So much bouncing around in my head this week! Here's just a little bit of it:
Do you have royal baby fever? Every time Will and Kate stand on those steps holding a new bundle of joy, I wonder about where the knitwear came from. Here's the answer. Knitting as sculpture. This is an interesting advance in knitting machine technology. And there's a lot at stake in terms of environmental and human impact...lots to ponder on this one. It all comes down to twist. Tailor for the stars - literally. I've also read about weavers in Nordic countries using snow to bleach linen. And watching the processes in prepping and weaving the fabric in this video from Ojiya, Japan was interesting, too. Currently, I'm having a blast (and spending all my money) at Interweave Yarn Fest. I love coming, and seeing all there is to see...and it certainly doesn't help my to-do list!
Recently, I saw a post on Facebook where a weaver mentioned she might make temari balls with her loom waste. An interesting idea, which led me down a rabbit hole to these beauties. Speaking of rabbit holes, I fell down hard for DIY furniture plans, especially Ana White's. Just like in my wardrobe and fiber arts, I have very specific ideas for what I want out of furniture, and rarely find it. Lately I've been jonesing for a new weaving bench (the one I'm using is older than me and falling apart), but nothing seems quite right. Naturally that means I have to build one, right? I just finished reading The Curated Closet. Lately, I've had that "nothing to wear" feeling a lot...so this was the perfect read for me. I'm slowly working my way back through the exercises, hoping to have a truly curated closet by fall. This would explain why I get grumpy when I don't get to play with yarn "enough."
I found this article a while back, and found it really interesting. Basically, it turns shapes into knitting patterns for knitting machines....and I think there's so much more a good designer could do with it. I was fascinated by this video. So much artistry. Clearly an April Fool's joke, but I found it quite amusing. And lastly, Merino sheep are helping us learn what causes curly hair. This is the second March of my working life where I've been self-employed. Which means, I don't have to listen to basketball talk all month long. (Though one year I did win the bracket, and used my winnings to buy my first swift!) Anyways, it's March Mayhem over at MDK, and that's the only kind of bracket I'm really interested in.
I've been studying color lately. Color theory, color history (it's a thing!), and random factoids about color. So I thought it was pretty nifty when the "inventor" of aniline dyes, Sir William Henry Perkins, was featured as one of this week's Google Doodles. The world lost a talented artist last week. Ethel Stein, a master weaver (and the creator of the Lambchops puppet!) passed away. Here is her obituary in the New York Times, and here is a fantastic video of her weaving. I can only hope to be a creator throughout my life like she was. It makes me crazy to hear people say they're just going to change one element of a pattern (especially with knitting patterns) and re-publish it as their own design. This article seemed particularly relevant and useful for those who want to navigate copyright in the textile world.
I'm currently on a color-theory binge...er, course of personal study. Anyways, this article about Pantone's color forecasting was fascinating. And, since I can't go to the New YorK Times and read just one thing, I fell down the rabbit hole into this discussion of rugs. Apparently, something (Manafort?) sparked a lot of interest in rugs. Who woulda thunk? I was slightly less interested in the discussion of people's rug buying habits, and more interested in looking at the pretty pictures and thinking about how they were made... I think I'm about to buy one of these pillows. I'm interested having more natural fibers around me more often, and why not start with bedding? It's not cheap, so as the things I have wear out, I'm replacing them with better quality items. Just like with slow fashion - a way to be more conscious about all our areas of consumption. Lastly, I loved this article about how natural fibers |
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