knit equals joy

I’m very fortunate that another designer lives in the same small town where I live.  Actually, we counted four, but that’s a story for another day….  I’m even more fortunate that this designer is my friend and that we love to get together.  We have such a good time chatting about anything and everything, particularly about designing, creating, knitting and yarn.  This friend is Marie Greene, of Olive Knits.

Some time back, we started thinking about how we could collaborate on a project.  Could we write a pattern e-book based around a theme?  We set up Google pages and a secret Pinterest page.  It’s one possibility.  Limiting factor: time.

A couple of weeks ago, Marie had a flash of inspiration.  What if we each brought three items and put them together in a collection of six?  Then we each would look at the collection and see what it inspired in us.  I loved her idea!  We would have our own Designer’s Challenge!

It was really fun choosing my three items.  I considered a sea shell, but since we both had already discussed how much we love the beach and the ocean, I decided that would be too easy.  I saw a giant, lovely artichoke at the grocery store, and I loved it, but there were too many days yet to go, and I worried that it wouldn’t keep well.  In our home, we have a fabulous print I found a few years ago at the Salem Art Fair of glass bricks in a sidewalk.  I love the colors and the texture.  Too big.

First I settled on an Art Deco (or Art Nouveau?) vase which was my mother’s, and either her mother’s or my aunt’s before her.  I believe it is from the 1920’s.

My second item was a hand thrown ceramic bowl I found at the Empty Bowls sale.  Local potters create thousands of bowls (last year, 1,400) which are then sold, and all of the proceeds benefit our local food bank.  It’s a wonderful national grassroots movement.  I just love the bowls I’ve purchased over the years!

And finally, even though the huge artichokes were not to be found when it was time, I found a smaller yet perfectly acceptable artichoke for my third item.  Such decorative color and line!

Marie’s items were a plate from the 50’s in a fabulous orange with a fun and interesting white decorative shape, a jar of flowers, which become even more intriguing as we looked carefully at the colors and textures, and a crisp white flour sack towel – local, with orange and blue printing.

I’m so intrigued to find out where our experiment will take us.  What elements will carry through to each of our designs?  What commonalities will our designs have?   I am confident that we’ll each come up with a unique design, and I also know that no matter the result, we are having a blast!

Check out Marie’s blog for her impressions about our collaboration!

Even the vase may provide inspiration!