A Book Giveaway!

Now that we are settled into fall, it is the perfect time to induldge in two favorite pastimes: reading and creating things that are reimagined, reused and recycled.

Do you judge a book by its cover? When books come my way to be reviewed, it is the cover design that often grabs me first. So, even before I cracked open P.S.-I Made This…I See It. I Like It. I Make It by Erica Domesek, I was intrigued by the cover. The white cover displays a fashionista-clad model. That’s not so odd since the book is about fashion and DIY. But, what I love about the cover is that the font looks handmade and there are arrows to six DIY projects on the model. When I stopped ogling the cover and dove in, I found not just the cover had style, the whole book was designed minimally, with clear and concise step-by-step instructions for projects that are backed up by visually appealing fashion montages.

CLICK HERE to read more of my review and to find out why Erica says, "Thanks so much, this was one of my favorite reviews I've ever read."

Want to win a copy of P.S. – I Made This…?

I've been chatting online with Erica and she sent me another copy of her book to give away to one lucky econesting reader. Simply, leave a comment on this post (below) and tell us how you've brought a little green into your nest. Comments close 9am EST on Friday, October 22, 2010. A winner will be chosen at random and I will announce it later that day. Sorry, open to US residents only.

Unraveled and Moving Forward

I know, I’ve already chewed your ear off about knitting, and I promise to get to the matter at hand – greening it up. But, it’s not everyday the circus comes to town and you get to jump into the ring with your buddies.

Knitted Rapture

While a bit overwhelming, The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival brings both pageantry and artistry to the creative craft of knitting. The sheer quantity and quality of yarn and wool-related items at this event is truly remarkable.

I generally don’t wear my love for knitting on my sleeve. Actually, most of my knit/purling goes directly to gift giving, but once a year at the Sheep and Wool Festival I'm in my element. In my yarn rapture, I feel connected to this creative community. Each year, I bring home one special skein (ok, maybe two) that reflect the moment.

Socks made from last year's blue/green gem:

Poking through the bins today, I found this beauty:

Greening up

As I continue to examine the eco-friendliness of….well, everything, I’ve got to say that knitting is not the greenest of crafts. It’s expensive, and much of the yarn is dyed with nasty chemicals. The manufacturing process is not energy-efficient, and a large chunk of yarn comes from faraway places, and that stomps on our carbon footprint.

What about organic yarn? Yes, organic yarn exists and it adheres to the same rigorous requirements as organic meat. The sheep must be fed organic food and be free of injected growth hormones. Their fleeces cannot be washed in chemicals. Even managing organic livestock is more sustainable than mass farming because the overgrazing of sheep is limited.

The yarn industry as a whole may have a way to go, but it’s encouraging to see that more and more small yarn producers are greening up their wares as they move forward in favor of a more sustainable future…like these folks:

Unraveled

I’ll leave you with a pearl of wisdom that my friend, Eric once noted while watching me (during a faculty meeting) rip out two hours of complicated knitting. He said that if you want to really get to the heart of a problem, you’re going to have to unravel your knitting and follow the situation back to the place where you made the mistake. Then move forward.

Photo Credit: Socks - Jen Kiaba

Knit...Purl Your Home

This weekend brings to town my favorite knitting event, The New York State Wool and Sheep Festival. I just drove past the fairgrounds and there's a flurry of pre-event activity. The vendors were setting out their wooly wares, the farmers were hauling hay to the sheep stalls, and a stray Border Collie was eagerly looking for work. If you happen to be in the vicinity of the Hudson Valley this weekend, I highly recommend checking out the Sheep and Wool Festival. Just thinking about all that luscious yarn has inspired me to write a knitting post...

Did you know that I love to knit and shower my family and friends with warm and fuzzy handknitted goodies? This post is not about wearable items, it's about a trend that I’ve noticed in the home décor world.

Over the years, I have observed the popularity of knitting go up and down. At the moment, the pendulum seems to be in a full upward swing, and knitted items are showing up in some unexpected and unusual places.

The latest trend in knitting, along with knitting small items (knitted bags, fingerless gloves and cowl neck scarves - the latest rage), and the subversive act of yarn bombing, are knitted chair coverings and functional knitted items for the home. These decorative knitted and felted pieces are bumping up against the soft edges of design with their intricate stitches and contoured shaping. The Wall Street Journal recently covered the Milan Furniture Fair and targeted a designerly group of haute-knitted items for the home in this article, A Gripping Yarn.

So, without further adieu, sit back and enjoy some eco-chic handknitted home décor, and a creative and simple DIY project that will knock the Kitchener Stitches right off your cabled cashmere socks!

Knitted Stools

Knitted Pendant Light

Knitted Poufs

Knitted Slipcover

DIY Sweater Chairs

Eco-crafter and author, Danny Seo recovered his IKEA chairs with cozy cashmere and wool sweaters that he scored at Goodwill.

He explains the simple DIY process: “It was easy: just unscrew the seat cushion, wrap a sweater over the cushion, staple gun into place underneath, trim off excess, screw back on and voila!  Sweater chair.”

Photo Credits: Sweet and Lowdown Lounge Chair, Knitted Stools, Knitted Armchair Slipcover, Knitted Pendent, Knitted Poufs, Sweater Chairs, Knittted Trashcan

Art From The Deep Woods: Mushrooms and Moss

Inspired by the crispness of fall, and an invigorating trip to the Adirondacks to visit my friend Eliza, I’ve been noticing mushrooms and moss. While shells and driftwood reflect the brightness of summer, umbrella-topped mushrooms and velvety deep green moss set the mood for fall.

Shelf mushrooms are probably my favorite type of mushroom to forage for. They illuminate the woods of the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks with their salmon color and oversized caps. Deep inside fertile forests, shelf mushrooms can be found jutting off live trees and downed limbs. These mushrooms thrive in damp, dark spaces. They make hunting for non-poisonous, non-edible mushrooms a treat to find because these shelf mushrooms can be easily transformed into an interesting piece of art. Read more about these wild mushrooms here.

My family has fond memories of visiting Keene Valley and hiking the trails along the Ausable River to collect these fungi to make art with. Shelf mushrooms change color when bruised. My kids would draw fine lines on the inner surface of the mushroom by etching with a sharp pointy object. It's like soft carving on a block of wood. I spotted a fine example of shelf mushroom art (above) sitting on the mantle of a grand fireplace at the Ausable Club.

Another natural wonder found along Adirondack trails is moss. This lush plant rises in moist places and cushions the rock faces that anchor the forest floor. Moss is beautiful to look at, but did you know moss can be painted with too?

Images of moss wall art graffiti have been making the rounds of the blogosphere for a while now. Every time images of moss graffiti pop up on my computer screen, I find it delightfully whimsical to see the words and murals painted with moss. It's the ultimate garden wallpaper. Moss graffiti can be spray-painted onto a surface. It creates a naturally organic paint, as opposed to traditional enamel based aerosol sprays. If you love the look of moss graffiti, try this recipe (adapted from this Apartment Therapy post):

Moss Wall Art Graffiti

What You'll Need: Handfulls of Moss 1-2 Tablespoons Sugar 1/2 cup Buttermilk Water Blender Covered Container Paint Brush Chalk Spray Mist Bottle

What To Do: 1. Collect moss. 2. Clean the dirt off the moss. 3. Sketch out the image onto the surface with chalk. 4. Place moss in the blender. 5. Add sugar and buttermilk 6. Blend until thick like a milkshake. If it gets too thick, add some water. 7. Pour into container. 8. With the paintbrush, create your design on the surface. 9. Leftover moss can be stored in the refrigerator and reapplied if needed. 10. Spray your moss wall art daily with water. 11. The design should start to spread over the area.

Here is another recipe from Stories From Space that uses beer instead of buttermilk.

Let's celebrate fall in all its natural beauty! What inspires you in autumn?

Main Photo: Ditte Isanger Moss Graffiti: Environmental Graffiti