November 2009 
 
BETH HAHN
 
A Mystery in Time

(& Stitches)

       I first heard of Beth Hahn and her project-in-progress from  Maxcine DeGouttes, the owner of Stitch Therapy in Brooklyn.  Beth, her novel and body of work:   “The Adventures of Miss Flitt:  A tale of Magic & Mystery with Knitwear Designs & Watercolors”, were to be the focus of a promotion that Maxcine was planning in conjunction with the NYC Yarn Crawl. The first installment of Beth’s 4 part serialized work, “The Strange Case of the Magician’s Cabinet”, was due off the press and Maxcine was confident that I’d love her work and vision.  She was right.  I was enchanted and knew that I had to meet her. 

     A resident of Brooklyn, Beth  graciously agreed to come to Manhattan and Knitty City to meet Pearl and me on a day that started out rather gray and gloomy.  It didn’t stay that way, however, thanks to our shared lunch hour and Beth’s gracious demeanor.  We ate at a little French place around the corner where she gave us the back-story on the creation of her work and what brought her to thiS juncture in her career.

      While her path to knitting design started just 5 years ago, her studies in print making and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts had grown her natural artistry into a recognized talent.  Further concentration on writing at Sarah Lawrence College and the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference enhanced her inherent ability as a writer.  Add to this her affinity for the lifestyles and mannerisms of l9th Century heroines, and you have the ingredients for a compelling form of narrative and design.  With some unexpected free time as the impetus, she decided to devote a semester to the development of the project. 

      Given her knowledge of print and her capabilities as a designer, she set out to self-publish the series and the resultant first Volume shows that it was the right decision.  A digest sized, perfectly bound little jewel of a book, it is lavishly illustrated with watercolor paintings of fragile, but plucky, young women, and the questionable men in their lives.  The story, set in Victorian New York, is replete with clairvoyants and magicians, and revolves around the disappearance of lovely young Lucy and the determination of her friends and sister to find her.  As you would imagine, knitting enters the story right from the start, with descriptive passages of cunning little knits created for and by the characters. 

      To further enhance each subject’s personality, Beth has designed garments for each of the 3 women introduced in the first book. These unique patterns underscore each character’s personality traits.  They are also perfect projects for any Austen obsessed knitter who ever picked up a pair of needles or fondled a skein of soft yarn.     Here is an example of a cardigan designed specifically for Emma Flitt, herself.  The lace pattern reflects her femininity but the usefulness of the cardigan is testament to her determination!

    

Emma's Lace Cardigan

      Along with her charming watercolor illustrations and her well spun  little mystery, Beth has included written out patterns, four-color pictures, the projects and charts for the Lace Emma Cardigan shown and the“Lucy” Shrug, named for her “lost sister. 

      In true mysterious fashion, just as you enter Emma and Lucy’s world, you find yourself left on a ledge of intrigue, which only serves to whet one’s appetite for the next installment – due out in Spring 2010.  (In the meantime, if you are interested in knowing more, do not tarry, but go straight to www.missflitt.com or visit Beth at her blog, www.willowrosaknits.blogspot.com).  She’s also a regular on Ravelry where some of the patterns are available for sale. 

     Not surprisingly, upon meeting Beth and seeing her charming work, Pearl was immediately smitten with the project and decided that nothing would do but to devote the Holiday Window at Knitty City to her watercolors, book and finished knits.   So, mark your calendars, now, with the following date and time:  December 3, from 6-8 PM.  Come to the store, meet Beth, view her work first hand, and see if you agree with us that a copy of 

“The Adventures of Miss Flitt” is the perfect  gift for any knitter who loves the sensibility as well as the sense of our beloved craft.

 

Beth Hahn as seen in The Annabel Lee Neck Cozy

------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Ruth Taube

Henry Street Settlement

 

Ruth Taube is a legend, and what becomes a legend most? Genuine appreciation -- and that's exactly what Ruth has been receiving of late.  It was a recent article in the Times that first brought Ruth to our attention and  made us aware of who she was and what she's been doing since 1966. 

Quietly and with great modesty, Ruth has been serving her community and the people of New York, by heading up the Home Planning Workshop at Henry Street Settlement, the  renowned social service facility that has served the lower East Side and NYC since 1966.    In that capacity, she has taught people the important skills of sewing, knitting and home repair and, in the process, she has built a community of kindred spirits who respect, love and need her.  Many of the clients, for whom the services have come without charge, have been with Ruth for decades.  She has helped them support their families and, in turn, her efforts and work has been supported by the neighborhood in which she has lived since her birth - over 85 years ago.  

Her father was born in Europe and trained as a tailor. Like millions before and after him, he immigrated here in order to secure a better life for himself and his family.  Ruth grew up with self-reliance as a model - in the example set by her parents. She learned to sew and knit early on and bought the materials needed to make what she needed. 

She married young and had a daughter.  Tragically, she lost her husband to the  horrors of World War II, and, raised her child as a single parent.  Self-sufficiency, which was instilled in her as a youngster, was reinforced in her approach to her responsibilities as a young mother.  

When a friend told her that  the Henry Street Settlement was looking for a Home Economics Director, she applied and was hired.  It's the only paid  job she has held.  It's motto was "We will help you to help yourself." Her example has served to do that as much as the practical techniques she has taught. 

While she is petite in stature (under 5'), her presence and spirit are large.  She commands the space in which she works and flourishes.  At one point she had a whole workroom of teachers- including an electrician, a woodworker and a shoemaker.  Now that it is  Ruth alone,  she is teaching only fiber and sewing related crafts, but that doesn't mean that the workroom is quiet.  When we visited last month, it was abuzz with her energy and alive with personality.  It is  now concentrated mostly in one room, around  a table where a number of women (and a few men) sit  working on sewing and knitting projects. Norma Moore, a regular visitor to the Workshop, says Taube showed her how to crochet a baby carriage cover and then advised her on rearing her daughter. She now teaches Moore to knit baby sweaters for her daughter’s child. “She wants things done right,” Moore said. “Otherwise, you have to rip it out and start over. But that’s what makes her a good teacher.”

That demand to create the best is clearly what the Henry Street Settlement saw  when they hired Ruth Taube back in l966., and it’s what she continues to do today.  To place the honor that Ms. Taube received from FIT in context, you should know that it has been given to  only 4  other individuals:  Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Anna Wintour.  

"This past winter, we learned of the extraordinary work that Ruth Taube performs at Henry Street Settlement,” said Dr. Joyce Brown, president of FIT at the commencement. "This  award is rarely bestowed,  but richly deserved by Mrs. Taube.”

Ruth Taube, dressed in cap and gown, was greeted by thunderous applause as she accepted the honor  with a single word: “Wow!” , before she went on to thank both FIT and Henry Street Settlement.  "Wow" is right, but the word really is in reference to Ruth and her self-less contributions to the well being of those who have come into her orbit. 

In addition to the award given by FIT, she has received attention from the NY Times and NBC News.  Clearly, she’s a  living legend, but  those enough fortunate enough to benefit from her generous spirit and heart already knew that.

For more information on the Henry Street Settlement, please go to www.henrystreetsettlement.org and to see an online video piece about Ruth and the program, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#30229479  


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

JARED FLOOD

 


Meeting Jared Flood was a lot of fun. First of all, we played phone tag – and he’s good at it! When we finally made contact, I offered to come to his neck of the woods (Greenpoint Brooklyn). I wanted to experience the commute and I was curious about the neighborhood – being a big time fan of Brooklyn. I was not disappointed on either account.  I had an easy time of it with the connecting trains and I got to do one of my favorite things – ride “outside” on the subway.  

To put it succinctly, Jared Flood is one busy man.  Well known on the knitting circuit through his blog (www.brooklyntweed.blogspot.com), he is teaching, designing and traveling in support of the craft that he loves and enjoys sharing. In addition, he is finishing up his MFA at the NY Academy of Art  this May. “It’s like having two full time jobs.”, he stated, though not without enjoyment.

Jared lives in a charming private brick “brownstone”, dating from 1870. He met me in front of his house and we walked to a nearby coffee place that was a perfect setting for a late breakfast. In the manner of true knitting enthusiasts everywhere, the first thing he wanted to do was  show me a current project: 

Need Shetland Mittens


One of what will be a pair of Norwegian mittens.  Made in his favorite Shetland wool,  they were a lovely combination of color and technique – classic, elegantly constructed and beautifully finished. – a class exercise in knitting.  This is apt since the same can be said of Jared, whose philosophies on the practice are as deeply thought out as his projects.

First, however, here are the basics:  He was raised in the Pacific Northwest and  grew up amidst the culture of hand craft.  His mom was, and is, a sewer, quilter and knitter.  So, like many kids, he became versed early on, and knitting was one of the many crafts he learned.  His real passion for it blossomed while he away at  school – both in Washington State and during study abroad, in Rome.

He came to NY, following graduation, and secured a job as an Admissions Office at Juilliard.  Still knitting, of course, his technique and knowledge deepened along with his appreciation for the artistry of the craft.  Texture, color, a measurable “product” for time invested,  the meditative aspect -  all of these grew out of the daily practice of knitting, as  did his fascination with the properties of wool and  great teachers such as Barbara Walker, Elizabeth Zimmerman and Priscilla Gibbons Roberts.  He credits these “mentors” as being instrumental and significant in his transition to  a professional in the knitting arena.

While his job provided him with a certain degree of security and gave him access to a world of accomplishment, it did not afford him the satisfaction and sense of purpose that his expression as a designer and photographer did – and the commute was hell.  Instead,  he did what many only dream of doing  - he followed his own  passion and a new knitting star was created.

On the day that we met, we sat and talked about his appreciation of the many aspects of knitting, he discussed his fascination with the balance that is struck between useful “work” and artistry.   It quickly became obvious how much satisfaction he gets from helping people look at their projects in more than one way and with more than one lens.    It came no surprise to learn that photography is another strong component in his work – and his blog.  All pictures are taken by him and, like his knitting, they demonstrate  a harmony between  beauty and function.

Initially, he was leery about creating a  blog.  He knew that if he decided to undertake the writing, he would need to focus on the subject and not turn it into an online diary, and he’s  been true to that objective.      His blogs are a combination of knitting show-and -tell and tutorial.  His photography tells  the instructional story, and the popularity of his designs are one of the results. . He credits Ravelry (www.ravelry.com) with being integral to his growth and success as a knitter.   Jared cites this online community as being an unmatched resource and a road to meeting some terrific designers.   (Here’s one of his favorites: www.woollywormhead.com)

When it comes to yarn types, there’s no hesitation.  It’s wool in all its varieties.  Shetland is  a big  favorite as are minimally processed farm yarns that allow the true beauty of the raw material to emerge. The inspiration for his designs most often comes from the yarn itself, and he cites Finnish, Northern European and Japanese designs  as being some of his favorites.

Among the many things coming up for him this year are  a booklet of designs done in cooperation with Classic Elite (available Fall, 2009) , the distribution of an independent  line of Jared Flood patterns,  and a trip to London for a June 6 UK Ravelry event (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/uk-ravelry-day-2009).

Considering he’s currently completing his thesis for his MFA (due in May), it’s a wonder that he had time to sit and talk at all.  Personally, I am thrilled that he did..  We even managed to secure a date for his appearance and a workshop at Knitty City on September 29th.  Mark your calendars – details will be forthcoming!

--------------------------------------------------------------- 
March 2009
 

 

Sabrina Gschwandtner
 
I first met Sabrina Gschwandtner  at the Museum of Art & Design, where she acted as Artistic Consultant on the show  "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting", (2007).     She was sitting at a communal table, where she had created an interactive knitting circle that was a part of the exhibit.  The focus was on the history of war-time knitting, but the peace at the table was palpable as visitors stopped, picked up needles and began to knit. 
 
Prior to that day, I had become aware of her name via her  magazine ” Knit/Knit” – a limited edition  series of self-published periodicals  that focused on unique fiber artists and their work.  Profiled on the pages were men and women who used “traditional handcrafts”, often untraditionally, as a bridge to conceptual art, activism and social history.   Their creative expressions helped me see my love of  knitting in another light –-  one that I could feel  more than I could express.  One that helped  me understand, a bit better,  my own obsession with yarn and needle craft and allowed me to  feel included in another  way.   A book soon followed, “Knit/Knit: Profiles and Projects from Knitting’s New Wave” (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 2007),  in which she presented an assortment of fiber artists and designs discovered through her years of  involvement with the knit and art scene.  
 
When she appeared at the store, in conjunction with the producer of Knitting Out Loud, (www.knittingoutloud.com), I asked her whether we could meet up, and she graciously agreed.  Currently, she is appearing, every Thursday,  as Artist in Residence at the Museum of Arts  & Design  (www.madmuseum.org).   In their Open Studio  Program, she is machine “quilting” l6 mm film strips – gleaned from F.I.T.’s textile department discard file.  There she sits,  sewing and answering  questions from the public as she works, and it was there that I visited her and viewed her work in progress:
 

A BA in Film/Semiotics from Brown University and a MFA from Bard, along with work with accomplished  artists, had given her strong  educational credentials, but I was curious to know  more about the atmosphere that had supported her  explorations.  So I asked. Sure enough, it started at home – in a creative haven  in which her parents  demonstrated the  confidence and entrepreneurial stamina that encouraged their children to forge their own creative paths.  Her mom taught her to knit as a young child, but it was while in college  that knitting fever kicked in big time.  A cozy atmosphere, the warmth of community and a break from serious academic study brought her to the comfort of knitting with friends and from that a small business grew.  Her one of a kind crochet and knit garments began to sell, first to people, then to individual boutiques and, finally to large designer stores.   Ultimately, however, her production work – as unique as it was – was not the road to creative satisfaction.   
 
While riding her bike home one day, inspiration struck and she decided to combine her love of craft with her knowledge of art and artists – and “Knit/Knit” was the result.  The first printing was done in a modest number and sold through unique book and retail stores, word of mouth and hand-out.  That was enough to pique interest, however and by the 7th edition, a run of 25,000 sold out.  Then came the book, in which 27 artists, all involved with fiber in some way, were profiled and, treasure beyond measure, provided patterns for a range of fascinating work and materials.
 
All along, she has continued to develop her own talent and curatorial skills.  Her work has brought her attention and given rise to the best type of connections – those discovered  through her passionate involvement as an artist and observer..  During our conversation  last week,  she spoke of  “interactivity” as one of the watchwords of  knitting.   She talked, eloquently, about knitting as a conduit to reflection as well as an equalizing force between people – one that transcends borders and encourages individual expression in a particularly unique manner: “Knitting  is  one of the few  artistic  mediums in which the line between execution and design  is quite  thin.”  In her view, this creates a path that is not easily found  in other, less flexible,  forms of art. The point rang true as I thought of my own tentative exploration into color and patterning, and the powerful effect I have seen  on people’s confidence when  they found  their own unique “voice” in fiber.
 
I was curious to learn about some of the contemporary artists that she follows on a regular basis, and, along the way, I learned of  her interest in Etsy, the online  retailer. “Where you can buy and sell all things handmade”.  (www.etsy.com).  She recently served as on on-line guest curator for this site. You can check out her selections in the Storque section. I was also interested in her taste in blogs.  Here are a few that she follows on a regular basis: http://stealthissweater.blogspot.com/,  http://www.microrevolt.org/reblog/.  Each of these blogs
underscores a commitment to political expression  through knitting – and  each gave me, yet again, another lens through  which to view Sabrina’s commitment to “craft” as a means of creative expression. 
 
When speaking of the meeting  a day or two later, with  Pearl, I could still feel the effect of her quiet energy as I described my enjoyment of the meeting and my respect for  her commitment to the work.    After reading more of her profiles in the book, and viewing her recommended blogs, I found myself, once again, “reframing” my view of my own practical form of knitting.  Ultimately, what more can any one ask of art and the artist?
 
Note:  To keep up to date on Sabrina Gerschwandtner’s  work and projects, you can find her via http://www.knitknit.net/sabrina and, currently, at www.madblog.org  At the end of April, she will depart for Sweden where she will be appearing, in residency  at the International Artists Studio Program during the months of May and June 2009(http://www.iaspis.se/eng).  
 
This summer  she will be the featured speaker at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (July, 2009) (http://www.haystack-mtn.org)  and a teacher at the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, July, 2009 (www.arrowmont.org).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 2009



XENOBIA BAILEY


While sitting and waiting to have tea with Xenobia Bailey, the phrase,  ‘Angels Don’t Wear Watches’ , suddenly skittered across my mind.  Not that I minded waiting for Xenobia.  She had suggested a place in upper Manhattan, named Settepani (http://www.settepani.com/) that was a perfect setting for a late afternoon meet-up.  I ordered  a pot of tea, dragged out some subway knitting (projects so simple you can whip them up on the train) and proceeded to be content.  Sure enough, a few minutes into the sitting, she turned up wearing one of her own creations. - a calm colored jumper which was   livened up  by a few discreet beads at the neckline- but no watch.  She explained that she never wore one since they have a tendency to  go wonky on her.  

Those of us who have met  (or googled) her are aware of  the outline of Xenobia's  history:  Born and raised in Seattle Washington, her discovery of her creative “voice”  came in increments.  She attended the University of Washington, but a more authentic artistic influence came through her work with a local theatre group as a costume designer.   When a colleague suggested she investigate Pratt Institute, she took the suggestion to heart,  applied and was accepted.   At Pratt she received her BA in Industrial Design, but, ultimately, that environment  was not to be the forum for her creativity.  Driven by a need to express and support  herself through her art , she continued to explore.  As a result of a serendipitous meeting with a crochet artist, she learned the myriad possibilities for expression inherent in the craft and started producing wearable art in the form of hats, jumpers and dresses.  

Thanks to selling her work  at craft and fiber fairs – and wearing her own designs on the street – it wasn’t long before her conceptual hats  were  noticed and picked up on by magazines and costume designers. Coverage in Elle Magazine and  the New York Times led to work on three  Spike Lee films, the Cosby Show and Another World, where her mythic inspired creations   branded her work as Bailey works of art.  So recognizable was her look  that the Absolut Vodka brand devoted an ad to her!


The evolution of this artist continues and is most vividly on display on her website:   www.xenba.blogspot.com.  Here she uses the modern-day blog as a way to describe not only her own aesthetic, but to showcase those of other artists and activities.  On this  day,  however, it was Xenobia’s philosophy, as detailed on her blog, that brought me to meet with her.

We discussed, among other things, how using “cottage crafts” is a way to retell the history of women and how  one way that the African American feminine story can be interpreted is through the use of  those crafts.  An  obvious example here are the Quilts of Bee Gee’s Bend.  As Xenobia explained, “Those women were not intent on doing works of art.  They were intent on using the most basic materials to create  useful  items .  The beauty and artistry came about because of the spirit that each brought to it.”  It’s the domestic and daily rituals that motivate life and bring a powerful  thrust into one’s day.”  

Bailey has devoted  herself to spreading the gospel of "funk".  To paraphrase her philosophy most  simply:   Funk is best described as the raw basis of culture. Funkiness comes from a passion, a personal taste, and not necessarily from training. It comes from not having the materials you need to make what you want to make. There are no rules--whatever works,  works. Often, what starts as raw individuality gets polished, and then “funk “ is forgotten. *

It is through her blog, as well as her art,  that Xenobia expresses this philosophy   – profiling the everyday occurrences in her world that motivate her life and artisty and bring energy to  her readers.    It is also the way in which she states her avowed mission in life: To repossess life through its  aesthetic funkiness as well as  through the lens of her feminine spirit.   “I see  my femininity as  the closest thing I (and we)  have to a magic wand.   In fact, everyone has magic within them.  It’s the suppression of the magic that denies our humanity and stops us from evolving in a truly human way."  

One of the most potent expression of that magic can be seen in Xenobia's Mandalas, the circular expression of the universe which is   often used as an aid to meditation, and which she powerfully creates using  crochet.

Xenobia manifests her humanity in many ways,  Not the least of which is her deep sense of community.  During our meeting at Settipanni, we were pleasantly visited  by at least 5 different people stopping by the table to say hello.  The group ran the gamut from the owner and her daughter, to a NY Times photographer,  a literary agent and a  musician whose   name in the jazz world is well known.  The respect  and affection flowed back and forth in an effortless way and was so abundant that I  felt completely included.  That is perhaps one of the most valuable things about coming into contact with  Xenobia and her work -   the sense of inclusion that it generates among all who are lucky enough to come in contact with it -- and her. 

Xenobia’s work is currently being exhibited in Milan at  the Triennale di Milano (http://www.triennaledesignmuseum.it).  In June,  a show of her work, "Repossessed"  will open at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (http://www.jmkac.org) where it will be up for a year.