My latest exhibition - SHELTER

 Yes, I got talked into doing another solo show at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery in Collingwood. 

I decided to make new work that involved ceramics, which were loosely inspired by Castles.

                                                                              Tower

Castle

Then I accidently made a two new works which seemed to reprise my work on nests and add to the Castles theme.

Nestled and Connected

Fortress

Then I added in some old nest inspired works that I manage to tweek a little bit.

Safe

Secure

I included two big works which also worked on the birds nests theme.

\

High Rise Development

Nesting

And, finally, I decided to include the two Covid works, one of which hadn't been shown anywhere.

Global

Lockdown

The opening was on Sunday the 8th and the exhibition continues to the 29th June. The reception has been great with plenty of interest and good comments.

Recycled Cotton yarn

 i purchased some DMC Nova Vita recycled cotton yarn from Woolybutt. It was a bit expensive, can't quite remember how much. I've decided to just knit some dishcloths with it as it feels quite strong and textured. A good combination for dishcloths as mine are showing severe signs of wear. That I've had my dishcloths for many years doesn't make me feel bad about replacing them. However, this yarn also includes 20% polyester and I'm not sure that the repercussions that might arise (ie. micro plastics) from using it as a dishcloth, makes me feel that this is a one-off attempt.

I am looking at recycling my pure cotton worn out dishcloths, but it's not going well so far, as I seem unable to unpull the yarn in sufficient lengths and I can't seem to find a way of shredding them. Another project.

Anyway, some new dishcloths for me.

PS Woolybutt is looking so good under new management.

Fibre and Clay

 Many years ago I had a joint exhibition at Bolin Bolin garden centre in their gallery and shared the space with a ceramicist. It was a great exhibition in a lovely space.

I've always wanted to combine textiles and ceramics and finally managed to find lessons in the right place and the right time. (Though I did have to give up Yoga for four weeks!) It was at Clay and Co in Cowes on Phillip Island. It was a course that did both an introduction to wheel-throwing and hand-building. Alot of fun and I learnt alot, though, as usual, you find out how much more you have to learn.

Wheel throwing was fun and I managed to produce some pieces, but it reinforced my idea that this is not what I wanted to do.

Hand building had been beckoning ever since I read an article in the British magazines 'Crafts' . The potter being interviewed was a hand builder and liked to do it because you were able to get more texture into the work. This spoke to me as how I would like to work and the class confirmed it.

These are little pinch pots that are just clear glazed, but they do show off the different clays that were available. I like the idea of using different clays to get different effects, rather than using glazes. It feels more organic. 

My first piece out of that class worked well but wasn't exactly as I had envisioned. 

I decided to work with it and continue my idea. Adding Weave-it loom fabrics attached with wire, I made it into a 'Tower'.

I'm very happy with it and long to get onto the next work. I should manage this Thursday, but I've been saying that for weeks....no clay, no clay delivery, space closed...it all adds up. Can't wait.

SM19 Sock Madness .... again

 

This year I seem to be free of any impediment to my competing in Sock Madness 19. Last year, I was busy with the solo exhibition, which seemed to eat up my time. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

The Warm up socks for this year are the Gansey Adventure Socks. I just picked out some stash yarn to knit with. It wasn't a particulary successful choice, but they are well fitting and a fun colour. What was really interesting about these socks was that many people converted them to fairisle or a mix of fairisle and the original gansey stitches, It was very effective.

The qualifying sock, Conjoined Sock twins, owed it's name to the construction method. A fairly simple looking cable and rib sock turned out to be something a bit more interesting. You started at the toe, knit up, then after a couple of rows of stocking stitch, knit the second sock down, then divided the sock and cast off afterwards.

Before splitting the socks, they looked like this:

And afterwards, like this:

Despite being a fairly simple, but effective pair of socks, they did hold some interest. Obviously, the construction method was novel, but also:

    -  Interesting how a little 1x1 twist in the centre of the cables has such impact

    - Nice to revisit the Judy's Magic Loop cast-on

    - Nice to try Judy’s surprisingly stretchy cast-off

Had to adjust enough of my thinking to do the top down after the top up, how did the designer do it?

Reprise the Spiral Socks

 A couple of Christmases ago, I made spiral socks for all the very grown up 'kids' in my family and close friends. Spiral socks were one of the first things I made out of my handspun yarn and I still have them as they were originally intended, bed socks.

I used the book 'Joy of Socks' which is now a bit battered after damp issues in my previous studio, AKA garage. Pages have stuck together and I'm reluctant to try the steaming method to prise them apart. Fortunately, the spiral socks were fine.

My youngest son requested another pair as he works from home and wears them about the house. I'm happy to oblige. I picked out some handspun yarn, including the more hard wearing gotland which I put on the heels and toes. 

I hope he's happy with the result.

A handknit Golf Vest from Rowan

 To start off 2025 I managed to finish my 'golf' vest.

Having played right through my first Winter of golf, I found that a short-sleeved top with a sleeveless vest managed to keep me warm and not too hot. All I had was two of Peter's golf vests, which were fine, but as they were commercially made, I preferred to have one of my own. 

I've been subscribing to the Rowan magazine for only a year previously to the issue where I found my vest.

I wanted to completely stash dive and made this in green tones, including a yarn that was a cardigan I knit when I was a child. It's the lightest green and the mid green was some handspun yarn. I'm very pleased with the result.

I do love my magazines, however, my usual goto magazines have disappeared in various ways. Vogue Knitting (Designer Knitting by the time it reaches Australia) has not published an issue since early 2023. This never arrived in Australia, except, I think for a few subscribers. They've never announced that they're done with, which hardly surprising as they've been difficult to deal with as an overseas subscriber and is the reason I've not had a subscription for quite some time relying on it's delivery to Australia, via the UK after getting a new cover.

 Pom Pom magazine announced it's closure and I got a digital copy of the last issue. This has been my goto for funky young designs and I'll keep using the copies I have as they are really lovely. I'm sorry to see them go, but I understand that two young publishers have finally found it too difficult. They are, however, continuing to work and publish in this space. I do look forward to see what they're doing next.

Then the Crafts Council UK magazine 'CRAFTS' has gone to a model where you join up and receive other benefits of a community. Unfortunately, it is not worthwhile to do this in Australia, as the only real benefit is the magazine and the cost is not suitable. I am bitterly disappointed as this magazine has been an inspiration for a long time. And now I find that they're discontinuing the magazine entirely.

And we come to Rowan magazine from the very famous stable of Rowan Yarn Company. I found, in Vinnies in Wonthaggi, the very first issue, just by chance and bought it without thinking about subscribing. 

I did like the issue and it had quite alot of interesting articles, and the patterns were still interesting after all these years. So when my magazine options ran out I decided to try Rowan. A subscription for a year is only 2 copies and you do become part of their community, so I don't find it too expensive.

I've been very happy with this. It doesn't have as many articles as the first issue, but enough to be interesting. The patterns are lovely and it arrives quickly after being released in the UK, so quickly, in fact that I get the latest copy before the previous copy arrives in Morris & Son in Sydney

So I have continued my subscription and received this next issue (No 76), in which was my pattern for my vest, along with a couple of contenders for inclusion in my wardrobe.

And, yes, I like the cover jumper!