Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Those blackbirds look like knitting needles trying to peck your head

The Brisbane 4-day weekend was great, but full on. I am so glad to have a few days at home now. The 'Women in Motion' exhibition opening was marvellous. Mum's jackets looked even better than I could have imagined, in that context. (The show continues at Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery, Unit 7/199 Gympie Road, Strathpine, til 11 August.)

Some time last year, after seeing two of the earlier crocheted then felted bowls (see the second photo in that post) that I made for my family for Christmas 2005, my aunt requested one for herself. I had been thinking about this pretty much all year, and was planning to send a pair of bowls. Maybe one crocheted one and one in the new 'pod' style. Then the time approached for my trip to Brisbane and I thought since I hadn't sent anything yet I had better show up with something in hand, especially as I was to stay at her place.

Then, (oops) I found that I had submitted most of my latest efforts for the Knit1Blog1 exhibition, everything that wasn't awful, anyway. So I ended up having to rustle up something last week. What a surprise, me doing something at the last minute.

It's just over one ball of Sean Sheep Armytage, held with a strand of varying 8ply (a purple, then a bright aqua/teal, then a murkier green). I manipulated the striping effects more by changing the colour of the plain wool I held along with it. Armytage seems to have one reeeeally long colour repeat within each ball - and sometimes I get sick of it and want a change before I start decreasing and the effects are lost at the bottom of the bowl. Previously I have sometimes cut out part of the long colour repeat to get things going again. Changing the colour of the other strand turned out to be a good way to get interesting stripe effects and to feel more creative than relying only on the striping that has been dyed into the ball.


I've been feeling that my bowls and things look a bit, well, small in that Crafts ACT gallery, and I've been wanting to work on a bigger scale. This one actually turned out bigger than I meant. I couldn't find my 8mm needles so I used 9mm; though I don't know if that shouldn't make a difference since the wool should shrink much the same amount anyway. Of course I forgot scale objects AGAIN, so you'll have to take my word for it, the finished bowl was something like 12 cm high and 20 cm wide. Like a medium sized salad bowl.



Aunty M seemed to really like it, though she was expecting a little one to put jewellery in. So I might still send a little one along to keep it company.

5 comments:

Georgie said...

Really gorgeous, I love the way to colours have striped without being too obvious, but the colours arent necessarily what you would expect to see enxt to each other (if that makes snese!) It works so well! And it has a lovely shape too.

BTW, was in BigW this morning and all their SS is out for $2 a ball. But you probably already know that!!

Olivia said...

No I didn't know that Georgie, but now I do! Dangerous info indeed. Especially as I might convince myself it's time to stock up for the summer.

Michelle said...

Really nice! I love how the striping turns out after felting.

Inspired by you, I'm halfway finished with a crocheted scarf in SS Armytage and I'll be felting it. Wish me luck!

Denise said...

Glad to have you home safe and sound, and so pleased to hear the exhibition opening went so well :)

Another beautiful felted bowl creation... good to 'expand' your horizons, and sizes! I'm not surprised your Aunt loved it!

Knit1 Blog1 said...

hey graet to read that you are knitting and felting on a bigger scale. Its intersting what strikes you when you see your work in a different context such as the Knit1 Blog1 show. the new felted bowl is fabulous.