By Hand is a serial produced by Andrea Hungerford three times per year that explores locations around the country that have developed their own unique 'maker communities' where people who love to make, love to learn to make, and love to support makers have found a common sense of purpose.
Each of these geographic 'clusters' has its own unique characteristics, and those characteristics influence the artists who live and work there. Each issue of By Hand is a place-based celebration of these communities of makers, focused primarily on the fiber and fabric industry, as well as highlighting artists in other media who share the same philosophy as fiber and fabric artists of functional beauty. Additionally each issue includes patterns, projects, photo essays, day trips, foodie excursions, and other write-ups of aspects unique to the featured city or region.
We are 'making communities' even where physical proximity isn’t possible, by sharing our stories and journeys and images with each other.
ROAD TRIP THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Begin this cycle's journey along the Southern Oregon coast, just north of the California border, with views of the rugged, rocky coastline. Drive Highway 101 -- one of North America's most iconic, scenic routes -- documenting spectacular sights in the many state parks, recreational areas and pull-outs along the way. Hug the coastline and turn into dappled patches of winding redwood forest, emerging again to foggy seascape and glittering sunshine. The furthest point on our map, San Francisco greets us with candy-colored neighborhoods, hidden mosaic stairways, and quiet foggy mornings. Explore exquisite offerings from the city's must-stop shops in Berkeley, Oakland, and throughout the Bay Area. After San Francisco, escape to the sunshine of Napa Valley. Brilliantly green vineyards, golden fields of sunflowers and shimmering silver olive groves provide the background for the last leg of our trip. We wander through a ranch high above the California coast, sip tea over candles and charcuterie as we chat with the maker who originated the Slow Skin Care Movement, and delve deeply into natural dyeing in the outdoor dye garden of a yarn creator who's been advocating for naturally dyed yarns for almost two decades. In between, we carve out moments for exploring farmers markets, window shopping some of the Bay Area's best fiber and fabric shops, dabbling with plein air painting on a cool summer morning, and strolling through the vineyards at dusk. This lush, colorful volume will help you escape the everyday into the dreamy, misty and vibrant landscape of Northern California.
By Hand Serial Lookbook #13 showcases our widest offering of patterns and projects yet, including four different sewing projects: two apparel pieces that are both easy to fit and easy to wear, as well as attainable for even a beginning sewist, or try working with waxed canvas and create a lunch tote project bag or a makers apron, both of which will become essentials for all of your future making endeavors. The Mendocino Dress is sewn from light-as-a-cloud double gauze, with a pleat at the front neck and curved seams at the waist and back to give just the right amount of shaping. The Sonoma Overalls are so fun to make, we sewed up more than half a dozen samples for our trip, including some of our favorites from Merchant & Mills chambray and softly striped linen.
Lookbook #13's knitting patterns include Tamalpais by Julie Weisenberger, a cleverly constructed sleeveless top: a clean, classic design that goes with just about anything and can be worn year-round. Navigate Socks by Marceline Smith are the perfect opportunity to play with Sincere Sheep's rainbow of naturally dyed colors. Noriko Ho has designed Golden Poppy, a stunning colorwork cardigan knit in a subtle speckle with a complementary warm clay tonal solid - colors created specially for this project by Chase Clark of local yarn store Black Squirrel Berkeley. Andrea Hungerford, inspired by the dreamy naturally dyed palette of A Verb For Keeping Warm's Floating yarn, created a lacy ruana that marries shawl and cardigan into the perfect over-your-shoulders garment to ward off a cool breeze or the chill of a summer evening.
Our projects and patterns are rounded out by clever clay candle holders that are surprisingly simple to make, and a delicious citrusy olive oil cake, inspired by an afternoon spent among the olive groves at Black Rock Ranch.
