lucky pink rabbit

It is always a pleasure to receive a new issue of Selvedge magazine through the post and browse slowly through its luscious pages. I think I have all the back issues now and just love to drink in the imagery. This week the belated issue 22 brought with it an extra lovely surprise. The article on the artist Julie Arkell (who is lovely herself) opened with a view of her staircase and proudly standing on the top step is a Monty Rabbit! Julie loves rabbits (as you may well have guessed if you have read the article, seen her work or met her!) and soon after loop opened, saw my bunny in the window display and commissioned a Monty rabbit in pink, her favourite colour. She had told me she placed it on her staircase, but I had not had the pleasure to see it in-situ amongst her eclectic collections, dolls and art pieces. What a pleasure, am glad to see that my little toy has found a cosy home with lots of friends.

dressmaking...

One thing I have always wished I could do is patterncut. It would be great to make a well cut dress and have a handmade cardi to match. All the amazing patterncutters I know keep insisting that if you can design and make knitwear, then it is halfway there, but I am really not so sure. I believe you can be much more untidy with knitwear - it is so forgiving and mistakes are easy to mend - but fabric and a sewing machine are an entirely different matter. My trouble is I always seem to let the machine run away with me, I am just too impatient, which seems ridiculous coming from a knitter! I think that what I mean is that when it comes to knitting, I know it is going to be a theraputic, slow process, whereas dressmaking should offer a quick fix. However, I am now realising that when I get on a sewing machine, it is never going to be a fast job! I am starting slowly, with an old retro pattern I dug out of the goodies in my studio, here is a pic of what it will (hopefully) look like, I'm doing the short version, along with how much i have done so far. it has only taken me about a month, so it is definitely not going to be a quickie! will let you know if it fits.

proof positive!

The proofs of the new book are here and looking loverly. I have scanned them all extensively and tried to iron out the mistakes, but am feeling glad that they need still to go to a pattern checker, editor and proof reader as I am really rubbish at noticing the niggles. I just like looking at the pretty pictures and thinking that the stuff I wrote sounds very good; it is strange how when reading your own words back in a more formal format that they sound ever so much better than you could have hoped!

When I was but a wee girl i really wanted to write for a living when I grew up, I dithered over how, with children's author/illustrator being a top choice, or just a plain old author. I even wrote the first chapter of a horror novel when i was about 14, but got bored soon after that! However, I never even thought about writing a knitting or craft book, but actually it suits me so well, as it encompasses everything I enjoy, satisfying my creative, tactile, wordy and mathematical sides. I just hope everyone enjoys the books! Will keep you posted on the progression of the publication.

pretty things

i have been planning my next course at West Dean College which led me to look at what the talented ladies made last time, thought you might like a look.

here you go..........

...these are mine, it makes you want to be creative when others around are busily making and i didn't want to be left out!

this is the lovely college and grounds, how beautiful, even in the howling wind and rain...although having said that, i hope the weather brightens up a little bit by april, it would be nice to see the gardens in full bloom!

up and running.....

Well, here goes, I have finally got around to getting myself a blog. I have been sitting here for over an hour trying to get it just so, but haven't really acheived anything, so I am retiring, blaming a Lazy Sunday Afternoon syndrome, hoping a bright eyed, Monday morning feeling will get it going. All my news, interesting and not so interesing will be up soon! hope to see you then......