Inspiring textile artists and socks!

I managed to make a start on my new pair of socks, yesterday at SnB. Aren't they bright. I've had to use a smaller size needles than recommended for the wool, 2.5mm fours seem to be as rare as hen's teeth. As they fall between the traditional English sizings (12 and 13) this might explain it.

As usual, I've had trouble deciding on the start. I'm following the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's book 'Knitting Rules' and decided on my cast-on, which varied considerably from her own sizes. This put me in a bit of a tiz...fortunately I decided to go with my measurements and have now decided that all is well. So some happy bright knitting as SnB for awhile.

I also picked up a copy of Craft Arts International (Issue 74) as it does contain several articles on textile artists. This is a love/hate magazine for me. I love it, because it is always beautifully photographed, it's full of craft shown as art, it covers Australia and surrounds. I hate it, because it doesn't always show textiles and currently there seems to be alot of glass and woodwork. Both of which I love, but sometimes a little too much.





There is much to love in this issue, in particular an article on an artist by the name of Nora Fok titled 'Organic wearable forms'. They are stunning. As my final pieces for my diploma of art were inspired by sea creatures, these are particularly relevant to me. They're made of monofilament mostly and are knitted, knotted, woven and dyes. They are outrageously wearable and have inspired me to take another look at my scarves, etc, and see if I can push them a little further.













A profile, again of interest, is on Kim Simon of Fibre Red http://www.fibrered.com.au/ , as she was a contemporary at RMIT where we both were studying our Diploma of Art, both of us very part time. Her clothing is fabulous, I should own a piece before she gets too famous.

Christmas decorations

I have been convinced by those wiser than I, (and lack of sales at the 9x5 market) that I need to make something little for Christmas. Something that people can spend a little bit of money on. Whilst not making my fortune this way, it may make me feel happier on a quiet sales day, especially when there are lots of people!

However, I find it very difficult to contemplate making Christmas trees and cute things. Finally, I started playing with hyperbolic crochet. Basically, starting with a chain or circle, keep increasing to see what you get.

This is my first attempt. The curly thing! has been done before but is quite effective and the other curls in on itself so that I almost get a ball.

My second attempt with green, red and gold was a bit fine and the two colours together, started to look like mud, and nearly a ball.

My last attempt with red and gold gave me a curly thing that is satisfactory, though I want to make one more set of changes to make it a bit more 'mine'.

The balls have evolved into a flatter thing with curls, which is starting to feel quite good.

This is the process of making sure something is going to work and allows me to give things a particular flavour and still make something quite fun and hopefully decorative.

The next part of the process is to get the colours right. A real red, a bright green and white as white. I have lurex in gold, white and silver (can't find the silver...it's somewhere!)

I would also like to make some with beads, but maybe I'll leave that for another time!

Mosaic knitting

The first UFO is finally finished...if only there weren't so many buttons! I've had some good suggestions for a group name...I like a 'fleet of UFO's' or a 'distraction of UFO's'...the only thing I have to say, is that it's still there.

I had leftover yarn from another project and decided to try some Mosaic knitting. It ended up being quite successful, with all that leftover yarn disappearing, there's now only a small ball of cream left and just enough yellow to go into the compost bin, a fine effort!

I did try this stitch at first thinking I would make a scarf, but, of course, the back is fairly unattractive. Making them into these fingerless mittens was just perfect. Using the fairisle idea of only changing one colour at a time ensured that the colours used in each one matched sufficiently to look purposeful, even though the original colours were not chosen to match each other.

Off to the guild today to 'work' in the library. A pleasurable pastime.

Another pair of socks

What happens when you're heading into Summer, we're all knitting socks. Well a few of us at SnB are, here are my finished socks.

They just need some ends sewn in and they'll be wearable. I learnt a new cast off, a knitted Kitchener stitch. I was a bit awkward, as it isn't designed to be used by a Continental knitter, but I'll manage. I was a bit tight, but that's the 'P' work - practice!

Seaweed is endlessly fascinating

I hope you all had a successful flutter on the Melbourne Cup. Two of the four of us managed to pick 2nd and 3rd place getters. Good luck to you if you picked Viewed.

We usually spend the long weekend at the beach, this time managing to get down on Sunday afternoon and staying till Tuesday afternoon. It's always a relaxing atmosphere and I always wonder how to maintain the feeling when I get back to Melbourne..????

Anyway, this was another chance to add to the seaweed collection. Not many different types, though I always love the colours and forms of those I found. A new discovery was, don't do this when walking with someone else...."I thought we were walking.."......"We are, I'm just stopping to take photos...."

Saturday afternoon was Experimental Spinning and we spun with cotton, wrapping it around a core. I love cotton, having spun it a few times. It is challenging because it is such a short fibre, but creating punis (mini-rolags using your hand-carder) or using a core, as we did, makes spinning so much easier. Ginned cotton has a very satisfying texture, being full of lumps and bumps. (Question: I do wonder how cotton is processed to remove these?) The resulting yarn is beautiful and soft.

Off to SnB today, yes, we couldn't miss it for a week!

What is the name for a group of UFO's?

There has to be a name for them, doesn't there.

I'm not talking about the individual UFO's out there. You know....start off knitting that jumper for a significant other, or, in my case, for me, and then you realise that there isn't time in the day for it, if everything else is going to happen, or it's just not working and eventually you'll have to do something....

No, I'm talking about all those, 'gees, that's a good idea, I'll just try that...'. Doesn't matter that they seem to increase daily, or that the deadline to finish something looms. No you'll just have to try it and see.......and before you know it you have....

A great idea for using up those leftover yarns. Just do a little mosaic pattern and change when you run out of yarn, just like in fairisle. Oh, they'll look good as fingerless mittens.

Or, I can't take needles on the airplane, so I'll crochet a background for the crochet and weaving sample. (Yes, Australia is in the dark ages...they took my nailfile!) Maybe that will make an interesting scarf. I do have some lovely yarns to weave.

Or, maybe I'll make another knot scarf with this knot yarn. Oh gee, it's not quite working, so I'll make a reversible lace scarf, but now it needs blocking......WHEN IT'S FINISHED!

And then, finally, there's the one, that's been sitting around for ages. The lovely twisted single, knitted so that there is extra twist, but I can't finish it because, I want to embellish it, but I have no idea what to do, and, if it isn't finished, then I don't have to come up with ANOTHER IDEA!

Back from Sydney

I've come back from an arty weekend in Sydney. Two friends and I went up to see the Woollahra Small Sculpture award, including attending the opening and artist talks, as my friend was an entrant...no, not I.....

It was worthwhile going on many accounts. A beautiful building and a beautiful view. Finding out the winners. I loved the highly commended, but the winner provoked much discussion! The Woollahra Council and Award committee people were very friendly and helpful and seeing all the entrants was worthwhile. I felt that I could make it into this award, I just have to get it right? It was alot of fun attending and supporting my friend, whose work stood out well, including being well displayed...another plus for the organisers.

We also got to be tourists for the weekend, visiting the Gallery of NSW with it's beautiful Monet exhibition, which was well worth a visit, and the permanent collection, including an excellent Contemporary section and some good iconic Australian work.

Took a trip on a ferry. You sort of have to, don't you? Though I think this is more iconic of Sydney in my mind than the big showpieces.

However, you can't go past the Opera house. Though it looks like it needs a bit of a spruce up, it's still amazing and beautiful. Love it.

Great weekend. I'm tired now!