Stunning Stained Glass

“Every project uncovers a new secret. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle," says Doris Cultraro, the stained glass artist that restored this Tiffany window panel that stood for years in a local Hudson Valley residence.

On assignment for Chronogram, I visited Doris' DC Studio a few weeks ago and was unexpectedly enamored by the kaleidoscopic magic of stained glass. With an exploration of color, texture, and opacity, along with a unique understanding and respect of the ancient glass art form, Doris has perfected the decorative art of fitting together the stained glass puzzle.

The walls of the DC Studio are lined with a gradated rainbow of colored glass and an assortment of recycled glass scraps that Doris mines from old windows and other broken glass sources.

While all of the pieces I saw were beautiful, the above window panel totally captivated me. The densely diverse colors that surround the woman create what Doris describes as a "marble cake" effect. The rippled, wavy lines of the dress evoke the textured drape of a fine fabric. From the face to the toes, the skin tone color is ethereal. You can really feel the movement of this piece as it catches the deep Hudson River light with a sparkle. It is truly a magnificent feast for the senses.

After experiencing Doris Cultraro's original stained glass art and restoration work, I will never look at a piece of broken glass in the same way.

Read the full article here.

Credit: DC Studio

Wood Lust To Wear

Let’s just say…moms like jewelry. All kinds. The glittery kind that sparkle in all its small solid rockness on a finger, and the kind that goes with the grain and celebrates the beauty of nature. Designer, Gustav Reyes creates these salvaged wood bracelets by repurposing wood from unusual sources: castoff baseball bats, and maple, walnut and rosewood pieces from abandoned instruments. Each bracelet is like a mini-sculpture. They are hand formed using a cold bend process, and finished with natural beeswax. Reyes' wooden pieces function as a reminder that the past, present, and future are intertwined.

Let’s just say…it’s almost Mother’s Day…

"The desire to create is the vehicle by which we, as humans, extend our minds and souls beyond the limits of our physical selves." ~ Jewelry Designer, Gustav Reyes

Credit: Artful Home via Materialicious

Furniture: Forest-Friendly

Last month, Chronogram asked me to cover a story about the Wickham Solid Wood Studio in Beacon, NY. I just love sinking my teeth into this kind of assignment. Not only is Jessica Wickham's handcrafted furniture local and heirloom quality, it is sustainable in ways that give back without harming our at-risk forests. Jessica’s furniture has the ability to teach us how to tread carefully with our natural resources, and still create stunning products. Jessica possesses a rare combination of skills. She can look at a downed tree in the forest and see its inherent potential. From an ecological perspective, a responsibly-sourced tree becomes the perfect green building material. When I met Jessica, I was inspired by the respect she has for the rich wood grain and the natural shape of trees. With minimal processing (low or no-VOC stains), traditional joinery, and natural finishing techniques reminiscent of both Japanese traditions and Shaker sensibilities. Jessica has found just the right mix of  "process, poetry, and patience". Her functional pieces could be considered the exact opposite of the glut of mass-produced furniture we see in stores.

The woods around my property (left) may seem like a tree mecca, but a quick understanding of how forests have suffered, can illuminate the importance of sustainable forestry.

Since I’ve been brushing up on my earth science (haven’t used that term since my kids were in middle school) for my posts for the EDF's Moms Clean Air Force, I’ve learned that deforestation caused by air pollution, acid rain and other environmental hazards aids in the erosion of our forests. This has become a leading contributor towards the loss of biodiversity. Intact eco-systems provide an intricate web that controls floods, conserves oxygen, soil, insects and creates diverse habitats. While forests do regrow, when older forests decline they eventually lose more carbon to the atmosphere than they absorb, thus fueling climate change.

Whew, science lesson over. My husband Ted is an environmental planner, so I generally leave these types of granular discussions to him. But, I’m digging in and exercising my brain, as I discover the depth of environmental issues our children will inherit.

Once again, I’m noticing that if there is one thing that will get us beyond the planet's sustainability woes, it will be an eco-enlightenment that includes a lifecycle analysis of everything. With style and sustainability, artisans like Jessica Wickham are leading the way.

Credit: black walnut bench and headboard, Wickham Solid Wood Studio

Reversely Cabled (a free scarf knitting pattern)

Show and tell for my knitting readers...

Knitters know cables are a one-sided affair. One side looks marvelously complicated and the other side looks like a lumpy mess. Most cabled knitting is knitted on one side and purled on the other – with a few stitches separating the cables. Because of this patterning, projects with cables are not reversible.

A Design Challenge As someone who designed knitting patterns for a short time, I rarely take the easy knitting route. But, I do like designs that have a repetitive pattern that you can quickly get the hang of and rotely knit. I had seen a cashmere reverse cabled scarf at Barneys. I know what you're thinking … She shops at Barneys? Well, Barneys is lovely, and I have had a few shopping moments at Barneys, but I drooled over the scarf at a Barneys outlet store. I wish I had taken a picture of it.

I had it in my head that I would create a similar scarf with reverse cables. There were a few requirements for the design: no background stitches between the cables, no edge stitches, and the cables should produce an irregular wave-like panel.

After a few failed attempts, I tried cabling a K2, P2 rib. The 2 X 2 rib naturally pulls in and creates the magical wavy edge. Even more remarkable, it looks the same on both sides! I promise, this pattern is not as hard as it looks.

The Magical Reverse Cable Scarf

Materials: Yarn: Natural Gray Blue Sky Baby Alpaca Sport Weight ~ 4 skeins Needles: U.S. Size 8 needles, cable needle

Directions: CO 50 st. Row 1 Sl first st as if to Purl with yarn in front, P2, K2 across, end k1. Row 2 Sl first st as if to Knit with yarn in back, P2, K2 across, end k1. Rows 3, 5 and 7 same as Row 1 Rows 4 and 6 same as Row 2 Row 8: Sl 1st st as if to purl with yarn in front, work next 16 sts in pattern. *Put next 8 sts on holder, hold to back, work next 8 sts in pattern, work 8 sts in pattern from the cable needle*, work next 16 sts in pattern, K1 Rows 9-15: repeat rows 1-7 Row 16: Slip the first st as if to Purl. Work cable from * to *. Work next 16 sts in pattern, repeat cable * to *, K1 Work for desired length. End with row 15. Bind off in pattern.

Happy Knitting!