Wise Craft

Blair Stocker has worked as a textile and apparel designer, and she now crafts in many different mediums. She writes about her life and her work on her popular blog Wise Craft and sells some of her work on Etsy.

Can you tell us about some of the things on your board?

Swatches of fabric that feel pretty to me right now, a print from my friend Jen of Swallowfield which has beautiful color and simple lines, sweater woolens. There is a floral arrangement from the October Martha Stewart Living magazine that made me gasp (dark maroons mixed with greens and salmony pinks, inspired by Dutch paintings), and almost every page of the Fall 07
Boden catalog (beautiful). Woolen hot water bottle covers (because I'm officially in nesting mode).

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

Fall itself! Big, bulky, woolen plaids with bright shots of color in them, stag heads and tramp art. Amy Butler prints (her prints fell off my radar for a while, but I am officially in love with the new ones).

What do you do to "refill the well"?

Cleaning my studio always recharges me. If I simply can't get motivated to create and start sewing, I'll take an afternoon to go through my space, organize and throw out. Suddenly I can't wait to get in there and make something.

How do you come up with your next idea?

I carry a Moleskine journal with me everywhere. In it, I jot down ideas, no matter how small, the minute I get them because otherwise I will never remember them, which is sad but very true. It's fun to sit down with that journal later and go back over pages and pages of quick sketches and ideas. That's usually enough to spark an idea.

Which of your projects are you the most proud of, and why?

The quilts I've made for my family. Quilts really do feel like some sort of usable, functional artwork, as well as a legacy. Hopefully they will be around for my grandkids to use.

What activity inspires you?

Anything that gets me to try something new and gets out of my comfort zone. Like the other day when I went roller skating.

And how did that go?

I'm proud to say I didn't fall!

What craft blogs, websites, and/or books do you enjoy?

I'm kind of a craft book junkie, recently elevated to include decorating books too. My favorite ones right now are Amy Butler's Midwest Modern, Floral House, Jane Cumberbatch books.

What's your favorite color? Has it always been the same?

Green, has been since I was 8. Before that it was pink.

What other talents do you possess that we might not know about?

I can do uncanny voice imitations. Uncanny, really!

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what kind?

Any and everything ... classical, 80's alternative music, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Or if I'm looking for something new I'll just see what my husband Peter is playing in his office, 'cause it's usually good.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

"Teach us delight in simple things." -- Rudyard Kipling

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Wise Craft blog

Blair's Etsy shop

E-mail Blair