I was thinking about this while drafting a Tangle based on a building I spotted in Boston last week. It was a modern enough skyscraper type building, but one section had windows shaped like—to me—medieval altar triptychs. It was subtle, but it introduced a different pattern and that difference drew my eye. I took a picture.
If you were to browse through my vacation photos—OMG, why would you?—you’d see that I take more pictures of buildings than I do of people. (What does that say about me?)
It started on my first trip to England in 1976. Standing on a platform over a Roman mosaic in Fishburne, I announced, “I can quilt that,” and started snapping pictures. A few years later I looked at a tall building in a distant city and said, “I can knit that.” Think intarsia.
I think it’s the patterns within that I see. The repetition of squares or curves or lines draws my eye. Then the “maker” in me starts to construct. Clearly this is why I love Zentangles.
This is how I design and make sweaters. I CONSTRUCT them. I knit them in pieces; I like to look at the shape of each piece and see how they fit together. Putting these flat pieces on a round body still fascinates me. I also like that pieces allow me to make changes (huge ones, sometimes) when I get a better idea while in process. Options, you gotta love options.
Knossos from Greece inspired new cape shawl
I’m very comfortable when I think about constructing the shoulders or the neckline, etc. To think about the entire sweater all the time is simply too daunting. But to build it one piece at a time is manageable. Small goals, better focus, more rewards. This process applies to whatever I make, no matter who the designer is. Maybe this is why I can easily think about and attempt to change someone else’s design to suit me—V-necks, longer “short” sleeves, waist shaping.
Give this a try. Just like doing the Red section of a cross stitch pattern, break something down into pieces or forms or sections–Even if you do it just mentally. Does it change your view?
Sorry if this is too philosophical. I could have written about this new economic theory I am formulating based on absolutely no knowledge of economics—just human nature. Hmmmm.
Dala horse from Sweden
Houses in Bryggen, Norway
Led me to this design–
My Scandinavia Hat
Even bought the yarn in Denmark. Later I sewed Krone to the top. If you don’t want you coins used in design work, don’t put a hole in the middle of them.
More later–
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