Photo © Barney Sellers

Even the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll knows his way around a ball of yarn!

Children using Blue Sky Alpacas Techno (left) and Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky (right) to make pom-poms. Photo © Polar Pom-Pom Project

Deborah Hamon, painter and photographer, has a new mission: the Polar Pom-Pom project, part of the Arctic Circle Expedition residency program.

The Polar Pom-Pom project utilizes hundreds–maybe thousands–of pom-poms made by third, forth, and fifth grade students, engaging the children with art and the Arctic to connect them directly with issues relating to climate change.

Photo © Polar Pom-Pom Project

These pom-poms, made with eco-friendly yarns donated by yarn companies, including Blue Sky Alpacas, will be used by Hamon to create installations within the Arctic for a series of collaborative photography.

Photo © Polar Pom-Pom Project

From Hamon,

“For the past 10 years my artwork has focused on children. I created the Polar Pom-Pom Project in order to connect kids directly with the Arctic and get them talking and thinking about climate change and what they can do to help the environment. It is my hope that every time you see a pom-pom, you will now think about what you can do in your daily life to help preserve the Arctic!”

Photo © The Polar Pom-Pom Project

Blue Sky Alpacas is proud to have donated yarn that helps tie together the importance of art, the Arctic, climate change, and children. Moving forward, these children will associate pom-poms with helping the environment, making their imprint a little smaller. Couldn’t we all do with that lesson?

Check out the Polar Pom-Pom Project’s Kickstarter (this opportunity is only available in March!). There’s lots of fun ways to get involved!

Everything you need to design your own knitwear.

We all seem to know someone. Maybe it’s the aunt who taught you to knit, or a friend from the LYS. For me, it’s two coworkers. It seems every time I compliment a fabulous knit they are wearing it’s something they “just made up.” Just made up?!?!? Without a pattern?!?!

Knit Notes by Nadine Curtis is the book, the tool for organizing and recording your very own design ideas… whenever inspiration strikes! This book has a practical spiral binding, handy elastic to keep everything safely tucked inside, and sections for inspiration, swatches, and knitter’s graph paper. Helpful resources, including common abbreviations, types of sweaters (with sleeve styles), and standard measurements, are thoughtfully placed at the back of the book so they are easy to locate. No more running around to find information, it’s already with you!

So… when will inspiration strike for you?

http://www.onbeing.org/blog/world-through-hands/3931

A poignant video interview with Renate Hiller that discusses the importance of yarn crafts in creating both useful and beautiful things. In using our hands to craft, we in turn create a sense of self. As Ms. Hiller states, we “feel whole,” and that sense of completion changes our perspective of the world. I think this sentiment is shared by many artists and craftsmen.

Photo © Cayce Zavaglia

The works of Cayce Zavaglia, photo realism with a needle and thread, blow me away.

Utilizing cotton thread with its matte finish for dark areas and shadows, and silk thread with its sheen for highlights on a linen substrate, Cayce captures friends and family perfectly.

Photo © Cayce Zavaglia

The wrong side of the work is nearly as impressive as the right.

See more of Cayce’s work here.