Friday, January 19, 2007

evoking new mediums.


I said to myself, when I started blogging or whenever I blog, that this was only going to reflect what I was doing, that I couldn't just blog about wanting to do things or talk it up. This was supposed to be a reflection of my productivity, not in place of. But ideas have been swarming around in my head so much lately that I need a place, besides sketch books and notepads and just talking to others, to spill them! I am this excited, that I want to start blabbing before I have even made anything yet!

My crafts and styles are always evolving which I think is pretty cool. But it's also because I get bored so very quick and cannot focus on one craft for too long. This prevents me from really ever mastering one particular thing. Getting a degree in photography was probably the closest I ever came to focusing (literally, haha) on that.

But there comes a time artistically, that all paths lead home. Whatever new idea I get, or new hobby I evoke, I start to notice little details that link me to projects of my past. My bags, for example, from last winter, that I became obsessed with designing, knitting and felting, all mocked the colors used in my senior thesis project, which involved photography, text, cutting, sewing, layering and assemblage.
This winter, I have become been inspired to use similar skills: cutting, assembling and sewing a quilt! I have been admiring Denyse Schmidt's gorgeous quilts that have quirky patterns and use lots of contract stitching as subject matter. The idea to do something different, yet familiar, surfaces and I am liking the thought of using patterns with words I choose and abstract text (like in my senior project) to create my own originally patterned fabric.


In the past I have printed these images and words onto material with a simple photocopier and stitched right over then with my sewing machine, but I may introduce myself to something fancier like silkscreen and work with some kind of paint. The idea of the screen being like a film negative is exciting to me and makes the two projects feel very connected. In the end I will have a very memorable piece of work, both in its process and result. I like the idea of tying together the threads of my many different crafts and taking on something big with new things to learn. This may not be completed this winter, the text I want to use and colors and fabrics are not all decided on yet. But inspiration and ideas don't seem to hard to get. Now I won't say another word until I know.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Knitting in New Mexico.

Well here I am, winter in Las Cruces, NM, visiting Nick and spending our lazy days in the sun. We have been taking long walks, visiting parks, cooking yummy meals, reading plenty of books and, of course, I brought along my knitting! But this glorious vacation cannot last forever... after a quick trip to San Francisco (to see Stella on my birthday!) I will be heading back to New England to get back to work, winter and my family and friends there.

In the meantime I have been knitting a simple scarf for my Dad. He wanted something specifically 26" long and 4-5" wide. A short scarf that he could tuck inside the collar of his coat and keep out the chill. Nothing hanging, no fringe, no cables, buttons or frills. I think I completed that task!

Seemed a little dull at first, but after I started knitting in the 1 x 1 rib pattern I found a calming beauty in the simplicity and a meditation in the monotony. It came out quite nice and I am excited to give it to him. In the meantime I have let Paco model it for you (above.)

I have also been busy at work making my first pair of mittens! well they aren't quite yet a pair. Still just one mitten, but I am happy with it's turnout and ready to begin the second. They are made out of the same grey speckled "tweed" yarn, which was all I brought with me. I am thinking that after this mitten i am going to need a new fiber badly and was glad I discovered Unravel, a gorgeous little knitting shop in the downtown mall. If anyone ever visits Las Cruces, be sure to stop in there!