We made the trade! Luke Randall got his namesake vest and I got one of his paintings!
Luke’s Diced Vest, was designed with Luke in mind. When the call went out for men’s garments for Twist Collective Spring 2009, they phrased it as a question, what would a man in your life actually wear, what would he like? I’d been dying to make a twist on the traditional diced vest, and knew just the person who would like it. Luke is a fearless and fun dresser, known for pink shirts and loud pants, but equally comfortable in suave Italian suits. He had recently suggested a trade, hoping I would re-produce a beloved vest, which was falling apart where the handspun had gotten too thin. I suggested repairing the vest, and retaining it for a little bit as I used it for sizing , while I designed a new vest just for him! Of course, the downside would be that he couldn’t have it for a a few months as the vest was needed for the photoshoot, and the Twist Tour of yarn shops.
This Columbus Day the trade was made! When Luke and his family came to visit he brought along a couple of paintings for me to choose from. I immediately picked the other one first, a water-scape, with waves and beautiful sunset light, sophisticated and serene. As we went around the house trying to hang it, it was clear, that I actually needed the landscape painting, it was the one that wanted to stay! It is of milkweed, pine trees and bright water, a Maine island view, a cheerful painting. I’m so glad Luke decided to bring the paintings with him, so I could see them in situ. It’s not like I couldn’t travel to Rhode Island and pick from a whole studio full of paintings, but that offer was way too broad for my easily confused brain! No, the house and the painting spoke, and I couldn’t be happier. I love my Milkweed painting
Luke loves his vest! He noticed right away the subtle difference in the fibers in the yarn, the tiny fluff of the angora, the flecks of tweed, the hint of cashmere. Part of the beauty of Sunday Knits Yarns is the different fiber content in the yarns which are all the same weight, so they can all be used together, Eden (100% merino), Brigadoon (100% merino tweed), Angelic (75% merino/25% angora), and Nirvana (92% merino/8% cashmere). It’s part of the fun for the knitter beyond the lively color changes. For the uninitiated, knitters and non-knitters alike, the big surprise is that the vest is wool at all, since it is so incredibly soft with an absolute zero itch factor.
Luke Randall check out his website! I’ll just bang in a new nail, to hang my new painting a little lower – no easy task with cement walls, wish me luck!
What a fun trade! It reminds me of the trade Kate did with her dressmaker friend, Daniel, in the first Twist issue. Your vest is such a work of art that I’m sure Luke would be hard pressed not to hang it up on his wall too! And I love the painting you chose. Sometimes certain paintings speak to us and it may be something different than our initial impulse.
Trading is great – I must do some more of it!