Death bed vigil

Had a few days in bed with a really nasty cold week before last. My cats are always very pleased to keep me company in these situations, provided there's no coughing. Coughing is an offence to them - they take it as a personal insult.

Made a few sketches of them which was most enjoyable. They move more than you'd think. Also, they're both tortoiseshell so quite difficult to get the shading right. Tabby cats are particularly good to draw as they have their own contour lines. Most helpful of them. I really must put the knitting down and get back to some drawing / printmaking.

Not a hat

Finished my fourth knitting project at the weekend - not a hat this time. This stitch sampler shawl was very satisfying to make and surpringly quick given the size (something like 22,000 stitches - because I have to Count Things).

I've decided that knitting is a bit like playing a musical instrument. Not just the muscle memory aspect but also the changes in rhythm and pattern. When playing the cello, we used to call sections of fast and complicated fingering 'finger knitting'. Maybe that's what I'm thinking about. 

 

Cable frenzy

The knitting goes on. Having a go at cable - this is a bit full on as it's all cable and I'm knitting with two yarns at the same time to make it thicker. Quite hard work. I may end up having the most eccentric yoga mat bag in town...

The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts

 

Six makers - a bladesmith, an embroiderer, a product designer, a cabinet maker, a silversmith and a ceramicist - dressed up in Victorian garb and stuffed into an old house for a month to make items items in the Arts and Crafts style. Using only the tools, processes and materials of the time and trying to recapture Morris's ethos of finding joy and community in work... this is my kind of reality TV. What's not to like? A thoroughly enjoyable series. 

Episode one is no longer available but catch two, three and four here.

Say it with flowers

Here's a simple pop-up I made recently. The flowers and cover are monoprinted front and back.