That strange pull

That strange pull of what you love…

Autumn has always been my favorite season, for its palette of colors that so match my creative eye. Unlike the renewal of spring, that other season harbinging change, this time of year reminds us to prepare for the future, to harvest what we’ve grown, and plan for our lives to come.

Late summer storks over the Marmara

Shortening days of fluctuating temperatures, filtered sun, cool breezes, cold rain. Sometimes all within 24 hours. The migration of flocks against a darkening sky, cloud patterns billowing across the deep cerulean sea.  Our terrace office/living space brings it all into panoramic view, here on the edge of continental Europe, gazing across to Asia. My workdays are just as much about watching nature, sea and sky as writing and designing.

A work in progress…

With winter looming, I’ll be alternating between knitting needles and keyboard, as I begin serious work on the first draft of a memoir. I look forward to spinning my truth as a tonic to keep warm and aware.  Here’s a sample.

Meanwhile, our best work these days is collaborative. Like the jacket inspired by our visiting friend Benita, who leads university students from around the US each summer in a study abroad program.  Mehmet and Theresa of Ikonium Studio took a previously indigo and natural plaid vest and recolored it into the brilliant reds and deep greys Benita wanted. I added knitted sleeves – here’s what Benita had to say:

Textural details

“…they did the dyeing of the wool to exactly the colors I wanted….and the arms are hand-knit to match the body of the jacket. Such an amazing process!!!! Ikonium did the body and Bazaar Bayar matched the color and textures to make a flexible-knit long sleeves. The sleeves are so cool…I wear them long over my fingertips or rolled up. It’s just such an incredible thing to have this object made by artists who care about each step of crafting the materials. Mehmet is a UNESCO living treasure…for a reason! He told us about wool…it was like this love story…! So happy to know these artists!”

A few knitted chairs…

Next up in creative collaboration? Repurposed furniture…can’t wait to show more, but here’s a peek at the colors.

A gold washed Kayseri carpet

And a few choice rugs as well, of course.

Hammock with a view

All in preparation for 3-day mini-immersion weekends we’ll be hosting monthly in 2013, mixing fibers, local history and culture as inspiration, food, and time to connect and enjoy creating with new people. We hope our terrace (and this hammock!) will be a welcoming retreat for knitters, culture and fiber lovers.

Samatya sunrise – late summer

Details soon. Now, go find the ‘strange pulls’ you love!

Selcuk garden harvest

http://www.bazaarbayar.com/pinterest-392a8.html.