Revisit a past F/O

Bring the fortune and life of a past finished project up to the present. Document the current state and use of an object you have knitted or crocheted, whether it is the hat your sister wears to school almost every day, or a pair of socks you wore until they were full of hole. Or maybe that jumper that your did just didn’t like that much

I have a much loved Denim Jacket that is probably the one item of knitting I have made that has seen more of the world than me. It bears testament to how wonderful recycling can be - made from an old pair of Chris's denim jeans, stash yarn and bits and bobs found in my studio. It was made in 2003 and accepted for that year's Wild Wonderful Wearable exhibition. In 2004 it was accepted by Innovative Threads and spent that year travelling on the exhibition here in SA, in New Zealand and Japan - it also features in the book - Innovative Threads: A Decade of South African Fibre Art  by Lisa Gillespie.

Since then it has travelled with me where ever I go - it's become an old friend... and soon it (or rather an image of it) will be part of an art work made by Jeanette Gilks for our upcoming Fibreworks exhibition  - in Cape Town later this year.

Wild Wonderful Wearable - 2003

the back

close up of one of the panels

close up of the back

A New Skill

I received my spinning wheel as a gift from my husband for my 40th birthday (letting my age out here ;-) and finally learnt to use it properly at a fibre retreat last year. I love spinning - probably as much as I love knitting - but the only problem is a spinning wheel is not that portable.

The new skill I would like to learn is how to spin on a drop spindle. I received a lovely Ashford drop spindle as a gift earlier this year. I have watched people spinning away on them - even total spinning beginners and they all make it look so easy but I just can't seem to get the hang of it - so - I'm looking forward to the next fibre retreat where I aim to learn to to spin that spindle!

This book, "Spin It" looks like a good idea - has anyone read it? If so, let me know what you think of it by leaving a comment here.

One Great Knitter

I've put a lot of thought into todays post because I know many great knitters and many of them are really good friends. Natalia Valentine is one of the best knitters/crocheters/tunisian crocheters I know and if anyone has any question about anything she is the person with the answer. She produces many of the patterns for Stitches n Bears magazine and has written a book on Tunisian Crochet. Heidi, Linda, Sandra and O'dette whom I knit with every week also rate in my list of great knitters. Heidi hates sewing seams and has developed all sorts of ways to avoid them which she happily shares with anyone who wants to learn. She also produces amazing tutorials which can be found on her blog Heidi Bears . Linda knits the most beautiful animals (2 of which I'll be featuring in my upcoming book) and these can be found in her etsy shop - Mamma4earth. Sandra produces the most beautiful  art knitting and O'dette, who only recently started knitting is just a natural. Another great knitter is my very good friend Linda, better known as Sissie. She is an inpiration to everyone.

Here are some of my great knitting friends

The other person who I think deserves mention here is Hazel Hele who produces wonderful wearable art.

Hazel's Grand Canyon

....and the author of one of my favourite books - Debbie New.

I know there was only supposed to be 1 but ... :)

An Inspirational Pattern

When I read what the topic for today's post is, I immediately knew what I was going to write about.There is one pattern or rather technique that I am dying to try out and it'll be one of the first when my book is done. It's Sally Melville's "Knitting as Warp" and can be found in her book - Sally Melville Styles.

I love colour work and really don't mind working complicated fairisle and intarsia with lots of different yarns hanging off my work, but this really appeals to me as it's different. It combines knitting and weaving. The background fabric is knitted - very loosely in stocking stitch - which means fewer stitches and rows than normal knitting to produce the same size, so I imagine that it would work up fairly quickly. Then the fun starts - weaving in the colour work. The pattern is worked from a chart and it is all very clearly explained in the book. Since only one colour at a time can be woven, the process seems fairly simple but the results look amazing.

Shantaram

Hello Friends,

I was awake half the night last night - reading! I received this book as a Christmas gift but put it aside as I had 2 others still to read that belong to a friend and I didn't want to keep them too long. (This is a thick book and has about 900 pages) I haven't read a book like this for quite some time where I feel compelled to just read one more page. I had to wash my face with cold water twice because my eyes were so tired but I needed to read some more.

It is the story of Gregory David Roberts, a convicted armed robber and heroin addict who escapes from an Australian jail and using a fake NewZealand passport runs to Bombay. Here he meets and makes a friend of Prabaker - a tourist guide and various other people. He joins the mafia, becomes a drug and gun runner... and yet it is immediately evident that in spite of  it all he is a truly decent human being.

  I have just started reading it and managed the whole of part one before I just couldn't see to read any more. I'm looking forward to reading some more tonight and having to be very disiplined about not sneaking off for a little read because I know I won't be able to stop.

1000 Artisan Textiles

Hi,

I hope you have had as wonderful a weekend as I have. We have relaxed, laughed, eaten (too much) and just had a lovely time with family and friends.

Also, on Saturday I received an e-mail to tell me that 1000 Artisan Textiles is now available. Some time ago a number of Fibreworks members submitted work for inclusion in this book and I sent off photos of quite a few different pieces. I was later informed that 3 of my works had been chosen to be included. I don't know yet which 3 and can't wait for my copy to arrive.

If any one would like to order the book it is available from Amazon - just click on the link. As far as I know, Amazon.com still doesn't deliver to SA so I will also be adding the book to my online shop http://www.colourspun.com/ for anyone in SA who would like to order a copy. Look out for it there from tomorrow.