Stewart Clements Photography, from www.davecoledavecole.com
the dress is knit from $1,124 of hand-cut bills. i would love to know how he cut them and how the cuttings were connected to create yarn. i also wish i could touch this piece, i bet it feels really cool! i love the idea of using non-traditional materials to create knitted fabric.
what do you think about the knitting machine and the money dress?
to learn more about artist dave cole and check out his other textile work and sculpture, visit his website at www.davecoledavecole.com.
knitspiration: spooky halloween knits
halloween is one of my favorite holidays. not only is it the perfect excuse to eat your weight in candy, i love occasions that inspire people to get creative. hopefully you've got your costume idea on lock by now, but if you still need more scary, check out these awesome halloween knitting and crochet projects!
1. a crocheted gremlin !
it's spike from the movie 'gremlins!' sure, it's a christmas movie...but these guys are scary all year round. what an amazing design!
find the pattern here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gremlin-3
2. crocheted spider webs
these are really creative and pretty, and you could make them in all different sizes. i love that these "spider webs" could be reused every year.
tutorial here: http://www.mysocalledcraftylife.com/2012/10/18/13-days-of-halloween-doily-spiderweb-corbels/
3. gruesome knit eyeballs
i want to make a bunch of these and display them in a big jar!
4. knit pumpkin dishcloth
this cute little dishcloth could also work overtime as an oven mitt or trivet, and i love that you could keep it in your kitchen through thanksgiving. it would also make a great thanksgiving hostess gift!
find pattern here: http://www.knitting-bee.com/free-knitting-patterns/dishcloths/pumpking-dishcloth-free-halloween-knitting-pattern
5. witch hands gloves
perfect for any witch costumes, and functional to boot. i bet kids would love these year-round!
find pattern here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/witchy-hands
what halloween projects will you try this year?