Arm Knitting

This is another spin off of what finger knitting is. Judging by pictures and different diagrams, arm knitting is just like using your arms as knitting needles. It's also something new to me but it is really coming into style. There are even yarns dedicated to this art (go figure). Give it a try!

What to Get:
3 Skeins of Yarn (any color)

How-To:
1. Take all three tails (ends) of the skeins of yarn, loop it around your index and middle finger, and pull the working end (the part connected to the rest of the yarn) through to make a loop to wrap around your arm.
2. Make a loop with the tail leaving the rest of the tail hanging in front of the loop, and hold the top of the loop with your right hand
3. Put your left hand through the loop and grab the working yarn.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for at least 10 stitches
5. Pick up the working end and place it over your thumb on the arm with that row of stitches.
6. Close your hand into a fist and pull the first stitch over your knuckles
7. Pull the working end through to make a new stitch to go onto your left hand
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until you have the length desired.
9. With the row of stitches on your left arm, stitch two stitches on your right arm.
10. Take the first stitch, pull it over and off your fist. Continue doing this until the last stitch is pulled through
11. Cut the working end (cut 1.5 yards extra if your want to make an infinity scarf), pull it through the last stitch, and tighten it
12. (Optional) Put the two ends together with the right sides facing up. With the rest of the tail end left over, do a mattress stitch. Stitch back and forth until completely closed.
13. Last step! Take the remaining ends and weave them into the mattress stitch. That will complete your infinity scarf!

Casting off a.k.a. getting started

Finishing stitching the scarf

Matress Stich
http://purlbee.squarespace.com/knitting-tutorials-finishing/2013/9/27/mattress-stitch.html

Weaving in the ends
http://www.flaxandtwine.com/2014/02/arm-knitting-how-to-photo-tutorial-part-2-knitting/

Hammer Forming and Planishing

This is not really a necessary or even common skill and the tools are rather expensive unless given access to a metalsmithing studio, but it is definitely worth trying. You will feel really accomplished being able to take a flat piece of metal into something else like a bowl or a vase or even a random form all together. The technical terms for this metal working is anticlastic and synclastic forming (sinking and raising). Anticlastic means that the surfaces of the metal curve in opposite directions and Synclastic means to curve in the same direction. These two processes combined give the possibilities for all sorts of form!

What to Get:
18 gauge copper (cut into a circle with a jewelers saw or shears)
Rawhide hammer
Raising hammer
Planishing hammer
Oxygen acetylene torch
large piece of wood or stump (standing with an indent like a bowl in the middle)
tongue stake and/or mushroom stake
Vise

How-To:
1. Start with your circular piece of metal and draw circles on it starting from the outside to the inside
**it will look like a bulls-eye and this just helps to make sure the end result isn't lopsided**
2. Using the rawhide hammer working from the outside in, hammer the piece of metal until it is roughly the shape of a shallow bowl.
3. Take the metal and "anneal" it with the torch. The flame should be a nice feathery look.
**Annealing makes the metal soft again because constant hammering stretches out the metal making it thin and brittle. When the metal has a rainbow color where the flame touches it, it's done**
4. Quench and pickle in an acid solution
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 using a raising hammer this time. Make sure to keep the blows really close together so there are no overly thin spots.
6. To get other styles besides a generic bowl, use a tongue stake or mushroom stake clamped in a vise and hammer in the opposite pattern; inside out.
7. Last step! When you  have the desired shape, the planishing hammer is used to make the form smooth by hammering closely together on to a stake.

Raising and Planishing hammers

Hammering process courtesy of Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKcTU7NA5Lc

More advanced finished products
http://davidabarnhill.com/continuum-8.html

Pronto Printing

Pronto prints are a lot easier than you'd think. No carving and no scratching. All it takes is a special kind of paper and ink; sharpie marker or printer ink. I have used this a couple of times, and a student in the art department I know did this project for her senior show. They turned out fantastic!

What to Get:
Pronto Plate (thick, card stock type paper)
Plexy glass
Sharpie
Laser jet Printer
Oil based Ink
Brayer
Gum Arabic
Water
Sponge
Printing Paper

How-To:
1. Take the pronto plate and either print a design or black and white photo onto it using a laser jet printer or draw on it using a sharpie marker (black only)
**Make sure not to get any oils on it from your skin. It will run the plate.**
2. Lay the pronto plate on the plexy glass with the inked side up.
3. Mix water and gum arabic in bowl, and completely coat the pronto plate with a sponge.
**it's important to keep the plate moist**
4. Evenly spread out the ink on a separate piece of plexy and apply to the pronto
**whether everything is covered with ink isn't really that noticeable**
5. Carefully place the pronto on the printing press, lay the paper over top of the plate, and roll through the press.
6. Last step! Gently lift the paper and you will have a pronto print!

http://mirka-h.blogspot.com/2010/06/two-etching-techniques-and-pronto-plate.html