Crochet monster of me!!

Here is a crochet monster portrait of myself made by my friend and fellow yarn artist Helen. At the moment Helen is making crochet monsters from comissions. This one is mine!

See more Helens amazing work at: http://helenmakes.blogspot.com

Yeah!

Open shop Project in Burnley: Knitted teacozies.

For couple of weekends I have gone to Burnley to knit with Artyarn. In open shop project, various artists are doing workshops in Lancashire area including Burnley. Artyarn has curated a community art project the "Knitted Teacozies" for Towneley Hall. Recession has left many retail outlet spaces empty and Art's council has funded different projects to take place in these spaces.
More information about the Open shop Project on:

http://artyarn-openshopproject.blogspot.com/

I found it so relaxing to just knit something small, a bit domestic and quirky for a change. I decided to knit a strawberry teacosy. I made the pattern up as I was going along, but would be good to do it again and write down the instructions. All the tea cozies are fun and innovative and are going to be exhibited in Townley Hall 17th of June.

The Knitted toilet.

So on friday I finally finished this project that I thought was impossible to make until the minute it was ready. This piece required 80 individually knitted tuck stitch tiles for the wall, 16 small knitted tiles for border and 32 knitted tiles for the floor. I also tailored and knitted a close fit garment for a toilet, inside and out. So from easter to last friday intensive knitting and sewing has finally paid off. I am so happy about the result. I have my presentation and feedback coming soon. I hope that doesn't crush my lovely upbeat mood.

The piece is not supposed to be a toilet showroom, but a glimpse of somebody else toilet. A knitted alternative reality. Hopefully these pictures don't ruin the surprise for those coming to see the show. There is a lot of other amazing and interesting work to see all over campus.

Interactive Arts Degree Show 2010
Friday 18th June
6.00 pm
Holden Gallery

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125641360784094&ref=ts

The things to do list.

I have been missing updating my blog for a while as it has been very busy with the final piece for the degree show. I have done 80 wall tiles, nearly 32 floor tiles (I have 5 left to do and I am going to do them this morning). I found a toilet from my street which was a part of a whole bathroom set actually. Even thought it was suggested, I decided I don't want to have somebody else's old bathroom in my back garden just to wait that I might do something with it some day. So I just took the toilet. I think the neighbors thought me asking for that was weird enough. I spotted the toilet in the middle of the night, but didn't want to be a thief, so I slipped a note to their mailbox, introducing myself as an artist and inquired if it was possible for me to collect the toilet the next day. And they got back to me via phone and my housemate and boyfriend assisted to get the thing in the garden. So that is the story of the toilet. After manic cleaning with all sorts of poisons and rubber gloves I started to work on it. The last weeks as I have been feeling like a taylor, -for a toilet. I truly hope that my future clients will be humans.

Now waiting for the final piece images, I will share the some pictures with the work in progress. It has been progressed more since then, but if I share those images now, then maybe the end result is not going to be so exciting to see!

The rest of today's plan is to follow my things to do list which is:

Knit 5 tiles
Plan and knit details (toilet paper, toilet roll holder)
Go to University
Sew tiles on to foam board
Planning and making mechanism
Calculate how much velcro I need (and preparing to pay myself sick for it, I can't believe how expensive it is outside of the University!)

So, quite a few things to do. See you later!