Two More Hexagon Afghans and Winter Restoration

I'm still in restoration mode as I call it. In the winter cold (and it has been cold this winter), I hunker down, try to keep warm (the woodstove helps), do a lot of reading and perusing of my book collection, cook some very nice meals and help out with the lambing when needed. We are used to the cold here in western Massachusetts. I really felt for the folks in Texas who struggled with the cold, snow, and lack of electricity and water. 

The days are getting longer each and every day. It has been very, very gray. We have had a lot of storms of sorts - mostly snow but not as much as in other parts of the the Northeastern US. The hills are about to come alive with "sugaring season." I can feel spring coming!

I can also feel the energy for creating coming back after its winter slumber. I've finished (!!!!!!) two hexagon afghans from the free pattern you can find on this blog here. Crochet hexagons are one of those carry along projects I take with me to meetings (when there were meetings), appointments, and the farmers market so that my hands have something to do while I am listening and watching. Evidently I have spent a lot of hours listening and watching because I had enough hexagons for two afghans (272 hexies each) and and extra 238 hexies for a start (and almost finish) on a third afghan. Not sure if I will get to sewing the third together this winter. Here are the piles of hexies I've got made for the next one. 

I've sorted all the hexies into color piles. When I am sewing the afghans together, I use the outer ring of the hexie to determine the color. I attach complementary colors next to each other so the colors pop and vibrate. I use the outer yarn color to sew them together when possible and the seam kind of disappears into the piece. 

I know a lot of folks like to crochet their pieces together. I've never done that because I'm not much of a crocheter. And I actually love the process of sewing the pieces together with a blunt pointed tapestry needle. I find it meditative and soothing. 

Our small hilltown recently got high speed internet service. It took years and years of planning for it to happen and I am so thankful to the townspeople who served on the committees to make it happen. It has been a game changer since we now can watch Netflix and Amazon Prime without buffering. Julia has got the television hooked up with all kinds of features that I don't know how to use. There is a mass of cables on the floor that is a serious eyesore. I try to not look at it but once in a while I sort it all out. And then it gets tangled again. 

A movie we watched recently is the 2015 Icelandic movie Rams. The cinematography is beautiful. This is not a feel good movie but a "makes me think" movie. In fact, I'm still thinking about it. There is an Australian remake of the movie out in 2020 with Sam Neill but I can't imagine it could be as poignant as the original version. Here is the trailer. 

Hope you are well. If you are looking for winter lambing photos, follow me on Instagram HERE. 

Book Review - Frances Palmer's Life in the Studio

 

I first became aware of Frances Palmer when I read an article about her and her pottery and garden in one of my favorite magazines - US House and Garden. Her signature white earthenware pottery filled with my favorite sunflowers was featured on the cover. Although HG has been sadly long gone (Conde Nast closed it in 2007), Frances' beautiful pottery business and garden has grown and thrived in the years since. On my studio inspiration wall below you can see the cover photo from that issue of HG.

Many folks recently will have stumbled upon Frances through her incredibly seductive Instagram feed. There she almost daily photographs her pottery vases filled with flowers from her garden. Her feed is one of the joys of my day. She features incredibly voluptuous arrangements of flowers she grows on her tennis court turned cutting garden in her porcelain, earthenware and terracotta pottery. 

This past fall, Frances' first book Frances Palmer - Life in the Studio - was published by Artisan Books in October of 2020. You can see that book on the lead photo which shows the colorful turquoise and floral dust jacket and the cloth bound book that is hidden under the dust jacket. Ooooo- what a beautiful presentation. It is not many publishers that will put such care and beauty into a book.

I have followed Frances since the early days of Instagram and when I heard that she was writing and photographing a book, I was so thrilled. I ordered it early and it came just around the time of my birthday. What a fantastic gift to myself if I do say so. Thank you Frances for the hours of inspiration on Instagram and for the joy that I have derived from your book. 

What I really enjoyed about Life in the Studio was that it contained a great mix of all the things I love. Making ceramics, gardening, cooking, baking, photography, color, and studio life. Lots of times, books like these are all fluff - full of beautiful photos (which - don't get me wrong - I do love colorful photography books) but lacking in what I call the "meat" or substance behind the photos. Life in the Studio is different. Yes, it is packed to the gills with gorgeous Frances photography - but it also includes Frances' story. She describes her background, how she got interested in ceramics, how she makes a pot, her studio life..... And funny thing - she once had a knitwear business and she is a knitter. 

Life in the Studio also includes tips for gardening - especially growing dahlias which if you ask me - are Frances' signature flower. Eighteen pages on how to grow, care, harvest, and store for dahlias is a bonus for anyone interested in growing this (once again) very popular flower. She recommends 36 of her favorite varieties and includes photos of each one. 

Here are a few of the essays which Frances includes....

How to Make a Pot

Promotion and Patience

The Value of My Work

The Meditation of Repetition

The Importance of Collaboration

Arranging a Bouquet Step by Step (words and photos) 

My Education in Photography

On Being Kind to Yourself

As you can see, there is an amazing amount of information in this book. Although it is written partly for potters, the contents are valuable for any creative person. Kudos to Frances for a job well done. I look forward to following her for many more years to come.

Here are some of my favorite spreads from Life in The Studio. 

Some of Frances' early pottery.  

A sampling of the incredible flower photography

A photo of many pots lined up waiting for a studio sale

That cover photo from the original HG cover photo and article along with an essay entitled Embracing the Random

Some of Frances cobalt blue painted ceramics

A Tarte Tatin recipe photographed on a Frances plate

The opening page for a series of photographs of varying types of ceramics that Frances makes

At the back of Life in the Studio, Frances includes a listing of favorite books on ceramics, cooking, gardening, and photography and her sources for plants, seeds and garden tools.

You can visit Frances's website here where you can order your very own signed copy of Life in the Studio or purchase a piece of pottery. Or follow her on Instagram. Or purchase Life in the Studio here. 

You can listen to podcasts featuring Frances here:

The Potters Cast with Paul Blais

After the Jump/Design *Sponge with Grace Bonney

On Creativity with Jennifer Jewell