How much yarn is enough?

If I had enough yarn to knit for 46 years, three months, and eleven days I would be very happy.

Wise words from Liz on this wonderful video from The Panoptican.

Patterns...

At the Anni Albers exhibition there were displays of her sketchbooks. Pages of carefully crafted patterns giving an insight in to how she worked. There were pages filled with repeated typewriter letters, meticulous shapes drawn on graph paper and holes delicately pricked with a needle. On first glance these seem easy to do, but having the creativity and the plan to create compositions of these takes real skill. I attempted recreating some of these patterns, I really like how the direction that the paper is pricked creates a different effect. Beautiful and effective.

Googly Eyes!

I saw this fantastic thread on Craftster, where objects had googly eyes added to them. It seems to me that this makes everything look better. I was inspired to dig out some eyes and join in the fun.
Some of these photos are from Doune castle of Monty Python and the Holy Grail fame. Nearby we saw these adorable lambs.
And the Op Art baby blanket... It is coming along, I have switched to the 80cm cable and am now about 15,000 stitches in.

8000 stitches down. 30,000 plus to go...

On Saturday I cast on for Op Art baby blanket by Melissa Dominguez available from Knitty, as a gift for some friends and their expected new arrival. The first two rows are quite fiddly - what with working in the round, increasing stitches, changing colours and all with only four stitches cast on. It soon gets much easier, and with 4 increases each row it is rapidly growing.
However I am now at the point where each row is 250+ stitches, so it is starting to take a little longer. I calculate that I have done over 8000 stitches.
To reach the small size I need another 30,000 stitches, and for the big size another 90,000 stitches! I can see why many of the reviews of the pattern on Ravelry suggest that you get sick of the blanket towards to end. I am using Sirdar Snuggly in Pixie and Baby bear colours as it is for a little boy. I started out using Pony double pointed 20cm bamboo needles, but have treated myself to Knit Pro interchangeables from the lovely Yarn Cake. The circulars are making life much easier and hopefully I will get the blanket finished before their baby is due!

New Lanark

New Lanark is a special place. Robert Owen was ahead of his time, one of the founders of socialism and the cooperative movement. His influence can be seen today in education, health, well-being and workers rights. The Falls of Clyde are as magnificent today as there were when Turner and Wordsworth viewed them. A very inspiring visit.

Mr Lemon compliments you!

In a wander around Plan B books a comic entitled 'I love dinosaurs, and they love me' caught my eye. It is by the very talented Lizz Lunney. I found myself purchasing another of her titles online and got a rather fetching free sticker!
PS, if anyone ever spent their childhood drawing silly glasses and moustaches on newspapers and magazines, then the annotated weekender is for you.

A-maize-ing!

Today Oscar had some sweetcorn.
I took far too many photos.
And Mr Crafty showed me how to sew it all together.
Enjoy!

Anni Albers exhibition

Anni Albers was one of the most important textile artists of the 20^th century. From her early days studying at the Bauhaus, to her printmaking in later life, Albers created exciting new works, pushed boundaries and evaluated how we look at objects around us. As the first ever weaver to have a solo exhibition at MoMA, Albers also helped to raise the presence of textiles as art. Last month I visited the Dovecot gallery in Edinburgh to see the 'Inspired by: the legacy of Anni Albers' exhibition. This exhibition itself contains two separate entities. Firstly an introduction to the work of Anni Albers. An insight in to her methods of working, examples of her textiles, prints and jewellery. The samples and sketches fascinated me, a real peek into her starting blocks for creating.

The second room, looked at how contemporary textile artists are inspired by Albers, confirming her lasting legacy as an innovative and inspiring artist. There was an amazing triaxal weave by Laura Thomas. The complementary colours of yellow and aubergine draw you to this piece and it reminded me of quilted tumbling blocks or entralac knitting.
The bold colours of the Wallace Sewell cloth jump out, it is as if Paul Smith and tartan have collided.
Whilst an installation called Sanctums by Fiona Mathison distorts the senses. A forest of vertical poles with horizontal wrappings fill a space, whilst boxes on the wall contain small tapestries and mirrors.
As I looked closer to the tapestries, I found myself feeling as if I was a contained within this special place. And, inspiringly, it made me want to find the time to weave.

Darkly Crafted Fairytales...

If you go down to the Virgina Gallery today, you're sure of a big surprise... An amazing show inspired by fairy tales and folklore. Including some wonderful crochet creatures by Judy van Button. A spider sitting on its web, a wolf, an owl and even a sloth!
Check out Judy's website for more fantastic crochet. Also on display was a beautiful knitted lace red riding hood by Ashley Holdsworth of Make it Glasgow.
The show is on till the end of the month, check it out if you can!

Good advice...

Last night we went to see the very funny & very lovely Josie Long. She not only gave out free zines with some great advice...
She also finished the gig in a beer garden nearby after running over time. Now that is being honourable.