Lily pad mini quilt
While on a short road trip and then recovering from surgery, I hand quilted and hand embroidered a linen lily pad quilt. And yes, I did make this little quilt for my Frinos plush from Hades II to have a nice place to rest.
Liz Denys
Latest posts
Making the ACNH miniature LEGO Plum Blossom IRL
As a fan of both Animal Crossing New Horizons and the LEGO Botanical series, I figured I'd make the ACNH in-game LEGO Plum Blossom item with real LEGO pieces: The real LEGO brick one even has a similar scale compared to LEGO Fauna as the in-game item compared to Fauna! Part list and instructions 22 LEGO pieces are needed: 2 Tile, Round 2 x 2 with Open Stud (18674) in Blue Violet 1 Tile, Round 2 x…
Things to consider when choosing a community ceramics studio, partial list
I've worked out of a handful of different community studios at this point, so I figured I'd share a (probably incomplete) list of you might want to consider when picking a community ceramics studio for your practice. Cost, location, value: I'm not going to comment too much on this as costs vary highly depend on what city/metro area/etc. you're in and you best understand what value you'll get and…
Outer Wilds solar system embroidery
My partner and I played a lot of Outer Wilds during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's probably no surprise that I fell in love with its charming characters and expansive universe. I decided to celebrate the game by embroidering its solar system. Since Outer Wilds fans are especially touchy about spoilers, I should note that this project has them everywhere, I should probably note that…
Embroidered Happy Home Academy mini-pennant
I wanted a small embroidery project after spending months on my Northern Sky & Southern Sky quilts , and since I was in the middle of planning a complicated original design that would use a many, many colors, I wanted something that used just a single embroidery thread. A tiny little embroidered Happy Home Academy pennant would fit that bill and help me use up some of the scrap linen from the…
WWII watch cap crown shaping
Like so many other hat knitters, I've knitted the classic WWII watch cap , which is also known as Beanie no. 212 , more than a handful of times. (You can find it on Ravelry here and here , respectively.) It's a charming, quick knit that's easy to resize, but I've never really liked the crown shaping on the original. I've knit a lot of these hats, and only one's had the original crown shaping for…
NYC Bike Rules for Drivers mini-zine
After five different drivers, including a school bus driver, aggressively close-passed me in Midwood last night and two of them threatened me just for being on the street, I realized there's a huge gap in educational outreach about bike rules in NYC: drivers. I decided to make a mini-zine that demystifies the behavior of law-abiding bicyclists like myself and helps drivers better understand what…
An Abundance of NYC Data for the Abundance Agenda mini-zine
I reference a lot of different data sources when forming opinions at Community Board hearings and testifying at local public meetings, and since there are so many useful sources, I started keeping track of which ones I used a couple years ago. I decided to make a mini-zine to collect useful data sources for housing, transit, and climate in NYC in one place: I couldn't resist giving this zine this…
How to fold a mini-zine
Here's how to fold a mini-zine, featuring my mini-zine So you want to make a public comment! Fold the printed mini-zine page in half, then half in again, and then in half again as shown. When you open the piece of paper, each of the pages should fit fully within a set of folds. With the mini-zine page completely open, fold it in half with short ends touching ("hamburger style") so the text is on…
Some useful 311 requests regarding bike infrastructure in NYC
Some issues are easier to to figure out how to file than others, so I've compiled some of common ones I've filed to improve bicycling infrastructure in NYC. When a pedestrian signal 1 is broken or missing, you can file a Pedestrian Signal Complaint or Request . If a large dumpster blocks a bike lane, you can "Report a large amount of trash" under the "Roadway" section on the Trash or Debris in…
Northern Sky & Southern Sky quilts
I find a lot of value in doing creative work that isn't in clay - I can feel more fully relaxed creating something that's purely a hobby, and working in other mediums inspires my ceramic studio practice in unexpected ways. I recently finished a very large, non-ceramic project: hand-quilted, hand-embroidered wall quilts of the Northern and Southern Skies. Perhaps it does not come as a surprise that…
InDesign mini-zine template
I made my So you want to make a public comment! mini-zine in Adobe InDesign, and I figured I could save someone else a few steps to making a mini-zine by releasing a template based on that work. Thank you to Cupcake Ipsum for generating the placeholder text in this zine! License This mini-zine template for InDesign is marked CC0 1.0. To view a copy of this mark, visit…
So you want to make a public comment! mini-zine
I've been testifying at local public meetings for safer streets and more housing and affordable housing, and sometimes people ask me how they can do the same and what to expect. I decided to make a mini-zine that tries to demystify speaking up at public meetings: All text in the zine is my own. I want to extend a huge thank you to Courtney Eckhardt for encouraging me to make this mini-zine! This…
Bike Brooklyn! zine
I've been biking in Brooklyn for a few years now! It's hard for me to believe it, but I'm one of the people other bicyclists ask questions to now. I decided to make a zine that answers the most common of those questions: Bike Brooklyn! is a zine that touches on everything I wish I knew when I started biking in Brooklyn. A lot of this information can be found in other resources, but I wanted to…
The night sky and finding hope in the dark
I found inspiration for this pitcher's glaze design in the night sky. Whenever I feel lost, I know I can always look up and be under the same night sky, no matter where I am. Whenever I feel alone, I know I can always look up and feel connected to humanity, everyone else looking up at the same sky. Whenever I feel all is lost, the vast darkness in the night sky reminds me there are so many…
Rising sea levels, eroding beaches, melting ice caps
When I was glazing this v60-style cone, I was thinking of rising sea levels, eroding beaches, and melting ice caps. Trying to tackle large challenges like climate change is overwhelming in the best of times, and these are not the best of times. There are many things we can personally do to reduce our carbon footprints and fight climate change, but If we want to have any chance to succeed, we need…
Printable shrinkage rulers
Clay shrinks as it dries and even more as it's fired, so it's useful to have a way to estimate the final size of in-progress work - especially if you're making multiples or trying to fit pieces together. One way to do this is with shrinkage rulers. I figured I'd design my own shrinkage rulers and provide a way for folks to make them themselves since ceramic tool costs can add up. To make your…
Notes on cone 6 clay bodies, part 2
I'm continuing my clay body reviews series with two very heavily grogged "sculpture" clays I've used. Note that I currently practice in a community studio that glaze fires to cone 6 in oxidation, so my observations reflect that. Standard 420 Sculpture : Cone 6: average shrinkage 8.0%, absorption 1.5% Light straw when fired to cone 6: more yellow/beige than most white stonewares so the color is…
Starlit sky hexagonal teacups, 2024
Starlit sky on a clear night / the milky way / eternity / clarity / raindrops sticking to window glass Black stoneware clay with fine white grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Denim hexagonal teacups, 2024
Blue jeans / well worn leather / rows of cornflowers along a dirt path Medium brown stoneware clay with white grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Bauhaus spoon rest, 2024
Bauhaus design / negative space / boundaries that are clear on paper Tan stoneware clay with black speckles and light grog, slab-built, glossy yellow, glossy orange, and matte turquoise glazes
Sea strands V60-style coffee cone, 2024
Rising sea levels / eroding beaches / between saltwater and the sea strands / melting ice caps Reclaimed stoneware clays with black speckles and light grog, slab-built, glossy teal and white glazes
Save Congestion Pricing!
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced an intention to "indefinitely pause" the scheduled rollout of congestion pricing on June 30. Your voice is urgently needed to stand up for a funded MTA with increased accessibility, a healthy planet, and good government in New York. Stop a $15 billion disaster and take action today! Background Congestion pricing will provide $15 billion in badly-needed funding for…
Starlit sky Brutalist planter with attached drip tray, 2024
Starlit sky on a clear night / the milky way / eternity / clarity / raindrops sticking to window glass Black stoneware clay with fine white grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Striped pitcher, 2024
Tan stoneware clay with black speckles and light grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Notes on cone 6 clay bodies, part 1
One of the things I love most about working in a community studio is hearing about other ceramists' experiences with new-to-me clay bodies. This has helped me feel confident in trying out many different clay bodies, and I now use a bunch of different clay bodies in my practice. Yet there are too few commercial clay body reviews out in the world, even if you deep dive various topical forums! I…
Denim coffee pitcher, 2024
Blue jeans / well worn leather / rows of cornflowers along a dirt path Medium brown stoneware clay with white grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Starlit sky coffee pitcher, 2024
Starlit sky on a clear night / the milky way / eternity / clarity / raindrops sticking to window glass Black stoneware clay with fine white grog, slab-built, blue hare's fur glaze
Patina tissue box, 2024
Tan stoneware clay with black speckles and light grog, slab-built, matte copper patina glaze
Bottle glass planter and drip tray, 2024
Algae in pond water / crests and troughs / sea glass Heavily grogged buff stoneware clay, slab-built, glossy bottle glass green glaze
Black coiled planter with attached drip tray, 2024
Heavily grogged black stoneware, coil-built, denim satin glaze
Black & white cookie jars, 2024
The classic New York City treat reimagined as a pill jar Tan stoneware clay with black speckles and light grog, slab-built and altered, porcelain slip, brown underglaze, black, white, and clear glazes
Indicating coarser Niche Zero grind settings
When brewing filter coffee, it's common to come up against one of the main limitations of the Niche Zero grinder: the Niche Zero has no markings past the 50 mark. Fortunately, there's a really simple solution to this problem: Set your grinder to 50 and place a small piece of colored tape on the black calibration ring over the 0 mark. You can now adjust the grinder to create a coarser grind and…
Marbled V60-style coffee cone, 2023
Sedimentary rock / canyons / weathering and erosion Agateware made with tan stoneware clay with black speckles, red stoneware clay, medium brown stoneware clay, and grey stoneware clay, slab-built, clear glaze
Black coiled bowl, 2023
Heavily grogged black stoneware, coil-built, glossy blue glaze
Red rocks V60-style coffee cone, 2023
Silver bushes on the red rocks in the Mojave desert / western bluebirds / Brooklyn brownstones Red stoneware clay with grog, slab-built, denim satin glaze
Blue spiral V60-style coffee cone, 2023
Tan stoneware clay with black speckles and light grog, slab-built, satin bright blue glaze
Pentagonal antiprism planter with drip tray, 2023
Aged leather / dazzle camouflage / coming together? pushing apart? Medium brown stoneware clay with white grog, slab-built, matte black glaze
Peach tree embroidery
I got an embroidery kit for an old Nordiska apple tree by Ingegerd Hyltén-Cavallius from Studio Flax and ended up modifying it to make it a peach tree because I decided to put the finished project up in my powder room and can't resist a terrible pun:
Coronet in sunflower embroidery
I got an embroidery kit for a wreath of flowers by Studio Flax and Purl Soho and could not resist making the stitching more complicated. I ended up using additional thread in many of the colors, though I was too quick to mix the remainders into my stash to really know which ones (likely everything but the greens). Here's the finished piece: Here are some photos I took while stitching that…
Blooms and roots embroidery
I got a crewel embroidery kit for a variety of flowers and their roots from Purl Soho . Like I am often wont to do, I deviated from the prescribed stitches, especially in the roots section so the different flowers had distinct roots. Here's the finished piece:
Reversing the Parks Dept. Ban on E-Bikes is a Matter of Equity
Last November, signs banning e-assist bikes were tacked onto Prospect Park's rule signs: The original signs announcing this ban only stated it in English. I'm in Streetsblog today with a piece about why reversing this arbitrary ban is a matter of equity: Over Memorial Day Weekend, an infuriating scene unfolded in Prospect Park. A now-viral tweet showed NYPD and NYC Parks officers setting up a…
Why I left Instagram
Content warning: discussion of fatphobia in advertising Practically overnight, my ads on Instagram went from annoying but benign reminders of capitalism to an utterly dehumanizing nightmare. Suddenly, every third or fourth photo of my friends' latest adventures with their kids, pets, and travels near and far was punctuated with liposuction ads. Effective immediately, I've stopped reading and…
A color palette preview tool for Purl Soho's Mitered Corner Blanket
A fan of my Library Blanket color palette preview tool asked if I could make one for the Mitered Corner Blanket , so I did. This blanket's square building blocks are also made by holding different pairs of yarns together, so this tool can be used to help imagine how a custom yarn palette would knit up. Photo of the Mitered Corner Blanket in the Dawn color palette from Purl Soho next to my…
A color palette preview tool for Purl Soho's Side Street Blanket
Joelle Hoverson designed another blanket that follows a similar construction as the Library Blanket , so I figured I'd make another color picking tool for the new Side Street Blanket . The varied blocks in this blanket are also made by holding different pairs of yarns together, so this tool can be used to help imagine how a different yarn palette would knit up. Photo of the Side Street Blanket in…
Things I've learned about biking for transportation in NYC
I've been biking for transportation for a few months now, and honestly, I've never been a happier person. That said, it took a while to go from very comfortable riding a bike around the car-free loop inside Prospect Park to no longer feeling extremely anxious riding on NYC streets. I figured I should share some of the things that I've learned before I forget that they're worth passing on. (I'm…
Trashy Holidays from [the rats of] New York City!
This year, my household's holiday card will celebrate ("celebrate") one of New York City's most iconic images: The back of the card explains why this problem is so commonplace on NYC's streets and says how we could fix it: Piles of trash blocking sidewalks and bike lanes are as iconic a part of New York City as the Brooklyn Bridge and the subway, but it doesn't have to be this way. Sealed waste…
Bridges 4 People
Since Summer 2020, I've been organizing with Bridges 4 People , a campaign of the Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn, North Brooklyn, and Manhattan activist committees. Bridges 4 People reimagines what the bridges that connect Brooklyn and Manhattan would look like if they focused on serving the vast majority of New Yorkers who walk, bike, and take public transit. Our campaign calls for…
Route: annoying insurance upsell or online shopping data aggregator?
I've been increasingly seeing an item for Route Package Protection automatically added to my cart when I purchase things online: I went partially through the checkout flow of a shop that uses Route with a $278 item I have no interest in purchasing to illustrate this post. If you haven't encountered Route , it's a company that offers package tracking and protection for lost, stolen, and damaged…
Updated colors for the Library Blanket color palette preview tool
Purl Soho added some new colors and discontinued some old colors of the yarns called for in Joelle Hoverson's Library Blanket. I've added the eight new colors to the Library Blanket color palette preview tool I made last April , and I also labeled the discontinued colors as such. Hopefully knitters haven't already fallen in love with color combinations featuring discontinued colors unless they…