Knit 1 Blog 1

Its a wrap!

2007-08-31T15:54:00.000+10:00

Well its been taken down, folded up, packed in to brown paper bags, and handed over or posted to all you wonderful knitters who contribute to Knit1 Blog1.

Trudy Bunny was very sad and nostalgic and had one last sit in the empty space remembering her midnight rambles with Lulu....

And Alex got rid of all traces......

We would love to see Trudy and Lulu anytime they wanted to check out a new exhibition here at Craft ACT. Meanwhile I must on with my scarf, I was hoping to be further ahead by the end of the exhibition than I am. I came to the very end of Happy spider's wool last night and I was going over the triangles that make up the scarf and I think, although I may be mistaken that my tension might be increasing as my triangles seem to be decreasing and the spiral tightening. I this just a sign of the stress of closing the show, or is it my old problem with knitting, my tension. Well there is nothing for it but to persevere. I will let you know how I go.....

Return of work

2007-08-24T16:36:00.000+10:00

Hello to all Knit1 Blog1 participants - yes it has come to the end of show sad but true.

Jas, Alex and I are taking down the exhibition on Monday and work will be available from Tuesday. To you wonderful folk from further afar, we will be sending the work to you in the next week or so.

In addition I'll be emailing you too.

Here's a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated, who took the time out to take their knitting out of the world of blogs and put it into our world here at Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre. It has been great to getting to know you all and hear your stories and share your thoughts about knitting and blogging. I have learnt so much about knitting and blogging and now I am interested to see where I go with that. Still mulling over what to do with this blog - its become a bit of a friend, a bit of a chore and definitely a door to many other places.

Cheers
Barb

Last knit in

2007-08-24T12:44:00.000+10:00

Thanks quilting mick for letting me know that Friday has kept you desk bound even though it isn't the end of the month!

But never fear Wendy our other faithful knit-in attendee turned up to do a few more rows on one of the brightest and happiest shawls we've seen in a long time.When she first arrived we think it was only about 1/3 of the length it is now, so we have taken photo's to demonstrate how much it has grown. Wendy just informed me that she is 150cm tall and so we figure it is about 140-145cm long, which is fantastic. The shawl is a special gift for her daughter who is getting married in November.

Well it is the last weekend of the Knit1 Blog1 the exhibition and on Monday the works will be packed up and sent back home. What then? Well this is the question - what will we do with Knit1 Blog1 the blog after Sunday? Any idea's?

I will be mullinh it over on the weekend.

***

Emily Howes

This is my first blog entry ever, which is extremely lax as I really like blogs. In fact I'm interested in them to the extent of devoting three years of my life on a PhD on the subject of what I refer to as "renegade craft" (after a fair in New York + Chicago of the same name). To me, at this early stage, my awkward definition for renegade craft is: an internet-based craft revival, mostly driven by young people who adopt hand-making as a means to circumvent the consumer cycle. Essentially, how does one disrupt a dependence on consumer goods from multinationals, the mass, the dodgy, the unethical? Make the stuff yourself. The objects they make are often quite street-based, contain pop culture references, are quite ironic, recycle materials and meanings. I'm still trying to put my finger on it, but the morbidly curious could check out www.craftster.org to learn more.

More pics & stories

2007-08-22T17:55:00.000+10:00

We have had our professional photographer in to document Knit1 Blog1 and I tell you it always makes a difference. You should have seen the many poses of Lulu, the demands, the angles, the non stop badgering - but the effects were worth it! Never underestimate the cost of having a professional document your work, it always pays for itself, and for Lulu, the fashion world for lambs awaits.

Pics and stories all coming together.

I’ve dabbled in knitting at various times in my life, my mother and both grandmothers having taught and re-taught me as a kid, but it’s really taken off for me over the last few years. There are so many amazing creative people sharing their work online, not just the finished products but techniques, patterns, pitfalls, failed experiments, advice and encouragement. This broad community and these resources have made it possible for me and many others to try new things and broaden our skills.

I started my blog at www.olma.blogspot.com in 2003 as a way to publish short pieces of writing. Slowly it has come to be more and more focused on the things I make, particularly knitting and felting.

I’ve been felting my knitting (this technique is more properly called fulling) for quite some time but feel I’ve only just scratched the surface in terms of the possibilities. I started out making small protective cases for cameras and ipods. Then I made bowls (both crocheted and knitted). These days I continue to experiment with various shapes of vessels, and options for embellishment.
Many people prefer to use a washing machine for felting, but I prefer hand-felting – seeing and feeling the transformation as it happens. The technique I use combines hot soapy water and agitation to open up the scales of the wool and make them shrink and cling together, with intermittent rinses in very cold water to ‘shock’ the wool into shrinking more. Under ‘Felting resources’ in the sidebar of my blog, there are links to several articles about felting and fulling.

Dreaming all the time

Knitting is my natural resting state. It is always the same and ever changing. It challenges my creativity and feeds my soul.

Knitting has always been part of my life. My Mother and maternal Grandmother showed their love with the work of their hands. They are equally skilled knitters, sewers and embroiderers.

Knitting connects me these generations of other women.
Until joining out Stitch ‘n’ Bitch group, knitting was a solitary and often ill-regarded pursuit. Stitch ‘n’ Bitch and my blog brings into contact with other fibre freaks and textile terrors. It provides a community of acceptance- in the knitting blogsphere I’m not that weird.

Unravelled

The blog-friend who made these cats, Kate, has never met me (mainly because she lives in Perth and I am in Canberra), but we know a lot about each other from our blogs. She has a dog she loves and I have two cats, I love books and she loves writing. She wrote and excellent post one day about Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the vampire Slayer. I just happened to have picked up a Buffy comic at the Lifeline Book Fair, and decided, on a whim, to send it to her. She responds by knitting these cats for me. They are knitted versions of my own black cats, Mr Pooter and Mr Padge, whom I blog about regularly. I think I got the better half of the exchange!

Ampersand Duck

My mother taught me to knit and crotchet when I was 8. The knitting didn’t stick, but the crochet did. Growing up in the tropics, woollen items of clothing weren’t often needed, but my mother usually knitted me a beautiful jumper to wear to the Townsville Show every July. Crochet was reserved for lacy tablecloths, dollies and the ever practical ripple rug. My own crochet skills were limited to dressing my Cindy and baby Alive dolls.

Fast forward to 1991 when I moved to Canberra. Mum sent be down here with my own ripple rug, but the loneliness and the need to be creative led me to crochet my own granny square afghan rug. Then I discovered sewing and quilting, a crotchet was once again put on the back burner.

A couple of years ago I took up the knitting needles again, but my frustration at not being able to “get it” was still there even though countless garter stitch scarves rolled off the needles that year. Then I found my crochet hooks and felt right at home again, crocheting scarves and hats and ripple rugs, tackling other designers’ patterns and creating my own designs.
My blog was created originally in 2004 to document my quilting and stitching, and it still does that. Currently my crocheting has taken over the blog- winter 2007 seems to have invigorated me to create extra warmth with my hooks and I am taking great delight in acquainting myself with different yarns and learning how crotchet stitches and different yarns will work together to create something truly amazing.

quilting mick

2007-08-21T16:29:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

I don't know about any of you, but with spring on the edges, it seems like the work just continues to buildup to keep your head from raising up to the sights and smells of wonderful spring. Can't wait.

Yet another hectic few days at the desk and no new knitting rows on my scarf, groan. Still one consolation I am posting today yippee.

Its bits and pieces today. I had a wonderful email from a good friend who is now living in the UK (not happy Jan) and she sent me a pick of a wonderful blanket that she made for her chick.
Isn't it beautiful, she's a natural for anything she turns her hand to and that in not in the least an exaggeration. She studied painting at the ANU School of Art, we were students there at the same time, and then went on to do a degree in Architecture and she just knits like that and changes the pattern to suit her needs. To read her funny story about pattern changing check out her fledgling blog warm jewel, its a delight.

A good friend of mine has a blog about the world of glass making and happenings. She is now reporting on other art happenings and she has global reporters dropping in many stories. For a good read (she can definitely write) and to see another view of the world of glass check out glasscentral.

Kevin Murray the Director of Craft Victoria is a very busy man, if he is not working on the Craft Victoria program, of the wonderful south project, he is probably presenting a paper at a conference overseas, or writing for the paper or producing a radio show or just writing an article for one of his many clogs - craft blogs - that feature on the Craft Victoria website. Check out this website for a wealth of information, their online publication Craft Culture is a great read too. Kevin was in Canberra recently and visited Knit1 Blog1 and now it has been featured in an article he wrote for the Craft Revival Trust. You can view it here and see how he connects the links about craft and the Internet age.

In the meantime here is another story from our participants:

I learned to knit as a small child and then as many do, cast it aside for other activities. In university I came back to the art and relearned the skill, my hand never really forgot but my mind needed a little coaching. When I was living in Asia I began a blog to keep in tough with my family and friends. Through that blog I discovered the wonderful world of knitting bloggers. Over the years my blog has evolved into a place to showcase my knitting, gripe about life, share events and perhaps most surprisingly a way of keeping in touch with the community of virtual friends that has developed.
asia adventure

I love being creative. Ever since I was a small child, I’ve done many things to express myself creatively but knitting came as a big surprise. I started knitting in January 2006. This was my fourth time attempt. Any previous attempt was an exercise of frustration. But this time I had the internet at my fingertips… literally and that made the difference. And thanks to free instructional videos KnittingHelp.com, I learned long-tail cast on and continental knitting. But, even with these tools at my disposal, I still managed to find my own style of knitting, which I discovered later, could be called Combination (or Combined) knitting. And the rest… as they say is history,

I’m not sure why I started my knitting blog but I’m finding that I enjoy it. I’m very much a solitary knitter, so the blog give me a chance to share the joys and frustrations of knitting and commiserate with people who understand. To communicate about this highly challenging (and expensive) hobby with other people is very cool.

I’ve discovered the therapeutic effects of knitting, discovered a love of fibre, challenge myself in many different ways and met some very nice people in the knitblogging world. Its been quite the journey, this last year and a half…and I know It’s just begun …so stayed tuned!

Saffron Knits

Two years ago a dear friend encouraged me back into knitting, after a twenty year hiatus. She showed me Knitty.com. She took me to Stitch’n Bitch – and suddenly something just clicked on inside. I was utterly hooked, and it shows no sign of abating! In the past two years I have become involved in the most wonderful group of women of all ages, and reconnected with the whole tradition of craft and female companionship (not that we don’t welcome men!). I find knitting relaxing, creative, challenging, and endlessly fascinating.

Part of this community has developed through my Blog, which I started because my friend started one, and she started hers because a friend had one… and so it goes. I didn’t really know what I’d say at first, but I’ve found it to be a great place to let my friends know what I’m up to, record my achievements, keep track of what projects I’m working on, ask for help, make friends, share knitting patterns, tips, recipes – a place to have a bit of fun, and forget daily hassles.

Jejune's Place

My mum taught me how to knit when I was young, but I started knitting obsessively when I was 14. I knit everywhere – on the bus to school, in class, at home. Recently I got a spinning wheel – well, actually, two spinning wheels. So now I can knit with yarn I’ve spun myself.

In 2005 Mum and I started going to Stitch’n Bitch, and I met my Yarn Sisters! I started my Blog in January 2006. I don’t update it that much, but I like to put up my drawings of kittens and yarn, and photos of my current projects. I like having a record online of what I’ve done, and getting comments and help from my friends even if I can’t see them.
Othlon's Demon Knits

stories & mischief

2007-08-16T21:01:00.000+10:00

Thanks Trudy for your very comprehensive coverage of my burgeoning knitting skills and inventive use of skewers - what can I say I only had one set of needles and I needed to start my short circuit scarf...it served me very well in my time of need.

I have another story from the knitters in Knit 1 Blog 1:

My Nonna taught me to knit when I was about 7. I started with knitted items for toys including a jumper for my favourite teddy.

As a teenager I tackled a complex Aran sweater for myself- but I had not grasped the notion of gauge swatch at this stage so the jumper was more suitable for a child than me. I did the same with an emerald green jumper in beehive stitch - of which only a small square remains. I have only just realised the importance of the gauge watch after spending 6 months on a 4ply lace cardie which was then too small.

In 2000 I was working in Melbourne for 6 months and not knowing many people started knitting again. I knitted a long Dr Who inspired scarf in pink, green, orange and yellow, then a multi coloured jumper for my godson. Two years later back in Melbourne again- over winter I found myself at Sunspun in Canterbury. The amazing textures and colours seduced me into knitting with a passion. It was about this time I discovered Knitty.com and started browsing the web for ideas and inspiration.

I toyed with the idea of a blog for at least two years. My knitting community in both the groups I participate with and on the web inspired me to start blogging earlier this year. I was working on the Gold Coast. I need to feel connected with my community and share my knitting frustrations and elation's with more than my poor workmates. Kris at web-goddess.org has encouraged me from the start and inspires both my blogging and knitting.

Dad’s rug was a project that I started for Dad when he was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease. I picked the colours he liked and felt that this was something that I could do for him. I could think about him with every stitch I made. It was his mother who had taught me to knit. Dad only used the rug for about 4 months before he passed away and I was happy that he had all my stitches with him for some time at least.

Knitting is for me a meditation process. I enjoy planning what to knit, the colour and texture. Researching and discovering new techniques and patterns, then the actual process of knitting is very meditative. I definitely need to knit everyday. And at the end there is a finished item.

Justine is not my first design but one where I combined the rhythm of a lace pattern with a simple garment. I wanted a simple lace pattern that knitted up to a rhythm, one easy to memorise and knit. I was inspired by a children’s song, Watermelon written by Justine Clarke and the languid nature of summer.

missyfee

Anna-Maria has been knitting on and off since she was a child.
She rediscovered the knitting obsession in January 2006 after a 10 year break.
Her obsession with craft blogs started soon after when she stumbled across an article about Loobylu (http://www.loobylu.com/) in an old Wired magazine.
Within 6 weeks The Shopping Sherpa (the blog) was born and had been demanding to be fed ever since.

The Shopping Sherpa

I think Trudy's reporting excursion inspired some rebellion in the gallery last night

The camera flash caught them enjoying themselves on missyfee's blanket

Too much wine and cupcakes is a dangerous thing for a lamb and a bunny, slurping from the jug and then two satisfied, one might say soaked gals, contemplate what the stars might look like if it weren't for the gallery ceiling

Recruiting one of Bev's rabbits, Lulu bonds straight away, and Trudy is contemplating the funnel...

Longing for the city lights, bright nights and the end to community service, I don't think Lulu's ways will change.....

The knitting lesson (by Roving Reporter Trudy Bunny)

2007-08-15T16:16:00.000+10:00

The Shopping Sherpa came to visit Barb this afternoon and I was allowed to go for afternoon tea with them as long as I promised to behave (of course! Don't I always?!) and not interrupt the private knitting lesson needed as Barb had missed this week's Stitch n Bitch.

But they graciously allowed me to pass on the important knitting stuff to know that was discussed.

Important knitting stuff to know number 1:Don't point out your mistakes. Other people probably won't notice them unless you show them.

Important knitting stuff to know number 2:

If you don't notice your mistake until you've knitted too much to want to frog, simply incorporate it into your design.

In this case, one backward scarfy bit (I'm a rabbit, not a knitter!) 4 repeats back could be skillfully made to look deliberate by working the next scarfy bit backwards and continuing to do the same every fifth repeat. Thus producing a unique, one of a kind creation. Mistake? What mistake?!

Important knitting stuff to know number 3:

This is NOT a knitting needle. It's easier to knit on knitting needles than on skewers especially if you're a beginner!

Important knitting stuff to know number 4:

How to join on another ball of wool (and not need to darn in the ends later)

a)Knit (or purl) using the first ball of wool until there is about 8cm left (of the width of the hand you're holding the wool with.) Take the new ball and place the beginning of it against the wool you are about to knit the next stitch with.

b)Knit with both strands of wool until the old wool runs out (usually about 5 stitches) c) continue knitting with the new ball of wool(On the way back, remember to knit into both strands of the five stitches otherwise you'll have some sudden unexpected increase action happening) And remember, although metal knitting needles make fine skewers and cake testers in a pinch, the opposite is not usually true...

Love and carrots

Trudy

Knitting Stories

2007-08-14T17:58:00.001+10:00

Once you start talking about knitting, knitting starts talking to you. I have heard many stories about knitting, it often sits within the realm of nostalgia as something one used to do, a bonding session between child and parent or grandparent, something that is reminiscent of growing up. Yet the reality is that it is very much a here and now activity, not new to you knitters out there, but something I like to suggest to those people who think it is someething about the past. Knitting is about skill, hand making, the joy of sharing and being productive in the world at large.

One of our members was inspired by the show and shared a story about a knitted doll and its maker that was an inspiration to this artists career. Here it is:

I have a beautiful little knitted teddy made by Eileen Keys called Dolly. Dolly was a member of The Teddy Bears Picnic knitted by Eileen from wool that she had spun by hand and dyed with natural dyes that she had sourced locally. When I saw them all together, I fell for Dolly and I think she is very beautiful. I met Eileen when I was at art school in 1988, at that time I was a ceramics student and I interviewed her for an essay. She very kindly came to visit us at the ceramics workshop. Her work has influenced my art practice as she explored what was available to her in her immediate environment.

For Knit1 Blog1 we asked the participants if they would share their stories about knitting and blogging. They are diverse, unexpected, illuminating and worth reading. So here are a few to start the ball rolling;

I used to write novels. In 2004 I made the decision to give that up and found myself feeling a bit lost without a strong creative outlet. I picked up knitting needles for the first time in more than a decade and within a year I was obsessed but fairly isolated.

Online searches led me to blogs and to information about Canberra knitters who met regularly. Eventually, I got the courage to show up. Soon after, feeling left out of the blogging fun, I started Bellsknits. Sometimes I think blogging is almost as fun as knitting and it’s opened up a world of new friends to me.

bellsknits

Blogging is a dairy of sorts, but once words are placed in a blog, it is no longer private, personal or secret as it would be in a diary, though some write as if it is- you are sharing with the world and they read it and comment…and so it is that I blog about my passion- hand knitting.

I stumbled into blogging two years ago and discovered a plethora of people who are as passionate about this ancient craft as I am. I cannot remember when I began… I’ve been knitting from an early age and always enjoyed the process, and it is a process. With an end result that always amazes. Stich by stich, row by row, hour by hour, but exciting at the same time… The completed piece is usually something you cannot purchase, a one off… something that is uniquely you!

Blogging is the same - uniquely you, but in words and pictures. As any blogger knows, once you read one knitting blog, it inevitably leads to another and another. Before you know it, hours fly by in seconds…stich by stich, word by word.

I’m a designer/ knitter living in Sydney, with a library that would rival most book stores and a stash that has now become embarrassing.

In 2003 I wrote and published a knitting book- an exciting time in my life.

At home in my studio is where dreams and designs originate.

My secret life only knitters understand and acknowledge. We meet and laugh, nibble, sip and knit, review and discuss patterns and yarn, model each knit as it is completed… exciting, inspiring, rewarding… it is friendship… it is a world I will never tire of.

My non-blogging/knitting friends and family know nothing of this life.

Knitting on the Avenue

Blogging is a seriously satisfying and demanding action and medium. It fulfils many things for people as the stories will show.

wonder what miss lulu has been up to lately.........

to be continued

Time to do everything

2007-08-13T22:41:00.000+10:00

Tonight was the first Bitch'n'Stitch at the Front Gallery in Lyneham. I missed it.

Instead of catching up with a bunch of fabbo knitters I was at a function to welcome the new arts editor for our local newspaper, the Canberra Times. Diana Streak was appointed to this position at the end of July and Canberra Arts Marketing hosted a networking event for arts administrators and artists to meet with her and other representatives from the Canberra Times. This was a great opportunity to meet Diana face to face and allowing her to put names to the numerous emails that come across her desk.

But I would really have liked to have been at the Stitch'n'Bitch and there are a number of reasons for that. 1 - it would have been good to finally sit down with these fabbo knitters at a place that isn't my work and where I am not compelled to jump up and attend to other business during our Friday knits ins. 2 -I am running out of wool on my short circuit scarf (I can hardly believe it) and need to learn how to join another ball of wool to my knitting - this is crucial. 3 I haven't been to the Front for ages and I'd love to see their latest show there. Three great reasons and only one all compelling WORK reason kept me away.

Sometimes you feel like a big loose floppy stretched jumper that there is no tightness to your day, no neat endings, but rather an all encompassing need to cover everything, and all you want to cover is just one small thing, very well and very snugly. Lately there have been so many deadlines it feels as if I am traipsing from one meeting to the next and not getting enough time to sit down and do the job. Yes its great to meet Diana and make sure she knows some of the faces of Craft ACT, essential in fact if we want to keep getting print media coverage, but there is always something isn't there. It is important as we have not had print media coverage on this show, but we have had fantastic blog coverage, which I think has reached far more people than the print media - thanks for all your support out there. The radio has also really picked up on the Knit1 Blog1 show and all the antics that make up the Festival of Contemporary Art - I think I have done up to 5 interviews all in all. Phew at times it feels like a blur and then you pull out your knitting and keep going.

In my home we are usually a family of two with one cat and a dog. Recently Jane's sister has been renovating her house and so we are now we are a family of 6 with 2 dogs and 2 cats. Actually this is the second visit, they were with us in June and have come back after house sitting elsewhere. Louie the cat was left with us as he couldn't move into the other house and all was going well until we went away for a weekend, they came and fed him, but unfortunately he upped and left before we got home. At first we weren't too alarmed as he had made 3 journeys back to the renovation home and always made it back, but unfortunately he has been missing for 2 weeks. The family moved in on the Saturday just passed and who should turn up back at the renovation house but Louie himself, where he was whisked up by Ruth who just happened to be visiting and brought home again. So he is back and we are once again the Italian Family, as our good friend Megan likes to call us. It was a bit bleak for a while and on my short circuit scarf on that Saturday I did two triangles that went the wrong way, instead of the longest side being the outside of the scarf I accidentally made it the inside edge, I had my first taste of unravelling and promise to pay more attention next time. It has been teaching em to look and read my knitting though Jejune - so there is always an upside.

I was chatting to Bronwen Sandland today and she has started her first sock project after being inspired by the show and all the knitters in Knit1 Blog1. Yippee a new sock knitter. She is making knee length high socks, we haven't quite worked out why and she is just up to turning a heel which she said was a bit tricky, but she is really happy to be there after getting a wee bit bored on the length of the sock. She has promised to send a picture in and I will post it once its in. Apparently she and Sharon, who came to the short circuit scarf class and is a classy knitter herself, is also doing her first sock, another satisfied customer.

One of our members has been following the show and blog and she wrote to me a story of how she was inspired by a friend who knitted and how she came in possession of a wonderful knitted doll. I'll be putting her story up to with her photo of her doll its beautiful.

Also I have decided to put up all the great stories from the participants about how they came to knit and blog these are beautiful stories and just a great collection of whys and what-for's.

I hope everyone had a good time at the Front tonight- no I am not jealous, just green with envy. Oh well, lucky they are regular happenings and I will be able to drop in on the next one. Apologies Shopping Sherpa.

Isn't he handsome - we are so glad he's back.

ON UR Blog

2007-08-08T17:26:00.000+10:00

With ways of communicating to one another multiplying by the day, it is easy to lose track of whats out there. One form I have recently found (and am now having a go at) is blogging. What is blogging? I am not even sure of the definition myself, other than another form of communicating, chatting and staying in touch with what you are interested in and those who are too. To find out more join me and Caren Florence for a how to blog workshop on Saturday 11 August at Craft ACT from 10am - 11:30pm. The workshop is a meager $15 and refreshments are served to keep up your blogging strength. Hope to see you there.

Diana

2007-08-07T15:45:00.000+10:00

Thanks for the advice on the socks - I think I will have to try it out for myself.

Knit1 Blog1 has been visited by so many people both virtually and physically and I love the way almost every visitor to the gallery loves to talk about "their" knitting project.

A common refrain I hear is: " I still have the baby jumper I started knitting for my niece who is now 22 years old", or "I just could never finish anything and my mother finished them for me", or "I haven't knitted for years I probably wouldn't know where to start", or "I still have a piece of knitting hanging around from 10 years ago".

Well as I have been telling these visitors and to anyone else out there who might be a reader and knit a knitting blogger, or you know someone struggling, we have the perfect workshop for you.

This Sunday 12 August from 10am to 1pm you can come along to the Craft ACT gallery and sit down with super duper friendly and supreme experts Denise and Penny who will individually start your knitting off again. Mend any gaps, untangle any knots, remedy bad sequences, translate the almost untranslatable for any one who has that bag with the knitting that has been there for well over 12 months or more, or less! Begin the end of the project today!

Lulu snuck out, grabbed some of my Happy Spider wool, a pair of knitting needles and said

"Piece of Cake"

Knicked my filofax and tried to cast on

Trudy came too for the action and knowing she could add some advice

Further consultation of the very limited notes

I know I know I know

I think....

Heated discussion

It's MY project

Help - knitting first aid...

see you there

Sock knitting

2007-08-06T15:38:00.000+10:00

I have a question to ask all those fab sock knitters out there -

Do hand knitted socks stay up?

This of course then leads to another couple of questions:

If so is it the knitting stitch that provides the firmness or do you cheat and add elastic?

Are they bulky in your shoe at all? - taking into account the use of a fine wool

I have always been fascinated by this especially as once you start sock shopping there seems to be a great number of options and there is that slight consumer dread that the socks you are about to buy are going to be duds........

FOCA Happenings

2007-08-03T17:35:00.000+10:00

It has been a busy week for the Festival of Contemporary Art.

Silvia Velez' project Cook's Creative Endeavour was launched and sailed away on Wednesday night. Silvia and the Cook Primary School community developed a project to negotiate the end of their school and its community - Cook's Creative Endeavour. Cook Primary School was one of the schools that last year was targeted for closure in the restructuring of the ACT’s education system. The Cook School students, teachers and community have been through a long year of fighting for their school and grieving its closure. As part of the Festival of Contemporary Art IN PUBLIC theme, Silvia Velez, as parent and artist, has been facilitating a community project that has enabled students to farewell this public school and move onwards to their next place of learning. The theme of the Endeavour is central to the process of travel and change, and around this the students and community have responded with a variety of creative works that symbolise how they are collectively dealing with the break up of their small community.

This photo was from Thursday's Canberra Times page 3.

Also on Wednesday some of the artists in the exhibition Proof which is the ANU School of Art Gallery gave a floor talk about their work as part of the ANU School of Art Art Forum program.

On Thursday I presented a talk on the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition. It went really well and I think it was enjoyed by all particularly as the very talented Christopher Chapman, who is the Art Forum co-ordinator did a wonderful job of jumping from knitting blog link to knitting blog link without back tracking once, as the visual display for my talk. We covered heaps of blogs. Here is an extract from the paper I gave:

Knitting has become what: a movement; a lifestyle; a passion; a new language; an art form. Since the late 1990’s there have been a number of knitting exhibitions – knitting has moved into the gallery and elevated itself to art. Recent forays and discourses into the world of non functional knitting, big and very small knitting and wearable art knitting includes: Blurring the Boundaries: Fashion Design Innovation in Contemporary Knitting, at Fairfield City Museum and Gallery, Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting, at the American Museum of Arts and Design, Knit 2 together, at the British Crafts Council, smaller exhibitions/events such as House Cosy, by Bronwen Sandland or the Big Knit by Caroline Love and many more.

A seasoned performer such has knitting has slipped off the craft needle and onto the contemporary art needle, and today artist’s move between these classifications just as easily. Larry Shiner in his book The Invention of Art, considers these classifications in the following terms: The assimilation of craft media into fine art began in the late 1950’s from two directions: from the side of artists, who began to take up craft identified materials, and from the side of craftspeople who began to take up the styles and nonfunctional aims of fine art.

And here it is in practice as Merryn Gates comments on Bronwen Sandland’s House Cosy: For two brief, mercifully dry, weeks Housecosy transported Bronwen's neighbourhood out of the normal. Northbourne Avenue traffic had a new landmark which made Canberra a kind of Lilliput. Scale and materials were suddenly, gloriously, out of joint, and in that space we could imagine other possibilities: collective action, civic pride, the artist and the public in dialogue, play, a moral dimension to social policy.

And part of the literature for the exhibition Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting writes: Artists employ a variety of media, from traditional yarns and laces, to found objects and video, and explore contemporary currents in art practice of socially engaged, participatory work. Radical reformers in the world of knitting and lace making have overthrown the status quo from the inside out. In the space of ten years, knitting has emerged from the “loving hands at home” hobbyists’s den into museums and galleries worldwide.

Knitting can simultaneously talk about gender politics, feminism, domestic issues, history, survival and nurture as much as it can reflect one of the wonders of the human world – engineering. It can throw out your usual expectations, and engage in topical issues of many political causes including the environment, identity, war and migration. It has as Jennifer Craik suggests regained its place in the crafts and arts pantheon.

...This realm however is not dominated by the fine art knitting seen in carefully prepared exhibitions that focus on the unfunctional, the radical material uses, and the consciously determined context. The true world of knitting is the knitting of hundreds of thousands of people who love to knit, who love to wear what they knit, who love to knit quirky odd objects, who love to give it away to someone else, who love nothing better than a brand new ball of hand dyed yarn and two new knitting magazines in the post, who will join a knit-a-long, who will knit jumpers for children with aids, and panels for a House Cosy. The most common knitter who blogs, blogs because they are passionate about the craft of knitting, and it is these people that are in the exhibition Knit1 Blog1.

And finally tonight - The Beamers as I like to fondly think of them, otherwise known as BEAM are projecting onto 8 stories of blank building wall with their eclectic range of moving and static and extraordinary images. They are projecting right now in fact and will keep going until 10pm tonight. They will also be projecting onto the western facade of the National Library of Australia next Friday night 10 August from 6.30 - 10.00pm. Their work is really in the public realm, one minute you are trundling along the next minute an avalanche of snow is cascading above you, or a series of political truisms are talking to you or you'd swear that you just saw three people crawling across the face of the building. Catch it if you can!!

Believe it or not this is my short circuit scarf that I started at the workshop a few weeks ago. I know it is slow, but it actually grew at today's Knit In - with much help and big thanks to Jacqui Kempton who saved me from my mistakes as I was talking to much and not concentrating. I am such a beginner!

2007-08-02T16:00:00.000+10:00

Today after my talk at the ANU School of Art Art Forum on this exhibition and blog Knit1 Blog1 , Annie Trevillian and Jennifer Robertson brought the textile students to visit. The following are words from the students themselves......

This exhibition has surprised and inspired me with the millions of different knit patterns possible. I'm not much of a knitter myself but could see myself getting into it more after looking at this.

... I wonder if this rebirth of knitting is an indication of a shift in society.

...this exhibition has made me realise im a truly talentless knitter but i aspire to finish the scarf i started 10 years ago.

my favourite pieces in this exhibition are the miniature cabled cushions; they are amazingly fine and intricate.

:) woo hoo

there is so much more to knitting than scratchy sweaters and scarfs. i wonder what those cupcakes taste like...

My thoughts on knitting have come a long way from the scarves that I used to knit for my toys when I was a child...I am truly inspired by the remarkable patterns and modern design that is possible!!

Today's forum and the collection of blogs was a very insightful insight into the huge world of knitting bloggers. I thought it was an interesting point that Chris Chapman made about the ratio of woman to men interested in knitting.

i like the little black rabbit i think it is a really good way of using the speciality wool which i don't normally like...

Never before have i seen such an amazing range of knitting techniques. This exhibition has really changed the way i originally looked at the craft. It has such talent!!!!

i have a jumper my mother knitted in the 70's that i love and wear all the time.. there is the question of knittings new popularity but to me its always had its place

My aunty Freda died and her best friend, my mother inherited all the unfinished knitting projects. Over a few years she completed all of the projects including a beautiful knee rug which I have in my studio. My mum used up every ball of wool knitting jumpers for children and donated them to charity. I still have the bakelite round container for the wool and her knitting needles and the fake red leather knitting needle holder and the bell shaped needle sizer.

I borrowed a book from the Dickson library about 10 years ago and I would love to know the name of it. It was about how to knit a garden including vegetables. When I showed this book to my sister she thought it was hilarious. She asked me why would you want to knit vegetables? Why wouldn't you just grow the real things? Well you know I would like to knit my favourite vegetables - like an eggplant and pumpkin. In this exhibition The ShoppingSherpa has knitted one dozen cupcakes. They are beautifully iced and decorated and would look fantastic on my kitchen bench. Thanks to all the exhibitors - it is a great show and a good jumping off point into blogsville.

2007-07-27T16:00:00.001+10:00

Another Knit In happened today in the gallery. Great to see all you knitters and crochterer's coming in for a chat and the steady progression of knitted garments.

quiltingmick's capalet is becoming a set with this hat she has in the show:

It was a bit wild and woolly outside today at lunchtime (you can say that on a knitting blog) so the inside activities were great. Unfortunately I forgot my knitting, but am definitely planning on bringing it next week. I am really enjoying my short circuit scarf and Diana assures me she has even been going to bed early just so she can keep knitting in peace away from her frisky new puppy, Toby. Amazing how the animals love the whole knitting thing, my cat is sort of bewitched by it and can't resist tackling the needles and lunging for the wool, which so far has escaped her evi intentioned claw clutches.

I had a great chat at the Knit In today, interestingly about knitters who don't blog, and why, and the whole blogging phenomena.

Lee showed us her latest project which is a commission for baby booties. She has hand dyed the wool into bright and strong colour and made these fantastic boots - as wesaid at the Knit In, I want some!

Don't forget next Friday for any who want to come along - tea and biscuits provided.

Gargoyle comfort

2007-07-27T10:00:00.000+10:00

Trudy - what a whizz of a bunny you are to be sneaking in shots of Al the Gargoyle. It was my mistake that I thought the scarf had gone, when I left yesterday I realised it was still there, I just didin't remember it being there when I went out for lunch. How does Trudy do it, and I wonder if she has access to black and white scarves as well. And what is Lulu up to:

Lulu, in a wily lamb sortofaway, convinced me to let her try on the necklace that resides next to her, she says that I have been absolutely torturing her by being placed next to the lovely necklace whilst doing her community service. Well the trickery started there

and took off to here hiding behind the squashed car cosy:

then she tried to hide in the Arwens Leg Warmer:

then she was the master of disguise:

spotted the plonk;

last ditch attempt of being undercover:

and somewhat contrite back in her warm little cubicle - where the necklace has been safely put back as well!

Your wish is my command...

2007-07-26T18:56:00.000+10:00

Love and carrots

Trudy

2007-07-26T15:19:00.000+10:00

I walked in this morning to see our resident Gargoyle wearing a striped black and white scarf - football fan I wondered, homage to winter - keep this bronze fella warm, or one of our oh so talented knitters doing a bit of much needed foyer decoration?

All possible. For those of you who don't know we have a gargoyle in our foyer, a figure that deters the faint of heart and welcomes those who appreciate a good belly laugh. A memorial to the late politician Al Grassby, a bronze character who it is said is the father of multiculturalism in Australia . It is here because this building now houses the new ACT Multicultural Centre located on the top floor. There was a movement to have Al placed in the foyer of the Multicultural Centre itself on the top floor so that his presence here may be absolutely clear, but instead it is the lonely but happy guy who welcomes all to our shared facility. Of course I wouldn't expect our visitors to know Al's true role, but rather I hope that they appreciate his Gargoyleness and take him on board in the role of protector and comic relief.

I'm sorry to say the camera is off campus today so I can't even shoe the rugged up Al the Gargoyle for you, but since this morning this fine piece of knitted clothing has been whisked off Al to I don't know where, so you will just have to take my word for it. this leads me to the real point which is that A) I fialed to get a good pic, and B) I know that there has been some attention paid to Al the Gargoyle since the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition has been up and there have been some stunning portraits taken of him. This is a call to all those portrait photographers askng them to allow me to put them up on this blog, I'd love to have a record of these small offerings to Al the Gargoyle.

On a not so light note, one of our projectors that was in the gallery projecting the blogs was stolen. We are not happy Jan(ers) aroudn here especially me. This sort of thing puts one into a fug for the rest of the week and now we will be undertaking more security measures. Its such a shame as this has never happened to us before but there is always a first time....

Multiple uses

2007-07-24T17:46:00.000+10:00

Another day and night in Knit1 Blog1. Tonight we did a small launch of our new website and introduction to our Accredited Professional Members to use the site as a sort of proxy site by having a comprehensive portfolio page. We are really happy with our new website and its much better design and beautifully laid out information, making it really easy to use - a big thanks to Mark from Genius Moon who did all the work (with some input from us of course), and to Diana for her management.

It just so happened that this was a very smooth launch as we easily slipped into the gallery and reconfigured it oh so slightly to become the venue for the launch. Turned out to be a great introduction and then a great chance to get up close and personal with the knitting on display. Everyone enjoyed the walk through of the site and I hope to see more portfolios emerging on the site over time.

A lot of our audiences have been really enjoying the show and in particular feeling the works on display. Usually, for many reasons, we don't encourage people to handle the works in the gallery but this is one exhibition where people are drawn to the work and of course many of the participants encourage this as well. Its like its gold, the pieces have come out of the virtual and are real and in the here and now and they can't resist - you can feel the different wools and inspect the different stitches, pat down the oh so smooth knitting done by these expert knitters.
I'm giving a talk at the ANU School of Art - Art Forum next Thursday and so have to get my head down to write about what has been a really enjoyable project. Need to get a bit of a plan in my head and talk about this wide world of knitting and blogging.

Events at Knit1 Blog1

2007-07-23T15:38:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

We had a fabulous weekend here at Craft ACT for knitters both novices and the more advanced.

It started on Friday with our first Knit In from 12 - 1:30pm. Thanks to the group who turned up, small but into that knitting as you can see, and it included our special guest quiltingmick with her extraordinary crocheting skills!

On Saturday Jacqueline Kempton hosted her workshop Lost in Translation. Jacqueline came with her own personal library resource of wonderful knitting books, it was quite a stack and would no doubt have provided heaps of information for all the attendees. We had a full house at this workshop and Jacqueline wrote that she had a great time.

Sunday was host to three events, the Short Circuit Scarf workshop by Denise Sutherland, the Toes and Heels of Socks by Penny Hadobas and some spinning demonstrations from members of the ACT Spinners and Weavers association.

Both workshops were really well attended. There were a number of Craft ACT participants including myself, Diana, and board members Alison and Sharon. For complete novices such as Diana and me, the concept of knitting shorter and shorter rows without dropping a single stitch was a quantum leap from our very patchy straight row knitting. Its amazing when you are learning new things, the tension that builds up inside as you desperately try not to make a mistake and lose the whole thing. At one point I took my eyes of my knitting and the knitting completely fell off my needle to my complete horror and tongue curling concentration. A big thank you to Denise for her excellent teaching skills, Diana and I kept going after the workshop and by last night, I had completed almost 2 rings of knitting - I couldn't believe it.

Diana and I went all out in purchasing wool and shopped at Craft ACT buying some Happyspider6 Wool for the workshop.

Unfortunately we did not have the fancy ball spinner - sorry Bells, I can't remember what its called any more, and so both of us persevered by hand thanks to the patient support from Bells and Sharon.

Penny appeared for her class and she brought her own wool for the socks which she then turned from skeins to balls in an instant on this fabulous contraption. Everyone looked like they had a great time so thanks for coming. We even had a few people blogging by the end of it.

Knit 1 Blog 1 opening: a special report by Trudy Bunny

2007-07-18T17:10:00.000+10:00

Hello lovely people!

Barbara is away sick so has asked me to stand in for her and do a round up of what people said about the Knit 1 Blog 1 opening (which, I must say, was pretty fab apart from the utter lack of carrots to eat!)

My flatmate, The Shopping Sherpa was speechless.

Taphophile had fun with the Al Grassby statue in the foyer. Oh - which reminds me - the official word on the street is "more knitting for the gargoyle pls"

Jejune (and Dotter) had lovely earrings for the occasion:Ampersand Duck enjoyed herself

And Artificially Mythic was cool

If you covered the opening (or the exhibition) in your blog and I missed it, please let me know!

Love and carrots

Trudy

2007-07-18T13:46:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

I have been in the gallery today, doing a blog crawl and catching up on some news. Sorry to hear that Beatlewear has tooth problem by the way, I hope that you can get some treatment on it soon.

There have been some wonderful postings about the opening and great comments back to the posts as well. Really happy to read that Knitting on the Avenue will be coming down to see the show as well.

I thought you might like some more pics....

quitlingmick

saffron knits

Knitting on the Avenue

Jacqui Kempton

beatlewear

The shopping sherpa

And here is some of the fantstic merchandise:

missy fee knitting rolls

Knitwit range from Liana - quite a few bangle walked out on opening night!

Cards from Jejune and wristlettes from Shopping Sherpa

Skeins by Beatlewear

Don't forget the Knit Ins are on every

Friday during the exhibition from 12 noon to 1.30pm,

with coffee, tea and biscuits to warm you up!

2007-07-17T12:36:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

We had a great opening of Knit1 Blog1 last Friday night.

All the local participants were out in force for the event and many supporters and friends. People were oohing and aahing over the fantaastic spread of knitting supplied by the participants and there was even some live blogging (see bleow) which was great.

My warmest thanks go to the knitting bloggers and our four guests: jejune; knitting on the avenue; asia adventure; saffron knits; missy fee; the shopping sherpa; bells knits; othlon's demon knits; dreaming all the time; beatlewear; and unravelled; and guests: jacqui kempton, bronwen sandland; quilting mick and ampersand duck.

Without your enthusiasm for this project we would not hae the great show we do now. Showing the work of all these knitters has been a real enticement for all of us. The range of work and the skill is amazing and exceptional. I'm really impressed by the inventiveness, the fun, and the work that is put into the knitting. In fact with the strong networks, the discussion, the exuberance over new pieces being finished, new patterns tested and frustrations aired, I would have to say that this community is somewhat akin to a sporting community. there is great general knowledge ofeach other, admiration for personal skills, the need for training and advice, shared moements of pushing through hurdles and then a more personal support network.

On the Saturday immediately after the opening, I was on local ABC Radio for a quick interview by the lovely Genevieve Jacobs. She was asking about the whole Festival of Contemporary Art and what we were aiming to do with this festival, the theme of which is IN PUBLIC.
It was a good question to ask as we are trying to raise awareness of contemporary art and its many facets. to try and get this message across it is easier to work with other organisations and pool our resources and skills. The organisations co hosting are the Canberra Contemporary Art Space, the Australian National University School of Art Gallery and us, the Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre. Each of the events and exhibitions in some way deals with the topic IN PUBLIC, what is wonderful about the festival is that there are many takes on this.

What I love about the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition is that it draws upon this fantastic sub culture of people who connect and communicate about a passion they share. As I mentioned in my opening night remarks, the craft of knitting is a survivor of the most tenacious quality, and that for centureis knitting has been a consistent staple of most wardrobes. When knitting became uncool in the 1980's it certainly did not disapear or stop altogether, rather it went underground and has now re-emerged as one of the great pillars of the blogging universe. It has literally stitched itself back into popularity, as it was timing was spot on as it coinceded with arguably one of the most accessible communication trends ever, blogs. Now knitting is beyond just the private, domestic, and family domain and more in public than ever before.

It was also the opening of Bev Hogg's wonderful solo exhibition Weaving Dry Water. Bev unfortunately could not be with us as she was in Perth with her family and we really missed her. Bev's installation is a narrative that shows a very strong concern about the issues of water use, the effects on the land and the implications of human indifference, unconcern, ignorance, niavete and disruption. Bev tells us these things by introducing a number of large rabbit figures, rabbits easily recgonisable as a feral scourge eating all the plant stock, burrowing out the earth, causing havoc. This becomes a strong metaphor for human behaviour, of peolpe whether they live on the land or perhaps particularly those who live in cities and use water as if a never ending supply out of our pipes. One rabbit holds a funnel up to catch water from the sky with another funnel loosely held over the ground. Two more look out, up at the sky and across the plant forms in the 'dry' area of the installation, as if puzzled over what is happening. Flower blooms dot the floor, their centres articulated with drain grates, colanders etc, indicating the ever present need for water, that is used us and drained away. There is also two tree forms a beautiful succulent organe tree and a classic and hautingly beautiful dead white eucalypt gum. If yo're coming to see Knit 1 Blog1 take a long look at Weaving Dry Water as well.

In case any of you have been wondering how Lulu the Lamb has been going - well, this community service program is doing her wonders. she was a bit sheepish about having a notice put in her display with her - outlining all her naughtiness, but it was very necessary. To make her feel a bit better I put her new earrings on, supplied by the Sheep Rustler via Jejune. This mollified her quite a bit and she is even learning to cope being cooped up with jewellery that doesn't belong to her. For all of you who are missing her, here she is in all her glory.

2007-07-13T18:24:00.001+10:00

Oops, that was Olivia at www.olma.blogspot.com.

2007-07-13T18:22:00.000+10:00

I am here too, also with glass of wine in hand. I am blogging at the opening of an exhibition about knitting and blogging and I think it all might just about disappear into itself!

2007-07-13T18:19:00.001+10:00

Greetings from the opening of Knit 1 Blog 1!

The Shopping Sherpa (with glass of wine in hand)

2007-07-13T15:35:00.001+10:00

Hey bloggers,

Tonight we are live blogging at the opening of Knit1 Blog1. Come and join us.

Diana

2007-07-13T15:34:00.001+10:00

Hey, Knitting is cool! See you all tonight @ 6.15pm

Diana

2007-07-13T15:02:00.000+10:00

Hey knitting and blogging groovers - tonight is the night.

Just to refresh your memory or if you're not sure of the time here is a reminder:

OPENING: FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART - IN PUBLIC

GRAND OPENING OF KNIT1 BLOG1
6:15PM AT CRAFT ACT: CRAFT AND DESIGN CENTRE
LEVEL 1, NORTH BUILDING, CIVIC SQUARE, 180 LONDON CCT, CANBERRA

Also opening WEAVING DRY WATER by artist BEV HOGG
Same time same channel !

If you want to do the full FoCA opening start at

5:30pm Australian National University School of Art Gallery
PROOF, Waratah Lahy, Pete Volich, Kate Murphy, Charlie Sofo, Lauren Simeoni
Ellery Crescent ACTON

6:15pm Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre
KNIT1 BLOG 1, a number of knitters who blog and a few guests
WEAVING DRY WATER, Bev Hogg
Level 1, North Building, Civic Square, 180 London Cct, CANBERRA

7:00pm Canberra Contemporary Art Space
THE DOGS BARK BUT THE CARAVAN ROLLS ON (Golf War #9), Bennett Miller
FILTERING REMNANTS, The Contextual Villians
AGGLOMERATION, Sarah crowEST
Gorman House Arts Centre, Ainslie Ave, BRADDON

For a special treat hang around at Canberra Contemporary Art Space and see a wild, weird and wonderful perfomance @ 7:30PM
SPREAD, Cristy Gilbert and Anna Simic

2007-07-12T18:09:00.000+10:00

Thursday night before the opening and still doing the last things. We have put all the work up and it is all labelled. I am finalising all the stock for sale with some new additions arriving tomorrow. There will be quite the feast of product to go along with Knit1 Blog1.

Here is a sampler of some of Jejune's cards:

Yesterday I heard about 2nd Life - I know I am slow, something to do with my head down and getting on with the work in front of me, or maybe it is because I have never really been into computer games etc. 2nd Life - what a strange concept. Is it more strange than blogging, or is it just different, and what roles do they play in our lives? Having travelled to many knitting blog sites over the past 6 months and never feeling like I was seeing more than the tip of the iceberg, it seems that this communication method is dependant on the real world, what is happening in the world is reflected, commented in the blogs that I have been reading. The pictures are blinks of life in other peoples world, and a world that exists in real time and space. So why 2nd Life, what is the attraction, the aim, the desire? Are bloggers inclined to become a part of 2nd Life or are they satisfied with blogging. Will I be forever at my desk here at work writing on my screen or will this evolve into conversations with people face to face?

Blogging makes sense to me, it is a way to converse on a topic of my choice and people can view that or not and make comment and possibly connect. Should I feel despondent/offended if no-one comments on this blog, wonder at night if people are reading it, and worry about it taking up time? Its a fascinating stream of people who knit and blog and it doesn't seem relegated to the virtual at all, its possible to come together share, comment on the world and be encouraged to knit creations of every size, shape, colour and numerous function and non function, gainnig a skill and a sense of personal satisfaction. Is this the same in 2nd Life? If I can build the worlds sexiest condo and look like I have never looked in my life, is there a similar sense of self satisfaction I wonder? If one person can make a million can everyone? Would I go to a virtual flat nightclub, when I have the option of real world nightclub that has all the right ingredients to get every sense of the body activated? Probably not. Knit1 Blog1 the exhibition is a great example of the blog working for the real non virtual world. Hmm more to ponder on blogging, knitting, sharing and the weird world of 2nd Life.

2007-07-11T21:36:00.000+10:00

Phew, its been so busy I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, and much has happened.

Yesterday a parcel arrived from Liana Kabel with her fabulous knitting needle jewellery. Also known as Plastic Girl, Liana's take on tupperware, knitting needles, bright coloured plastic is inspirational and she make ssome of the most fun jewellery around let alone a whole bunch of other stuff. Unfortunately I discovered her and her wares a bit late but when I rang and asked her if she would like to sell some of her jewellery during the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition, she agreed and the parcel arrived yesterday. I am very grateful as I know it will be popular, we'll be lucky to keep the staff away from buying it all before we open!

Jas worked out an arrangement in the gallery and we have set it up to have a more relaxed feel. As it has live internet blog projections, Jas was thinking of internet cafe style and featuring the knitting from the wonderful blogger participants. It is quite a new look for us in the gallery, but it is very inviting. Alex our fabulous installation person trialled the projected blogging and did a bit of reading of the blogs we had up, I think it was Beatlewear and Jejune. In the centre there are circles of chairs around a low plinth which will be used for the knits ins and the workshops.

What knits ins and workshops I hear you say. Yes well I meant to post this info last week and it didn't happen, but it is now.

We have organised for the pleasure of our audiences special workshops as part of the Knit1 Blog1 experience. For more information go to http://www.craftact.org.au/ or contact Craft ACT directly for bookings on craftact@craftact.org.au

Knit Ins

Bring along your knitting project and relax in the gallery at Craft ACT with other knitting enthusiasts, with steaming cups of tea and coffee available.

Lost in Translation - from pattern to finished peice: Jacqui Kempton

Open to all knitters who can knit and purl. Does the pattern stipulate a yarn that costs $20 a ball? Would you like to know how to make the same garment using a more economical yarn? What does (K2, P2tog tbl, CB8, RT, P8) 6 times really mean, and do you need to know yoga to work it out? Will your jumper fit a giant even though the pattern says it will fit a 32 inch bust? This session will help you to determine the correct tension to use; substitute yarn; decipher patterns; read charts; choose appropriate cast on and bind off methods; fix the yarn ends; and block a finished piece. Plus lots more if you come along and ask!

SAT 21 JULY 10am to 1pm / $15 or $5 concession

Short Circuit Scarf: Denise Sutherland

Learn how the magic of short rows can help you create a stunning curly whirly scarf, designed by a Canberra Knitter. Bring 1 ball of 8-12 ply smooth soft yarn (not mohair, boucle, feathers, eyelash etc), 1 pair of knitting needles that suit the weight of yarn or a bit bigger (eg 4-5mm needles for 8ply yarn). Skill level - easy, all you need to know is how to cast on and knit. Pattern sheet provided.

SUN 22 JULY 10am - 11:30am / $15 or $5 concession

The Toes and Heels of Socks: Penny Hadobas

Ever wanted to knit socks and been too intimidated to try it out? Come along and let Penny Hadobas walk and talk you through every step of the process and help you on your way to knitting's deepest addiction. All ability levels welcome! Hand painted sock yarn will be available for sale at the workshop or feel free to bring your own (4ply or 8ply preferable). Please bing your own double-poined needles.

SUN 22 JULY 11:30am to 1:30pm / $15 or $5 concession

ON UR BLOG: Caren Florance

Ever wanted to start a blog? Or maybe you read them and just cant' work out how to comment? You might even have a blog and have never worked out how to add all those groovy sidebar thingies. Or maybe you're reading this and asking what on earth is a blog? Come along to this workshop and the many secrets of blogosphere shall be revealed, with a few giggles along the way. No question considered too stupid!

SAT 11 AUG 10am - 11:30am / $15 or $5 concession

Knitting First Aid: Penny Hadobas & Denise Sutherland

This is your chance to bring along all your tough knitting questions and all those problem, unfinished and abandoned knitting projects. Friendly knitters from the Canberra Stitch'n'Bitch group will help you get started again. No techniques or questions too simple. One-on-one help. Bring along your problem knits, whatever projects you're stuck on as well as the knitting patterns. Please bring a notebook and pen for taking notes.

SUN 12 AUG 10am to 1pm / $15 or $5 concession

Demonstration

Join the Canberra Spinners and Weavers for a spinning demonstration at Craft ACT.

SUN 22 JULY and SUN 12 AUG 1 - 2pm

Would you like to learn to spin and weave?

Spinning and weaving classes are held whenever a sufficient number of people have indicated that they are interested in learning. If you would like to participate please contact Craft ACT for more details http://www.craftact.org.au/

2007-07-09T21:45:00.000+10:00

Monday 9 July and I met another two lovely bloggers today - Beatlewear and quiltingmick popped in and dropped of some more goodies for the exhibition.

Our guest crocheter has arrived. And you must check out the beautiful yarn that Beatlewear will be selling during the show - yum. Some handspun others hand dyed.

Thanks for all the responses to the question of knitting whilst blogging. Some of you are very capable and others like to have distinct times. This doesn't suprise me really, but its fascinating to read how people fit it in. I'm happy to say that my knitting grew on the weekend for the first time in months. I couldn't remember if I was up to purl or knit and so just started on a knitting row and of course it was the wrong one! Bronwen did show me how I could distinguish between the 2 but its slipped my mind of course, but never mind it nows looks I have some sense of purpose in my pale green straight knitted scarf (I think).

This exhibition has been unique in so many ways not the least the creating and continuing of this blog. I am a part of the final product which is not usually the way, and all the knitters are a part of it in a very personal way I think. Knitting, similar to cooked food and not like many other practices is a craft of giving. So many women have, are or will be taught knitting, a relatively simple practice of knotting wool creating a fabric that can be shaped into many end results. It is truly a practical skill and one of pleasure with an aesthetic satisfaction. Sometimes when I think about knitting it reminds me of that old adage that went along the lines of "idle hands - idle mind". There is about knitting that concept of keeping busy, of doing, of being of use. From there it is easy to go on to the idea of gifting, you could easily see a growing number of knitted items that need to be used, or that there is always someone more needy and that you can be of use by knitting for them. All the knitters in this show have gifted their work, temporarily, to be shown to a wider public. (There is some knitting for sale but you will have to come along to find out which ones they are!) Knitting lends itself to generosity, sharing, and inclusion. And it is the last particularly that seems to inspire the numerous projects that have been happening around the world, knitting for poverty, knitting for water, knitting in protest of war, knitting for illness etc. Knitting seems to bring people together from across the world to share and gift.

Hopefully people will enjoy the gift of Knit1 Blog1 and read through the blogs and be inspired.

2007-07-06T17:39:00.000+10:00

Another busy day at the office. At last I have tagged all the entries in the exhibition:

And in the last couple of days I have been contacted by some more people who are sending in work, one local, and one international. Thanks so much. We will also have a guest crocheter who blogs, in the show as well. Not strictly knitting, she does knit but prefers to crochet, I know that might be hard to believe for some people! I like the idea of guest crochet work as the two are so often the companion of each other, and I am sure that many of us grew up with that classic crocheted rug, at one time it seemed ubiquitous in our homes.

A fascinating element to this project has been the very nature of what blogging is. Almost everyday now I think about a different aspect to this world. I was in touch with one person today mentioning how impossible it is to find everyone who blogs - although this is part of the joy, the actual discovery, I was saying that I almost needed a phone book of bloggers to find people who might be right next door. Very easy to find Yarn Harlot, since such a huge number of blogs lead there, (now including this one) but how do you find those close to you. Well hopefully , eventually. And this happened today.

I have not exhausted by any means the quest for knitting bloggers, indeed I often feel I am right at the tip of the iceberg, and I can feel myself sliiding down the sides. Diana (our great Curator of Public Programs) tells me I am becoming addicted, and has taken to asking me how late I stayed up the night before blogging. Apart from the fact that it takes me too long to do it at work so I do it at home, I'm not sure that I am becoming addicted, but lets say the fascination six months down the track has not waned and just increases. Time though is a very big factor and I often wonder if all you great knitters are sometimes knitting as you are scrolling through. Of course if reading a pattern no doubt you might be, but in general do you do this? Is there set knitting times,/nights and set blogging times,/nights? this structure is definitely lacking as my knitting has not grown a mm for such a long time, but the lines on this blog have grown exponentially.

Just to tempt you all, these are the knitting wraps made by Missy Fee. These great handmade wraps created from beautiful old materials will be on sale during the exhibition. first in first served!

Well its the weekend and next week is the opening. Stay tune for more!

2007-07-05T21:40:00.000+10:00

Thursday 5 July
Still in set up mode, more entries arrive, more media and more admin!

Jas the Craft ACT Exhibitions Curator has done a great job laying out the gallery space for Knit1 Blog1. He's changed the gallery somewhat, seating areas, spot lighting for the knitting, wall space for the blogs and for some knitting. We can host the workshops and knit-ins within the gallery space and people can come in and sit at the blog terminals and read through some blogs and jump from link to link, there are so many sites...

Two little knitted black cats joined the project today and I had an email from She Knits Too and I think we will be seeing some fine works from her too.

Today I was interviewed by Richard from Canberra Arts Marketing on Artsound FM about the show. I was able to have a short rave for broadcasting this Saturday 7 July at about 11am EST Australia.

And I managed to send all the Board papers out for the Craft ACT Board meeting next Wednesday. Lots of little things going on all the time. The new website is getting quite a response and Diana has been really busy at the back end of it. Thanks to all those who are wandering through it and helping us fine tune it now that it has gone live. We expect a few creases to be smoothed and we will have a more formal launch soon.

Back to the knitting. I took a pic of the entries that are coming together in the storeroom all wrapped up.

I thought I caught sight of one Lulu the Lamb in the bottom corner there. I came back later and there was a bit of movement in the store room:

A bit of a closer look just to tempt you:

Good friends catching up maybe......

2007-07-04T21:54:00.001+10:00

Hi All,

Well the day started with no outward going emails, but we were finally saved by our web designer Mark and confirmed by our tech hero Damien. Its amazing how the world shrinks without email and then there is the inevitable catch up with things to go out...

THE OPENING OF KNIT1 BLOG1 - FRIDAY 13 JULY 6:15PM

As I have mentioned this project is part of a bigger festival - FoCA (Festival of Contemporary Art) IN PUBLIC - right here in Canberra, which we are co-hosting with the Canberra Contemporary Art Space and the Australian National University School of Art Gallery.

Craft ACT has curated the exhibition Knit1 Blog1 specifically for this festival. We are also hosting another special exhibition - Weaving Dry Water, a fantastic ceramic sculpture exhibition by artist Bev Hogg.

For this Festival we have a special series of running openings - really a GRAND OPENING - to celebrate all the main exhibitions and which goes like this:

FoCA IN PUBLIC GRAND OPENING FRIDAY 13 JULY

5:30 PM Australian National University SCHOOL OF ART GALLERY

Proof : Waratah Lahy, Charlie Sofo, Kate Murphy, Pete Volich, Lauren Simeoni

6:15 PM CRAFT ACT: CRAFT AND DESIGN CENTRE

Knit 1 Blog 1 : An exhibition which strings together a web of physical and virtual knitted talent Gallery 1

Weaving Dry Water : Bev Hogg Gallery 2

7:00 PM CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE

'The dogs bark but the caravan rolls on' (Golf War #9) : Bennett Miller Main Space

Filtering Remnants : Contextual Villains Middle Space

Agglomeration : Sarah CrowEST Cube Gallery

7:30 PM @CCAS GALLERY
SPREAD : AN UNFORGETTABLE PERFORMANCE BY CRISTY GILBERT & ANNA SIMIC

For the Craft ACT opening I will be doing an introduction to Knit1 Blog1 and guest speaker Jennifer Lamb, Director Goulburn Regional Gallery, will speak to Bev's work.

For a real night I encourage everyone to do the roving opening as it will be a lot of fun, and the perfomance at Canberra Contemporary Art Space should not be missed.

Please bring your knitting if so inclined, and after chatting to Shopping Sherpa (thank you), we will be doing live blogging at the opening at Craft ACT on to this site.

Tonight I went to Bronwen's house to pick up her knitting. One of the pieces for the show is the vacuum stored Car Cosy - the cosy that Bronwen and a number of children from 3 different After School Care programs made for our last Festival of Contemporary Art, Dimensions Variable, 2005. And a very nice bag and a sweet set of 2 leg warmers and a skirt. Check it out:

See you THERE!

2007-07-03T19:27:00.000+10:00

2nd day of installation and preparation - the perfect day to lose email contact with the world. It started out good and by 11am we had no outward going emails, incoming no problem, internet access fine - just for some strange cyberspace reason no ability to send emails. Those who know me, knows that this is one of those things that drives me nuts.

Mark our wonderful web designer spent over an hour here talking to our ISP and our tech guy Damien, but still to no avial. Damien the man is in tomorrow to hopefully sort all of this bother out.

Consequently I have been posting thank you comments on everyones blog for their knitting. I would have emailed......

I am now a bit behind and rushing to collect Alby ast her good friend Millie's house, but before I go - here is a sneak look at incoming knitting:

Thanks Saffron

Thanks On The Avenue

Thanks Shopping Sherpa

Thanks Unravelled

Thanks Missy Fee

tomorrow I promise to post all the opening details - just have to go now.

2007-07-02T17:57:00.000+10:00

Hi all,

Well day one into exhibition installation and so far so good. Alex and Jas were hard at it in the gallery - well they are this is just not a great shot!

And our technician genius and sponsor Damien from Solvit was hard at it on the computers

and Diana was composing her email media releases and I was traipsing around with the camera.

The galley is going to look great. Damien is connecting the projectors directly to the hard drive so that the wall becomes the monitor. We did a test today and still need to iron out some wireless stuff and it will be seamless. Without the monitors there is no distraction, you can sit at the desk in front of the projection with the keyboard and mouse and navigate around looking just at the projected screen image. A big thank you to CCAS for lending us two of their projectors, we really appreciate your support.

Throughout this exhibition we will have charis and small tables for people to sit and read blogs or take out their knitting and knit to their hearts content. It will be quite an experience to have a more informal setting in the gallery space.

More work arrived today, I love getting stuff in the post its great fun. Thank you Saffron and Janette - I love your pieces. As the knitting is installed I will update images so you can keep track, particularly those interstate and overseas.

If you are in Canberra tune into Artsound FM 92.7 this Saturday 7 July to hear more about the show and the contributing knitters.

The new Craft ACT website is up and running yaaaaaaaaaaaay. This has been a very long process, due mostly to how bsuy we are here in the office, but wonderful Mark from Genius Moon has broken through and it is now live. If you go to Exhibitions and Events, Knit1 Blog1 is listed and you can download a PDF of all the events planned to go along with this exhibition.

A big thanks to Ampersand Duck who is hosting the blogging workshop. Thanks for the fabbo promotion and I loved the little graphic of a compter knitting, cheers.

And finally not gorgetting that this exhibition is part of a bigger thing again - FoCA / IN PUBLIC / - the Festival of Contemporary Art here in Canberra. For a full list of all the events go to CCAS website and check out the notice board link.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you are intersted in coming along or putting in some knitting - deadline July 11 - and don't forget you need to fill in a Participation Form.

2007-07-01T20:30:00.000+10:00

Today Bronwen and I were interviewed by Genevieve Jacobs on local ABC radio here in Canberra about the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition. It turns out Genevieve is not only an excellent knitter she is a keen blog follower. www.abc.net.au/canberra/

We had a fun time on the radio talking about blogging and knitting - there was so much to say, and where do you start. There was quite a few things that I wanted to say, but didn't get time or didn't get a chance, so to all those great knitters who are coming in to our show, sorry I didn't say more, but we got the message out there. Thanks so much Genevieve for the opportunity to come and talk about it with you and your listeners.

Thanks to the Canberra Machine Knitters for SMS'n a message letting people know they are there and doing classes and gatherings and if anyone teaches knitting in Queanbeyan, post a comment here as some one rang in asking.

Otherwise come and see Knit1 Blog1 and see the knitting and the blogs and come along to a workshop on knitting and join in this world wide passion.

2007-06-30T15:50:00.000+10:00

Finally we are getting closer to the exhibition. But don't despair if you haven't sent in your knitting there is still time - up until 11 July, so if you are thinking of sending your work in please do.

I have received some beatiful work from Jejune and Dotter including one very recalcitrant and perhaps slightly remorseful escapologist lamb - Lulu http://www.jejunesplace.blogspot.com. Knowing that her heart is in the right place although there is no strong confirmation that all the bling has been safely returned to K, one Lulu is in my care for the next six weeks. In all fairness, Lulu should not be denied the audiences she is used to attracting, and so being asked to pass judgement upon her actions, Lulu will be doing community service in the Knit1 Blog1 exhibition as of 13 July. In this way she will still be accessiable to her fans and all visitors are welcome, with visiting hours between 10am - 4pm Tuesday to Friday and 12 - 4pm Sat & Sun.

Gifts such as file cakes are welcome, rotten tomato throwing isnt, but people will be able to view the (in)famous lamb in person in the gallery. Just in case you can't come in person regular updates of her wellbeing will be posted on this blogsite. After talking to Jejune, I know that we will have to ask all who attend the opening not to pass Lulu any wine at this key event, I'm assured it could get nasty!

Numerous events are planned to coincide with Knit1 Blog1. We have a number of workshops for all knitting levels coming up and we are also having a blogging workshop where any number of blogging tricks will be exposed. Ampersand Duck is hosting this for Craft ACT and I can assure you, that along with my knitting workshop attendances, this will definintely be a high light as I am in dire need of a few tips.

Has anyone ever wondered how hard it is to get around blogging. Most people work it out as they go, and yep that's me, but for an erratic time consumed blogger, sometimes I just want instant knowledge. Hence the workshop.

And I am definitley chekcing into the knitting workshops, socks, scarves, how to interpret patterns, how to rescue stalled projects its all there.

All the times etc will be posted next week. So stay tuned and see you at Knit1 Blog1 - or visit this site between 13 July and 26 August and post a comment.

Barbara (the not so stern director)

2007-06-22T15:49:00.001+10:00

I can't believe it is almost the end of June. So much to do and so little..... We all know the mantra.

I have finally finished completing the Craft ACT 3 yr business plan which has been submitted to our local arts funding body. I am immortalising its very dull front cover!

It is such a big task and takes more time than I really have. The Craft ACT board and staff came together for a planning day and from that we got our 20 page plan (presecribed length) and a few attachments. Phew. My desk is still complete chaos as I am trying to catch up with everything else.

Now it is on to much more fun stuff. This is the fabulous scarf from http://www.asiaadventure.blogspot.com/- Striped Scarf using her own pattern arrived from Canada yesterday. Thanks so much its just great to get some knitting out of the virtual world here in Canberra and see it and touch it. It is very appropriate for Canberra as we are at the coldest part of the year and its all about scarves here!

We are coming to the end of our current 2 exhibitions: the Cicely and Colin Rigg Design Award - 2006 was for Jewellery and the exhibition is stunning with such great work in it:

The image of the gallery is using a fish eye lense, I love the distortion, it is very hard to get alot into the bigger overview shots and Steve our photographer does a pretty good job, although hard to see in this small format. The close up of jewellery is by Sally Marsland who was the winner.

The other show, Decades and Diversity is very special focussing on the work of Solvig Baas Becking, a wonderful woman who immigrated to Australia in the 1960's and was a passionate weaver. Since arriving she became very inolved in the arts sector and was on the first board of the Australia Council's, Craft Board, and was on the first council of the Canberra School of Art and was on the first Board of Craft ACT (then the ACT Craft Council). She is very elderly now and this exhibition shows many of her important woven pieces borrowed back for the show. But it also shows the work of 3 other women. Solvig mentored Pam McDougall, who taught Fay skyring, who mentored Di Landsdown. This show brings all their talents and skills together as we celebrate the great contribution made by Solvig.

These shows have one more week then on to Knit1 Blog1 and a solo exhibition by ceramic artist Bev Hogg - Weaving Dry Water. We will be running workshops during the exhibition on the weekends of 21/22 July and 11/12 August covering knitting basics, to knitting fancy socks to recovering your knitting from the "Can't do" basket.

Thanks to all who have responded its great.

2007-06-12T21:34:00.000+10:00

Its Tuesday 6 June and I have just come back from Melbourne for a long weekend sojourn. It was wonderful to get away from the writing the business plan and hang out with friends and indulge in the delights of Melbourne food and wine and friends.

I went to see an excellent exhibition of work by Kitty Kantilla, a wonderful painter from Melville Island. She did extraordinary work and to see it all in one place meant you could see a real progression in her work. It is currently showing at the National Gallery of Victoria Australia, Ian Potter Centre. http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/kittykantilla/

Chipper has been seen putting a blanket on himself because it is getting very cold here in Canberra - ideal for knitters.

And even Alby has been seen cuddling up to Louie for a bit of extra warmth.

Bronwen has been busy knitting and after a couple of bad attempts to get onto the blog, I am hoping to see the results of some new knitting soon on this site.

2007-06-05T14:22:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

Well Diana who is the Curator of Public Programs at Craft ACT, and our designer extrodinaire has designed the graphic for the exhibition. I am going to try and insert it into our header, as I hav just upgraded our template. Much better.

I am also putting on the logo's of our funding partners, as we are a not for profit funded arts organisation. We are funded by the ACT Government (our local arm of government for Canberra) and by the Australia Council, the Federal Governments arts funding and advisory body.

I have received an email from one person who may be in the show and she has suggested her daughter, who also blogs. Its great to see the cross of generations coming into play in this project. In fact it hits som many different people the knitting blogging universe, its a gold mine out there.

Just in case I can't get the logo's into the header here they are below.

Supported by the ACT Government

2007-06-03T21:51:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

Things are picking up and Bronwen and I are becoming busy emailing and blogging.

But we would like more - much more knitting from anyone who wants to join in this project.
So here it is:

CALLING ALL KNITTING BLOGGERS: If you would like to send some of your knitting to be in the first exhibition about knitters who blog then contact us. We would love to chat to you and have you and your knitting in the show. All you have to do is send it in and we will send it back.

Got to My Profile and email Barbara and I will send you the participation form.

Here is a picture of something that Bronwen knitted that sits on my wall at home, I love it!

I need to add some more images including logs's but will have to do that from work as I can't change the picture formats of the logo's here at home.
Hope to hear from you soon.

2007-05-29T18:50:00.001+10:00

Bronwen and Chipper

Today Bronwen popped over as we assessed where we are at with the project.

Just a quick recap for anyone who is just finding out about the knitting and blogging project.

We are co-curating a project titled Knit1 Blog1 for Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre to coincide with the Festival of Contemporary Art herein Canberra Australia. The Festival which is co-hosted by Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre, Canberra Contemporary Art Space and the Australian National University School of Art, its aim is to celebrate contemporary art and craft in Canberra. The festival will focus on the theme IN PUBLIC and present a series of major exhibitions, temporary public art, public events, an education program, and other fun happenings. The festival will occur from 13 July to 19 August 2007.
We are fascinated with the renewed popularity of knitting and how its revival has coincided with the latest accessible, communication trend, blogs. We are developing a project which is inspired by all you wonderful bloggers and blog sites and happenings such as virtual knitalongs, and the 2006 Knitting Olympics. We think knitting is more in the public realm than ever before.
We hope our project will string together a web of creations from around the world to come together in our gallery space in Canberra and be seen in the physical, and virtual, public worlds. Our aim is that you will share your blogging and knitting worlds with us. We think the world of knitting blogs is amazing and we want to bring this phenomenon to a new audience through this project.

It seems that many of you out there agree. I was chatting to a friend of mine who wondered whether knitting blogs were all that extraordinary and when I showed her the tip of the ice berg of knitting blogs she was amazed.

Anyway back to Bronwen, we have made a list of all we have invited so far and there is more to do to invite other wonderful knitting bloggers to the show. During the period of the festival we will also be hosting some workshops. We want to run a beginners workshop and an advanced and there may also be another special workshop, but that is still in the planning stage. The form with all the details is almost complete and will be sent out as soon as possible.

Looking forward to more responses.

2007-05-28T16:13:00.000+10:00

About Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre

I am starting to receive more responses to my invitation to exhibit with us which is fantastic and has made me keen to get on and do a new post.

I've been thinking that I need to do a profile of Craft ACT mainly through images, so have gathered a few together to post. This is to reassure everyone that we really are a contemporary craft and design gallery in the small city of Canberra, Australia.

Craft ACT (and the ACT stands for Australian Capital Territory) is a membership based organisation that has been running for over 30 years.

This is an image of Craft ACT Member Jennifer Robertson holding a piece of her triple layered weaving, with an image of Australia's Parliament House in the background.

The first image above is a work by Itzell Tazzyman titled The World's Imaginary Corners from the exhibition 2 Materials, an exhibition of Craft ACT Accredited Professional Members. The second is an image from the exhibition Geometry Rhythm Light, curated by David Sequira and the image features the work of Deb Jones in the fore ground with the work of Maureen Williams at the back in our gallery.

This is the work of Bev Hogg from our exhibition Dimensions Variable. These figures are all hand built in clay, glazed and fired.

We represent approximately 200 members and a range of medias including textiles, glass, ceramics, jewellery, furniture design, metal and other areas that have a discourse about objects. Each year we exhibit between 150 to 200 artists in our galleries in the heart of the city of Canberra. We also host events which constitute a public program including off site exhibitions, artists talks, forums, debates, festivals, education projects, professional development seminars and more!

Left: Chora, a public art work created by Canadian artist Penelope Stewart as part of the project 24:7 Dwell a series of public interventions; middle: Craft ACT member Imogen Keen launches her new handbag - the Bocket with a joint fashion parade with local fashion retailer The Department of the Exterior; right: Christmas decoration nade by me for the Craft ACT Christmas exhibition.

Craft ACT is a funded organisation by our local government, ACT Government and the Australia Council an arm of the Federal Government. I'll have to post their logo's to this blog as it is important to recognise their support. In Australia we are very fortunate to have Governments who are responsive to the arts and provide public funding for the development of local culture and support to Australian artists. I know this isn't the case in many other countries. We raise a proportion of our annual funds and the rest comes through various grants. A lot of my time is spent writing these grants to secure our future.

Below are some images of our home - Canberra and the front of our building where we are located.

Left: View of Canberra from Mt Ainslie; Centre: The sign to Craft ACT; Right: A view of the National Museum of Australia on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin taken from a hot air balloon.

Well I hope this gives everyone a bit of an insight into Craft ACT. Will blog again soon.

Cheers

Barb

2007-05-22T22:58:00.000+10:00

Hi Knitting and Blogging world,

Time has flown by and creeping up to our exhibition.

Life has been hectic, in the time since my last post I have been to Singapore travelling with an Australian contemporary ceramic exhibition developed by Asialink. It was shown at the Arthouse Gallery in Singapore. The exhibition The Secret Life of Blue and White was a wonderful exhibition exploring a contemporary take on this extraordinary phenomena of mass produced ceramic ware. The crew at the Arthouse and Charmaine from the Australian High Comission were fantastic to work with and Singapore has a fantaastic art scene, lots and lots happening.

Since my return I have been busy house painting for the past 3 weekends and I'm so so glad its all done now. And of course Alby, my labrador pooch needs some attention or else she might end up looking like Chipper. (note the comfy spot she has taken over for herself on the couch!)

I am getting very excited about the exhibition and have been emailing various knitting bloggers. If any of you visit this site, we are very serious and want to show your work here in Canberra and provide our audiences with terminals so they can comment on your sites directly.

I think Bronwen and I love doing the research more than anything else. There is so much to read and take in. For such a novice as I, I am completely taken with the wonderful world of socks, something we need here as we hit our very first cold night for the year. Thankfully this change in weather has come with rain as our drought situation is getting more and more serious.

But I digress. To all you wonderful knitting bloggers, I hope you are keen to be a part of our exhibition - a chance to have the physical results of your wonderful craft in our gallery,but to talk to you via your blogs - it all adds to the weird and wonderful world of the internet and blogging.

Will post another blog soon - after our new exhibitions open at Craft ACT - contemporary jeweller in the Cicely and Colin Rigg Design Award, and Decades and Diversity an exhibition celebrating the weaving of one of Canberra's and Australia's important weavers - Solvig Baas Becking, and after the Friday night opening of the new Canberra Glasswoks, the new glass facility a big party about to happen and after our Saturday planning day session as we begin our new 3 yr business plan for funding. Yep sometime after that I will post again.

barb - the hopeless knitter

2007-03-28T14:44:00.000+10:00

Copied email from Bronwen last week:

Hi Barb, Woops, I still haven’t updated the blog, but have been looking at a lot of others. I also have my new laptop (which is slightly distracting!) Are you still available this Wednesday night for knit1purl1 activities? Talk to you soon, bron

Well, as you know Bron, it has been a hectic period. Writing the annual report and managing an audit for two separate organisations and two agm's has completely side swiped me. But always in the middle of busy'ness' along comes someone who helps you see the true path...

Let me introduce "Chipper" crocheted by Omar Misa in Launceston. I love my new purchase, is this chap chipper or not? He's just so good I am going to have to....

yep put another picture in. Behind Chipper sits my own ball of wool, hardly diminshed since I started, but tonight its clickety clack.

Anyway if anyone else is reading our blog, Bronwen and I are curating an exhibition here in Australia at CraftACT: Craft and Design Centre in Canberra, Australia's very own designed capital city. It is scheduled for July this year and will delve into the world of knitting and blogging. We have been scouring blog sites and I can't belive the plethora of knitting happening as I type. I am totally transfixed by this cyber world of knitting, upon reading a site, you want to know more about knitting projects, and life in the world of turtle knits or tangelled angel knits or the class people house, etc

Bronwen - here is a list of sites I have visited. Please post your sites. Lets meet next tuesday and make contact with some knitting critters. I was just checking on some and went down another new path of knitters eek.

This list is not in any order other than the random way I found them:

yarn harlot

knit 'n' bitch

knitting in public - doesn't seem to have had any recent action though

knittie nautie

neddles on fire

wendy knits

two pointy sticks

supergirl knits

tangelled angel knits

olannboa

cliketyknits

turtle knits

winona queen

tea and cakes

a simple yarn

tales of the knitty

knitty.com

safforn knits

the classy people house

I am still new to the blog thing - Bronwen next week we will have to work out how to make these links if possible. Looking forward to your list,

Barb

2007-03-05T22:04:00.000+11:00

Having such an old slow computer has its benefits - I get a huge amount of knitting done waiting for things to load - but in the last hour I have decided that the time has come for a brand new wiz bang computer with the works and whistles (especially because I am tempted to throw this one out the window and I probably would if I could lift it)

I suppose learning to knit can be as frustrating as troublesome technology but once you get the rhythm it is like meditation. Once you understand how the stitch is made you don't panic when you realise you've made a mistake - just pick it up or pull it apart and start again. I think that is my problem with computers. Things just seem to disappear or discombobulate for no apparent reason and because I don't understand how they work it makes me crazy (but not crazy enough to make me really want to find out how they work - just crazy enough to go and spend vast quantities of hard earned cash on a computer with a good marketing strategy behind it.)

After some initial uncertainty, Barb's needles were clacking like the clappers and she was even able to multi-task with some dog-whispering with Sophie (pictured). Sophie has recently become an "outside dog" due to some flea and wee incidents, however she was allowed inside because of the scary storm (which was really just loud thunder at this point but I'm a bit soft)

So back to knitting, this is the green and pink bag I am making (which doesn't look like a bag yet but I promise it will if I finish it and it doesn't metamorphose into something else, because it used to be a cardigan, then something for Arwen to wear and then it told me it wanted to be a bag. This is my usual stream-of-consciousness knitting experience) I found this lovely op-shop wool which I just couldn't resist despite the overflow of my obligatory knitter's stockpile of irresistible yarns.

Arwen was also allowed to lie on the couch instead of in her bed (again, I know, I'm a bit soft) and proceeded to make herself comfortable in a vocal and theatrical manner. The evening descended into chocolate and biscuit fueled chaos against the backdrop of an eerie light show and Barb was eager to escape. Arwen and I went to bed with sound of rain on the tin roof and unaware of the chaos of another kind which hailed over Canberra.

I was sad to hear that, amongst many other buildings in Canberra, the School of Art, my old friend, fared badly in the storm and I'm thinking of all my sad and soggy friends who will be cleaning and repairing for weeks and months to come.

Barb and I promise weekly updates on knitting and other events from this point forward. Let us know what you think and tell us where you are blogging about knitting.

Bronwen

2007-03-01T10:37:00.000+11:00

March 2 2007

Well its been quite a long time between postings on Knit1Blog1. There has been a very hot Christmas, New Year and summer holidays at the seaside. All relaxing and celebrating aside, its now time to really knuckle down on the Knit1Blog1 project.

Bronwen and I met up the other night and Bronwen introduced me to the fine art of casting wool onto needle. It has been too many years between my grandmother teaching a rather impatient 10 year old girl - to now. Eventuually I figured out I didn't need to hold the needles vertically up at eye level, that I could actually relax my shoulders and consequently my wool tension by holding the needles horizontally in front of me.

Bronwen introduced me to the easy cast on style of wrapping the wool around your thumb and picking up the loop with the needle, which I immediately jotted down in my notes so that I would never forget.

A couple of hours ruminating on why people blog, what it was that Bronwen was knitting (a beautiful bag), what it was that I was actually knitting (rows) and calming nervous children and dogs as a spectacular storm was brewing outside, ensued.

Bronwen showed me some photos she took of some knitted entries at the Royal Canberra Show which was on in Canberra 24 & 25 Feb this year. There was a spectacular and winning entry of some knitted bears playing tennis (everything was knitted, the racquets, the ball and ground and the net!), a wonderful octopus and a very fine outfit for a doll - think Penelope Cruz in her 2007 Oscar frock and you may get a sense of this outfit to die for.

It was a memorable night not just for knitting but also for the weather. Canberra had a a freak superstorm, cloaking the city in a white robe of ice - a veritable sea of hailstones fell from the sky creating a winter landscape in summer that not even our winter climate can produce. I narrowly made it home ten mintues before the lighting and thunder were over head followed by the eerie sound of the massive hail storm falling on the CBD just 3 kilometres away, and then watching as the edge of the storm came overhead leaving a more gentle and less dense fall of stones on our house and yard. Can you knit a covering for climate change, one that shelters from the hot hot sun and one the shelters from the harsh hail as well?

I feel I am beginning a new lifestyle as last night I picked up my needles and did a few extra rows. Already ambitious thoughts abound of what I might knit but in all reality, the pride I feel for knitting two more rows is the culmination of my talent at the moment.

This morning I thought I would spend an hour on posting a comment and checking out some knitting blogs but 2.5hrs later I had to drag myself away from the musingndoing blog by Ling. I think this is going to addictive as I read on about being inspired to knit or not and delving in to the February of Ling's blog, which I came to from Monna from Knit Knut's blog site, a great blog of handy knitting, stitching and quilting, which I came to from Meowgirl's site, which I always like to check out.

I saw a great pattern on chic knits as well and when I checked out the wool on Scouts Swags I couldn't believe the range of colours let alone the names such as hot fudge sunday, purple people eater and snakes on a skein. My knitting universe has expanded.

I am still looking around at the objects that people are making and next week I aim to pluck up the courage to comment on someone's blog.

2006-11-09T15:15:00.000+11:00

In the beginning...

We are co-curating a project titled Knit1 Blog1 for Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre to coincide with a contemporary art festival in Canberra Australia. Dimensions Variable 2007 is a festival to celebrate contemporary art and craft in Canberra.

The festival will focus on the theme In Public and present a series of major exhibitions, temporary public art in the city area, public events, an education program, and other fun happenings.

We are fascinated with the renewed popularity of knitting and how its revival has coincided with the latest accessible, communication trend, blogs. We are developing a project which is inspired by all you wonderful bloggers and blog sites and happenings such as virtual knitalongs, and the 2006 Knitting Olympics. We think knitting is more in the public realm than ever before.

We hope our project will string together a web of creations from around the world to come together in our gallery space in Canberra and be seen in the physical, and virtual, public worlds. Our aim is that you will share your blogging and knitting worlds with us. We think the world of knitting blogs is amazing and we want to bring this phenomenon to a new audience through this project.

We are two Canberra based artists and arts workers.

I am an artist who knits. In 2002, with the help of over 100 knitters, I installed housecosy, a knitted covering for a house and in 2005 I created carcosy with local primary school students.
Bronwen

I am a complete novice knitter and have yet to pick up the needles but will be learning at the capable hands of Bronwen. Oh and I am also the Director of Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre.
Barbara