In any new issue of Texas Monthly, the first item I turn to is “Object Lesson,” Kristie Ramirez’s regular piece on the trinkets and baubles that notable Texans keep on their personal furniture. What clutter will we find on Jaap van Zweden’s piano? How fussy are the contents of Dean Fearing’s shoe closet? That sort of thing. It’s all about objects – a mini-museum of one, if you will, and it’s quite nosey. I wait by the mailbox for it.
Magda Sayeg is pretty.
The newest issue features yarn bomber artist Magda Sayeg. I’ve always associated knitting with the elderly, but Magda Sayeg is both prettier and younger than me, and this observation makes me want to knit. In my logic, she must be prettier and younger because she knits. She has created cozy yarn sweaters for busses, hotels, and the Williamsburg bridge.
Google “Magda Sayeg” and you will find her website KNITTA, PLEASE. This is the best name of anything ever (but it isn’t mentioned in Texas Monthly for some reason). I must conclude that Magda Sayeg is also witty and clever in addition to her other virtues. I am obsessed with her.
When I moved into my duplex three years ago, I was excited to see random objects left behind by prior tenants. One was a metallic cover for a sports car, and another was a sewing kit stocked with tiny threads of yarn. When the yarn bombing craze hit East Dallas last year at the Lakewood Library, I thought about that weird little sewing kit going to waste on the high shelf of my hall closet. I think it might be for latchhooks – I don’t really know. My name rhymes with the ultimate crafters website but that’s the closest I will come to being like Magda Sayeg.
Betsy Lewis is a Dallas writer. The items on her writing desk are: dog hair, laptop, December issue of Texas Monthly, coffee mug stolen from last employer, a bunch of handwritten lists and sublists, and dog hair.
3 comments
.I hate to beat a dead horse, but it has to be said again. I think it’s important to remember Knitta was a group. As their exposure gained Magda shed the others and assumed complete control. I don’t want to throw her under the bus but I never see any recognition for the other members. (FYI I’m not an original member.)
I couldn’t agree more with Jill M. – that part is crap. The whole guise of Magda as super artist is ridiculous.
And, most of the fine art world is not paying any attention to this because it does not warrant serious critique… why is this author acting like it does?
And, great she rode a little trend for a while, but her 15 minutes is way past done. Your “girl crush” is about 3 years too late.
Magda walked over many, many people to get her 15 minutes. Yuck.