| Marilyn Murphy,
publisher of Interweave Knits, speaks with author
Vicki Square.
“I hardly knew where to stop-my creativity flowed uninhibited,”
says Vicki Square, author of Interweave’s new knitting
book, Folk Bags.
Vicki is also the author of Interweave’s very successful
Knitter’s Companion, with over 100,000 copies
in print.
Marilyn: “How did
you choose the country sources for Folk Bags? And did you
discover anything new ?”
Vicki: “In most cases I was inspired
by a country’s art, folk art, or traditional costume
and dress. Thinking of the women who make these objects also
inspired me. I imagined myself in their environment, what
supplies they have to work with, what their everyday life
is like. I also read a lot about the culture before beginning
a bag. The first bags I made were the Ecuadorian shigras.
Once I started the research on them, I discovered some great
South American knitting techniques. The join when you’re
knitting back and forth that looks like you’re knitting
in the round. The two-color cast-on that’s perfect for
the top edge of a bag. And felting, of course.
“Another example of discovery: I knew I wanted to do
something with the Japanese origami concept, and from there
it was just steps to doing a Chinese bag. I learned about
China’s folk art for children, wonderfully bright and
whimsical, and that inspired the fish bags.
“It was also important to me that the book have a global
perspective. So I couldn’t stay focused on just certain
regions. I was inspired by fabulous museum and university
collections—not that I was able to see them in person,
but I did see catalogues and books. I did a ton of reading
in my research. You won’t know that from the book because
the introductions are brief. But my research did help me see
what was significant about a culture and what I could incorporate
into the bags.”
M: “Were the bags
inspired from the culture in general or actually derived from
specific objects?”
V: “The Peruvian bag was inspired by
the culture—it’s a flat bag that’s worn
by men and women. It’s a square or rectangle with a
geometric design, and I enlarged the images instead of banding
them. The Welsh ysgrepan—that’s the actual shape
of the bag. The shigra is the original shape, but I used different
fibers from the original. The doll bag from Bolivia is a common
one, but I made mine larger than usual. I took concepts and
elaborated on them. Most of the bags apply features that I
found in folk art. For the market bags I was determined to
come up with a stitch that defined ‘market bag’
and a yarn that lent itself to the end use. I hope I succeeded.”
M: “Each bag is so
unique. How did you keep track of the designs and techniques?”
V: “I made a mental
inventory of all the little details so I didn’t do the
same thing on every bag. Sometimes I was inspired by a technique,
other times the technique just suggested itself as I began
a design. I was most intrigued by the idea of the bag as a
container, so I had to keep thinking about what each one would
look like with things inside. What yarn would be best for
the shape and feel? I wanted the bags to be useable, not just
decorative. I made many swatches and explored different shapes
and sizes. The more unusual, the better.”
M: “Did you work on
one bag from beginning to end?”
V: “Are you kidding?
Throughout the book I had many bags at different stages of
completion. I also needed portability, and some bags required
too much concentration to be carried around. Once I’d
planned a bag, it was easier to take it along. I had different
levels of complexity going on—from the design stage
to the knitting stage, from simple constructions to the more
difficult. I tested some of the ideas on the beginning level
students in my knitting group. I knew if they could read the
instructions, most beginners would be able to follow them,
too.
“I didn’t knit on anything but bags because
I didn’t want to interrupt my work flow. I was obsessed.”
M: “Did you discard
many ideas?”
V: “Not too many.
I did have to rework or reconceive many of them as I began
to knit because my original yarn choice wasn’t working
for the bag shape. In letting go of some of my initial choices,
what came about was something better. And the shape of some
bags made more sense when there was stuff inside.”
M: “Have you always
worked so sculpturally?”
V: “I think
three-dimensionally. I enjoy creating spaces, environments—establishing
a mood. So I think about shape before other things—before
the pattern, before the embellishment.”
M: “Do you have a
favorite bag?”
V: “I don’t.
I want them all. I want to use them all. Some are more functional
than others. I did have lots of fun with the shigras, but
they were the first I created. The fact is, before this book,
I wasn’t a handbag type of person. I used one bag all
the time. Now I like the thought of making a different one
for every occasion.”
M: “What do you want
the knitter to know about this book?”
V: “That they’ll
have a great time making all the bags. It can be a real adventure—in
learning new techniques and color combinations, in using bags
more ways than they ever thought of, in just enjoying the
process of creation. Knitters should not be intimidated by
a single bag in the book. I’d knit them all again. The
whole process was a complete inspiration for me, and I hope
that that experience will translate to other knitters. That
it will be a launching pad for them. One bag is never enough.
That’s what I have learned.”
|
