Crochet Presents

I made this, (the brooch) for a friend from the book 'Vintage Crochet' by Susan Cropper.... I was half way through it when I realised it was a design by Kate of Cardigan who we were very pleased did Brighton Craft Fair last year and will be doing this years re-named MADE08-Brighton's Design and Craft Fair .


Some wonderful and unusual crochet at these 2 etsy shops - gooseflesh and
irregular expressions,which we featured in shop of the week at MADE, our art and craft blog.



My first attempts at crochet,toys for babies, were from Japanese amigurumi patterns - with a basic translation of the key. Oddly they do seem much more straightforward than a lot of English patterns.


Apart, of course,from Lucinda Guy's absolutely wonderful 'Crochet Designs for Boys and Girls'.



I was lucky enough to see a dummy before publication, it's a real beauty, very original and very 'want to makeable now'. As with her other books, it's a complete collaboration between herself and her partner, designer and illustrator Francois Hall. If his elegant solutions to understanding the crochet patterns more clearly, had been around a little earlier life wouldv'e been a lot simpler for someone who managed by fluke rather than design!

New Shed/Studio Progress

It seems a long time coming - we raised the money at the Studio Sale last summer - and at last we're clearing the small hill, and re-homing the frogs from the end of the garden. Massive amounts of earth moving- mostly riddled with a white bluebell looking flower of the allium family.

When the digging gets a bit much I retire to the shed for a little gentle painting - I have been commissioned to paint a large version of a painting of someone hanging dresses on a line at night, that I did a year or so ago. It just about fits in the old shed.

Swaps

One of the nice unexpecteds of doing the art and craft exhibitions have been swaps. Usually art or craft for my prints but sometimes holidays or accommodation! We've been so busy we haven't been able to do the cottage in France but it's nice to know it's there. Friends who run Graig Wen wanted some reminders of Brighton so we had a week there. I hope to do a painting or print of the area and swap it for some time in one of their new yurts!


How far could you take this swapping? (or how far would this swapping take you?)

BCF Banners

Its rare but rather good to see an Sarah's illustrations used large and around our home town. It was even better when Madame L'art was seen on the sides of buses but we haven't been able to do that for a few years.

Brighton Craft Fair

We've just finished the Brighton Craft Fair which we both organise. Sarah does the design for the banners, flyers etc and also exhibits. As the work has to be different from the Art Fair, she's done a range of one-off dolls, which everyone loved but only a few people can summon up the funds to purchase one. Lots of galleries are keen to show them though so that might be the best way to market them.

Brighton Belle
Apple Lady

In order to show something a little more affordable and to link the dolls to the prints a little more published two fabric kits/tea-towels that can be made up into figures, cushions, or stuffed with something heavy door stops. They were selling quite well at the fair and have just been featured on my favourite blog designsponge so we might even get known in the States!

Civil Partnership Present

Made this for Mike and Robert as a present to celebrate their Civil Partnership. Mike and Robert own the wonderful Castor and Pollux emporium on Brighton Beach.

They're supposed to look like they're in Edwardian swimming costumes, going down the beach for a paddle.

Arundel Gallery Trail

Last weekend of the Arundel Festival and Arundel Gallery Trail. It's a much more manageable trail than Brighton with most houses being on or around just two streets Tarrant and Maltraver. The houses are universally lovely, flint or brick, built up the hill with fantastic views up to the castle and churches or over the Arun valley - over the backs of tall the other historic houses and lovely gardens.Quite a bit of the art is good - apart from Sarah Youngs prints - I liked Josse Davies ceramics in Tarrant street along with Victor Stuart Graham's driftwood ships and David Peduzzi's wood engravings. Giles Penny's (top Photo) sculptures at the Zimmer Stewart Gallery on Tarrant Street.





Chris Mitton and Mike Savage are displaying their sculptures in a lovely garden on Maltravers Street opposite the castle .



Stuart Slade - the day of the mopheads, installation of latex dipped mopheads in a garden in Tarrant Street.
Also Oliver Hawkins sculpture at 42 Tarrant Street. Small wooden sculptures .

There is lots of 2d art too but my photographic skills aren't up to the challenge of glass. but can recommend the huge Georgian house at 22 Maltravers Street - Suzanne Wilson and Neville Green, and MArgaret Massie Taylor's prints at 49 Maltravers Street.