End of my first year of DVA

Well, it's all over, bar the shouting. Yesterday, I finished my last print for printmaking. I still have to get the entire folio together.

Every Monday, there's Life drawing in the morning and Printmaking in the afternoon. Life Drawing with Peter, has been such a privilege, to have models come in and pose for two hours.....not straight, they do have rests, the longest stretch being for 20 minutes....you hold a pose for 20 minutes! I have a great deal of respect for the models, they were so generous and fabulous to draw.

Then after lunch we fronted up to Jo and her wonderful printmaking class. I have enjoyed learning about the different print methods she showed us. She has created a wonderful blog for students, hasn't been active as she's been on holiday, but has great links. Should be good to read next year.

I did really like lino cut with the direct and very textural method of carving out your image, but I did also enjoy aquatint, where resin is applied over a line etching then covered up gradually to create tone.

I don't think I'm a real printmaker though.....editioning just doesn't suit my style. I just want to change the print every time!

My last print was this one-off aquatint, in red!

Now, I have to label and name all my prints.

Not another fractal yarn!

I blame knitspingirl, but I can't help trying yet another fractal yarn.

 

I bought this packet of Pure Merino Wool Top from Garments and Gadgets at the Sheep and Wool show this year. They're not particularly cost effective, but I can't help trying someone else's colour combinations. This one is called: Brights, and yes, there is another one in my stash.

As I have related before, a fractal yarn, is where you spin one half of your colours in sequence. Then you keep splitting the other single in half and half again till you get to the smallest amount, either possible or that you want. I stopped here.

It's interesting how the two bobbins end up. You can see only the last few colours in the first and in the second all the different colours in their different lengths. Plying is also a fascinating exercise in colour theory as the spinning combines colours and you get purples, greys, browns, all sorts. I'm sort of hoping that this will work in the final product.

This is the finished yarn, and before you say it, yes it does look a little barber shop pole. It does look bright though, and that was the idea. I am happy, mostly as this is finer than I usually spin and my last effort at spinning this fine was not my best effort. I did not put enough twist in my original singles, so when it plyed to balance it was way too soft, this time, I think it was just about right....hooray!

I'm hoping that this will become a little more subtle in the weaving. I'm going to make a fine black warp and use this as the weft in, hopefully a couple of different twill patterns. I do feel confident, but as I haven't even a warp plan, that's easy!

Now, off to have some breakfast.

PS, yes it was fun to do and I just had to share!

Mystery Sock Knit along - pictures of the leg!

Yes, I've finally finished the leg of the mystery sock, and, I'm posting this before finding out what the next part of the mystery is. I did manage to do alot of knitting at Rose St. last Sunday. No, it wasn't very busy, despite being an absolutely gorgeous day. The stalls were full of the most delightful handmade wares and they just seemed to shine. Unfortunately, it appeared that many people were out enjoying the sunshine, but not at the market. I had put up my handwoven, recycled wall hangings and received a sufficient number of interested looks and comments, but didn't manage to sell any. I did sell a few things which made the day worthwhile......if you take a long term perspective!

Anyway, lots of knitting and finally sitting down late last night, here they are:

Unfortunately, you can't see the pattern very well. It's wet, so I can't photograph outside!

You can see more on Ravelry.

TTL mystery sock knit - warning pictures!

Ok, I've started the cuff for the mystery knitalong. It was released last Friday and I've managed to do one. However, I have decided that I should be doing two at the same time. This should ensure that I manage to complete the project in time!

 You may just notice that mine looks a little different from my friend Dr Bones's and you would be right. The yarn I purchased is thicker than recommended, but, with the, rarely convenient, large feet, I have calculated that if I knit the smallest size I am only 2 stitches out. It seems to be correct.

Now all I have to do is find another set of needles and start the other sock. So far, it's fun!

Spinning red!

This Saturday was Experimental Spinning day and after returning from a very short sojourn at the beach house at Phillip Island, put a load of washing on and headed off.

We were working with 'red'. So we carded all our leftover bits of red, tops, yarns, fabric bits, silk, cotton, whatever we felt like and whatever we had on hand.

I started with a mix of merino and flax and added more! The beauty of working with a colour is that it all matches, and, more importantly, you see the range of colour that we call 'red', in this case. It's always fun and we always end up with gorgeous yarns.

I kept some of the flax/merino mix (from First Editions, of course) and spun it finely, then plyed with the fun stuff. Love the yarn.

Mystery Sock Knit along

OK, so the last time I tried a Mystery Knitalong I wasn't very happy (Yarn Forward Magazine mystery blanket......errors in patterns, lag time here and too many squares to knit each month......still waiting to be finished....). Anyway, Dr Bones did a mystery sock knitalong last year and ended up with a pair of gorgeous socks. It's on again and I am persuaded that the TTL mystery sock knitalong will at least be manageable and I will end up with a pair of handknit socks.

I have purchased my yarn, on a surprise jaunt to the city, while husband was in Dymocks, I was in Morris's, a denim coloured yarn called Ranco from Araucania:

The first part of the pattern was released on Friday, I was at the beach, so I'd better get knitting. This is the cuff and the next part is released next Friday.

Thank heavens for the stash!

As is usual, all ideas and suggestions have been pushed aside, as well meaning and excellent as they were, for something I managed to find in the stash:

My main problem with all the ideas is the beginning, cream, and the end, black and how these would look. This mostly purple, multi-coloured cone has been used to make one of the lovely machine lace shawls, which have easily disappeared off this years stall. Only a small amount is left, though plenty for this purpose.

I like the final result:

Now, I'm off to wash it and start on the knitting. Have a look at knitspingirl's yarn, what is she going to do?