The Last Hurrah - Votives

 A few weeks ago I went to the last workshop to be held by Fibre Arts Australia in Ballarat. I have been going to these workshops for many years and have enjoyed them so much. It was full of fun and joy as participants came together to celebrate the end of an era. 

The Banksia Tree, my first project, made with Banksia cones, a rock, rusted wire and some blackbirds cut out ply from a box of offcuts.

The workshop that I attended was Votives with Gordon Bain. We were encouraged to make figurative works and to use recycled material where possible. This piece was a tree made with little crucibles that were thrown away by a school. Each piece was inserted into a hole that was drilled into an old stick. The figure was made with off cuts of ply and painted.

Some more ply figures made with off cuts 

Birds are a favourite subject matter and often appear in my work

It is a tradition of the event for the class to make an artwork for auction on the the final evening. The class project was a vase of flowers made with simple flowers shapes cut from scrap ply, painted and mounted onto springy wire and inserted into the repurposed piece of fence post. Each person made three flowers for the vase.

More ply fun, a vase shaped wall piece with flowers

Participants who had attended ten or more events were encouraged to bring the first thing and the last 

My first class was in 2011, Steampunk Fashion with Kerri Toose. I made several garments, this pinafore was made with recycled men’s suit jackets and incorporated a draped skirt made with Ponti jersey. The book was made in April 2024 in a class with Seth Apter. The white sculpture was made in a class with Jade Peglar in 2012.  

I swapped the tunic for this machine embroidery. 

This was a gift from Glenys Mann, the powerhouse behind Fibre Arts Australia. Whilst it is disappointing that these events have come to an end it is important to celebrate what was and look to the future as Fibre Arts Australia takes a different format and direction.

A Tale of Two Knits

 

It started with this. The Voyage cardigan from Wool & Pine Designs. I was making great progress and had got up to the steeking.

Blocked and ready to steek or cut apart. My first attempt at steeking, surprisingly straightforward 

Cut apart and tried on before knitting the sleeves and neckband.

And then I decided to do a ‘test knit’ for a designer. There was a short turn around time to get the knit finished so I started this one.

A fabulous knit for Winter in Aran weight possum and merino blend. The design is an interesting wrapped stitch that creates A lot of texture in the knit.

Finally, it was back to the colourwork. Great to get it finished.

Found & Gathered, A Workshop with Seth Apter

 It has been a couple of weeks since this workshop but life intervenes and I guess better late than never. Another fabulous workshop as part of the Autumn program at Fibre Arts Australia. I find these week long intensive classes very inspiring and relish the opportunities that the program provides.

Seth is a mixed media artist from New York, here demonstrating. Lots of techniques covered in the class.

The plan was to produce a book, which was actually a collection of smaller books contained within a book. First up was the creation of papers, complex and layered papers utilising a variety of techniques 

My first papers, a definite grunge aesthetic.

Then onto creating pages and books

Once I had several small books made I could assemble my outer book. This was designed to have a found door hinge wired to the spine, an internal wrap to contain the individual books.

Then onto adding to the pages utilising even more layers of collage, stamp, stitch and ephemera

A tradition of the retreat is the creation of a class project that is auctioned for charity. Our project was for each participant to create a page that would be incorporated into a series of book structures. The first image is the collection and the second is mine. I called it Walk Around Lake Wendouree. It is hard to see the reeds that are partly attached and add a dimension to the work.

All to soon it was over and it was time for the group photo.

 

When You Lose Your Mojo

‘Have you lost your mojo ?’ a friend enquired, you haven’t put anything on your blog for ages she said. I have been absent from this space for quite some time for no particular reason. So I thought about what I had been doing and decided that my absence has been largely due to a major remodelling my garden.

Something pretty before the destruction

I decided to remove the English box hedge. It was more than thirty years old but required a lot of pruning to keep it to a height that matched the scale of the garden. I loved the formal design element but having had some issues with my back and shoulders I decided it was time for something a little easier to manage. 

It was definitely a major exercise and was done over a period of several weeks. With the parterre / hedge gone  we are focussing on some soil improvement  and developing a new design.

From this to this

With all of this destruction the cooking was definitely a low priority and more a case of cooking what was quickest and easiest. An exception was the making of my grandson’s birthday cake. 

A cardboard Titanic sinking into a chocolate mud cake sea with marshmallow and white chocolate icebergs.

Lots of knitting, more about these another time.

And some more from the garden, despite all of the destruction there are still some very pretty pockets of flowers and green.

Stash Busting

 Whilst not absolutely essential I feel that it would be good to use up some of my stash. Like most knitters I have been known to have an impulse shop, often attracted to a yarn for the colour or maybe perceived bargain qualities. Variegated yarns have always caught my eye, especially hand dyed yarns. Often purchased as a souvenir of a trip, however, it is usually only a small purchase and one or two skeins is not enough for a garment. Enough for a scarf or mittens but I never get around to knitting them.

 In recent times I have been more disciplined and only buy yarn in amounts sufficient for a sweater or cardigan. These two yarns are examples of this. The variegated yarn was purchased last year on a holiday in Western Australia, a totally unexpected find in a bookshop that had a sideline in yarn and the grey mohair from a shop that was closing down. Enough of both to make a cardigan.

So the swatching was done and I didn’t like the lace type pattern and make the decision to just knit the cardigan in stocking stitch.

I tried the garment on at the point of picking up the stitches for the sleeves and was pleased with the fit. I knit one sleeve and tried it on again but didn’t like the dropped shoulder sleeve. I unpicked the sleeve and opted to make the cardigan into a vest.

Very pleased with this and anticipate lots of wear when the weather cools, Australian summers are too hot to get into warm knitwear.

Is a Goal a Resolution?

 New Year has arrived and I always get the same question… Made a resolution? I am not one for resolutions as such but last year I set myself a goal for 2023 - that I would knit six jumpers/sweaters or cardigans. I only knit for myself and usually a garment. I have no need for mitts, gloves, beanies, socks or  scarves, so much as I might like to make them I know that they will sit in the cupboard unworn. I knit all year round and just about every day even if just a row or two and try to make the most of spare moments, tv time or when a passenger in the car. This is my year of knits.

Knit number 7. My most recent knit was  challenge. I used a worsted weight yarn instead of the suggested double knit and did some scaling down of the pattern, this was mostly successful except for the sleeves which were looser than I like so I unpicked and scaled the sleeves down to the style and shape that I prefer. I like this pattern a lot so am considering knitting it again in the weight of yarn specified in the pattern. The pattern is by Tomomi Yoshimoto and knit in Nua worsted from Stolen Stitches. These photos were taken on a road trip before it was fully finished and blocked. Now blocked but put away for Winter.

There are times when the garment does not suit me or doesn’t fit as it should, when this happens I usually gift it to someone rather than undo it and reknit. The exception to this would be if the yarn was extra special. This was the case with my first knit for the year. I really loved the pattern and was a little disappointed when it was finished, the style and drape was just not suitable for my busty/curvaceous body. Fortunately my friend and neighbour Patsy thought it would be perfect for her early morning walks with the dogs.

Pattern is the Twisted Loop Sweater by Otherloops and knit in double knit from Bendigo Woolen Mills.

Knit number two.  Another that I didn’t like on me. My friend Tina likes it and is happy to wear it. Adapted from the Waterlands pattern by Lotta Lothgren and knit in double knit from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

Knit number Three. A variation of one of my favourite patterns , Doocot by Kate Davies and knit in double knit from Bendigo Woollen Mills. I wanted a sweater that I could wear over a dress so opted for a cropped version and a split in the front. I finished the bands with an Icord edge.

Knit number 4. Another version of Doocot and using up odds and ends from my stash.

Knit number 5. Oscail cardigan from Stolen Stitches. I love all the different cables. Both the pattern and yarn were part of the Celtic Knits Club purchased from Stolen Stitches. I will be participating again this year.

Knit number 6  Another from Stolen Stitches. Galanta Sweater. Pattern and yarn from Stolen Stitches as a Knit Along.

I also knit the yoke for this sweater. This was my original knit number 2 but I knew it would be too open in the neck for me. I was happy to gift the yolk rather than pull it out.

And started but will not be finished for awhile. All the crafting, cooking and celebrating for December has slowed my progress. I managed seven finished knits for 2023 so well and truly achieved my goal. My goal for 2024 is to knit with no specific number of garments planned but to use up some of my (extensive) yarn stash including this fabulous collection of yarns.

My Advent Calendar from Kate Davies Designs, 24 mini skeins of Millarochy Tweed, all different colours and an e book of patterns. Good fun and something I will do again if it is offered.