Quilts

Recently I have been interested in the history of quilts, and fabric arts. Thanks to Etsy, I have just found one artist making really cool contemporary art quilts: Shawn Quinlan. His work is very interesting and incredibly detailed.


Quilts were generally made to tell the story of the maker, or family, or the time. It's interesting to think of what stories today's quilts would depict. Probably something much like what Shawn Quinlan is making.

I have been meaning to get my sewing machine out and begin the quilt I have been planning for a while now, and this might just be the inspiration I need to get me off my butt!

Listening to more Nina Simone.

Inspiration

Really into Nina and her piano right now. Sick today, will do some more work tomorrow.

The wonky hand bound book

Finished the planner last night. Definitely not perfect, but for my first binding experience, I'm pretty satisfied. It will serve its purpose. I'm excited to use it!

Resolutions

My resolution this year is to eat healthy, meaning cutting out high fructose corn syrup, cooking at home, and trying to buy more organic. I know that eating "organic", although conjuring lovely images of pastoral bliss, isn't really the way most of the industry is run. Still, it's better than the alternative. I wish all "organic" farms provided a lovely little heaven for animals until it is their fateful time to end up on a plate. But that's just ridiculous. Happy eating!

The binding of the book

It's proving to be harder than anticipated.

Projects

I've been spending the first weekend of the new year on two major projects: my first knitted sweater and my first hand bound 2011 planner. I'm sort of winging both and hoping that they turn out alright (this is how I approach most things in my life actually).

The sweater I started during a hand knitting class at FIT in the fall, and I just bought "How to Make Books" by Esther K. Smith which has given me a lot of ideas about how to make my planner.

Both are turning out to be more expensive than if I had gone out and bought them in a store, but this is partly due to my ignorance in designing a knitted garment and knowledge of affordable paper. I'm learning as I go, which I'm generally alright with. Hopefully these will be finished this week!

2011!

Ok, it's 2011 and my resolution is to post daily on this blog while creating new work, getting my act together, and start freelancing. To start, here are some sketches from my planner for 2010 and my 2010 holiday card:

Manhattan building

ASPCA trip

Subway man