rockpool candy

HAYWARD opening and symposium

OK, I've been blethering on to so many people about London, but haven't shown any pics. So here goes.
Opening night at the Hayward - about a million degrees centigrade:

Inga, Ildiko and Helle.
Three foreign-sounding women each with a coral fixation.

It even grows out of them......

Schmoozing with the wonderful Gerard of I Knit London.

Hang on, there are four of us now. The new addition is the very talented Anita. I covet her wire plankton forms over any other's work.

The symposium on the 13th, The Art And Craft of Saving The World, held in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, also on the Southbank, saw me teaching people to crochet with fishing rope;

encouraging uber-boffins and crafters to share their knowledge and tackle crochet;

and making a giant jellyfish from rubbish, fishing debris and manufacturing waste.

Phew!

No wonder I'm pooped!

 

The lightest hook on Earth

London picked me up, wrung me out and left me pooped. I'm one tired lady - too tired to even hold the weight of my crochet the last few days.
And then a little angel arrived.

It appeared in the shape of the most beautiful hook, hand carved by Jimbo from a dead aspen branch behind his cabin. He whittled the whole thing whilst sitting on his front porch, overlooking a meadow, so it has relaxation running through its grain!
It's sensuously soft, beautifully smooth and weighs less than a gnat's sneeze! And it's tempting me towards my yarn stash again.

I'm so flattered that Jimbo should take the time to carve me such an object and all inspired by a small piece of lichen that looked like coral. (See how he found it by clicking here.)

LIFE IS IN THE DETAIL. I shall attempt to crochet my own homage to that little piece of lichen tonight.

Thank you Jimbo.

And if you haven't yet tried his chophook, what's keeping you? It's another fantastic creation from the hands of a master. The one pictured here is especially carved for bullion stitches - and we all need help with those little blighters. And do you know what? All you have to do is make a small donation of at least $10- (which is nothing in pounds nowadays!) to the Freidreich's Ataxia Research Alliance through the button on his site and he'll make you one. A good cause AND a bargain. Win win.

He's also got a "gob o hooks" like the one he carved me up for grabs in his auction. Believe me, they'll change your crocheting experience. They're sexy hooks.

Making plastic bag yarn/yarn from a tube

Now, whilst I need to keep some things a secret - like the patterns to some of my corals so that I can continue to make a living. (rants: Can't believe how bare-faced some people are about ripping off other artists' designs and ideas. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!) I do want to share my craft knowledge with other people and get them passionate about free materials. And by free, I mean just lying around, unwanted stuff; old clothes, worn out pillowcases, sacks, plastic bags etc.
So here's how to make them into yarn. The fabric yarn is great for kids to learn finger crochet, as it's chunky and grows quickly and the plastic bag stuff works well for outdoor pieces they might like to make.

Watch the slightly bitmappy video that I've posted on youtube and then have a go yourself.

Don't blame me if your fellas end up with Daisy Duke shorts!

Guardian G2 Arts section article

I'll be the woolly-fibre fiddler mentioned!

You can read the full article by ferreting around in last week's recycling, or by clicking here.
Mine are the wall mounds.

I'm a lax blogger!

It's wonderful to be SO busy with all the events coming up, but it does mean that I just don't get time to tell everyone about them. So apologies for being so tardy!

First! Did you know that 8th June is World Ocean Day?

There's a link here to the petition. Sign it and you'll add your voice to the many others asking the UN to recognise the day and bring about a greater awareness of the oceans' plight.

The summer is busy, busy, busy. There's the Hayward, (Darling!)  opening on the 11th June, with a private viewing on the 10th (ooer!)

Where you'll be able to see two of my reefs in my wall reef series; pink and green. And also a smack of my jellyfish.

On the 13th June,  I'll also be 'engaging people in craft' at the Southbank's symposium, 'The Art and Craft of Saving The Planet'. I really can't wait to spend a day with so many like-minded people (whom all happen to be at the pinnacle of their chosen field.) I feel priviliged to have been invited to take part. It promises to be a unique gathering of very exciting uber-boffins! Oh, and nervous wee me!

Please come along and see what we're all up to. And make sure you say hi when you're there.

Then finally, after Much, Much, Much anticipation, it's WOOLFEST!

Anyone and EVERYONE who has any fibre fiddling urges is going to be there. And as it's my birthday just a week before, I'm heading that way with NO restrictions on my purchasing.
It will be fibre gluttony in it's most beautiful form.

I can't wait.