Clown bottoms, confidence, and books

To return to one of my (very few) topics of recent months, Demelza has now posted a whole set of great photos of 'An ode to the pleasures of minor encounters' - now you can see the piece from all angles. Love it.

And now, the story of the little prototypes that didn't. Before the pumpkins, I had an idea of making felted soup mugs for the exhibition - something like this in shape (scroll down to the big photo). These purple ones are unfinished - I was planning to attached the handle with a button, like this jug from years ago. But after several iterations to tweak the shape, I decided the fabric was too floppy. I moved on to different wool (not in this photo), but didn't like the colour combination as much, and at that point I ran out of steam... the pumpkins seemed like a better bet. I'd like to have carried this off, but let's just say it needed more development time than I had available.


No. To be honest I also lost confidence in my idea - particularly its appropriateness for the event in question, but also whether what I was trying to do would make any sense to others. The exhibition was very much conceived to be about functional vessels, and mainly for pottery. I do like the idea of trying to mimic pottery with felt (without dismissing textiles entirely, hence the button), but I'm not sure this was the right outlet.

And to return to one of last night's subjects, Shaun's comment, as well as being a good suggestion, which I also don't plan to do (ha!) reminded me that I used to keep a sort of lazy book journal. It was just a word document where, as I finished each book, I would put down a few brief thoughts. I would also add any quotes that I was sufficiently enamoured with to write down.

Reading is a constant pleasure in my life and I wasn't willing to turn it into a chore (or associate a chore with it) so I never made myself write much about each book. And even so, it did become a chore and I always seemed to have a backlog of books waiting to be added to the list. I stopped bothering a few years ago, not long after I got into the habit of using Librarything just to to list each book as I read it. That was because I wanted the widget that you see on the right hand side there. I don't know if anyone tends to look at it, but if you ever find yourself reading something around the same time as me, I'd love to talk books! Since late last year, I've mainly been cycling between two excellent series, Stephen King's Dark Tower, which I have been meaning to dive into for ages, and Gwyneth Jones' Bold as Love series.

So anyway, my old book journal tells me that I first read American Gods in 2003. Ten years ago! Maybe I can let myself off the hook for my poor memory of it.

Off the square (in Le Marais, and Marriage II)

I seem to have fallen into a time warp recently. It was over a week ago that we went to have another look at the Off the Square exhibition before it closed. And I've been just about to post photos here, every day since.

There were signs asking people not to photograph the exhibition. So I asked special permission, and  kept the works other than Mum's only in the background.

The woman's jacket is 'Marriage II'




And the man's, 'Off the square in Le Marais'

That's gold leather applique, on corduroy. Yes!

And I need to apply myself to getting the white balance right, or at least consistent if I'm going to present a set like this.

An ode to the pleasures of minor encounters

Here is Demelza's piece, currently in the Workers Window. It is a jargo, a clown act consisting of a two-person animal costume. I really like the combination of cardboard and fabric.

Exhibition time

It's a bumper week for my family - Demelza Sherwood has just installed her tableau 'An ode to the pleasures of minor encounters' in the Workers Window at Seventh Gallery, where the new set of exhibitions open tomorrow.

And, Rozalie Sherwood has two beautiful pieces in 'Off the Square,' opening at the Belconnen Arts Centre on Friday. So excited for both of them!

I like telling you about all the bits that didn't work

In my family we always make Christmas and birthday lists to help each other choose gifts (though we like surprises too). One of the things my sister wanted was a fabric cover for an A5 diary. She had seen some on madeit, and I would have been quite happy to buy her one there, if I could have found an option that seemed right for her, or had left enough time to request a special order.

So, in a moment of pre-Christmas craziness, I decided to try to sew it myself.

This really is a very simple sewing project. Except for the fact that I don't really sew.

I do have a sewing machine that was given to me years ago by a friend who was leaving Canberra. I've only used it a few times and generally for some half-thought-out (if that...) attempt to alter clothing.

So this was a challenge, and I am proud of how it turned out - not perfect, but she thought I had bought it, which, under the circumstances was a compliment!

Unfortunately I can't find the instructions I actually used, but it was basically this method, though I also used interfacing on the front piece of fabric.

This was one of those projects where I thought I was going to make something fancier, and had to simplify. I really wanted to embellish it, and tried quite a few options, but in the end this rather detailed Japanese print fabric just didn't want to be embellished. By me, anyway.

I vaguely considered having a section of contrasting fabric or a ribbon/trim, but gave that up quickly as it was a rush job and I didn't manage to find fabrics that played well together.

So I moved on to embroidery, trying it first directly onto the fabric...


The two above both use whipped backstitch and the beginnings of some seed stitch filler, as seen here. The one below is split stitch.

I was trying to use elements of the print to pick out an 'E' monogram - thereby biting off WAY more than I could chew - and had trouble getting anything sensible to happen. I couldn't even decide what colour thread would work - I think blue silk which closely matched the fabric was the best option, but it was inclined to disappear a little too much.

Meanwhile I searched for examples of hand-embroidered print fabrics and found lots of inspiration, including Amy's lovely work which I had admired before on her blog.

I'm pretty sure I should start with a fabric with a different sort of print, something much simpler, if I want to try this type of embroidery.

Next I decided to try applique (which I have never done before), embroidering a monogram onto a different fabric. Although I don't really know what dryer sheets are, I managed to work out this technique using scraps of non-fusible interfacing.

But I would have needed more planning and time and probably practice to - maybe - make this work. There were two main problems. The first was that I didn't come up with a combination of fabric and thread colour that would work with the main fabric. And the second was the difficulty of getting the shape right, I wanted my applique to match one of the shapes in the print, which might have worked, but only (I think) if the shape of the embroidered monogram was more sympathetic to that shape as well. I would have needed to invest some time with a pencil and paper to have a chance of making this work.


Finally, I was going to add a button and elastic loop for closure. But I realised that E might not want this (a friend pointed out that with the button, it wouldn't sit flat on a table for writing, which could be annoying). So I just took the button with me on Christmas Day and checked if she would like one - she said she wouldn't be inclined to fasten it anyway.

So plain it was.

And even though I spent a lot of time on things that didn't pay off for this project (as well as some that did: I didn't mention at least two practice goes sewing the cover with scrap fabric first), I have no regrets. Firstly because I like the final product and it does the job. And secondly for all I learned in the process, lessons I will be able to apply to some other project in future.

Drink to the sound of the song parade

This Christmas present for our littlest nephew was a collaboration between my sister (she's here too) and me. I knitted the doll and she brought it to life by adding the face. It was a joke that instantly became an excellent plan - I sent her the link to show her what I was making and said 'don't worry, I promise not to call on you at the last minute to rescue me, like to embroider the face at the last minute ....wait... unless you WANT to collaborate?'

It turned out she loved the idea, and didn't she do a sweet job? I would never have come up with those eyebrows! Such personality.

I used this lovely simple pattern (there is also a version knit flat, in several different sizes, designed for beginner knitters), though I did the in-the-round version, and added a little bit of shaping to the top of the head, hands and feet.


I was delighted when Dolly was immediately given a good gumming.

Actually not only Dolly, but also this post, is real family effort. The photos were taken by our biggest nephew (just 6). I should note, he actually composed them nicely with people in them - I've just cropped them for this post. Later their mum, our sister, drew this sweet portrait.

Every time I look at this photo I want to eat this again

I was in Melbourne the week before last, and am finally getting around to processing photos. My sister took me to Borscht, Vodka and Tears and I ate a lot of (delightful) pierogies.


My dad and I went to a football match at the mighty MCG for the first time. Look at this weather! Is that not the perfect first MCG experience? (I'm actually not being sarcastic).


The game could have been a little bit more exciting, but at least this old scarf is still going strong. I did have to confiscate it for repairs after the Sydney game we attended last year.


We also visited Hosier Lane - there is information about some of the art here.

You're in a story I heard somebody told

These pillowslips were a recent present from Mum. She made them of course, and the fancy plaited bit at the end is inspired by something in a really cool book which my sister and I bought for her for Christmas. (What goes around, comes around, right?)

They are fraternal twins - one dark grey and one lighter (the different sides of the fabric). And I think they are far too nice to sleep/drool on, at least for a while - even though the fabric is really nice and soft - so the spare pillows are acting as couch cushions for the moment.

Wear fuzzy ears

This was another Christmas present for my nephew and niece. The ears were adapted from Flintknits Lamb Ears tutorial, with the linings knitted instead of cut out of felt. It was great to find such a nice way to use some of fuzzy novelty yarn I've had for years. I had hoped to make some tails to go with them, but some stuff happened and I ran out of time. I still hope to get around to that soon. I'm not sure of the best way to attach a costume tail (without a full costume), but was thinking a simple elastic band to go around the waist.

I knit i-cord to cover the headbands, which was pretty quick and easy. However, they turned out not exactly little-kid-proof, and were returned to me for reworking. The headbands had started to come out of their coverings. I also took the opportunity to replace the headbands with smaller ones, as they were a bit too big and didn't stay on too well. The kids ones I found were only a little bit smaller - there don't seem to be an toddler ones about. I guess toddlers don't wear those Alice style headbands, they would be forever taking them off and probably breaking them!

On take 2, I was able to reinforce the black one (which I had knit in two strands of plain acrylic) by darning over the end regions to tighten up any holes. But the brown one was knit in two different strands of novelty fluffy stuff (see the top photo) and it was loose and holey, and hard to reinforce. I decided to start again with brown sock wool and small needles. This meant it took a bit longer to knit the covering, but they shouldn't be able to push the headbands out this time. I sewed a strand of brown fuzzy stuff on to make it match the ears a bit better.

I didn't proclaim them to be any specific animals - I knew the kids would like them and would probably determine what animals they should be. I think, last I heard, they had been deemed to be a bunny (the grey) and a bear (brown).

Christmas is not only about aquiring cool new things - but I did aquire some cool new things

More christmas presents! These are the serviettes that mum made for me. I love the combination of fabrics, and the cotton is textured and soft. I feel like I need a special occasion to use them for the first time (and also perhaps a proper dining table).

And my sister got the globe for me in Japan. It is cardboard with a 'leather' textured finish. It is so well-designed that it was a joy to assemble. You can choose to leave out a segment to see the innards - inner core, outer core, mantle and upper mantle. Oh and the continents are printed with animals all over them.

I knew if I stopped talking you would start

I received this gorgeous project bag for Christmas from my sister. Actually it was a joint project with mum, apparently started a Christmas or two ago. (We've all had projects like that, right?)

Mum sewed the bag and sister E did the applique and embroidery. The silver fabric is from our bridesmaid's dresses from E's wedding several years ago. And the lining is nice and slippery which works well for knitting projects.

You might just be able to see in these photos, she has embroidered around some of the shapes within the large motifs.

I really love using this bag, and my current cardigan project went straight into it - it's dark grey so they even look elegant together.

I bet that they still close their eyes and I bet they sing along

I recently finished Tora FrØseth's Sweetheart. I surprised myself a bit by liking this pattern: I wouldn't usually go for something so obviously cute with all the little hearts. But it is a really clever pattern with the hearts containing the increases for the yoke shaping, and I think the green colour tones down the saccharine factor to just the right amount of sweetness for my sweet little niece.

The buttons are three mismatched ones courtesy of mum's button collection (mine is just a fledging collection compared to the the motherlode).

I only made one tiny modification, adding a single heart on the hem. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to do it in the round so I knit the hem back and forth and that means there is a seam which is not really invisible. No, it's not in this photo. Oh well. I think it was worth it.

My sister popped it on to Miss B as soon as I gave it to her. It fits nicely even over her hip spica cast - but that comes off in less than a week anyway.

we all keep telling him how handsome he is

but he'd not going to be dissuaded from his firm clothing preferences.

He does wear it though, and here is the modelled shot to prove it.