Quilt in Clarens

Hi Everyone,

This past weekend was spent in Wakkerstroom at the Natural Fibre Fair - an amazing amount of fun! It was very well attended and I came home with some beautiful things. I bought a fabulous handbag and bangles from Jenni de la Hunt and Machel Erasmus,some some sari silk ribbon from Jandri Barnard that will find itself in a weaving project in a future Stitches issue and I also got some 100% local cashmere and an invite to visit the farm!  The B&B, Laventaba, was lovely and Wendy a perfect hostess (and they have a cat that moves furniture!!!)  I'm looking really forward to the next one.

Next on the agenda is Quilt in Clarens. This takes place from the 10th - 14th July 2012 and is always a wonderful winter breakaway. There are lots of interesting workshops and vendors and exhibition, besides all the little shops and galleries that make up Clarens!

Here's the scedule and to find out more about each individual workshop, check the Quilt in Clarens FB page

There is a registration fee of R40.00 and workshops cost R280.00 for full day and R140.00 for half day.

To book contact: Alae on 0825772232 or e-mail quiltinclarens@gmail.com

10 JULY 2012 - TUESDAY  Stained Glass Quilt - Doortjie Gersbach - Full day Four Ladies - Trix de Jager - Full day Hearts Runner - Susam Strydom - Full day  My World - Small Landscapes - Mari Strydom - Full day Picture Quilts -Liezel van Aswegen - Full day Wool Embroidery on Felt - Dana Biddle - Full day   Afghan Crochet Beginners - Louria Blignaut - Morning   Crochet Beginners - Louria Blignaut - Afternoon

Wakkerstroom Natural Fibre Handcraft Fair

This year, the FOURTH ANNUAL WAKKERSTROOM NATURAL FIBRE HANDCRAFT FAIR will be held on SATURDAY 24th MARCH 2012 in the Wakkerstroom NG Church Hall from 9.00 a.m. - 2.00 p.m. 

There will be weaving, spinning, embroidery, lace making, quilting, creative knitting, felting and much more on display with many vendors selling their natural fibre wares. Delicious homemade refreshments will be available as well as secure parking. (Entrance fee: R5.00)

In addition to the demonstrations, this year there will also be various workshops to choose from.     

For workshop requirements and bookings please phone the appropriate teacher. Numbers are limited per workshop – so PLEASE book early.

1.     Weaving with Luise Duke Tel: 082 870 4335

Workshop: DIAGONAL WEAVING A 3 hour class from 10.00am to 1.00pm  

Level: Beginner upwards 

Cost: R200.00 including weaving frame kit.

Wonderful for stash busting and much easier than you’d ever imagine – when you know how! All you need is an assortment of yarn, scissors and a wool needle.

A weaving frame kit will be provided. 

2.     Knitting (freestyle) techniques with Dana Biddle Tel:016 349 2949 / 083 268 5856 or email dana@colourspun.com

Workshop:  FREE STYLE KNITTING A 3 hour class from 2.30 to 5.30pm

Level: Intermediate (must be able to cast on, pick up stitches, knit, purl, increase, decrease and cast off)

Cost R150.00

Freestyle, freeform, crazy, wild – the no rules, do as you please kind of knitting and crochet that uses up all your little bits and makes use of all sorts of other fibre techniques to create one of a kind, never to be repeated works of art.    All you need are knitting needles, a crochet hook, a darning needle, all sorts of yarn and your imagination. 
 

3.     Felting with Erica Cheetham Tel:011 673 4517

Workshop: BEGINNERS FELTING A 5 hour class 

Level: Beginner

Cost: R160.00 including kit

Within the 5 hours that are allocated for this course, the participants will learn the wet felting methods by making felted balls which then can be strung into a necklace,  a small bag or cell phone pouch with a strap. I shall also introduce needle felting, making a small face (doll size) of a person or an animal.

4.     Embroidery with Leonora Cloete Tel:011 764 1497 /  082 371 3433 or e-mail sugarbushstudio@hotmail.com

Workshop 1. RIBBONS AND ROSES GREETING CARD A quick 90 minute class  

Level:  Beginner upward. 

Cost: R100.00 including kit

 This simple yet stunning card will teach you how to recreate beautiful roses, leaves, using pure silk ribbon.  And as a bonus, show how to make memorable greeting cards. Should card making not be your forte – have your beautiful design framed to hang onto a wall or have it framed to make a trinket box?  Once you have mastered the ancient art of Embroidery, the world is your oyster and the possibilities are endless. You will be taught how to make spider roses correctly, shape leaves beautifully using a 7mm wide ribbon, sew smooth satin leaf stitch leaves, do a back stitch, work with rayon, and sew on beads!

Workshop 2. SILK EMBROIDERED COAT HANGER  A 3 Hour Course 

Level:  Beginner upward.

Cost: R200.00 including kit

All too often we run out of hanging space, but still enjoy producing embroideries for us to enjoy. These delightful Coat Hangers are almost too beautiful to hang clothes over, but they will certainly brighten your special garments in your wardrobe. Need a gift for the person that has it all? This is certainly a thoughtful and meaningful gift for family and friends. The print can worked in several ways, each method adding its own charm and elegance. You are encouraged to use up threads and ribbons available in your own floss box, or be adventurous and try out new materials on the market. Allow your imagination to run free.  Suitable for all levels of embroidery.

                                                                                 

5.     Quilting (traditional patchwork) with Irene Florence Tel: 084 747 7522

Workshop: ENGLISH PAPER PIECING A 3 hour class from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Level: Beginner (for someone who has never done patchwork.)

Cost: R120.00 including kit

English Paper piecing is a time honoured technique dating back to at least 1813. It’s a wonderful simple method for constructing intricate quilts with lots of perfectly matched points.

We will be using this method to make a little bag – a kit will be provided.

6.     Creative fibre with wools and silk with Elaine Barnard Tel:084 556 0699

Workshop: CREATIVE BEADS A 5 hour class from 9.00 to 11.00am and 12.00 to 3.00pm 

Level: All 

Cost: R220.00 including kit

 Any person with a sense of adventure is welcome. A basic knowledge of sewing is all you need. You will be taught to make a variety of exquisite fabric beads in new and innovative ways .Silk fabric, un-carded Sari silk threads and wool will also be used. These beads can be worn or used as embellishment on knitting, felting, clothing , cushions, quilts or handbags .

If you have any friends who you think will be interested, please share this info with them.
Hope to see you there.

Future Shorts Film Festival South Africa

• The Future Shorts Festival is the first ever global pop-up festival, showcasing the most exciting short films from around the world. The festival currently takes place in 142 cities in 54 countries and comprises a worldwide audience of more than half-million people, on and offline.  Kris Biddle, Jo Theron and the guys from The Bioscope Independent Cinema are bringing the festival to Jo'burg. Be a part of it and Join us on the 29th Jan 2012, at The Bioscope Independent Cinema (www.thebioscope.co.za) for an afternoon of award winning Short Films. Screenings will be at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm Details: 6 Short Films per Screening Running time: Approx. 180min Entrance is R50/person For more info visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Future-Shorts-South-Africa/277007402362217 For those who want to make a day of it, why not head out for a morning at the Market on Main (www.marketonmain.co.za) @ Arts on Main before joining us for show time.

The Bioscope Independent Cinema

286 Fox Street, 2094 Johannesburg, South Africa

View Map · Get Directions

I CAN make shoes....

..... sandals actually :)

Here's the first pair I've made using the instructions from Amanda's e-book "Sandal making for beginners" . Finding the supplies was easy and I didn't even have to go to the city,  managing to buy everything in Heidelberg, except buckles which I decided not to use.

The rubber for the soles and the leather-board for the insoles is quite difficult to cut but if you let it bend over a bit it's not so bad. The man at the shoe repair shop suggested using a craft knife but the scissors were easier and more accurate. I also added an extra little heel cut out of the sole rubber so that they are not completely flat. Instead of leather for the straps I used cotton fabric and sewed 2 pieces together for each strap to give them extra body and strength. Since there was nobody to help mark the position of the straps, the masking tape came in very handy as did clothes pegs to help squeeze them together when the soles were finally glued on.

This pair took me a couple of days to make because they were made inbetween dyeing yarn, working on magazine projects, lots of  after the holidays catch ups on the phone..... but in reality they should only take and hour or two.

I'm really pleased with this first pair, they're very comfortable and easy to walk in and I'll definately be making more.

Hurry up with the "Ballet Pumps for Beginners" Amanda, I can't wait to make some of those too!

Make your own sandals

This last week has just flown past! Nicole, my friend, has been over from London and I have been teaching her to spin yarn, make felt and dye yarn - so we've been having FUN

She arrived wearing an amazing pair of sandals - that she made herself!

They are the first pair she ever made and are constructed from recycled fabric from an old pair of denims, an old T-shirt and dress.

The instructions for the sandals can be found in an e-book called "Sandal making for Beginners" by Amanda Luisa which is available from I CAN make shoes and there is a new e-book due for release in early 2012 called "Ballet Pumps for Beginners" - I'm waiting for that one!

Amanda also presents workshops so check on her website for what, where and when.

Here are some more sandals that Nicole has made using recycled old clothes.

So People - lets all make our own sandals and shoes!



Crochetnit

I am about to upload a pattern for a luxurious bath mat onto Ravelry (find it here )

The  bath mat has a crochenit centre and knit edging.

Crochetnit is a wonderfully quick and easy technique that is similar to tunisian crochet, except that the work is turned for the return row and so a double ended hook is needed. (Double hook needles or double end crochet hooks – are long afghan crochet hooks with the same size hook on each end designed to produce a firm, double faced fabric usually in 2 different colours. These hooks can be ordered from ColourSpun.)

 Although the front and back are not quite exactly the same, they look similar enough to make the work reversible.

Right side

Other side

 Cro-hooking, cro-knitting, double hook crochet, crochet on the double are all names given to this technique. You will notice that if worked in 2 colours one side will be predominately colour A and the other side will be predominately colour B.

 Maria Olma was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1920 and learned to crochet at a very young age. She immigrated to the US in 1943 and became Mary Middleton. In 1970 a friend showed her a baby afghan she had made with a double hook needle. Mary was intrigued and realised the technique was similar to the afghan stitch she learnt as a girl. She showed a number of others; who wanted to learn the technique. A craft shop asked her to give lessons and booked the classes – one lady cancelled because she didn’t want to buy a hook and pay for a lesson to learn just one stitch. This prompted Mary to develop more stitches and start a company called Crochenit. This is now the popular term for work done on a double hook needle.

This block is worked in basic Crochenit stitch.

Start with a foundation chain using colour A.
The first row will be a pick up row – still using colour A.
Turn your work and slide along to end – join new colour (you will now have yarn on both ends of your work)
The second row will be a cast off row – using colour B
The third row will be a pick up row – using colour B
Turn your work and cast off with colour A.

 You will need:

2 balls of yarn in different colours –colour A and colour B
1 double hook needle in a size to suit your yarn (Note- you will need a bigger size hook than knitting needle to produce a soft fabric)

 Instructions

Start with a crochet foundation chain of 20 + 1 – 21 chain using colour A

Row 1:

Cast on row: Insert hook into the second chain from the hook, *wrap the yarn (from back to front) over the hook and pull through leaving the new loop on the hook; insert the hook into the next chain* repeat from *to* to end

Turn work and slide to end of needle, using colour B make a slip knot and place on needle

Cast off row: pull the slip knot through the first loop on the hook;* wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook* repeat from *to* until there is only one loop left on the hook.

Row 2:

Cast on row: Insert the hook into the second vertical bar of the previous row, *wrap the yarn over the hook and pull the loop through leaving the new loop on the hook; insert the hook into the next vertical bar* repeat from *to* to end

Turn work and slide to the end of needle; take up colour A

Cast off row: wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first loop on the hook;* wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook* repeat from *to* until there is only one loop left on the hook.

Row 3:

Cast on row: Insert the hook into the second vertical bar of the previous row, *wrap the yarn over the hook and pull the loop through leaving the new loop on the hook; insert the hook into the next vertical bar* repeat from *to* to end

Turn work and slide to the end of needle; take up colour B

Cast off row: wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first loop on the hook;* wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook* repeat from *to* until there is only one loop left on the hook.

Repeating Rows 2 and 3; work 16 more rows then work a row of single crochet and end off.

Darn in ends.

 There is nothing stopping you from using only one colour or a different colour at every turn or even for each cast on and each cast off row – use your imagination and have fun!

Colonial Knots

Hi Everyone,

It's the last day of this year and I am spending it in my studio :)

When I woke up this morning I decided to have a lazy day in my PJ's in my studio. Well I'm in my PJ's and in my studio and it's turning out to be a not so lazy day - I'm really busy having fun!

I have been busy putting some of my knitting patterns onto Ravelry - you can find them here, and I'll be adding more soon.

I also had a request for a "Colonial Knot" tutorial today, in response to my post on Knit Buttons and so here goes:

Since I'm left handed, this is the way it would look doing it the left handed way. If you're right handed, here is a right handed tutorial.

 1. Bring your thread through to the right side of your work

 2. Holding your thread in your right hand,

put your needle under the thread from the right hand side

 3. Now bring your thread over the needle and then under

the point from the left hand side.

The thread forms a "figure 8"

 4. Push the point of your needle back into the fabric in

 the same place you brought your thread through to

the right side 

 5. Pull your thread tight around your needle and hold it

while you push the needle through the fabric and then pull

all the thread through to form a

Colonial Knot

I've used fabric and thread here but these can be worked very successfully on your knitting using yarn.

Enjoy!