Things are quietly busy round here. Like my garden, I’ve been growing and rooting creative projects behind the scenes through winter; soon everything will be blossoming and I’ll be able to tell you all about it! In the meantime, while the fruits of the (creative projects) garden are still fattening on their vines, what I […]
Postcards from my garden
How are you and what’s the weather like there? Here it’s been gusting wind all day, and all through the night. Banging the windchime my brother made for me, blowing over my plastic greenhouse, making pots and anything not tied down or buried scutter along the ground. With the wind comes a welcome mood of […]
Alma Thomas
When I was working on ideas for the Balance for Better Blanket along with the team at KDD&Co., I became especially interested in the work of Abstract American Painter, Alma Thomas. To fit the square but in-the-round format of our Square Share template, I focused on Alma Thomas’s painting, Resurrection, which was painted in 1966 […]
Geta Brătescu – A Game of Forms
Lately I have been thoroughly obsessed with an amazing book which documents “Game of Forms” – the last large project of pioneering Romanian artist, Geta Brătescu. In “Game of Forms” Geta cuts out shapes – “drawing with scissors” – and then arranges these shapes in different configurations, producing artworks in series. Geta’s productive play reveals […]
My Body Model
A few years ago I excitedly stumbled upon the Kickstarter campaign for MyBodyModel. Erica Schmitz, the project founder, had come up with the brilliant idea to develop software which would turn *actual body measurements* into proportionate fashion drawings, with which to better visualise outfits or prospective sewing/knitting/crochet projects. I have always struggled to accurately perceive […]
Knits of 2020
With huge immediate uncertainties about the COVID pandemic and the unknown impact of BREXIT, I’m finding that time feels very strange at the moment. At the end of 2020, I felt burnt-out and dispirited, and had the unsettling simultaneous sensation of the year having dragged on and on, AND a big question around where all […]
Back to School
There’s a definite chill in the air; the conkers are starting to drop and, this morning, the soft smoky smell of a bonfire from a garden several houses down from ours filled me with the unmistakeable feelings of AUTUMN. My usual back-to-school feelings associated with this time of year feel more intense than in other […]
A profusion of glorious music
Something I’ve wanted to write about since I started editing my first online course, is the amazing music which I’ve used throughout the videos, all of which was created by one prolific, thoughtful and inventive musician: Rrrrrose (formerly Monplaisir)/Loyalty Freak Music. If you’ve ever listened to any of my podcasts you’ll know I approach the […]
Wild & Woolly Knit 15
Do you remember the Balance for Better Blanket project on which I collaborated with the amazing team at KDD & Co. last year? It was formally recognised by International Women’s Day as an example of best practice, and it’s one of my favourite projects to date because it speaks to friendship; collaboration; creativity; stranded colourwork; […]
I Love My Chickens
Yesterday we went for a big walk along the canal to one of my favourite spots, near Theale, but quite a few folk were out and about enjoying the fresh spring air and I confess it left me feeling rather anxious about leaving the house again today. So, instead of going for a Sunday walk, […]