Petit Patchwork Projects

The back to Boston reality hit pretty quickly. My second day back was a lovely combination of snow, rain and a full day of classes. Still, it’s hard to be too down when, despite the craziness of the first week of semester, I have found ample time for crafting.

First of all, I added a border to the Birds in the Air quilt. Now, I thought quite a bit about this next step. I even received a wonderful email from my Grandmother full of various traditional border patterns and was particularly drawn to Entwined and Curling Ribbons:

But the more I thought about it, the more I worried that placing these right next to the Birds in the Air might detract from the main motif. So I opted for the simplest possible solution and put the remaining antique fabric to use:

Now I can’t decide if I should put a more elaborate border around this border- or would that be too much? I tend to adhere to the philosophy of the more pattern the better, but as my mother astutely pointed out with my Log Cabin cardigan, this is not always the case. Perhaps I will make some sample borders and see how I feel. Due to my indecision, this project has been put on a brief hiatus during which I’ve engaged in another, somewhat random patchworking project.

It all started with a visit to the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA. I mean, what better place to spend a morning before classes pick up and the workload piles on? The museum is currently showing a wonderful exhibition of Seven Swiss Contemorary Quilt Artists (up through April 18): http://www.nequiltmuseum.org/Exhibitions.shtml. All the artists were inspinring, but one in particular caught my eye- Beatrice Lanter. Here’s a segment of one of her works:

I’m not entirely sure how she composes these quilts, but something about their aesthetic deeply appeals to me. Perhaps it’s the slight asymmetry- perhaps the many colors! Either way, seeing the work of an artist that you admire is always stimulating and fills me with thoughts about my next self-designed quilt.

Another fortunate outcome of the visit was the discovery of these wonderful Japanese fabrics that are sold in convenient 4×4 inch squares. I’d seen them once before but this time I couldn’t resist getting a package. There is something so appealing about them, the many different patterns and slightly different textures- the fact that they come beautifully precut! The museum shope also sold  a pattern for a little bag made of this fabric. Now, I don’t normally use kits or follow directions but for some reason yesterady afternoon (a Friday) felt like a good day for something slightly different but practical and straightforward. So I whipped up a little patchwork pouch (officially called the “Reversible Kinchaku bag” designed by Miho Takeuchi). Here it is:

It’s a bit tricky to photograph, but it’s basically a small (20″ circumfence) drawstring satchel made from these four-inch squares. The design is quite clever; circular patchwork is not easy to pull off. And it reminded of what’s nice about following rules every now and then: it  improves my technique, forces me to be precise and gives me new ideas for my own work. More and more, I find myself believing that this is part of any craftsperson’s responsibility, to master the technique in which they are working. Once these technicalities are nailed, it’s that much easier to set yourself free. In honor of this recent avowel (part of my new 2009 mindset) I’ve even been reading Michael James’ 1978 “The Quiltmaker’s Handbook.”

Anyone familiar with James’ work has to agree that no quilter has greater mastery of the craft! It’s inspiring. And I’ve decided that even while pursuing my more unconventional tednencies, I’m going to nail the details once and for all… which leads me to my lastest knitting endeavor. While the Log Cabin cardigan (actually no longer a cardigan which I will explain later) made considerable progress in Puerto Rico, it has been put on hold for the past couple of days (along with the Seasonal Lollipop Scarf) so I could quickly knit two 6″ squares in a DK weight yarn, a requirement for the knitting class I will be taking tomorrow afternoon:

Of course they don’t look like much of anything (though blue and red does happen to be one of my favorite color combinations). Mainly, I’m looking forward to an afternoon of honing my knitting skills. The class is at Westminster Fibers in Nashua NH and is being taught by designer  Sharon Brant. It’s called “Professional Tips and Techniques” and involves the following:

• Choosing the best method to cast on
• The importance of tension and how to correct
• Working with Colour (Intarsia nd fairisle)- essential for me!
• Textures (Lace, Cables and bobbles)
• Finishing Techniques (seams and picking up stitches) and many more tips- I don’t know a single knitter who couldn’t use the chance to work on this.

I’m truly looking forward to  the experienc eand hope to emerge a more proficient knitter. That being said, the class gets out at 5 o’clock on Superbowl Sunday so I will have to hurry home!  I’m not going to lie, the football itself isn’t really the primary reason that I enjoy Superbowl Sunday. It’s more about the fact that it’s a chance to go home, one of the few times that I eat chili and that, while the men drink beer, my mom, sisters and I are planning on champagne and cocktails. And of course, there’s that not-so-insignificant bonus that a few hours of television-watching = the ideal opportunity to knit.

Patchworking it in Puerto Rico

Well this will be brief because, busy indulging in all this island has to offer, I haven’t exactly made enormous progress on my knitting. Now, that doesn’t mean I didn’t spend the entire flight over working on my Log Cabin sweater (while watching Ghost Town on the little airplane TV and inspiring the flight attendant to tell me his sweater size in case I was inspired to make him one) or that I haven’t been progressing on my Seasonal Lollipop Scarf during the half hour car rides here and there. I have, and both items are certainly coming along. More on that later.

Most importantly, I’ve been utterly enjoying my few academia-free days. I’ve been swimming in the ocean, lying in the sun, pleasure reading (‘Water for Elephants’ on my sister’s wise recommendation), hiking through the rain forest, drinking pina coladas at 10 in the morning and kayaking through bio-luminescent bays. The last one on the list was likely one of the most magical experiences I have ever had; imagine finding yourself  paddeling  in the pitch black through mangrove tree, into a lagoon through water that literally shimmers around you and under a sky glowing with every single star imaginable (two of which I saw fall; that has to be a good sign)…

I do have a craft-related point to make. I am pleased to announce that my patchwork creations looks just as good in the Carribean and I’ve been relying on my patchworky bag and hat while here, whether lounging on the beach during the day or dining in Old San Juan at night.

There I am in front of a  waterfall in El Yunque (also known as the rain forest). Like I’ve said before, it’s essential to celebrate the things you’ve made (both of these items are over a year old)! What better way to do so then bring said items along while traveling to remarkable places?

Overall, this trip has been good for the soul. Fresh air, ocean water, sunshine. I’m getting ready for one last fabulous Saturday night on the town; tomorrow afternoon, it’s back to reality. Unsurprisingly, I’m already planning my Spring Break return (I should mention that my boyfriend works here Monday through Friday thus staying expenses are rather low, an additional perk). But no matter where I am or what I’m doing, patchwork is never far from my heart.

Time is a Funny Thing

If you had told me a month ago that by January 21st  I would hand in a full draft of my thesis and finish the top of  my Birds in the Air quilt (well, the first main portion of it) I wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, I would have felt overwhelmed at the prospect, sure that it couldn’t be done. Our notoriously overbooked society tends to run on the assumption that there’s never enough time. Well, as it turns out, sometimes there’s more than you think- a hopeful tidbit to keep in mind! Furthermore, sometimes having more than one thing to do is, dare I say it, helpful  Quilting was even more of a pleasure when it was a break from writing… and handing in my first draft called for a celebration so (since champagne is in short supply in dorm rooms) I quilted! I’ll admit it, my productivity also has to do with a fondness for waking up very early in the morning, a deeply ingrained preference that I inherited from my Dad. Either way, before you know it:

I’m truly pleased. The different weight fabrics made it nearly impossible to achieve 100% precise work that lies 100% flat. But that hasn’t devastated me in the past and it doesn’t really bother me now. It’s all about the fine line between good technique and creativity- not to mention fun! Now, the original Birds in the Air that inspired me was composed of identical blocks and the effect is quite different. I have to admit, I love how this turned out- the pattern can be read in two different ways if you look closely (either look for the squares or the diagonal bands).

Here’s the thing: it’s still too small by my standards (a quilt needs to be luxuriously large enough to wrap around your shoulders) but I’m fresh out of brown triangles. I’ve decided this is a wonderful dilemma. I’m going to take this as my opportunity to add my own flare, my own design. I love this deeply traditional base but I do think it calls for some innovation. A border of some sort, perhaps using the loner antique fabric that didn’t make it into the first pattern, perhaps not. Nothing too crazy since I love the design up to this point and don’t want to detract. It’s not an easy decision to make and not one that I want to rush it.

Fortunately, I have time to think it over since I’m off to Puerto Rico tomorrow for four days in the sunshine! To be fair, Cambridge has warmed up a bit- it is now 24 degrees, feeling like 13. But Puerto Rico is is 77 degrees and feels like 81. And though us knitters love the winter… we also love the sunshine. Not to mention pina coladas. We also don’t mind the absurdity of knitting on the beach- I completed an entire sweater during the week I spent in Hawaii. So since my quilting isn’t portable, I’m looking forward to a few days of devoted sockinette stitch. The Log Cabin cardigan is coming along nicely; the back is nearly finished.

I still stand by the stripes, they were the way to go. The alpaca is wonderfully soft, though lightweight enough to be wearable when Spring approaches. Speaking of seasonal transitions, I have not forgotten about my lollipop scarf, but running out of yarn put it on hold for a while. However, as with the brown triangles, I have come to consider this a fortunate occurence. After a couple of weeks of unsuccessfuly trying to track down matching Classic Elite Lush, I decided that this would be a transition scarf. In other words, I bought the colors of Lush that they DID have at my favorite yarn store, Wild and Woolly, and switched over:

The colors are rather appropriate since at this rate I probably won’t finish until the Spring though I started in the Fall. From dark to light: it makes perfect sense. I guess you could call it a Seasonal Lollipop Scarf. But for now, I’m escaping the reality of the seasons, and with these knitting projects in tote (and my Birds in the Air quilt in mind) I’m off to the beach!

Brrrrrr

According to weather.com, the temperature in good old Cambridge, MA is 17 degrees but ‘feels like’ 5. As far as I’m concerned, ‘feels like’ is all that matters. Yes, it is COLD. But no, it’s not so bad. In fact, this is great weather for knitters- and quilters for that matter- since it’s the perfect excuse to whip out all those bulky knit items that aren’t exactly practical most of the time. Of course, I’m living in my entrelac scarves (and the sweater sweater, which I’m wearing right now) but the frigid air and my drafty dorm room have also inspired me to resurrect a project from a couple of years ago, my “Smorgasbord Socks” made from Brown Sheep. They’ve been keeping my toes wonderfully warm.

I knit them while au pairing in France, in between spurts of chasing after little French kids. Of course, like any good knitted item, the memories of that summer are deeply embedded in them. And they’re sort of patchworky in their own right- the red heel is probably my favorite part:

The other nice thing about the freezing weather is that since I’m not exactly tempted to go outside, I’ve been making admirable progress on my Birds in the Air quilt. While the bulk of these past few days has been spent on my thesis (which I’ve managed to painfully cut down to the 75 page limit, hooray!) no one can produce quality writing without letting their brain rest. For me, brain resting means quilting and this Birds in the Air pattern is quite conducive to it. It’s very methodicial and orderly but challenging enough to not get borring. So I’ve been completing a square here and there and suddenly, to my delight, discovered I’d completed about 18 of them without even realizing it!

Yes, I need to learn how to orient my pictures but, nonetheless, this shot captures how the final pattern will work out. And I love it. I wasn’t sure how the different fabrics would visually interact, but I think the little bits of brown hold it all together. I’m still enthralled by these old fabrics and can’t stop wondering where they came from nor delighting in their uncanny combination in my quilt.

Finally, my “billboard” quilt will be getting a new edition soon. Even the cold can’t stop me from good food and last night I went to ‘o ya’  restaurant: http://www.oyarestaurantboston.com/ There’s been quite a bit of hype about this place  (‘the best restaurant in the world’ according to Frank Bruni) and I have to admit, it was truly sublime. The food is a type of Japanese fusion- think foie gras sushi- and easily amongst the best I’ve ever had. That being said, the portions are small and the prices are high so I wouldn’t recommend going on an empty stomach, this place won’t exactly fill you up. Tonight will be a nice contrast; I’m fleeing the dorm for a little bit and heading back home to do a little cooking of my own. Pork, apple sauce, root vegetables, maybe even some peanut butter and jelly cookies… the type of hardy food that you need in this icy winter weather.