I know, blogger fail, sorry. Hello if you are still reading my blog!
I have made a decision, that this year, I will be brave and "try crafts"
I call myself a crafter, but really there are only a couple of things I actually do, I want to rectify that.. a bit anyway. (I'm not talking about basket weaving - not that there is anything wrong with basket weaving.. digs self out of hole) SO - to start with, I have been learning to crochet!
ME
CROCHET!!
I am officially the girl who said she would NEVER pick up a ball of wool and think "I must make with this!!" BUT - my friend Rach has been making some beautiful ripple blankets, and granny stripe blankets which has prompted me to retract my previous sweeping statements and actually convince my friend Nathalie to teach me. One night armed with Haribo, wine and her patience (of a saint) she showed me how to do a chain, and then turn, and single crochet...
I was hoping that I would walk away from my lesson with something like this:
instead... obviously I walked away with something resembling this:
BUT I also walked away with the determination to master my found skill... I say skill very loosely by the way- as it took A MILLION attempts till I learned how to turn my work .. but I have happily started to find my rhythm with it - and I am working on my first proper project as we speak... a very simple blanket for a very small person, a gnome perhaps, or for Finlay's favourite bear.... who knows. Here is a quick instagram photo of it as it stood last night.... Soz for lighting - it was like 11pm. aka dark.
It is not just crochet I am doing though, I have rekindled my love of printing - and I wandered to my local curiosity art store and asked non-expectantly if they had lino cutting supplies - and to my glee he said yes. Admittedly the lino appears to be from 1981 and cracks like you would not believe - but - that said, I still managed to carve a couple of designs out of the three pieces I bought. I happen to know that they have easy carve stuff in there too now, so I will be trotting off there at some point to stock up, as I have had lots of fun with these. (Also - lots of nearly cutting my fingers off, and some properly painful injuries, but they were worth it .. kinda..)
BUT I also walked away with the determination to master my found skill... I say skill very loosely by the way- as it took A MILLION attempts till I learned how to turn my work .. but I have happily started to find my rhythm with it - and I am working on my first proper project as we speak... a very simple blanket for a very small person, a gnome perhaps, or for Finlay's favourite bear.... who knows. Here is a quick instagram photo of it as it stood last night.... Soz for lighting - it was like 11pm. aka dark.
It is not just crochet I am doing though, I have rekindled my love of printing - and I wandered to my local curiosity art store and asked non-expectantly if they had lino cutting supplies - and to my glee he said yes. Admittedly the lino appears to be from 1981 and cracks like you would not believe - but - that said, I still managed to carve a couple of designs out of the three pieces I bought. I happen to know that they have easy carve stuff in there too now, so I will be trotting off there at some point to stock up, as I have had lots of fun with these. (Also - lots of nearly cutting my fingers off, and some properly painful injuries, but they were worth it .. kinda..)
Here are three of my little attempts....
After I took this picture, I also took a chunk out the top of my ring fingers.. sob. Oh how we suffer for our 'art' - pretty though - birds in a birch tree! <3
and you know me, I couldn't "not" do a jar!
a herringbone style one for creating backgrounds.
And then I got a bit ambitious...
which provoked me to actually utter a profanity. Or twelve.
and then simplify a huge amount till I was left with this:
which I know is much less grand.. but.. if you will, imagine it with gold ink on a black or purple textured card with some added bling - and you have yourself a little fancy!
So what have you been doing that is new?
Do you fancy trying a new craft this year?
8 comments:
Your post has reminded me how much fun I had lino cutting when we did it at school - might have to give it another go!
OMG i love these carves stamps! Your very talented!
Absolutely fabulous. Love the jar and the paisley
yay well done you on learning to crochet :) I also am learning and I'm doing a granny Square blanket as we speak, it does take a long time but its building up slowly, i also like the fact when you have done one square you feel like you have achieved something big :) Cant wait to see what you make!
Oh man i remember doing lino cutting and inking at school, it was so fun, i love the tree you have done.
much Love Katy xx
You always make me want to try new things! I love the Lino stamps, especially the jar! X
WOW! I haven't seen that stuff since the 80's. Yes, my age is showing.
I'm another one who did lino cutting at school.
We had to draw a picture - not knowing we would have to then lino cut it - and every week we carved out a different layer and re-printed in inks. It took forever!
Oh my that Lino carving is FABULOUS! Well done x x x
Post a Comment