Is that not the cutest picture of a baby checking out the action?

The March 24, 2011 Boston Globe Sunday magazize featured a terrific article on the resurgence of knitting, sewing and handcrafts. The photos of the shops were bright and vibrant. I misplaced my copy of the article and had to make due with this photo, which is not nearly as bright and colorful as the original, but the sweet baby makes up for the lack of intense color. The article reported on the growing trend of do-it-yourself handicraft boutiques and interest in all things hand-made and the shift of today's generation away from the 70's anti-hand-craft woman's work to the pride of home/hand made.

People are beginning to realize the importance of creating for yourself as our world becomes increasingly high-tech, digital and faster and faster and faster. The slow movement is a terrific counterpart to the fast-paced 24-7 world we live in today. I love the slow, methodical work of knitting and stitching; it is relaxing and satisfying. Hurrah for hand work. A fitting sentiment for earth day - getting back to basics - do it yourself kind of activities - slowing down - enjoying today as it is - keeping our world alive.

If you are in the Boston area, check out the knitting shops below.

J. P. Knit & Stitch - Jamaica Plain

Gather Here - Cambridge "stitch lounge"

Stitch House - Dorchester

Hipstitch - Newtonville

Craftland School of Craft - Providence

Post Script:

Here is part of an interesting interview with Lisa Borgnes Giramonti of A Bloomsbury Life - this excerpt dovetails with my comments on the hand-craft arts or "home-arts". I did a post on Lisa last year and featured her wonderful needlepoint tapestries that are very funny and creative - click here.

Full interview with Lisa Borgnes Giramonti on Yell Softly - here

You create modern, witty needlepoint art (a phrase many, who haven’t seen your work, may consider an oxymoron.) What drew you to this medium? I particularly love your piece “Perky Boobies;” do you think that we are returning to an appreciation of the “home arts” like entertaining, embroidery and gardening?

Oh, Sariah, I hope so. I think this recession has forced us all to turn inward and to realize that the It bag we all had to have five years ago is a hollow substitute for the pleasures of a meaningful life. In the last year, I have been much more conscious of living large on a small scale. Friends come over, we cook, we entertain, we talk, we laugh and we have a deep appreciation for each other’s company.

In terms of my textile work, my embroideries and postmodern samplers are a compulsion; I can’t not create them. My mother and grandmother both embroidered, and I grew up watching them, but they always worked from kits and that never appealed to me. When I saw the Bayeux Tapestry, I had a sudden epiphany that I needed to embroider MY life and my words instead of someone else’s. And that’s what I’ve done.

"Purly Wurly Takes a Picture," 1998

Coffee bean sack after a MRR DESIGN make-over

I gave myself an Atta Girl

when I saw the story below in 

the May, 2009 issue of Country Living 

because I was ahead of the curve.

I obtained recylced coffee bean sacks a year ago 

and constructed recycled green memento boards to commemorate

2008 Earth Day

check out the post here

 

Both bulletin boards are effective reuse of materials.

I am just partial to my creation;

I like the extra dimension of the puff and lattice

rather than a flat covered tack board.

I read recently about a sofa covered in burlap

not my idea of a comfy couch!

 In honor of EARTH DAY

via swissmiss again (4/5/09)

I can't help it. 

She posts such great stuff,

I must forward it along.

Maybe many of you readers already read swissmiss?

but for those who don't...

(click here to enlarge for readability)

This manifesto is the same as my mantra:

use it up 

make it do 

do without

and it really drives d.h. crazy

but it make so much sense.

Check out the repair manifesto in action in my world:

Bathrobe

Torn on the back from hanging on the hook for so many years, 

so I had some new fabric sewn on top of the rips.

Good as new!

Jeans

Miss Is loves these red engines

so we have patched and patched the knee tears

TV Table

This was an old sewing table that someone gave to me.

I painted it black,

cut a circle out of plywood and painted it black too,

added a piece of glass

and some fun black ball fringe.

Voila!

Just finished several custom memento boards

for a terrific repeat customer/friend.

Thanks Pam.

What is notable is that I made this

 memento board about 10 years ago,

and I was asked to remake it to match the renovated kitchen. 

here is the before version

large size 42" x 42"

Deconstructed and reconstructed

to the after version.

Hard to see the definition of the faux bois fabric:

maple with brown suede ribbon, but trust me, it is very cool.

You can see the detail in the frames below.

The board will hang on chocolate brown walls.  Delish.

I will post an in situ picture later.

Second part of the order was two "green/brown" boards

constructed from the recycled burlap bags with marlin twine.

Remember the post inspired by Earth Day.

Fair Trade  

Sustainable Harvest

one side of the sack

size 32" x 22"

the other side of the sack

32 x 22

I found coffee beans in the bottom of the sack.

The real deal. 

The coffee fragrance was delicous.

HOORAY FOR EARTH DAY

The little things you do add up.

Old Yankee saying:  Use it Up, Make it do, Do Without

The reworked version of this phrase for the 21st Century and

 environmentally conscious is 

REDUCE - REUSE - RECYLE

My Grandmother always asked whatever child was visiting her at the beach to hang the laundry on the line.  She did not have a dryer at the beach.  "Who needs one with the wonderful breezes" I can hear her saying.   I really liked hanging the laundry and still do today when I have time.  I remember telling someone when we first bought our house that one of the things I was going to like best was having a clothesline - needless to say, the person thought I was a nut! But freshly laundered sheets on the line are hard to beat and you can save electricity.

Fun example of how any of you knitters can rework old tee shirts.

This bath mat was made from recylced old tee shirts.

You create strips by cutting in a circle from the bottom to the arms of the tee shirt and knit into a rug.

You can find the pattern in the book AlterKnits by Leigh Radford

I knit this rug two years ago and use it all the time.  It goes through the wash without any problems.  And it feels so good underfoot.

Environmental awareness is growing but it has taken a long time to get from 1970 to today in terms of general public awareness AND action.  Gasoline hit $4.05 at my local pump today!   People are starting to take notice because it is affecting their pocketbooks.  In the last six months the numbers of people who bring their own bags into stores for groceries has mushroomed.  It used to be just a few people.  I am guilty of taking too long to convert my ways. I always meant to bring the bags to the grocery store but somehow would forget - now the cloth bags are in the back seat of the car.  The other day a carrier bag from Target arrived in our Vanity Fair magazine - it is lightweight and tucks into my pocket book nicely - no excuses now!   And how about buying one water bottle and refilling.

AND NO IDLING IN YOUR CAR.  

"If you are stopped for more than 10, turn it off and on again"

Two students from Wilton, Connecticut

I cannot remember their names, sorry.

The children and young adults are so enthusiastic about the environment - I believe that they are going to be the force of change.  I see it around me everyday. They are doing a great job of educating their parents and elders.  

HOORAY FOR EARTH DAY

Unofficial Earth Day flag by John McConnell, who introduced the idea of a holiday to celebrate the environment, to be called Earth Day,  at a Unesco Conference in 1969