Dear Ann,
Yesterday I took the day off and drove north, hugging the Hudson River. I spent a sunny 66-degree afternoon sitting, walking, and talking with Melanie Falick.
To speak of Melanie is to gush about the many books she has written, edited, inspired and championed, about knitting and other fiber arts. Thankfully, although Melanie left Abrams Books earlier this year, she continues to edit extraordinary books. She is expanding and exploring, and definitely keeping her hand in the world of making beautiful things. Her most recent editing project, Lotta Jansdotter’s Everyday Style, came out yesterday.
(My takeaway: caftans. Would I look good in a caftan? Would I be mistaken for Endora? Can I walk that line?)
Melanie has a way of getting you interested in something you are not interested in. For example, yesterday morning I was not interested in designing my own custom print fabric using Spoonflower. I remember when Spoonflower started. I love Spoonflower. I have no interest in doing Spoonflower. But now that I’ve paged through The Spoonflower Handbook, there is a funny dog-shaped pillow that is calling to me. Dammit.
Melanie’s blog is where I go when I need to get centered, to recall to myself the reasons for making things with my hands. To quiet down and be in the moment. Kind of like driving up the Hudson Valley on a late autumn day.
Love,
Kay
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Beautiful post, Kay. The MDK blog is where I go when I need to get centered, to quiet down & be in the moment . . . and to get a laugh! Thank you!
xoxo Tammy! You stuck with us in the desert!
Kay,
I did something similar on Monday, taking the day off. I met one of my knitting buddies in Dobbs Ferry. She is a naturally good at construction and very creative (I am more of what EZ referred to as “a blind follower”). Such a nice fall foliage day. Also, for me, time seems to expand when I spend it with other knitters. It’s kind of meditative.
Did you get to any yarn shops? When I saw Melanie’s name, I started thinking Flying Fingers in Tarrytown, or Knitting Nation in Nyack; two of my favorite haunts.
Knit on!
LoveDiane
We looked in on a sweet little shop in Beacon–Wood, Clay and Wool. Luckily for my wallet, it was closed. But it looked very inviting indeed.
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My favorite time during all of Interweave Knits’ magazine legacy was under the editorship of Melanie Falick. Thanks for a peek.
It was a Golden Age, for sure. I still remember the cover with sidewalk cafe waiters wearing red cabled sweaters.
That was a great one!
I say yes on the caftan. All the way. (And what a great word! Caftan!)
Also:ponchos. I am itching to knit my first.
I tried a Spoonflower experiment recently, testing with several drawings from my #drawingAugust efforts. It was thrilling to open that Spoonflower envelope – like getting your Kodak prints back from the drugstore!! But now the fabric swatch is magneted to my fridge (which is black, so VERY artsy display), and I am immobilized by the very size of my imaginary fabric-designing-and-utilizing ideas. How do people get over/through that hurdle, and just delve in? Kay? Ann? Please? 🙂
I’m trying NOT to delve. *Trying.* Today somebody told me the dog cushion was weird so I am processing that. I think it makes me love it more.
I’ve fallen down the Spoonflower rabbit hole & I don’t want to get out!
Be careful down there!
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So enjoying the daily posts again. 🙂
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Kay, Such a beautiful day together in so many ways! Definitely hoping we’ll do it again soon. Melanie
The Endora reference caused a snort! Great post with tons of things to calm and inspire.
Personally I would love to mistaken for Endora! Maybe I need to make a couple of caftans!
Agnes Morehead was a great looking broad, no question. Loved her mix of drama queen and comedy queen.
Yes, but the hair….
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I also love the idea of a caftan but… For short, curvy folks such as myself, maybe the bit of structure provided by a kimono is the way to go. Then again, maybe I’m just deluding myself with the fabulousness that was Melissa McCarthy on the Daily Show: http://mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/11421878_736501733127313_265090698_n.jpg
P.S. Really glad to have the two of you back blogging!
And whoa–that Melissa caftan: I bet they made the fabric on Spoonflower, don’t you think? Brilliant.
Spoonflower for sure and Melissa said she made it herself — cementing her spot on my dinner party wish list.
Caftan, kimono–as long as there is plenty of draping fabric I am a fan!
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I’ve loved Melanie Falick ever since I came across Handknit Holidays when I was a very new knitter. The Elf Cap in that book was the first hat I ever made. Since then, I’ve noticed that her name has been on many books that I admire…but I didn’t know that she had a blog! (Goes off to sign up for it.) Oh, wait. First, thanks for this, and second, so glad that you had a nice fibery day off!
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Is it the book that will get me sewing? Not so sure.
Keep going back to 100 acts of sewing, though. THAT is what I need to do. Can I keep the sewing momentum up, post halloween-costumes?
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I can’t believe I had to click that link to remember who exactly Endora was. Losing my grip, perhaps! But I do know who Melanie Falick is and have loved her books. Her Kids’ Knitting is a classic.
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Endora! How I shrieked!
I love that kaftan, but you know I’ll make it in navy linen (to keep joy-sparking company with the navy linen shift and the navy linen blouse and the navy linen wrap jacket).
Just be careful you don’t look like a nun/imam. Perhaps a pattern or print of some kind. xoxo
Hopefully this successfully signs me up. Now off to watch some Bewitched!
What is it to Spoonflower? Obviously a name of a book and a crafty thing. But is is a specific design? A technique? When I looked at pages of the book on line I saw all different designs…so I am confused. I have never heard of it.
It’s a website where you upload a design and they print it on fabric for you. Very cool.
So happy you’re back!
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I am so glad to be getting inspiration from you again!
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So glad to be able to read your witinesses again in your posts.
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Love this blog.
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Thank you!
I confess to owning an April Cornell caftan. I think this defines me as middle-aged. But it has never been seen outside my front door.
That’s not a confession, that’s a brag. Wear it with pride!
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thank you for a lovely and relaxing chat!
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I think you could rock an indigo caftan. It would look classy. I think I could not rock a caftan, I would either look like I was walking to the beach for a swim, or an aging ungracefully hippiechick in denial. (Which is not to say I wouldn’t wear one). Maybe we can go out together in our caftans and scare the youth.
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Yay! I didn’t know you were back! I can’t wait to look through Lotta’s new book! I’m thinking tunic length caftan over skinny jeans!