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July 19, 2005
Dear Prudence....
As I mentioned yesterday, MJ and I met at her LYS, Wildfiber. (Be sure to check out her post about it - her pictures are better than mine. Well, all except the one Georgie took of the two of us with her camera. But, in his defence, he did a better job with ours.) The store was/is an explosion of color - warm and inviting, lots of wonderful light. Places to sit and my god, the yarns! Everything you could ever want in an LYS. I'm still jealous!
As we were walking around the store, I came across this AMAZING item - I'm not sure what you would call the shape - but it's FREEFORM at it's best!
I'm not sure pictures can do the work justice. It's crochet and knitting combined - and each piece is built upon the next creating a canvas of texture and color. As we walked further around the store, we came to the back classroom area and discovered more of this amazing artist's work:
Some of the pieces are garments - well - they might all be garments. I tried on the long purple/yellow coat and to be honest, it's about as far from practical as you can get - extremely heavy and itchy, but my god - WHAT GLORIOUS COLOR! This artist's work is a Gustav Klimt painting come to life!
I don't even remember the question I asked, but I asked a woman standing behind the table about the artist, and the woman ended up to be the artist herself! Prudence Mapstone. This Australian artist told us she got started with freeform when her carpal tunnel got so bad she couldn't knit big pieces anymore - too heavy. So she started playing around with little pieces that she sewed together to make bigger pieces. And so on and so on. Prudence uses any kind of yarn she can find - natural fibers, synthetic fibers, novelty yarns - generally sticking to a specific color palette for her projects. I was so inspired I bought both her books and some notecards with close-ups of her work!
What's really wonderful about the work is that it will go wherever your imagination can take you! Every stitch pattern - knit or crochet - is open as a possibility. I love the idea of this - truly I do and am going to try my hardest to figure out the lovely bullion stitch. What a great way to play with all the odd balls of yarn we have around!
Anyway, I encourage you all to visit the galleries on Prudence's website. Her work MUST NOT be missed.
Okay. I'm not blaming any one person in particular - I'm blaming you all equally - but I had some crazy ass head-spinning dreams last night about this and this and maybe some of this.
STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!
I told G I might have a problem and showed him some of this stuff and told him if I got one of these and some of this I could make my own yarn like this. (Is that not EXQUISITE!!!) He looked at me with his drop-dead gorgeous puppy dog eyes and said, "Is that something you'd be interested in?" like totally all supporting me and stuff and I yelled, at the top of my lungs (in my head of course) HOW, I repeat HOW ON THIS EARTH DID I GET SO LUCKY? [ETA: Yes, well, Ann might be correct, but I'd prefer to think my sparkling personality has at least a LITTLE to do with it....]
But, really, leave me alone! All of you!
[ETA: Just say, and I'm just saying here, I saw something on ebay I might want to buy - what's the etiquette for auctions? There's a seller and one person has the only bid on a bunch of stuff. I feel kind of bad bidding over her - am I allowed to do that? What's the knitting/web protocol here? You know what? Don't even tell me. I need this like I need ANOTHER hole in my head. Oy gavolt!]
For Claudia:
The Bee and The Dahlia
Last but not least, Annie is putting together an Afghan project in memory of Kerstin's brother-in-law. I'm sure you've heard by now, but he died, along with two of his friends, in one of the most horrific traffic accidents I've ever heard about. It's stunningly sad. A square is the absolute least we can do. Thank you.
Posted by Cara at July 19, 2005 12:17 PM
Topics: Inspiration
~ Photographs
Comments
What a great guy you've got there! You would be a natural at spinning~ especially with your artists' eye.
Thanks for mentioning the blanket project.
Posted by: Annie at July 19, 2005 01:14 PM
That is such amazing work. It's bright and yet has an organic feel to it. What an artist. As to the Ebay bidding...go for it! That's what an auction is all about. The other bidders knows she can loose it at anytime if she isn't willing to pony up.
I swear the spinners are casting spells over the rest of us.
Posted by: margene at July 19, 2005 02:08 PM
first off, of course you are supposed to out bid the other buyer - if you really want the stuff! for christsakes!! quit being so nice and go bid on it!
secondly, my guess about how you got so lucky to have George? ..... you're probably really good in bed.
Posted by: ann at July 19, 2005 02:48 PM
Outbid her all the way! That's the way it works and the spoils go to the conquerer. Err, that is, the one with the most money.
Posted by: Carole at July 19, 2005 03:58 PM
Cara, you are so funny. Half the fun of Ebay is the *sport*...the thrill of the hunt, the strategy, the win! Go for it! (And report back to us.)
Posted by: Jan at July 19, 2005 08:45 PM
Are you nuts? eBay is for BIDDING. The winner gets the spoils. The highest bidder takes all. You get the picture. And the other bidder knows that, too. Don't be a wuss. ;-)
(says the eBayer with a transaction number of 382 or something...)
Posted by: Norma at July 19, 2005 09:34 PM
Your blog is so fabulous!!! I checked out Prudence's blog -- her work is gorgeous on a computer screen; I imagine that it's totally amazing up close. The spinning bug is spreading all over blogland :)
Posted by: Kathy at July 19, 2005 09:35 PM
That is a stunning bee picture. As for the spinning. Well, it seems to me that you are a goner.
Posted by: claudia at July 19, 2005 10:24 PM
From one goner to another: I don't even have a beautiful spindle yet and I'm already doing this in PUBLIC. With a tinkertoy on testosterone. Really.
It's fun, it's hypnotic, it's perfect for people who have a hard time settling down...
not that I'm like that or anything...
Posted by: Lee Ann at July 19, 2005 11:00 PM
Yup, completely over the bend. Our work here is done. Or maybe just begun. ;)
So, does being good in bed get one extra support for the fiber addiction? Because I may need to recommit myself in certain areas. (KIDDING!)
Posted by: mamacate at July 19, 2005 11:01 PM
I have seen some freeform pieces before, and they are just stunning--thanks for sharing all of those great photos--it is so inspiring.
Hmm, so you are gonna spin too? If you are already dreaming about it... I think Claudia may be right about the goner thing :)
Posted by: Lolly at July 20, 2005 08:28 AM
Prudence's work was the reason why I started freeform crochet. She is so kind to newbies and such an inspiration. I have a few freeform pieces that I have made on my website. Here is the link. http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/freeform.html There is also a freeform crochet group in yahoo if you want to see more fabulous work.
Posted by: marlo at July 20, 2005 09:45 AM
So you've got an enabler too; its great isn't it ...sorta.
Posted by: CursingMama at July 20, 2005 11:34 AM
Gorgeous photo...as always! When I grow up, I want to take photos just like you! ;-)
Posted by: Eilene at July 26, 2005 07:09 AM
Wow!!!! Prudence is amazing. I would love to make a handbag like hers!
Posted by: Eilene at July 26, 2005 07:14 AM