Constellation Quilt, a new project from crafty NYC studio Haptic Lab, uses traditional quilting techniques to invoke a sense of wonder in the outer reaches of the universe. For the Kickstarter project, which sailed past its funding goal, Emily Fischer and company create handmade quilts with embroidered gold stars depict the night skies. In this short video, filmmaking collective Public Record......read more
Oh you think you bad, huh? You bad enough for this beast? Because the mighty Hand-Forged Nata Hatchet, a collaborative effort from Bridgetown Forge and Hand-Eye Supply, is on some Paul Bunyan business. (A nata, for those that don't know, is a traditional Japanese hatchet with a square blade and a slightly curved handle.) Each Bridgetown nata is forged by hand in Portland, OR by......read more
After years of research and testing, the husband-and-wife team of Jessica and Charley Wheelock launched Woodblock Chocolate, a bean-to-bar operation in Portland, OR. The duo meticulously sources, roasts, winnows, refines, ages, tempers and wraps each bar by hand. Now you can get a quick Woodblock Chocolate fix via a reasonably priced 4-pack from Old Faithful Shop. Included are four......read more
Berkeley, CA-based ceramicist Rae Dunn operates on both sides of the imaginary line between art and craft. Her work, which ranges from custom-designed housewares to large-scale sculptures, is woven together by common themes like the beauty of simple shapes and natural forms. These square-shaped salt and pepper cellars display both in spades. Made of creamy-glazed porcelain and adorned with......read more
For quality home textiles with a conscience, look no further than Coyuchi, the NorCal brand best known for its signature bedding made of 100 percent organic cotton. The brand's higher end North Country Collection, new for fall 2013, features lavish embroidery in red or royal blue on pure white cotton. Included is the Aari Embroidered Duvet Cover, an ultra soft covering that comes......read more
Launched in 2012 by art director Eliza Kenan and artist Claire Oswalt, Hopewell crafts handmade textiles in Los Angeles with an emphasis on simple, modern patterns. The brand's Kelton quilt is made from natural colorfast cotton, yarn-dyed essex linen, and natural cotton batting. The result is an an incredibly soft, machine washable quilt that will add color and texture to any bed, room, or......read more
Multidisciplinary design studio VW+BS uses ancient production methods and materials to create the totally modern-looking Silt Collection, a tableware set made of raw, unglazed purple clay. For millenia, purple clay pots and cups have been used to serve tea in China. "The unglazed material has the effect of softening the taste of the water in the same way as activated charcoal," said the......read more
UK ceramicist Jill Shaddock's exquisite clay objects blur the boundary between the decorative and the functional. Like this row of three miniature porcelain vessels, which can be used for sipping sake with friends or for simply looking pretty sitting on the mahogany block included with the set. The basic, minimal cups are slipcast in layers in muted greys, greens, and blues -- an irresistable......read more
When it comes to shopping for the home, we are big believers in the practice of buying once and buying well. Whether it's a stereo or bed linens, a crib or tableware, it's always better to pay more for something that will proudly live in your home for your entire life, than to pay less for something that will end up in a landfill in a few years. We are also big believers in going vintage. After......read more
Based in Los Altos, CA, Linda Gass is an artist and activist focused on creating awareness of the struggle over water resources in the American West. For this series of art quilts, Gass stitched together hand-painted silk crepe de chine to create colorful aerial representations of San Francisco Bay. The saturated images of salt ponds, woven on cozy quilts, use "the lure of beauty" to encourage......read more