vol 5

In introducing the Golden Hands: the complete knitting, dressmaking and needlecraft guide, I have done my best to pick out projects and photos that might appeal to the current crafting generation, things that I may possibly like to make or try in a different colourway, invaluable basic how-to lessons. I feel that I have misrepresented the series. In fact, a lot of stuff in there is really quite awful:

Somehow I just can't imagine being motivated to start on any of these projects, no matter how much yarn or colour substitution I might do. I do like the cover though, that sewing machine looks like it may have come off the Titanic. When I was little I thought that the woman on the cover looked enough like my mum to actually be my mum, even though I knew that she wasn't. Funny how you can do that when you're a kid - know one thing but choose to believe another.

Anyway, the craft update - recycled tree jumper, no progress; secret present socks, no progress; Jeremy, no progress; baby ballerina, oh don't even ask. I have been really busy though, mostly with sewing using recycled materials. And next week I'm having a launch (of sorts). Yes, I will be launching myself out of the datasphere and into the real world at the Stitches and Craft show, courtesy of the Living Creatively people. I'll be there to talk about op shopping and crafting using recycled materials. I'll have a few creations there to show people, including the baby bobble jacket, and a whole heap of yarns and fabrics that represent my ever-expanding list of best intentions. I should update the sidebar over there but I'm a mite scared of what its final dimensions may be. I'll also be showing how to unpick and unravel an op shop-purchased jumper in order to make it into something new.

So, if you're in Melbourne next week(end) and feel like a fibre/fabric/paper/thread etc overload, I'll be there on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the morning. I'm sure that it would be lovely to meet you.