Linoprinting

I am a little aghast at how long it is since I posted anything on this blog. So to start a very belated Happy New Year! 

Often at the turn of the year I set out my plans, but as this rarely works out, I think this year I will keep it a bit vague. I have been crafting away, and there will be new photos of some of the ranges of yarn where I work when they are released. I also am writing a knitting pattern for a baby set (3 patterns in one), which is taking me far longer than it really should. Apart from that I am sure there will be more from the veg garden, and probably some wildlife photographs.

My son and I have been enjoying learning to linoprint - and are half way through a course in Tavistock. The first week we learned the basics of carving into the lino, and the whole class were set the project of a positive and negative leaf. The second session we started printing, and the picture above shows my most successful prints, and the one below my son's.

The most exciting prints were when we overlaid the positive and negative images, and I think my son was more successful with this, as he had actually thought about how his two images would work together as he was carving. The course is nearly all ladies of my age, and they also seemed to love his bright choices of ink.

So next week we are given free rein to work on whatever we choose. I have an idea, so watch out family for some homemade Christmas cards, while my son is going to do a character from gaming!

Happy New Year - and a Morris Traveller

Happy New Year. It has been a tough time for everyone, in different ways, but I am wishing everyone who visits here that you find joy and comfort in being creative in 2022.

I would like to show you one of the things I have been working on. It is a Morris Traveller for my mother-in-law. When my husband was a child this was the family car, and he remembers all four children being piled early in the morning half asleep into this car for the long trip from Devon to Norfolk. Although I wasn't well enough to go on the Christmas visit, my husband says she instantly recognised it when she opened the parcel and was really delighted to see the old family car.

You really don't see these cars around much any more, but they were very distinctive, with the wooden box frame at the back. I have spent a lot of time looking at photos. The curved bonnet at the front has also been a bit of a challenge. In due course this will be a pattern, but I will have to write up from my notes, and make a few more, before I am ready to publish it.  

 

I have decided for the moment to have a little break from the regular monthly Ginx Woolly Linx Party. I will continue to visit the blogs of regular contributors and keep up-to-date with what you are working on. I started the link party in 2018, but have felt recently I have been relying on it too much, and not been publishing my own original work. I am hoping that I can focus a bit next year, and write a few more patterns. Plenty of ideas, but it is very easy to get distracted. But I may occasionally do a themed link party, so do keep checking in with me.

My favourite projects from December's party are this lovely lapghan throw from Valeria of Just East of Eden. Nice to see these Christmas cards from Liz at Howling at the Moon. Simple and elegant.  Alexandra of Eye Love Knots has reviewed a pattern for this fair isle gansey cowl. I enjoyed the fair isle crochet. And finally I could not resist showing you Tonna of Sew Craftsy Crochet who has modelled this Christmas bauble on her own cat, Maki. Just adorable.