Last fall I took up knitting in a very enthusiastic way, after 24 years of my mother waiting patiently for me to join her. Kate Davies’s “Owl Sweater” finally seduced me, and I quickly discovered that knitting—-with its steady click-click-click of the needles, soft richly-dyed fibers, and heavy presence in my lap——is an excellent way to end the day after the stress of freelancing. 

I don’t buy store-bought clothes any more, for a number of reasons. I’d rather take the money I’d spend on lots of cheaply made, sweatshop produced, ill-fitting clothes and put it into learning the skills to make something long lasting and exactly to my taste, using only natural fibers. The above was knitted with 100% baby alpaca wool, which approaches cashmere in softness but is infinitely more affordable, and is often stronger than sheep’s wool. It is also much more insulating than store-bought sweaters that are made with synthetic yarn blends. The beads are a lovely mottled pink and made from coral (sustainably harvested). 

Buy Kate Davies’ Owls pattern here.

What’s on my needles now.

Some illustrations I did for Chicago Reader’s “Food Issue”!

Dances with pierogi 

Dough (and some batters, too)

A diet based on sacrifice

A Chicago rapper on the peace of pizza 

Thanks also to Kyle Webster for sharing his amazing photoshop brushes, which I had a lot of fun using to make these pieces :)