Christopher M. Ochs Arts & Crafts

01/02/2025

My new "Yuletide" handwoven scarf is now listed in the shop: https://www.christophermochs.com/product/17295915/yuletide-handwoven-scarf

Christmas has now passed and we are officially into the new year, but the holiday season and all its rich, warm colours and sparkle of decorative lights was the inspiration for this piece. I put a lot of deep reds, shimmery gold, and multi-coloured sparkle in hints of black yarn reminiscent of the tradition of seeing lights at night.

Lots of eyelash, ribbon, and chenille yarn went into this piece which offer variation in texture that complement the colours used, hopefully making it a conversation piece for its new owner.

"Yuletide" handwoven scarf. Plain weave pattern.Approximately 9', 3" long (including length of fringe on each end), 7.5" wide; synthetic materials.Photos (c) Christopher M. OchsCLEANING: Hand-soak in a solution of warm water and gentle liquid soap (e.g., Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap, Eucalan, Soa...

12/31/2024

Weaving with kittehs by the faux fire this New Year’s Eve. 😊😸

Happy New Year! 🥳🍾🥂 I hope 2025 is abundantly creative, happy, and prosperous for you all.

12/24/2024

Though the shop may be closed, I still brought knitting projects along for holiday travel. 😊🧶

I couldn’t resist this Fishtail Lace pattern in a soft denim-blue, wool and h**p blend yarn. The pattern is from 750 Knitting Stitches: The Ultimate Knit Stitch Bible, a source of many patterns I’ve used.

12/21/2024

Hi, Everyone!

My shop (https://www.christophermochs.com/shop) will be closed from 12/23/24 through 01/01/25 in observance of Christmas and New Year's. Any orders received during this time will be promptly shipped after.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

12/15/2024

Next on the loom is a holiday-inspired selection of colours and textures. It’s also no secret to some of you that my favourite colour is red—all shades—so, now and then, I love putting together a reds garment, especially with ✨sparkles✨ in it. 😊

12/15/2024

My new "Diwali Marigolds" handwoven scarf is now listed in the shop: https://www.christophermochs.com/product/17143002/diwali-marigolds-handwoven-scarf

Though India's Festival of Lights (or Diwali and sometimes called Deepavali or Deepawali) has passed, the holiday was the original inspiration for this scarf. Having been present for Diwali in India a few times in my life, it is an extraordinary time to behold.

Before Diwali celebrations begin, one can often find heaps of marigolds being sold in markets that are later made into decorative garlands. Their yellow colour is significant as they symbolise light over darkness, hope, love, success, purity, and prosperity. Hindu belief is that they are also associated with the goddess, Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and abundance.

"Diwali Marigolds" handwoven scarf. Double Windowpane/Mock Waffle Weave pattern separated by plain weave pattern.Approximately 8', 8" long (including length of fringe on each end), 7" wide; blend of natural fibre and synthetic materials.Photos (c) Christopher M. OchsCLEANING: Hand-soak in a solution...

11/10/2024

What’s been on the needles lately: a triangular shawl made entirely from my own handspun. The darker shades are Shetland wool and silk; the lighter shades Merino and silk.

11/09/2024

After an extended absence from earnest work in the studio, I’m dedicating the weekend here to rest, recharge, and answer the soul’s call for creativity.

I’m continuing on my latest scarf, now-named Diwali Marigolds, that’s been patiently waiting on the loom. There’s also spinning, crocheting, and knitting, as often as I can fit them all in in satisfying rotation.

Of course, studio imps are never far away while I work. 😼😸

08/18/2024

It looks like knitting and sometimes like weaving. Making a happy return to Tunisian crochet. 😊🧶

07/22/2024

My new "Sunset" hand-knit beanie is now listed in the shop: https://www.christophermochs.com/product/15357118/sunset-hand-knit-beanie.

This colourway of the "GINA" line of yarn by Plymouth Yarn Company reminded me of sunsets I've seen, most recently one at Rialto Beach on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. Between a bank of clouds overhead and the ocean water, the setting sun created the most spectacular strip of warm, yellow light between the two before it dipped below the horizon. 🌅

"Sunset" hand-knit beanie. Two knit, two purl vertical rib and stockinette pattern.Fit-all adult size*. 100% wool ("GINA" by Plymouth Yarn Company).(*Note: Mannequin head display is a smaller-than-average model. The featured hat will comfortably fit an average adult-size head).Photos (c) Christopher...

03/01/2024

My new "Meraki" hand-crocheted shawl/throw/wrap is now listed in the shop: https://www.christophermochs.com/product/13677227/meraki-hand-crocheted-shawl-throw-wrap

Meraki [merak-kee] is a Greek word attributed to activity done with creativity, love, passion, and soul; it's from the heart and part of you in the purest sense.

I chose this word because it seemed perfect for a new crocheted shawl/throw/wrap, something I haven't done in a long time. Crochet was also my first-learned fibre art, so putting the skill back to use to create this cozy piece was certainly a meraki-inspired effort.

"Meraki" hand-crocheted shawl/throw/wrap. Slanted Shell stitch.Approximately 8' long, 2' wide; 100% wool.Photos (c) Christopher M. OchsCLEANING: Hand-soak in a solution of warm water and gentle liquid soap (e.g., Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap, Eucalan, Soak), ensuring not to agitate. Gently squeez...

02/24/2024

My first-in-a-long-time crocheted shawl/throw/wrap was finished today! The pattern is a favourite Slanted Shell and the yarn is Fishermen’s Wool by Lion Brand Yarn.

The listing on my website will follow soon. 😊

02/10/2024

🌞☺️

02/03/2024

Heh--if I've found the dropped stitch(es) in time, I've learned to be fine with that. However, if it's rows upon rows earlier, I can relate, at first.

Fortunately, after well over a decade of knitting, I've learned to grow comfortable with dropped stitches, even those found many, many rows ago 😑. Interestingly, a crochet hook is quite useful for picking up dropped stitches. And sometimes, if I'm feeling spicy, I just slip the yarn off the needles, do the rip-it, rip-it 🐸🐸 until I get back to my mistake, fix it, and continue.

Fixing one's own mistakes is a wonderful lesson in life, something even knitting teaches us. Just never use the pokey-things for stabby-stab if frustrated. 😉

01/29/2024

Sunday’s spinnables: Merino with silk, one of my favourite roving blends for a luxurious, pearlescent, handspun yarn. ☺️

01/24/2024

…then I get bored with hand-processing from fleece and just want to spin from simple, easy roving. 😂

This is some lovely brown alpaca I dug out of the stash. Alpaca is a favourite as it’s like buttah 🧈 to spin. 😊

01/21/2024

Tonight I opted for a more challenging spin. Sometimes spinning roving (long and narrow bundle of machine-processed fibre) can feel monotonous and a little *too easy,* so if I'm craving more involvement in my spinning, I will work with fleece.

I've had this beautiful, pearlescent-white sheep fleece for a long time; so long that I can't remember, for the life of me, what the sheep breed is. (Pro Tip: *ALWAYS* label your fibre! 🙃) Some time ago, I had already begun hand-processing and spinning this fleece, having left a partially-full bobbin with it. This mystery fleece, with its beautifully crimped locks, makes it a joy to 'harvest' the locks by hand, then delicately spread them into little floof squares for spinning.

Rather than spin from the prepared locks as I had been doing, I decided to use my Brother Drum Carder. The locks still required processing by hand before feeding them into the carder, but I was able to produce a higher volume of organised fibre. This helped me spin more consistently and for longer sessions than stop-and-go with individual locks.

Once I have two bobbins full of this mystery fleece, I'll ply onto one another for a final two-ply yarn that I will soak and hang to dry. Processing fleece this way can be humbling, as it reminds me how much work some of our ancestors had to do in order to produce their own woollens, even without the help of a drum carder.

01/18/2024

The jumbo jar of buttons ended up going into a bath to clean off all the dust, loose thread and cloth bits, and overall smell of vintage mustiness.

While sifting through them in the soap bath, I found little oddities like beads, googly eyes, marbles, and pennies. After the water ran clear, I rinsed the buttons once more and dumped them onto a towel to dry. Spreading a beautiful array of buttons around through my fingers is a new ASMR experience for me, maybe reminiscent of playing with seashells at the beach as a kid.

As I had a better look at the hoard, I admit a felt a bit like Smaug from The Hobbit, consumed by his love of gold. Hopefully I won’t get button sickness. 🐉😏