Farmers Market / East

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Marie Staiger | Roseville, MN

I grew up on the East side, and currently work in St. Paul. I was immediately attracted to this project as a way to not only use my knitting and crochet skills, but to connect with this hometown project. I am happy that people will be able to see fiber work displayed as a legitimate art form. Many knitters, crocheters, and quilters I know are so talented that I consider their pieces to be works of art.

I always find myself working in bright vibrant colors. My weather cozy, showing average high and low temperatures in St. Paul, varies in most of the colors of the rainbow. It is inspired by my grandpa, Ben Webster, who faithfully kept records of rainfalls and loved his Farmer’s Almanac. My second cozy in the Farmers Market is even brighter, with bright flowers against a background of almost neon green. I hope to bring some color and hope that spring is just around the corner!

Cozy Dedication: “To my Grandpa Ben.”

The Yarnery – Knitters: Shelly Sheehan & Angie Paulson | 840 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN

We love being part of the St. Paul fiber community and are inspired every day by the talented makers we meet at our shop just up the hill on Grand Avenue!

Kama Norton | St. Paul, MN

My goal over the next year is to reduce my “Stash” of yarn to slightly out of control. This seemed like a good fun way to start. The yarn is reclaimed from Farmer’s Market bags I made in 2008 and I lucked out in getting a lamp post at the Farmer’s Market. I wonder if the yarn still retains the good memories of mornings spent there? I usually work on knit items that are under 4 inches and done on US 1 size needles. I make ornaments in needle felting, knitting and fabric. This was a fun challenge to work in a larger scale. Plus the yarn bombing factor, which is something I have always wanted to do. I have been making things in a variety of fiber arts for 35+ years.

Katryna S. B. | Minneapolis, MN

I just like crocheting a lot. My Grandmother, we called her Baba, taught me to crochet and part of why I love it is being reminded of her each time. I moved to Minnesota less than two years ago and am excited to be part of a new creative community and the St. Paul Cozy project was an exciting opportunity to join in. (A big thanks to my husband for sharing this project with me and inspiring me to be a part of it!)

My project was inspired by one of the stitches my Baba taught me, using the colors from the St. Paul city flag.

Anne Nichols | Blaine, MN

I am the daughter of a woman who was multi-talented and encouraged me to try many avenues. I was doing needle point and crewel in grade school, making my own clothes in jr high school, as well as counted cross-stitch, crocheting and knitting. I’ve even tried weaving. Being able to create any piece is rewarding. It feeds my inner self with pride when successful and knowledge when I fail.

To support this event is important to me. I’ve met many wonderful people. I’ve learned new stitches and been inspired by all the various mediums, talents and ideas. St Paul will be more beautiful because of our efforts.

Cozy Dedication: “Dedicated to my mother who encouraged by example and gave me the knowledge and love of many fiber arts, both decorative and functional.”

Lacey Woida | Downtown St. Paul

I moved to Downtown St. Paul a little over a year ago. One of the main reasons I made the move was so I could be apart of an Artist Community and this project was perfect for me. I started to crochet 15 years ago. A friend showed me the very basics and I learned the rest off the internet. Crochet helped me for a period of time where my anxiety was so bad I couldn’t leave my house. It helped me to pass time and it made it feel worthwhile because I would have theses beautiful blankets afterwards. At first I had a love/hate relationship with Crochet because of the connection of using it to help me live through that year of extreme anxiety. Now I work on smaller projects and left the big blankets behind, I really like to make beaded bracelets and baby blankets, and am trying to get into making hats. I am also a mixed media painter and most of my paintings are very bright and colorful, they usually make people smile when they see them. So I wanted my lamppost cozy to be bright and make people smile as well. One of my other loves in my life are my two kitties who I adopted from Feline Rescue in St. Paul. My cats bring me a lot of joy and love and so I dedicated this kitty cozy to Feline Rescue a wonderful no kill shelter that finds furrever homes for so many kitties.

Cozy Dedication: “Dedicated to St.Paul Feline Rescue.”

Cozy Collaboration | St. Paul & Roseville, MN

Ann P.

I chose to do this project because it sounded fun, and I enjoy crocheting and the winter carnival.

Louise Smith | Maple Grove, MN

Hi! My name is Louise Smith, I was so excited to see this project posted on Facebook. I reach all of my crocheting goals for the year and was looking for something different to do and this definitely fits the bill. My Grandma taught me to knit and crochet when I was a child, helping me to make clothes for my Barbie doll. As a math teach in an Area Learning center I found crocheting hats for my students was a good way to make connections with them. It was also a good way to keep hands busy. Since my retirement when not taking care of my Grandchildren I keep busy making Prayer shawls for my church’s Prayer Shawl ministry and crocheting with a group at the Emma B. Howe YMCA.

One of my favorite projects this past year has been making and giving out Pocket Prayer Hearts. These are small hearts to place in your pocket and when you reach into your pocket you feel the knots and remember that you are loved. I made and gave out over 1000 hearts. Best of all I was able to share how to make the hearts with members of my Y group. It was so much fun to see the joy on Dorothy’s face when she figured out the pattern. Dorothy is 82 and blind. Char who is also 82, her hands crippled with arthritis, was able to make them and gave them to everyone she met.

Because this is a community event I asked my Y crocheting group to help me in making the Lamppost Cozy. Being able to get together and work on projects with these women and men has giving meaning to my life. We laugh!

Cozy Dedication: “Thank You to the Emma B. Howe YMCA Knitters.”

Meet the Maker! Watch video here.