Change - an exhibition for Environmental Sustainability

 As part of my residency at Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, I was invited to put in my large work, 'Water' into the exhibition 'Change'. I was very happy to accept and we'll add further pieces and have it grown throughout the exhibition. A statement about the amount of plastic and in relation to the exhibition, how we have to change the way we view water, the most vital of all substances.

It was very exciting as I'd had my eye on the open window which is part of the gallery and that is what was proposed. Hanging my 8m piece so that it's in the main foyer as well as in the gallery. It looks good. 

Plastic exploration - an artist residency

 Well it's finally started. Delayed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic but finally, I'm installed in the Mungga artist studio 1  at the Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub. Mungga means 'to make' in the Woiwurrung language, so nice to be part of the whole exciting hub.

The idea is to continue weaving with plastic, creating new works, but in particular, 3D works. I'm going to collect materials from the local Ivanhoe shopping precinct. I'll be there for the whole of July and propose to work Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with the alternating Saturdays and Sundays. There are workshops planned. In addition, as a bonus, my big work 'Water' is to be part of the exhibition 'Change' which is in the Loft exhibition space. It should be an exciting install.

Day 1 was really about shifting in and trying to make the space look interesting. I did some repair work on 'Water' and just found my way around. It feels nice to have a space to myself where there are big tables to work on and space for the looms and materials.

Day 2 I spent adding more 2m woven plastic lengths to the already 8m of 'Water'. Big takeaway of the day was how slow I'm working! Did get faster though, so it's probably just early days, but I do want to achieve something this week.

I love the people that have dropped in already, it's lovely seeing how people perceive your work. Also interesting what you learn from them. My never-ending nylon thread was probably used for the hems in garments....why didn't I think of that!

The Best Colourwork Pattern book I've ever seen

 I found a reference to a beautiful sweater by Kirsti Braein and found it on Ravelry where I discovered I could on get the pattern in a book....so I bought it...

There are so many interesting patterns. The problem with the book is that while the photographs are beautiful they don't always give you the best view of the jumper. 

These are some of the beautiful patterns, that have reasonable pictures. Many have very elaborate trims like peplums which can be removed and the main body extended, making very wearable garments.

The big issue with them for me, or perhaps the challenge, is that many of them use steeking for necks and armholes. (Steek: knit a tube and CUT holes for the neck and armholes!!!) I've never done this before, so I might do a simpler one first, using up some of my red wool.

Starting more projects: recycling this time

 I just seem to need to keep moving, so I've started two new projects. They involve me sorting out my wardrobe and seeing if I can come up with new garments from things that are worn out, no longer fit or no longer feel good to wear. I've picked up two pairs of jeans and some brown pants. 

The idea is to unpick them, cut them into squares and sew them up into a new piece of fabric and make them into a new pair of pants. So far all I've done is unpick them, I'm on the last pair of jeans. I just unpick the inside leg and the crotch. This gives me a flat fabric. I've also removed the waste bands, maybe to make a waistband for the pants. The next phase is to cut them into squares, at the moment I'm thinking about 10cm square.

The second project means creating a brand new piece of clothing from weaving thrums. These are the waste ends of a warp. I've had a warp from since I graduated from RMIT and my studio textiles course, that's 15 years ago. But it was a great warp and there was alot left. 

Someone mentioned that there's a Japanese technique called 'Zanshi'. I googled it and basically it is tying the warp ends together and using them to weave a new fabric. Trust the Japanese to come up with a beautiful technique to use what we would call waste. Anyway, I've started winding into balls, this warp.

I'm about half way through. Fortunately, when I took the warp off, I did it so it is in sections. When I've finished I'll be winding a sample length warp in fine black wool and see what will work best with this yarn as weft. I'm looking at twills, the more complex the better. I'll warp up my 16-shaft table loom and see what I can get.

Unfinished projects

So many unfinished projects, I seem to start and stop losing my mojo....until now. 

Have finally caught up with Stuart and Shannon in the park with an afternoon picnic lunch with all the others also picnicing. I remembered the jumper I started, having done the back and one sleeve. Because of the rib, I couldn't decide if it was too big or too small......All's good, it fits exactly as he would like it.

It's a pattern from 'The Knitter' magazine. (Issue 150) One of the magazines I bought during 2020 to add to the pile. That's how I passed the time, buying magazines. Now they sit at the front door, ready to take to my local knitting group to give away, when we can meet again. I didn't really want them all. At least I found this jumper for Stuart.

I did have to make several adjustments. The main adjustment was not to use the 10ply yarn recommended and select an 8 ply from the Bendigo Woollen Mills range. 10ply is just to hot for our climate and for my hot running boys.

It's a simple calculation if you do a tension swatch and have all the measurements.

I'm happy to be back knitting for Stuart. After that's finished there's an exciting challenge for Michael's next jumper.

Weaving with Plastic

 So... I'm supposed to start my residency at the Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub in October. Even though vaccinations are progressing, our 'road map' doesn't seem to provide for enough opening for me to be able to do that. It's still not confirmed in any way and I don't expect it to for a little while. However, I need to do a little weaving 'just in case'. It also means that I get the current warp off my loom and I can think of a new project for October.

So I've started weaving my little plastic rugs. These are to form an installation that, basically, echoes the rugs used in a yurt and I hoped to figure out a way to hang them in a circle. I was to do two off the current nylon warp and then collect materials from the shops in Ivanhoe for the remaining completed during my residency.

So I started on the first one, which is a simple tabby weave with whatever plastic I have to hand.

And, I've finished...

Plastic is difficult to handle and the finished piece was cut-off before starting the next. This was mostly because of the bulk, but I wanted to reset the warp so that it wove easily.

The second 'rug' is using rya knots to create a rug with more texture. It's slower, but is interesting to weave. You certainly work out why, down the centuries, young small fingers have been exploited to weave these type of rugs.

Each one is only a metre long, so hopefully I can finish this, this week. 

Using up leftovers

This month (September) we experimented with 4ply cable yarns for our online Experimental Spinning session. Four ply cable yarns are basically two singles overplyed together,  twice, then the two resulting overplyed yarns are plyed together in the opposite direction.

A video that was recommended on the day is Wool n' Spinning presents Cabled Yarn by Rachel Smith. Lots of good information and hints.

I decided to use up some leftovers and came up with these yarns.

I was quite happy, so did a bit of a deep dive into my leftovers and came up with these:

And I finished with these yarns:

I made mostly 4ply cable yarns, but I did have a S spun single that I added to the end bits of my plying creating a few 3ply yarns. All sorts of matching yarns. They do need washing as the singles I've used are quite old.

I'm very happy with all of these and they'll end up being used in the mitred square rug that I've been working on. I've stopped that for the moment as I've run out of little bits of handspun yarn and I really should be moving on to other projects. It has been a bit of a distraction, however pleasant, and I should get on with Stuart's jumper and weaving the plastic rugs for my residency in Ivanhoe.