About the beginning

Sunday the 22nd October

Heading off to Sydney on the Melbourne to Sydney train from Southern Cross Station at 8.30 in the morning. Stuart dropped us off after a late night working!

Melbourne to Sydney map

Waiting to board the train

Watched the world go by and did some knitting.

The journey took 12 hours and we arrived at Central Station. A taxi took us to our accommodation in Bondi, just a short stroll to Bondi Beach. Dinner at a Tapas bar.

Cozy Nook by the Sea Entire home/apt hosted by Andrew

Sunday ‌O‌c‌t‌ ‌2‌2‌,‌ ‌2‌0‌1‌7‌ ‌C‌h‌e‌c‌k‌ ‌i‌n‌ ‌A‌n‌y‌t‌i‌m‌e‌ ‌a‌f‌t‌e‌r‌ ‌2‌P‌M‌		Wednesday ‌O‌c‌t‌ ‌2‌5‌,‌ ‌2‌0‌1‌7‌ ‌C‌h‌e‌c‌k‌ ‌o‌u‌t‌ ‌1‌0‌A‌M‌

Looking for Whales

About the day:

Beautiful day to walk the coastline to the Heads from Bondi along the Federation Walk. Hard to find and follow but a great walk along the spectacular coast. We were assured, by a very friendly dog walker that it was a highway out there! We thought we saw some but didn't quite manage.

Started at Bondi with a walk along the beach after a lovely breakfast at a cafe just around the chorner. One of the best Bircher mueslis I've had.

The views along the way were spectacular!

And we walked all the way to Watsons Bay. From there a ferry to Circular quay and a train to St James station where we thought we might go and see the Archibald at the Gallery of NSW......finished yesterday! But still a great gallery to visit.

Trying to sort out the bus system, but finally managed to get the 333 back to Bondi Beach. Dinner was Japanese, again, just around the corner. Fixing up the diary and knitting.

Finishing projects

Achieved: 

Cleared the table and bench in the studio and have now got the small loom on the table ready to finish the weaving of plastic and an area to continue working on the stitching.

Problems to solve: 

How to get everything finished!

Plan for tomorrow: 

Need to cut up plastic to weave.

Another stitch!

Order yarn for  gloves for the next generation.

Heide Art Gallery and the AFL Grand Final

30th September (Saturday)

 About the day:

With the AFL Grand Final on, visiting Heide seemed like a good idea. There is an interesting exhibition on at the moment. I took my small sketch book and by the third sketch has not only become a bit more relaxed and observant, but discovered that I really like some of the artists on show. More to follow up.

PS Richmond won! Catherine M will be happy!

Achieved:

Started the edging of the blanket. Have gone down to a 3mm needle as the edge seems a bit too big, will still probably have to block the blanket anyway.

Ideas: 

* Research Constructivism.

* Remember to construct a world, however unlikely it is.

An unsettled week

23rd September(Saturday) to 29th September (Friday)

About the day:

Saturday there was a talk by an overseas guest at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild. He was Mr Tanji, a master weaver from Japan. Through his fast learning interpreter, he explained the schools he ran in and near Tokyo, the work they did and some of his exhibition pieces. He brought samples for us to see and then did a number of demonstrations.

Hi wove with a wavy shed stick which gave a beautiful effect. Shifting it just a little bit got a beautiful wavy movement.

He also wove with Washi (paper) and showed us how to process it and I got to spin some. It was quite strong and very interesting. I managed to obtain a sheet of this paper and will be great in my printing piece. He also had a wavy fan reed, but we didn't get a chance to see him weave with that. It was a very worthwhile day, with lots of inspiration.

The rest of the week was just working through several projects, including more stitching, finally finishing the main square of the blanket, and deciding that I need to try a different red for the finishing of my jumper.

Our own private Harrietville

18th September to 22nd September 2017

About the day:

It's all about the week away. Catherine M and I retreated to the beach house at Cape Woolamai. We spent the week knitting, looking at patterns, food, drink and walks on the beach.

We had a road trip to Hastings to visit the 'Little Woollie Makes Yarn store'. This was well worth a visit as there was lots of interesting yarns and books. Just open for 6 weeks, it's a lovely light store. There's a blog to follow: https://littlewoollie.blogspot.com.au/ .  Not surprisingly, I came away with a pattern book and some interesting Japanese yarn.

I had also purchased a lovely book, also Japanese in origin.

Achieved:

Did quite alot on both my New Zealand blanket and the red jumper, where I managed to finish all the handspun yarn and need something to finish it with.

Missing a few days!

About the day:

Ok, a few days. With a busy Guild committee meeting and Librarian work after the DCA meeting day, I just seemed to lose momentum and focus. Things were achieved but important work on art left out.

Spring is in the air. First day we were able to sit on the front terrace in the sun with a cup of tea and working on my crochet blanket on my knee! The blanket did help, but the sun was warm. The rainbow lorikeets love the flowers on the eucalytus.

Achieved: 

I did finish sewing a pair of pants, to wear out on Saturday to dinner with Jenny & Lee at the Chinese restaurant in Doncaster, the Golden Dragon.

I seem to have turned a corner of my New Zealand blanket. I finished a couple of rows in a day. It should zoom by now.

I did manage to get back to 10 days in the life of Water.

Did the last upside-down drawing, a little better, and read the next chapter which is contour drawing, essentially, drawing without looking!

Problems to solve: 

Get fit and lose some weight.

Must remember to warm up the studio on cold days, it makes it easier to get to work.

Plan for tomorrow: 

Try and find out how far you have to walk to do 10000 steps. I have time tomorrow and it's going to be fine. Have to work out a way to count steps!

I would like to start sewing the next item for my trip wardrobe: a pair of calf length pants or a dress.

Do the first contour drawing of my hand.

Deaf Children Australia - staff forum

Achieved:

A day spent finding out more about the amazing people and programs that Deaf Children Australia run and support. Did manage to get some interfacing and do a little more sewing. Did forget to get thread for the serger and a double adaptor, maybe tomorrow.

Plan for tomorrow:

Guild committee meeting.

Footy weekend, so I'm going to do a little more sewing.

Some sewing

About the day:

COLD. Lunch at Toyama in Ivanhoe with Peter.

Achieved: 

Despite the disappointment, I have managed to keep going....just. It was very cold today and not condusive to staying in the studio.

Thought I'd have a start on the sewing I have piling up. Started the pair of pants, but need to get some interfacing for the waste band from Darn Cheap.

Plan for tomorrow:

I'll be at DCA all day for a staff meetiing. My first one, should be interesting. Will take my knitting, of course.

What's next?

About the day:

SnB at Four Leaves, keep working on the red jumper.

Achieved:

Started thinking about what to do next as I was stitching away. Trying not to give up on the project. Even managed to do another upside down drawing, even though it was badly done as someone banged around the kitchen as I was trying to work.

Used a book of drawings that I picked up. It must have been an exhibition catalogue for drawings from Vienna. Amazing skills.

Checked a few courses and residencies. Laughing Waters in Eltham no longer exists, by the look of it. That's a bit sad, but I would like to have a go at Launceston. Must apply for next year. The only other opportunity is the Linden Postcard exhibition, but I don't think I have the time to do a new work. The work has to be 8" x 10" and due by early October and can't be sculpture. This is a change I think, as I thought that you could do sculpture. Will have a think about it all.

Problems to solve:

It would be good to start writing a proposal for Launceston.

Plan for tomorrow:

Last upside down drawing, then read the next chapter.

Picture a disappointment

About the day:

Disheartening!

Achieved:

Lots of work on 10 days in the life of  Water. Failed to get accepted into the Banyule Works on Paper Awards. 481 entries, only 38 accepted. Had to be at my best....wasn't!

Problems to solve:

What do I do now?

Plan for tomorrow:

SnB, continue working on my red jumper.  Make another big effort stitching.

Fathers' Day

About the day:

Fathers Day. Had breakfast in Thornbury with Michael and Stuart. Went to the Harmony Centre with Ruth and Tina. Sat knitting and talking about Art and the Textile Art Community Achieved: Ideas:

Still stitching away.

Drew the first upside down drawing. Not bad!

Problems to solve:

Really need to finish the stitching this week.

Plan for tomorrow:

Keep stitching, big push towards getting quite a bit done.

Experimental Spinning

  About the day:

Nice day at Experimental, after shopping at Preston Market. Then a coffee with Michael in Thornbury.

Achieved:

Today at Experimental was blinging up beige. Flicked fleece and coloured top together, then spun slightly thickish. Spiral plyed.

Inspired by 'The Spinner's Book of Yarn Designs' by Sarah Anderson. Good day at Experimental.
Did the vase drawings!

Ideas:

* Use the cards from 'The Spinner's Book of Yarn Designs' to decide on the yarn for the Christmas fibre sandwich.

Plan for tomorrow:

Keep stitching!
Do an upside down drawing!

DCA

About the day:

At Deaf Children Australia. More photographing and putting entries onto Victorian Collections. Dinner at Baan Thai. Good day.

Plan for tomorrow:

Experimental Spinning: do something with Beige.
Do the drawing I didn't do today!

An attempt at drawing

Achieved:

Kept working on 10 days in the life Water. More than happy with the way it's turning out.

Did the preliminary exercises from Drawing on the right side of the Brain. Very bad drawings. Not relaxed or comfortable in any way. Really need to improve.

Ideas:

* Use knitting/weaving swatches as inspired by 'Textile Collages'.

Problems to solve:

I need to find out on my prototype if cutting out 1cm squares so that the backing shows through. (10 days in the life of Water)

Plan for tomorrow:

Just keep reading and drawing.

A Day at the Guild

Achieved: 

Read Chapters 3 and 4 of 'Drawing on the right side of the Brain'. 


A quiet day at the Guild. There were no customers, except right on 3pm and they didn't buy anything anyway. Oh well, lots of library work done.

Problems to solve:

Finish stitching and Get Started drawing.

Plan for tomorrow:

I need to work quite a bit to get the stitching done. 

I want to do the first initial drawing exercises from 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'.

Happy Birthday!

About the day:

Staying overnight at the Sofitel, dining at No.35. An amazing meal with beautiful food, careful service and wonderful views. Back to our room with bays views and an upgraded suite. Michael and Stuart had drinks with us before heading to their tennis games. Michael successfully sat his driving test. Yeah! two drivers! A fabulous meal and more fabulous views.

Achieved:

Photograph of water on the shower. May need to take more photos, especially after washing my hair....there are more water droplets and they're more orderly.

Water on the Shower screen

Photographs from the 45th floor of the Sofitel building! Great views of the city...day, evening and morning.

View from the 45th floor

Plan for tomorrow:

The fifth Wednesday of the month, gallery duty at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild. 

Work in Progress

Achieved: 

Started on the finishing stitching on ’10 days in the life of Water’. 

Found ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’ and read the first chapter.

Ideas: 

Could do more stitching pieces based around Water. 

* A picture of water on the shower screen, water stitched. Use words from newspapers, describing water as the basis. 

* The newspaper and audio tape weaving and stitching could be done around a cube.

Plan for tomorrow: 

Take a picture of the shower screen before cleaning up, as a basis for more stitching. Enjoy my birthday!

Drawing on my mind

Achieved: 

More work on ’10 days in the life of Water’. Moving along and still hoping to finish the stitching by the end of August, or at least before the successful applicants for the Banyule Works on Paper are announced in early September.

I don't think I've done enough work, but at least if I enter, I'll finish it and have a new piece of work.

Plan for tomorrow:

Need to work on drawing skills, so look for the book ‘Drawing on the right side of the brain’.