Release the Fleece

Embroidery Exhibition

2010-02-10T15:26:00.000-08:00

This Exhibition really interests me;seems to be a 'let's get over the fussy image of embroidery' type of collection - overcoming stereotypes etc. Personlly I love textiles as an art form and have no preconceptions, but it seems many think doilies are the only way to go with this medium.

It's a bit far out, the PM gallery in Ealing, but I'm going to try to check it out as I work over that way. Will let you know what I think....

Beware of Embroidery
15 January – 27 February
Kate Keara Pelen (UK), Louise Riley (UK), Tilleke Schwarz (Netherlands), Laura Splan (USA) & Tamar Stone(USA)

Beware of Embroidery is a new exhibition that features the work of five international contemporary artists who use embroidery as a medium to communicate their ideas and visions. Each artist will present a series of work, variously political, historical or social, created using both traditional and innovative methods and materials.

PM Gallery & House
Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, London W5 5EQ

2010-01-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

I have had a lot of time off over the festive period, which should up productivity one would imagine, however distractions over this recent period have included the following:

* Wanting to make a knitted skirt for my friend's daughter, looking for suitable wool, then getting distracted by beautiful (70% organic / 30% alpaca) but unsuitable wool. Starting the skirting project only to abandon it and wonder if it would be acceptable as a scarf??

* Finding that Graeme's head was extremely cold and therefore being under imperative to crochet a suitable covering!

* Rediscovering the wonders of the Granny Square. This truly is a passion which encapsulates all things retro, nostalgic and kitsch. In fact, I am so overwhelmed with this particular enthusiasm I am considering abandoning all else to concentrate solely on bags, throws, bedcovers and baby blankets from the said quadrilaterals.

However, in the light of recent epiphanies, I am resolved not to give up the felting mantel and will felt on. Walter the Wherepig is eagerly awaiting his family members and I shall not let him, nor the friend to whom this first flush of toy tinkering is promised, down.

Walter the Werepig

2010-01-01T12:20:00.001-08:00

Walter the Wherepig chose to spend a quiet new year's eve enjoying Jool's 'Hootenanny'.This was a welcome respite for him as he worried that his propensity to scare people would not be appropriate on such a festive occasion as the turn of the decade. As he is Tee total he remained in control of his faculties. Another worry for him is that the 'Were' could override the cuter 'Pig' side and all hell could break loose, (hence his reluctance to lose control.)Right now he's hiding behind closed blinds as the Moon is amazingly full. He is hoping to settle down with a charming vampire-bat in the new year, and between them start a small monster family. Their destination will be LA where they hope to start a horror series in Hollywood.

More retro patterns

2009-12-29T13:42:00.001-08:00

Have been a tad bored now Christmas has well and truly settled around my girth, so I thought I'd take some inspiration from my retro knitting patterns. Here's a few to start with - childish but harmless fun! Will be back to serious craft pursuits soon, honestly....

Snowflake sighting

2009-12-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Girls just wanna have .... Christmas! Yep - there's something about this time of year which eggs on the domestic enthusiast to ever more retro orgies of home-making and baking. I need no encouragement usually of course, but the pace does take on a feverish aspect come December. I know it's all probably an escape from the responsibilities of job, debts, family and the horrors of the news, but if it makes me happy who cares? A friend was coming around for a festive DVD session this weekend, consisting of 'It's a Wonderful Life' which she'd never seen (yes, she's young!), was all the impetus I needed. I promptly demanded that Graeme cut me a branch of Hazel from the back garden and find me some sort of quick drying spray-on white paint. Amazingly he obliged in both respects, so I really had no excuses left. I sprayed on the paint, which also obligingly dried in 7 minutes, and then dragged it inside and found a cosy corner to prop it against. I had brought some chintzy ribbon from the haberdashers which I fashioned into bows, found a couple of red glittery stars from last year, draped some battery operated white star lights and of course whipped up some felt stockings (to be filled with sweeties when I get around to it.) Last but not least Graeme's fave detail - the snowflakes I made out of cotton wool cleansing pads - they have that pleasing plump snowy texture and require minimum effort and expense! I was pretty pleased with the effect which was homely and heart warming. It's definitely a work in progress; I will be adding one more string of star lights for proportionate illumination, making more snowflakes, felt stockings and will probably add some baubles too (some some nice mini pink disco balls in 99p store - that's where I got the lights from too...)So, it's all unpretentious and recession friendly stuff. Can't wait until my friend comes over to admire. I'm also excited about giving her my first home crafted christmas gift (pictured). It's hand crocheted first this time, and then felted and sewn. Hope she likes it...I need to get busy as I plan to make many more Christmas gifts (once some time is snatched back from the 30 hour working week...) Any ideas for felted items which menfolk may covet? They are such a problem to please as the usual rule doesn't apply - (just give something you would much rather keep yourself..)Anyone fancy a man bag?

The Rules of Imprecision

2009-11-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

As no felting inspiration has been evident this weekend, I thought I would share some simple rules for living which have not let us down so far. Graeme and I live in a wonderful house, which we pride ourselves on decorating with love, if not with care. If you're interested in speedy results and don't mind sacrificing quality for actually getting the job done - read on! (incidentally, this is why felt is such a marvelous medium - it's most forgiving of a crooked stitch and most of the rules below easily apply, apart from references to paint and hammers)

* Never start anything you can't finish in a day

* Always improvise - even when it's not necessary

* Never measure when you can 'guesstimate'

* Never use the correct tools, even if you can get your hands on them

* Don't bother to cover precious items, just scrape the paint off afterwards

* Call any mistakes a 'design feature'

* Remember, the hammer is 'big magic'!

* Never read instructions, they only fuck things up

* Never prepare - just pile straight in

* There's no such as thing as WRONG!

I hope these 10 simple points relieve unnecessary stress in your life and enable you to achieve things you had hitherto only dreamed of.

(Photos of rooms / furniture / paintings / garments / meals and other things made by these rules will be posted later)

Norwegian wool, isn't it cool!

2009-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

At last - another felt offering. This one got a bit waylaid, but worth waiting for I hope! As you've probably already gathered, I love anything hippy and trippy - so I feel the norwegian retro fits well into this vibe. It reminds me both of the Alpaca designs we used to wear in the 70's and a jumper with a fairisle yoke my friend took to Uni. I dubbed this her 'self-sufficiency' jumper! She was very amused by this, but it just reminded me of everything Tom and Barbara; it was made for wholefood shops and allotments. Although of course the way she wore it with her straight leg jeans - (gasp!) nothing short of revolutionary as far as I was concerned, made it look much for 'fashion' and 'edgy'! I was still stuck in the Kiki Dee school of flares and cheesecloth (see album cover) - although none of those differences mattered when it came to our love of Kiki's 'Amoureuse' - the ultimate first love anthem!I had to blink away the tears on hearing it again when Graeme presented it as a surprise Boot Sale Trophy.
As you can see I enjoyed laying the bag out and accessorizing it in various ways - looks good with the scandinavian pottery and sheepskin I think. Essentially it's that staple of the 80's, the Clutch bag, with a 70's twist. The stripy wool lining gives it a cosy feel as well as making it more substantial. This is good as there needs to be a definition of shape with a clutch bag, otherwise it's like trying to clutch a shower bag - doesn't really work except on the way to the shower. I love it anyhow, and am not sure I'll be able to part with this one....

Muffin Musings

2009-11-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

It's now the fifth day that my banana muffins have been delicious, so it's definitely time to share the simple recipe. Don't know what the secret is, but they've stayed moist, banana-y (is that an adjective?) and the icing provides a perfect sugar hit every time. A bit disappointing tonight because I'm down to the two un-iced ones, and even though I spread some butter on to add interest, they just weren't the same. They could just as easily be baked in little cases, decorated prettily and called 'cup cakes', which I know are much more the rage at the moment. However, I love the more 'earthy' cakes, and will be true to myself. Anything rustic, fruity, oaty or dense fits my bill - probably because I was addicted to 'Cranks' in my formative years, and so remain addicted to the heavy, indigestible wholemeal confections which passed as 'healthy' in those innocent days. It's just the nostalgia I guess. I remember sitting with my herbal brew amongst the cress filled cheese scones and flapjacks with one friend or another, mulling over life, relationships and how the hell to get out of catering and into something resembling a proper career. I was even working for a good while in a place called 'The Granary' - an upmarket lunchtime 'Bistro' affair which was a bit more 'Sloany' than Cranks, owing to the moneyed pretensions of the Arabian owner, Mr Shah and the Green Park postcode. Nevertheless the wholesome 70's moniker appealed strongly to me and it seemed to be a place where you were accepted, almost fitting the cliche of the 'more like a family' working set-up. I became firm friends with Paul who introduced me to the post modern delights of the Black Cat, Vauxhall Tavern and Piano Bar. We had loads of 'in' jokes, directed mainly at the well meaning commis chef and the customers, who as anyone who has worked in restaurants knows, are fair game. Margaret, the neurotic but motherly head chef and partner in the business would present great steaming trays of goodies for display on the hotplate at around midday. Some of these were truly memorable and had customers coming back for more. Baked Avocados stuffed with prawns and spinach was highly original and legendary, possibly the only example of a hot avocado I've seen successfully served. Strips of belly of pork cooked with plums was also a gastronomic treat. Paul and I would help ourselves to a Tomato juice, already looking dated in terms of being offered as a 'starter' in the 80's - 'almost a meal in itself' we would exclaim camply, which always made us laugh for some unknown reason! The massive cakes, which Margaret would entreat us to offer as 'pudding' would put any domestic goddess to shame. A bit excessive at lunchtime after one of the meals, but a good trade was done in afternoon tea and cake too. All this was good news for a foodie like myself; I've always had an emotional relationship with food, ranging from depriving myself almost totally to wanting to immerse myself in it. Ah, happy days, although of course at the time they weren't - but like most times of confusion and compromise in our youth, they remain indelibly etched. In terms of outcomes - 'Cranks' was sold after David Canter's death in 1981, and subsequently sold on a few more times and re-branded (wonder why?), to expire finally through financial difficulties in 1998. Many blamed the outdated image for it's gradual demise, but as I remain a fan of 'solid natural-coloured oak tables, hand thrown stoneware pottery, heather-brown quarry tiles, woven basket lampshades and hand-woven seat covers'(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranks_restaurant)it seems a shame to me. The Granary is still going strong, listed a 'traditional' in many guides and with an 'average' rating, (which I would take issue with, certainly if Margaret is still cooking, which I presume she must be as the trademark stuffed avocado is still listed.)I got that 'proper job' I hankered after, though at times I wonder why. Paul also developed a more flamboyant career in a very professional drag act at the Soho Review Bar, though sadly we lost touch. More 'earthy cakes' to follow very soon.

Iced Banana Muffins

• 1 cup spelt flour / 1 cup s. r. Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2/3 cup light olive oil
• 1 cup demerera sugar
• 1 & 1/2 cups ripe mashed banana
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (mainly pecans and walnuts)
(Using some lovely retro measuring cups like the one in the pic makes this recipe more enjoyable too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 electric setting / Gas mark 4.)
Prepare muffin tray.

Sieve flour, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl and set aside

In a separate bowl, combine oil, sugar, banana, and eggs. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, not overdoing it on the mixing. Stir in nuts. Fill muffins pans to about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done (cover with some foil if they’re getting a bit too brown.)

Make some butter icing by creaming the icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon (raw icing sugar works really well)

Once cakes have cooled on a wire tray ice them liberally and sprinkle with chopped pumpkin seeds.

Astanga Girl

2009-11-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

A weekend characterized by technological frustrations. My flash new phone eluded attempts to synchronize with the PC and so all new images lay trapped within. I seem to have configured email on it wrongly too, so messages get lost in cyberspace - but how silly to think I can't blog without an image? Other more successful activities - managed to get through a full hour of Astanga Yoga which I unwittingly entered into (thanks Foz!) I'm much more of a Hatha girl, a few poses and a bit of deep breathing is enough for me, but once the dynamic posture sequences began to it was waaay too late to back out. Especially as I had crammed my mat into the last remaining space so there was no dignified way out. I guess I could have sat out a few sequences, but hey - you know it doesn't work like that. Alarm bells should have been alerted by the fact that a good percentage of the class was occupied by athletic looking young men, and the class was taught by one too. There had to be more to it than just a bit of gentle stretch and relaxation if these gym bunnies had put down their weights for an hour. 10 minutes in and I was actually sweating - downward dog / plank / 3 body parts down / cobra, up to downward dog / plank - and so it went on. But a sense of pride definitely was won by actually completing this marathon. The teacher gave one of my postures a slight adjustment but apart from that left me alone, so I must have blended in OK, although by the end I was urgently trying to find some slack. Into Lidl afterwards for some well deserved fruit and nut, home to a shower and then stare into space and enjoy the Endorphins. Mustered enough energy to make a chicken risotto, which was my most successful yet. Think the secret was I didn't rush it this time.
Last night was quite low key after the high point of a double-gig at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (and Foyer)on Friday. Worm in most excellent form and the Woodentops, who set the seal on an incredibly atmospheric and harmonious night, as well as a chance to see some old faces (no pun intended.) Just one solitary little trick or treater knocked on Saturday(or his Dad did, judging by his height.) He was very proud to show me his outfit, which resembled a very pudgy 'skeletore' and his sword which he pronounced 'got ghosts in it' - it made a choral moaning sound which would certainly have kept me up at night at his age (but then, I was scared to sleep in the same room as one particular doll, so that doesn't say much...)Luckily I had been baking experimentally and Graeme had won the argument about whether a banana muffin should be iced (everything should always be iced being his motto.) The little chap looked pretty pleased with it and off he went. I took this to be a good omen as the last couple of years had seen a depressing absence of trick or treaters - probably due to the middle class cliquiness of the neighbourhood - they were all at cosy fancy dress parties with bat fairy cakes and organised games, not in the nasty old street or knocking on (god forbid) doors of normal people who didn't own their own houses. Back to the TV after that for the new series of 'The Thick of It' which was the usual hilarious study in anger, humiliation and political machinations. All in all a nicely balanced weekend of small triumphs and ultimately insignificant frustrations.

Vintage 'his and hers' zippers

2009-10-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

I adore both vintage craft patterns and vintage cookery books. You really can learn a lot, or at least laugh a lot at previous generations! This gem caught my eye at Spitalfields yesterday. I couldn't resist it as it really could be Graeme and myself in another age and with more hair."How do you like your new 'zipper' darling. Made with the revolutionary 3 play Ariel - the only yarn which 'gives you bulk without weight!"
"It's great darling (although I wish she'd told me that before I joined the gym) - is this why we're sharing this celebratory bottle of coke?"
"Yes - that and my new found ability to blow bubbles out of the top of my head!"
Wonderful - perhaps this calls for a bottle each?"
Who knows - perhaps this was how Ariel soap powder was invented?

I think this pattern's pretty nice if you want to go for the retro look - perhaps with a bit of a pattern to snazz it up. Now where can I get some of that 'Ariel'?

Felt Fun

2009-10-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

This is my current favourite way to 'release the fleece'. Easy peazy - you just get a jumper which is no good for actually wearing and shove it in the washing machine on around 60, along with towels if needed to fill up the drum and ensure plenty o friction. If it's not quite woolly enough for ya, then put in spin dryer until satisfied (check regularly - it's quite difficult to make anything with a postage stamp). Once you're happy with you're fuzzy felted item, just use it as fabric - cut, sew or sculpt - whatever turns you on. Bags are my obsession at the mo as you can see. Identify the features of the garment and try to incorporate into your bag design; I used a nice panel of cable for the duffel, recycled some crochet chenille flowers I made around 22 years ago into the pink bag and kept the fairisle tank top more or less intact, just constructed the whole thing around it's original structure. As I'm an avid collector of vintage buttons it also puts them to a good use. Anway - I'm going to be setting these up on www.etsy.com soon - see if I get any interest. Someone might just want something which is hand crafted from the no-longer-wanted...?

Last year's woolly fun

2009-10-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some examples of last year's woolly fun which involved knitting on needles which were as big as humanly possibly to knit with (quick results!) and various crochet projects. The Beret is a perrenial fave - floppy and versatile (knitted on size 0 needles - whatever that means - it's the opposite of the anorexic model size 0 anyway) I always have a few orders in the pipeline for these, although it sometimes takes me a year or so to be in the mood to knock one up (though it does only take an evening.) If fact, one of my friends has been waiting about 20 years for one - it's some sort of mental block, but luckily she takes it in good stride. I did manage to make an embroidered knitted waistcoat for her beautiful daughter as well as some turkish slippers, so that's keeping her happy in the meantime. It had better be damn special when it does come to pass. It just goes to show - you can't rush creativity, unless of course you want to - in which case it takes about 2 hours...See above for this year's woolly fun - much more streamlined on the time front. It involves shoving an old jumper in the washing machine and ruining it - much less labour intensive than creating something from a ball of wool with painstaking metholodogy.

Graeme's Signature Dish

2009-10-26T12:51:00.001-07:00

Venison Sausage Hot Pot

Pack Waitrose Venison Sausages
1 large Red onion
1 large Orange or yellow pepper
Enough Veg stock
Tbsp Tomato puree
Seasoning (favourites include smoked paprika, cumin, oregano)
Olive oil

Cook the sausages on a griddle until well browned. While they're cooking fry the red onion and pepper. Put everything together in a Casserole dish or slow cooker with enough stock to cover and the tomato puree and seasoning. Leave a good long time for the stock to thicken.
Serve with cous-couse or butternut squash - YEAH!

South to West by any means necessary

2009-10-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard to be cheery when the Northern line's down on Friday morning - the one day you wanted to be a breeze all the way to the weekend. Catching the bus from Balham to Stockwell was actually fine though and much less stressful than the usual tube run because I got a seat - all the way! So I sat there and read 'Blogging for Dummies' and planned my blog, so here I am! Found out the clocks are going back this weekend so thought it a good time to reflect on what a beautiful summer it was before anyone has a chance to moan about it. Seriously, it went on forever! Just a couple of high points. This snap is of Moby is on his favourite beach in North Wales, looking damp after a splash. My header photo was also taken in the front garden (if you could call it a garden) - couldn't believe how many of those red admiral butterflies frolicked on the buddleia. I was excited about Autumn until I contracted a virus and started to feel a bit peaky. However Graeme's signature dish (venison sausage casserole) perked me up a treat; isn't rib sticking comfort food the best part of a British winter? - will post the recipe tomorrow. Look at Moby licking his lips - he likes the sound of that!