the big week

It was a big week last week. I finished my last thesis chapter and the textile show opened at Waiheke. It was a lovely occasion, and because there were three exhibitions opening on the same night, the gallery was jam-packed. I was stoked to see that my birds had been given a whole wall to themselves, and on the adjacent wall there was the most beautiful display of Rosemary McLeod's felted tea cosies with lavishly embroidered detailing. There was so much beautiful work in the exhibition that words are inadequate to describe it, so I'll be popping back to the gallery before the show closes to take some photos, which I'll post here shortly.

But by far and away the most important event last week was my one and only sister's birthday! I put together a little stash of treats for her - a sage green Nana knitted cardigan, two handpainted plates from the 1940s, and a cluster of my wallflowers. I try to get a new prototype jewel made in time for Tazey's birthday, so this year's offering was a long string of beads made from tightly rolled strips of finely striped 1970s wallpaper. The thing I like best about it is that the density of the pattern meant that every bead came out differently.

I'm taking a couple of weeks off from crafting to finish writing my conclusion, and then it will be full steam ahead into Christmas productions, with special emphasis on turning the four kilo bag of merino roving (a birthday prezzie from my wonderful in-laws) into a range of beautiful felt prezzies. Back soon...