I’m Weaving! Okay Not Yet…

Officially tonight was my second weaving class at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn. First of all let me just say that weaving is a bit more tedious then I had imagined. However, in all of it’s technicalities there’s just something really meditative about pulling 240 individual pieces of yarn through various contraptions which I cannot for the life of me remember the names of.

Why am I weaving? How do I justify this class to myself – or anyone else? Well I have a passion…a fascination with textiles. I went to school for Industrial Design…twice. Once in undergrad and once in grad school. Call me crazy (you’d be pretty spot on) but I love making things. A realization of my semi-irrational or at least unexplainable love of textiles began when I did a study abroad semester in Copenhagen, during grad school, where I learned the Scandinavia-style of screen printing; which to date is still fairly traditional. Even Marimekko emplyees pull each screen by hand. By hand people. I realized that I had been sewing and creating “soft” products throughout most of my undergraduate studies and it seemed like an obvious step, to an outsider at least. Too bad I didn’t realize that I loved textiles until about midway through my trip, maybe I would have gone to grad school for textile design (no regrets though). There is just something so comforting about working with fabric, yarn and thread. Furthermore, it feels like these materials have unlimited possibilities. So here I am, taking yet another class related to textiles.

dressing my loom - part 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My goal: to learn the process so I can design something…anything with all of the knowledge accumulated throughout my years of tinkering with the stuff.

Back to the class…

What is going on anyway? I have no idea really. My teacher tells me to do this and that, to pull this piece of yarn through that hole and that piece through a different hole and everything will come together real nice.

Huh? Alright, so I pull 240 pieces of yarn through this and that and viola I have created a structure or frame of sorts and now I can (supposedly) begin weaving. Hopefully (cross-fingers).

dressing my loom - part 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there are all these terms or words that I don’t quite “get” yet.

Like dressing the loom? Harness? And the tools! Someone needs to create better tools for these weaving souls. Everything seems too flexible, breakable almost. I feel like a bull in a china shop. Seriously. My rings get stuck on everything. My legs get in the way of the contraptions.

dressing my loom - part

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tools fall on the ground at every move. I feel like I need something to hold things in place. It’s frustrating, it’s tedious, it’s crazy…and I love it. And I cannot explain the why or how yet.

yarn crosses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you are dressing your loom one of the things to always be aware of is your “cross”. This is when your yarn pieces create crosses in between one another. You have no idea what I am talking about. Well in any case…my cross wasn’t really working out tonight so I decided to forget the cross. I took all the yarn in my hand, tool in other hand, and improvised. And somehow I made it through. I dressed my loom….Finally.

Next week I weave!!!

Spotlight on Park Slope, Brooklyn

Park Slope via rutlo on flickr

For the second post in our Subway Stop Spotlight Series, I wanted to do a special focus on Park Slope now that I’m rolling into my 3rd year here. In total I have been in Brooklyn for almost 5 years and feel like it is my home. Here are some of my favorites spots to check out in the Slope.

If you are coming from Manhattan, the easiest way to get to the first spot is to take the N train to the Atlantic/Pacific St. stop and head down 4th Avenue towards Bergen Street.

First Stop: 4th Ave Pub 

4th Avenue between Bergen and St. Marks Place

4th Ave Pub via Bernt Rostad on flickr

While not in Park Slope yet, this being considered in Boerum Hill, this is a great first stop if you enjoy good beer like I do. 4th Ave Pub has upwards of 60 beer options, free popcorn (try it with Old Bay seasoning, very good), and an outdoor patio. There is a fairly eclectic mix of people who drop in and a host of regulars. I’d say the average crowd ranges in ages between 24-35.

Second Stop: Cherry Tree

4th Avenue between Bergen and St. Marks Place

Another bar which is directly across the street from the 4th Ave Pub. I like Cherry Tree for it’s trivia nights and that it shows football games on a huge projector screen. On a football night there is usually a small crowd so you can watch the game, have a few beers and relax. It’s the only place that I could catch an Eagles game before I had a tv (sorry all other football fans, I am from Philly).

Third Stop: Textile Arts Center

505 Carroll St. between 3rd and 4th Avenues

Textile Arts Center via facebook.com/textileartscenter

I have to admit, I have not been here…but oh do I want to go! Textile Art and Design is one of my biggest passions in life, so this may be a bias stop. I have heard, however, from some other locals that the gallery is worth a visit and if you get over there between September 10th and December 2nd you can view their current exhibition Yield: Fashion Without Waste. Did I mention that they offer an incredible assortment of adult and youth classes as well as weekend workshop intensives? Weaving, Fiber, Dying, Knitting & Crocheting, Embroidery & Quilting and more served up in a newly renovated 3,200 square foot, used-to-be sweater factory, open space. Need I say more? They are closed on Sundays and hold fairly typical gallery hours, closing at 6pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturdays.

Fourth Stop: Oaxaca

4th Avenue between President and Carroll St.

Oaxaca Tacos via JasonLam on flickr and his website mightysweet.com

This teeny-tiny place has the best tacos in all five boroughs, without a doubt (of course this is my opinion). There are a few locations in Brooklyn and they are beginning to stem out to places around Manhattan now. Their tacos seem to fit perfectly in your hand, they are really cheep and my favorite part is the pickled onions. This is the perfect place to grab a quick bite. There are limited seating options.

Fifth Stop: Mission Delores

4th Avenue between President and Carroll St.

Now we are playing this cross-cross game and I promise it was not my intention! After you have lost your mind eating tacos at Oaxaca run across the street and head into Mission Delores bar (closer to Carroll St.). There is always a bouncer at the front so bring a valid ID. This place almost always satisfies me, except for the rare occasion when it is completely empty. Being such a large open space it needs bodies to make you feel welcome, you know what I mean? During the weekend nights after 10pm Mission (that’s what we call it) gets pretty packed. When you first enter inside you will walk through an indoor space, then to the outdoor area and back to the main indoor space which houses the bar. Other features: seating in all three spaces, two pinball machines and two bathrooms! The crowd is cool and a bit more hipster than other bars in the neighborhood, Williamsburg hipster that is. Ages range from 21-40, roughly, yet everyone seems to mesh and mix well.

Sixth, Seventh, Eight and Ninth Stops: 5th Avenue – Vintage/Thrift Store Shopping

Walk up President or Carroll Street and make a right onto 5th Avenue. First stop by Housing Works on the corner of 5th and Garfield St. The space is small but home to lots of delicious thrift-store goodies such as clothes, accessories, books, furniture, and home goods. Once a year, during the Fall season, they restock their entire store and sell everything they’ve had for the year, and yes things go for great prices. This event is taking place on September 27th at 11am, get there early!

Next stop, Two Lovers Boutique, between President and Union St. on 5th Avenue. It never fails, I always leave this store with something, my last purchase was a lovely black and white striped dress. The ladies here are very selective in their wares making everything a worthy purchase, even if it is used. They only sell clothing and some accessories but it’s a great stop.

Odd Twin via www.oddtwin.com

Next up, Odd Twin on 5th Avenue between Degraw and Douglas St. Prepare to step into a different galaxy when you arrive here, it kinda feels like stepping into a Hitchcock movie, maybe not as creepy. While their prices are higher than I’d like they do have a fantastic mix of truly vintage clothing, accessories, hats and home goods. My last purchase there was a pair of vintage red cowboy boots which were hand-made in Italy, hard to find anywhere else especially in nearly perfect condition.

Last Vintage/Thrift Store stop is Beacons Closet on 5th Avenue at the corner of Warren St. Not to be missed, you will regret it, I promise. Plus you just NEED a vintage club jacket (which they seem to never run out of). Cheap, cheap, cheap but good quality used clothing and accessories, including purses, belts, hats and shoes which are all hand selected by Beacons Closet employees in-the-know. Actually you can take a bag of your own clothes there for trade or cash which is a really great idea, but again they are selective so don’t take it personal when they don’t hand you cash or credit (instead they will send your bag, if you let them, off to charity)! They have maybe five or six fitting rooms which are always in use, this place is the hottest thrift store in the area. My suggestion is to go during a weekday, early afternoon, to have some time and space to peruse the goods, the place gets packed during after-work hours and weekends. They also have a Williamsburg and Manhattan location. The Williamsburg store has a large collection of jeans.

Goorin Bros Progress Shot via goorin.com/blog

I want to add that there is the new hat shop, Goorin Bros., on 5th Avenue between Union and Berkley Pl. They were setting up shop a few weeks ago and I know they have opened their doors since then but I haven’t had a chance to make it over there. Maybe that is a good Saturday afternoon stop?

Goorin Peek A Boo Collection via goorin.com/blog

I have not even touched Park Slope or the surrounding areas but I will do a follow-up post and end this one here. I hope you enjoy and please send along any of your favorite stops!