kitty: colour inspiration - part 2

.... colour inspirations The green moss this season just seems to be everywhere in Ohio this year. The colours keep catching my eye when ever I go out to shoot.

kitty: We interrupt this blog, for an personal message: Happy Anniversary of our first Date, M

Julia Margaret Cameron Rachel Gurney, I Wait, 1872 © The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles	Julia Margaret Cameron Mary Hiller, Call, I follow, I follow, let me die! 1867 @The V&A
	One of Robinson's most famous photos comprised of 5 negatives. It was quiet controversial since critics didn't think death should be shown with the painful sentiment of the human experience. This photo is one of the best examples of the combination of art and science at the birth of photography.
Fanny Cornforth 1863 ©Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial	H.P. Robinson "Fading Away" 1858
Today marks the 15th Anniversary of my first Date with M. Though we had known each other for about 2-3 years before, November 15th was the first time we went out on an actual date. Sadly M, still remembers me dropping a piece of rice on my hair and teases me about it to this day. Today also marks the 1 year anniversary of getting back into photography. M bought me a DSLR last year as an anniversary gift and it really has changed our lives over the past year. We have become a lot more active, leaving our computers to actual go out and enjoy the world. Taking a few minutes to breath the air outside our door and being still long enough to capture a bee in flight. One summer M's cousin spent the summer with us, and recorded in her nightly diary what she had done that day. Looking back at it, it is kind of painful if you consider how routine we were in our activities and work. Saturday, get up 11am, Go to Chinese Buffet, 1:30 Go to Bubble Tea, Go across the street to MicroCenter look around taking the same path each week, Leave 2:30, Go to Best Buy walk the same path, Go Home by 4 and play video games or work. That pretty much was our life, we went to computer stores or stayed on the computer working. Now we still stay on the computers far to many hours working we are at least taking some time to enjoy life now and time together pursuing our mutual passion of photography. Photography has always held a special place in my heart though. During High School I meet a photographer, David Hungate who helped teach me how to photograph sunspots as one of the side aspects of my Science Fair Projects. That experience also lead to me trying to major in Historical Photography in College. Sadly OSU closed the department soon after I declared my major. So it really has been rediscovering an old love this past year and a happy exploration. Don't worry I still have a great passion for knitting and fiber, but photography is a new hobby that I can share with M. Happy Anniversary M and to my D90. Thank You Some of my favorite photos that I have taken this past year.
The photos at the top of the post are some of my favorite photos in history. I have always loved the pre-raphaelite photographers and early Victorian Mourning photographers. The emotions that they were able to capture with what we would consider premative equipment has always amazed me. But as Ansel Adams "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it." To be honest the reason that I have pretty much always had long hair has been my love and admiration of the beauties depicted in pre-raphaelite art.
Kitty Kitty on Flickr	M on Flickr

kitty: Habu AOS-34 Fishnet Yarn

Habu Textile: AOS-34 fishnet yarn content: 100% linen with persimmon tannin coating yardage: 27 yds./oz. weight: chunky Source: Indonesia Gauge: 2.5st to 1 inch on US13/ 9mm It is funny how one yarn in your mind can stand apart and over time signifies a company to you. The Fishnet Yarn at Habu would be that yarn for me and probably closely followed by there linen paper. When I first visited the Habu, there was a net hanging from one of the shelves on the wall when you went through to the yarn room. And next to it was a small basket that contained at that time small hanks of the Japanese Silk Fishnet yarns. Holding and fondling the yarn balls gave me an almost magical surreal experience of total amazement. I was already luck enough to have one ball since MG had given me a ball for Christmas the year before. But here they were all set waiting for someone to do something with them. The yarn is created by taking handmade linen fishing nets that can no longer be used; then cutting them apart and then retieing them into long fragile strings. The fishing nets themselves are made out of Linen that is treated with persimmon tannin, which creates a waterproof coating on the thread. Persimmon Dye (Kakishibu) is made from the fermented juice of unripe persimmons and requires no mordant. Like Indigo it is activated by air and sunlight darkening with exposure. But Kakishibu is more than just a dye it was also used as a preservative, water proofing agent, and an adhesive in traditional textiles. It is even used to clarify sake and stain wood. The Original yarn that Avril/Habu offered was source from Japan and was made out of Silk. Since November is Vestember, I had been really thinking about using the thread as a decorative texture combined with traditional Guernsey stitches in a chunky heavy lanolin wool, but I think the yarn is just to fragile to be used in worn textiles. Knitting just a small swatch, the yarn broke 6 times, 2 of which were after the row had been knitted. So I am not sure what to use the yarn again. It still has a magical effect on me and I am just mesmerized by the yarn, but what to do with it. Guess it will go back in the stash box for yet another day. And my long thought out perfect vest idea is squashed.

Resources: What is Persimmon Tannin Juice? Kakishibui Kakishibu-club

kitty: colour inspiration

There has been a severe lack of knitting going on, seems like I just don't have anytime right now. So I will leave you with some happy colour inspiration. M and I spent Saturday afternoon at Ash Cave in The Hocking Hills. We had been talking about going for oh, 15 years or so and finally made it down. Saturday was an absolutely beautiful afternoon and truly a perfect time to go.

kitty: of special note.... more references found about shifu

(images above are Copywritten Selvage Magazine Issue 22)

Remember the amazing paper issue of Selvedge magazine? (Selvedge magazine Issue 22) There was an article written by the gallery owner from Sri Threads about Paper fabric and yarn created by Hiroko Karuno. Much to my excitement she posted another article on her blog yesterday that included additional photos of Shifu. blog You must go check out the post, the bowls of the finally cut paper and the photo looking out on the Japanese garden truly made me swoon. I am just so sad I didn't find out about the fact that Kiroko Karuno is doing a lecture on November 11 in Toronto at The Japanese Paper Place. It would be utterly amazing to see it in person... Since we all know I am obsessed with paper yarn. :)