North Side
Hillary Frazey | St. Paul, MN
I have always been interested in art quilts and have wanted to start making them for a long time. Well, this is the year! The cozy project was the motivation I needed to start creating art with fabric. With my cozy, I wanted to capture the feeling of biking in the winter in Minnesota. I am not a winter cyclist myself, but a lot of my friends are, and I dedicate my cozy to them.
The pattern I used for the cyclists is Fat Tire Fun by Carrie Payne of believemagic (https://www.etsy.com/shop/believemagic ).
Cozy Dedication: “This cozy is dedicated to winter cyclists. Enjoy the ride!”
Jessica Bain | Burnsville
There isn’t much to my cozy story, the colors remind me of sitting by a fireplace in a cabin up in northern Minnesota watching a Wild game!
Cozy Dedication: “To Jerry Young.”
Renee Ofori | Anoka, MN
Making a Cozy justified lots of C & C (Cat and Couch Time!)
Kathleen Roderick | Brooklyn Park, MN
I learned to crochet from my mother as a child and it has been my creative outlet ever since. As a member of the crochet guild, Crochet Twin Cities (CTC) at the Textile Center, I have enjoyed becoming involved in a number of public fiber-art projects. From the Minneapolis satellite of the global Crochet Coral Reef project, to the Mississippi Watershed Management (MWMO) project of Putting Down Roots, and most recently the MN State Fair project of The Great Minnesota Knit Together – I have really enjoyed contributing to community events. I love Lowertown and so was inspired to participate in the St. Paul Lamppost Cosy project, adding a pop of bright sunny colors to what otherwise is often a drab and gray winter landscape. Most of all, it was just FUN to do !
Cozy Dedication: “To my always inspiring crochet community, Crochet Twin Cities (CTC).”
Brooke Nelson | St. Paul, MN
My mother taught me to crochet when I was young… but then I messed it up. I mean, I can still crochet, but when I do so out in public, people are always asking what I’m doing. Apparently I have a weird technique? I love it though, especially the amazing designs and textures you can create. Also: warm. Very handy in the current climate. I was so excited to hear about Saint Paul Cozy and the opportunity to add a little crazy comfort to downtown Saint Paul!
South Side
Beverly Berryman | Minneapolis, MN
I decided to do this because I’ve always wanted to “yarn bomb” something, especially in the many places I travel to, but I just haven’t had the time. I knit and crochet and I just learned how to weave. I learned to crochet when I was 16, back in the 70’s, but I quit the craft because I really wanted to be able to crochet my own clothes but the patterns I could find were all blocky and ugly (think granny square vest). I have always wanted to be creative and I enjoy the arts, but I can’t draw or sing or write fiction, and as far as I know there isn’t anyone knocking down my door to ask me to act in their latest play. However, I found out, about 11 years ago, that I have an affinity for the fiber arts, I can knit! Quite well actually. Once I joined Ravelry.com and saw how many patterns there are out there, AND, the work that the Russian and Japanese designers are creating for crochet, I decided to take up crochet again also. My daughter talked me into going to a weaving retreat last April at the San Juan Islands and now I weave too!
So, I joined the group late and I don’t have a lot of time to create my cozy. At first I had grandiose ideas about using all three of my fiber skills: weaving, knitting, and crochet. Well, the “thing” that I wove on my little 15″ Cricket loom is now going to be a bath mat, enough said about that. I turned to knitting and I seem to have lost my knitting mojo, it started out being 30 inches wide at the bottom (I only need 23 inches) and then I decreased too quickly and I ended up with something that looked like an apron and I wasn’t even half way done. Since I am now pressed for time I ripped it all back last night and started crocheting, I was up until midnight and then I woke up at 7 this morning and worked some more on it. I will be done in time, but it won’t be quite what I was hoping for, but it will be pretty!
Annette Murphy | St. Paul, MN
I wanted to be a part of The Cozy Project because I would have an opportunity to display a quilted wall hanging I made for my grandmother. This wall hanging is part of a small collection of quilted items I made for my grandmother. 3 years in a row I gave her a quilted (fabric matching) item to add to her collection. I gave her the Mariner’s compass quilted wall hanging at Christmas 1998, it was the 2nd item I made in the collection.
My grandmother taught me to hand sew when I was 5 yrs old , a year later she taught me how to use her 1938 singer sewing machine – with her assistance. A few years later She taught me how to do embroidery work & knitting. My grandmother passed away in 2003. Her inspiration for me to be creative will stay in my heart & mind forever. “I”ll always love you grammie.” Your patience, faith & love you gave to me makes the passion in my soul to pursue my love of being creative. – Amura
Cozy Dedication: “To my Grandmother.”
Kathy Lewinski | Minneapolis, MN
After helping to yarnbomb the 2017 MN State Fair as part of the Great Minnesota Knit Together and seeing the great reactions from visitors, I knew I wanted to be part of Saint Paul Cozy. As a knitter who loves to design colorwork patterns, I thought of my cozy as a big blank slate with which to play. The patterns on my cozy vary from basic geometric shapes to things that make me think of MN like loons, dala horses, snowflakes, and even the state itself. I like to think of it as a big fair isle sweater. This cozy was knit in the round and then a method called steeking, where the knitting is cut open, was used to turn it into a flat piece for installation. I hope the jewel tones and designs add a little brightness to a Minnesota winter.
Meet the Maker! Watch video here.
Anissa Gooch | St. Paul, MN
Crochet was one of the first fiber arts I learned when I was young! I love the idea that a single piece of yarn can be turned into something so complex. I’m excited to come together with other fiber artists and help beautify the area for the Winter Carnival!
Corinna T.
Renee Ofori | Anoka, MN
Making a Cozy justified lots of C & C (Cat and Couch Time!)
Victoria Pyan | St. Paul, MN
Knitting skipped a generation in my family. My grandmother (whom I never knew) used to knit and my mother learned but it didn’t take (she’s a cross stitcher actually). One day I realized I wanted to learn how to knit. It wasn’t spurred by a conversation, or an action as far as I can remember- just a thought that floated into my mind one day and didn’t leave. So my mother slightly confused but supportive got me some knitting needles, yarn and a book. I had no one in my immediate vicinity to show me how, youtube was still almost a decade away. I learned slowly with a lot of mistakes. It took me a long time to attempt anything that wasn’t a scarf. I got better though, I read more books, went to the yarn store – I finally watched a knitting video! I’ve met some amazing people who happen to knit and crochet.
What I love about knitting is that its a physical expression of love. Its love that you put on your head or feet and people can see, smell and touch. Any knitted object is really the combination of time, skill, and wool (insert prefered yarn type actually). You think about the person you want to knit for. You think about what they might need or like. What colors they wear or are drawn too. You pick out the yarn with them in mind, the pattern with them in mind and then you sit down…and you make the thing. You spend hours upon hours upon hours of knitting this thing for them and inevitably you think about them while you’re doing it. Sure you can watch tv, or listen to podcasts/audiobooks. You can socialize while knitting – and trade stories, ask for advice, air grievances, swap recipes…find support. All of which I’ve found in my knitting groups and yarn stores.
Deep down part of you tells your fingers as they push the needles, wrap the yarn, as the object begins to take up more of your lap you are thinking about your recipient. You are thinking about them and how they’ll wear it, or share it, what coat it will match, how it will bring out their eyes. You’re thinking about their face when you gift it to them and hopefully wear for years to come. That to me is beautiful – to be able to make your thoughts and time into something they can use or wear and in turn think about you when they do. A handknit object is love in its more tactile form.
St. Paul Cozy 