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Photograph by George Sakkestad
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In two years, 'Celebrity Scarves' author Abra Edelman has
created more than 300 scarves. She prefers to knit simple designs with
luxurious fabrics, such as cashmere, that she picks up at Knitting Arts
in downtown Saratoga. |
Hollywood is a close-knit community
By
Mandy Major
Hollywood
has plenty of obvious obsessions—beauty, being thin, and the need to be the
best. But its secret obsession? Knitting.
From merino wool to cashmere, cotton to angora, the
sky is the limit with 60 hours on set and plenty of spare time between takes.
Uncovering this underworld for all eager eyes to see
is local Los Gatan Abra Edelman. A resident since 1974, Edelman is a casting
director turned author with her recently released Celebrity Scarves, a
glossy, coffee-table book chock-full of beautiful faces and tantalizing scarves
donned by an array of knit-happy stars.
"Everything I do, I have to make into an empire,"
Edelman laughs. And so to infuse her love of knitting with her celebrity savvy,
she decided to create a book. Fortunately, Edelman had contacts in the
publishing industry and networked with those she knew. In an unheard-of three
weeks, she had a contract.
Celebrity Scarves not only provides insight
into how each celebrity took up knitting, it also includes instructions on how
the scarf was made and what materials were used.
The stitches are relatively simple, but that is
exactly what Edelman intended. "This book is meant to inspire people. It doesn't
have to be difficult to be fun or look good," she says.
"I love the book. It puts a very fun spin and angle
on knitting," says Jan Hurwitz, owner of Knitting Arts in Saratoga. "Scarves are
a great way for someone to start knitting and create something very cool-looking
in a short time. My philosophy about knitting is simple stitching but fabulous
yarns, and that is what is portrayed in the book."
The book's ultimate goal, however, was more than
just sparking interest in a Hollywood hobby. Each scarf was put up for auction,
with proceeds benefiting amFAR, a prominent fundraising charity for HIV and
AIDS.
Sold on eBay in early November, the scarves did
extremely well, taking in as much as $500 for those crafted by actresses Darryl
Hannah and Parker Posey. The book itself is a hot commodity as well, being
featured on Oprah and the Today show, as well as in Allure,
In Style and Self magazines.
"We're bringing a new face to knitting," Edelman
says. "It's been great, and so much money is going to charity, which was the
goal of the book."
Edelman first learned how to knit two years ago
while on the set of According to Spencer. "Some people just love it, but
I hate being on set. You just sit there. I get so bored," Edelman says. To help
her out, cast member Marissa Ribisi took Edelman aside and showed her the
basics. By the end of one week she had finished four scarves.
"I can't meditate, I'm always thinking. And I'm
impatient. With this, you're busy and in the end you produce something."
Edelman says she knits every day, but truth be told
is "a terrible, messy knitter." Thus, she mainly sticks to scarves, which
require less planning than sweaters and are not ruined by mistakes.
Although busy with book signings and publicity
appearances, Edelman still regularly travels to Los Angeles to continue her work
as a casting director, which affords plenty of time to pursue her passion.
"Knitting gives you immediate gratification,"
Edelman says. "You can start and finish a scarf in one day. It's just automatic,
which is nice. I think a hobby should be stress-free. And it is such a fabulous
gift, especially for people during the holidays." |
