Heart Felt

Wow! Sirdar's website has featured a garment made in CROCHET on their FRONT PAGE!!!! http://www.sirdar.co.uk/ . This really does seem to reaffirm the sense that our beloved craft is on the rise, which is good news, right?.  OK, it's GRANNY SQUARES again, which of course, is in fashion at the moment, however, the bad press of this icon of oldy worldiness could be helping to reanimate the myth that it is where crochet begins and ends.

The image is beautiful, of course, Sirdar is one of the biggest players in the yarn industry in this country and internationally, one would expect nothing less.  Let's just watch this space for some further high profile PR containing some more surprising crochet work, that will have all the knitters and weavers running for their beginners hooks to get on the bandwagon!

 I want to be a crochet designer. I trained as a fashion designer and worked as a graphic designer. I taught textiles and I now teach crochet, but I want to be a crochet designer. And not just make a load of stuff and sell it a craft fair, I want to have my ideas published. I want my designs disseminated so other people can try them. I want my name in print, let's face it. Can I do it? Well, let's find out shall we? I've emailed Inside Crochet with the offer of an article I've prepared, and I've today contacted the General Enquiries email address at Sirdar to ask who to contact with pattern ideas. A thousand mile journey begins with a single step. And since I have a full time job at the university, my steps will be a little sporadic I think. If anyone out there has any advice, bring it on!

Fruits of Life Drawing Class

 Just lately............I've been designing, and I've been felting. I've also made a cafetiere cover for my mum, for which I am awaiting feedback. I returned to life drawing classes (which I think will be lovely for design drawings, but is actually just plain lovely) and I've been teaching a lot. I love watching what it brings to my students, and how quickly they begin to create objects of amazing competence and beauty.

Design Idea

Adriafil Caracas multicolour DK
DC on 9mm hook BEFORE FELTING.

The very same swatch of
Adriafil Caracas
AFTER felting. Almost like a
painting by Turner, isn't it?