making, learning, teaching and sharing a crafty life
March 30, 2010 of 365 : becky’s feet + crochet triangles in progress
Becky is always cooking up something super crafty. Her current project is currently installed in the window of the Knit Cafe. Colourfully crochet triangles that have been stitched together. Becky dropped by to lay all her triangles out on our large cutting table before sewing them together. I snapped a few photos of her taking photos of her project in progress.
I waited all summer for my hibiscus plant to bloom and finally it did! Next year I’m going to make sure I plant more flowers. I should start this fall by planting some bulbs, which I say I’m going to do every year but never do.
Today is the official start of fall. My mind seems to be preoccupied these days with thoughts of making fall-appropriate clothing and getting mentally prepared for holiday gift making. Is it too soon?
It seems almost silly to try to introduce you to Becky Johnson for a couple reasons.
1. She is omnipresent in the craft scene here in Toronto and across the entire continent, actually. In addition to being my co-conspirator/organizer of the Trunk Shows at the workroom (it was her clever idea), she is also a part of City of Craft and Toronto’s Church of Craft. Plus, Becky is the talented lady behind Sweetie Pie Press, famous for one inch buttons galore, crochet neck warmers & hats and mystery loot bags. (and more and more)
2. Anything I say here will BARELY scratch the surface! Keep digging here, here & here.
3. You should really meet her in person. So I hope you’ll stop by the Hunt & Gather Trunk Show on Sunday.
What were you interested in as a kid? What were your favourite games to play?
BECKY : I know I had an interest in art and drawing as a child but my anti-specialist leanings were already emerging. I liked to tromp around in mud, watch things grow, catch frogs, hatch tadpoles, spin around… I guess I liked to play alone. Not much has changed. My parents also told me that I made up two games when I was little: ‘hot the mouse’ and ‘gun starvation.’ I would never explain to them how these games were played but I think that gun starvation had something to do with lying on the floor and pretending I was dying in the desert – again, alone.
Do you have any hidden talents we might not already know about?
BECKY : Hmmm… I have lots of talents! and I don’t know who knows about what. My non-craft life (and all my training and experience) is in performance. Apparently, I was pretty good at that once upon a time. Possibly I still am (if you ever see ‘Iron Cobra’ listed on a comedy bill, that is me and my comedy partner, Graham Wagner). I can also clean a salmon. I am passable in the identification of plants and also know a few useful knots.
One of your current projects – the security envelope project – centres around identifying and cataloguing patterns from around the world. Can you talk about your fascination with data collection? Also, what is the next step with this project?
BECKY : I don’t really understand my compulsion to keep track of things. The big secret is that I amass data but don’t do anything with it. I have a tally of every button I have ever made. I also tally sales at craft fairs and then input them into correlating spreadsheets. But that’s as far as that process goes. It feels like someday I will just have to do a big installation of all my lists, collections and files.
When it comes to the security envelope project, I think that kind of collecting stems from both my love of design and interest in stuff. With the internet ever present in our lives, the possibility of throwing something out into the ether (like: “will you send me your used envelopes?) and having your request granted is boggling to me. Although the security envelope project started as a personal search for design and pattern in the mundane, the collectivism into which it bloomed was a welcome evolutionary step. The project has now been out of my hands for a few months, with one complete collection at the Ontario Crafts Council and one steadily sun-bleaching in the workroom windows. It has been a nice fallow time but I am looking forward to having everything back. It is time. A few late contributions have come in, there is some sorting and counting to do and I want to get the project moving again. Right now, there are two areas in which it has to grow: (a) I have to scan all the patterns I have in order to put the images online and launch collection phase two (at a scant 300 patterns i am far from having enough collected) and (b) I would like to get the collections into more public displays and galleries. If you are a gallery and think this project has to tour to your space, let me know. Also, if you want to hand me a book deal…I’m listening…
What is one thing you’ve been hunting for, but have yet to find?
BECKY : It feels like there are so many things (if we are talking about the realm of objects). I have a big list of things I look for at thrift stores – old binders covered in blue fabric, green tupperware, orange glass bowls. In collecting similar items from thrift stores, I feel like I am reuniting families of objects. Since i work best with an integrated work/life space, I think what I really want to find is a way to have all the supplies I need for my art and craft while also having a clean and useful living space. I do, however, suspect that this might be an impossible lie perpetrated by design blogs, magazines and catalogues. But it’s a lie I dream of living.
What sorts of rummage will you be hawking at the upcoming trunk show?
BECKY : There is so much to choose from. I think I had the idea for rummage shows based on my own need to purge stuff. I amass things because I want them to be used/saved/rescued but am often happy to pass them along to good new homes. I have been trying to figure out a rummage focus for this show and after some literal rummaging through my supplies and collections, I think I have found a few areas to focus on. First, I am going to get tough with my collection of vintage pinback buttons and put a bunch of them out for the masses. I also might have stemware. And, naturally, some craft supplies – sewing buttons, yarns, fabrics…who knows what else I will unearth! my live/work dystopia is like a fun house of weird stuff.
Becky is also hosting a fundraiser on April 24 that will be an evening of crazy fun, which is apparent from just the title of the event – Brokeback Pontiac.
The last week has been quite a whirlwind of fun activities and nights out. It’s not often that I get to report about things outside the workroom, so it’s been a real treat. Especially since I got to meet some wonderful people and see some amazing art and design.
Thursday night was the opening for the DIWhy exhibit at the Ontario Crafts Council. The show includes 14 artists exploring the many facets of ‘doing it yourself’ and was put together in partnership with Toronto Craft Alert. The show is on until March 1st, so there is still lots of time to check it out for yourself.
You’ll likely recognize Becky’s security envelope project in button form and Shannon Gerard’s Boobs & Dinks project. Other highlights for me were Amanda McCavour’s detailed thread ‘paintings’ made on a sewing machine using Solvy and Miriam Grenville’s embroidery wallpaper.
That night I got to meet Mike and Bianca from Kid Icarus and Studio Number Nineteen. Funny thing is Bianca and I discovered that we have quite a lot in common, including the fact that we went to the same tiny high school in Scarborough!
The weekend went by really fast! I hardly had a chance to realize it was here.
I spent Friday night hanging out with Becky at the workroom promoting the upcoming Love & Rummage Trunk show. This included having our photo taken in various “un-posed”/posed situations. Becky was smart and had props (balls of yarn), while I laughed nervously the whole time, not knowing what to do with my hands. The great part was chatting with writer Tabassum about all manner of things crafty and talking up all our fantastic vendors.
If you read the Toronto Star or if you are my mother, check out Thursday’s fashion section to see how the story spins out in print.
I’ve been meaning to talk about how cool the patterns are inside of security envelopes for a while now. I’ve been collecting them aimlessly for a few months now. Finally, I’ve been nudged into action with the opportunity to also talk about how cool Becky is too.
Becky has a never-ending list of cool crafty-ness on her resume. Her company, Sweetie Pie Press has been supplying the universe (literally) with sweet one inch buttons since the beginning of time. (or at least for many many years) She is also a part of and affiliated with City of Craft, Toronto Craft Alert and Church of Craft. Her craft influence is not just based here in Toronto. She’s currently wrapping up a North American tour of the craft fair circuit. It’s impressive and you can (and you should) read all about her adventures on her super entertaining blog.
Back to the envelopes. Becky has hatched a plan for a massive art project that involves the collection of security envelopes from around the world. In exchange for any envelopes you might be willing to send to her, she will send you a set of security envelope buttons. What a deal! Read all about it here.
Also – Jill told me about Kristiina Lahde who makes cool art from security envelopes. There is treasure in to be found in that pile of pesky bills!
security envelope button sets – photo by Becky
It’s pretty clear that I love vintage things of a certain style. Industrial, wooden, metal and grey seem to be common elements. Yesterday when I bought this overhead projector from a girl off craigslist, I realized that “Old School” was probably the perfect classification for my obsession.
What is it about all this old stuff? I just can’t resist it. The massive reclaimed church globes (from Post & Beam Reclamation), the battleship grey stools (found by Becky, even the workroom’s space is pure vintage with the vaulted ceilings and the gorgeous front glass windows. A month ago, I had to forcibly stop myself from buying a huge vintage chalkboard on wheels from Smash. Really, how many chalkboards can one girl have? (Jill – I’m still a bit sad about not getting it!)
The overhead projector does have a purpose though. It was purchased because we’re starting to get technical at the workroom. This fall Kristiann, will be teaching beginning pattern drafting classes. We’ll be learning about slashing and spreading and other fun things, so it is necessary to have some serious classroom equipment to facilitate serious learning.
Speaking of Old School, Upper Case Gallery is hosting a show AND doing a book on just that. Good lord, I could eat it all up. Please watch this ‘educational’ video about being quiet in the classroom. It’s classic. It also reminds me that I’ll have to hunt down an old school pencil sharpener next.
