Friday, June 06, 2008

Big Talk

I spend a lot of non-yarning time surrounded by beautiful art, a quiet atmosphere and general conductivity of knit-dreaminess. I also spend time on public transit, where this penchant for knit-dreaming comes in handy for blocking out the decidedly non-beautiful and non-quiet atmosphere.

Basically, it's always floating around in there.

And I see that sometimes (on this blog, I blush) I talk "big" about thinking about patterns and designing.

Here is some proof that I actually do (sort of) think these things through:

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Did I mention I like to sketch? I can't help myself. I fear the idea will scramble out of my mind and be gone forever. Thus my obsession with addiction to collection of pretty blank note books.
(BEGIN NERD ALERT::I just bought two yesterday. I highly recommend PaperBlanks note books - they're very cute, with little pockets in the back, magnetic clasps and those shiny ribbons that you mark your page with. :: END NERD ALERT!)

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The top sketch is of a hoodie I'm procrasti-knitting right now.
This second sketch is of one that I'm calling "Elizabeth" - based on a portrait of Bessie I when she was something like 12-14 years old. I like the idea of recreating knits based on historical portraiture. Not sure where I can go with that, precisely. But I've put it up on my Rav project list, so stage one of me pressuring myself to think about it is complete.
(for any interested in my own brand of self-pressure methodology, I can just say it consists of writing shit down, putting it in obvious places, and then ultimately chucking it and creating loads of compound lists whose priorities keep shifting based on new yarn purchases).
Alright, enough with sketches. I'll be back to posting about actual knitting progress for the weekend.

11 comments:

Kai said...

I love them both! And I love blank notebooks as well. I seem to have accumulated my fair share! :)

Anonymous said...

I really love the cabled hoodie sketch! I'd love to see that knit up!

Unknown said...

I bet you could do something really interesting with that Queen Bess sketch. Maybe twist stitches to get those angles in front? Attempting to knit the impossible can lead to some intriguing ideas...

soknitpicky said...

Very cool ideas!

juicyknits said...

You know, I've bought a PaperBlank address book two years ago. And I find it SO pretty that I do not want to start spoiling it by actually writing in it!
The sketches are cool! Would love to see it the hoodie as an FO as well (no pressure,lol).

Mom IsAmagpie said...

I love the Queen Bess sketch especially. I wish I could sit and figure out how to make my ideas happen, but I do not have the talent or patience for that. I remember many summer days sitting in the library where I grew up looking at old historical dress costume book, and going home "designing". Wish I knew where those pages were. I couldn't sketch any better then, I have a feeling I would get a big chuckle.
Anyway since I can't do it I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Teresa said...

Thanks all :)

juicyknits: I actually have given myself a ridiculous amount of stress trying to figure out what to write in these books! I think that might be why most of my blank notebooks are still blank...

hunnybunny:Wow, I did the very same thing when I was a kid. I loved looking through fashion/costume books. I made myself some watercolours of my favourites!

Hilary said...

Great designs! I especially love the cabled hoodie. If you're surrounded by art all day, it's impossible not to want to create your own. When taking art history courses (mostly Classical) in college, most of my "notes" were sketches of dresses based on what the Greek and Roman sculptures were wearing...

Thanks for sharing your creative process!

Sel and Poivre said...

I love "downtime" for its potential to let me just float around exploring things in my own brain! It means there is never a dull moment but I find when I get around to writing stuff down that is when I feel it generally leave my brain and hence leave me in peace (until I see it on the list the next time!)

Carol said...

Blank notebooks fill up fast around my house! Where did you buy yours?

Teresa said...

I mostly get mine from the bookstore at my uni. You can get them on amazon dot com (and) dot ca.