This was a very weird year! I did less knitting and made fewer things than I have for many years - even socks took a back seat. There have been a lot of other things going on: taking on a bigger job, work on my house, living temporarily in another part of the country, building new connections and friendships.
I guess it was part of the transition time from one stage of life to another.
Creativity and Inspiration
Voices on Art
This is a local group that meets weekly, led by an art historian, the programme is very much about the interests of the people in the group. A theme this year was Renaissance Art, a gap in my knowledge and I enjoyed getting an overview.
Shared under Creative Commons Licence The Entombment by Michelangelo, about 1500-01, National Gallery, London
I was thrilled that we had examples of Renaissance artists in our national galleries and spent a day in London being a fan. It was also interesting learning how the Renaissance came about, a combination of changing ideas about the world and the growth of money and banking.
Interesting book: Art: The Definitive Visual History
I also spent a day at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery.
Art. Community and Co-creation
Art. community for making and a group of us met for some online co-creation sessions through the summer.I was delighted to meet @clareartista this year and spend some time with her making and talking. Clare has set up the
The co-creation sessions allowed me regular time through the week for creative practice, something I've been trying to get into place for a long time now. It was wonderful to have time with other artists but sometimes the technology was challenging. There were also different ideas about why we were together, I like listening to others talking, but distracting to be in the conversation myself.
I hope we can get something together this coming year, when the stars align.
Knitting Group
This is a very low-key group that meets every Monday in the local community centre. The session opens at 1.30pm and theoretically you could use the room for the remainder of the afternoon until the building closes. I've enjoyed going every week and meeting people and some of us went for a Christmas lunch.
Knitting themed table decoration at our Christmas lunch. I borrowed the tape measure afterwards - mine is missing, somehow.
Hive Friends
Two Hive friends that have seen me through thick and thin are @akipponn and @phoenixwren. I love their blogs, the diversity of activities and inspiration, and the friendly conversational approach they both have. Together with @clareartista, they're beneficiaries of this post - a small gift for all the pleasure they bring through the year.
Travelling Books
My main project this year has been the Travelling Books. Every month there's a different prompt and each participant makes a small sample in response. I thought this would be a great way to generate lots of ideas and small samples quickly. I've learned some interesting new techniques and ideas and started to enjoy experimenting with colour.
In practice, I've found it difficult to jump so quickly from one thing to another. As I start something, I want to spend more time on it and become more deeply involved. I would find it easier if I went to a workshop once a month, did some creative work at the beginning and then spent the remainder of the day making. A lesson for another time.
Here's one of the pieces I made this year:
The theme was inspired by poetry - I chose A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson.
Workshops and Classes
I've been to several workshops this year: sketching for knitters, working with colour (both by the excellent Xandy Peters), a talk about tweed with Erika Knight and her daughter Arabella Harris, and designing with Chloe Thurlow and Erika Knight.
Source Salt Washed, a collection by Erika Knight for Rowan's specialist wool range Pebble Island.
One of my favourites was about designing from pictures or photographs by Christel Seyfarth:
I am especially taken with photographs of the sky, they fascinate me. I've started a collection of pictures that I like to experiment with different ideas.
Plans for 2024?
Unusually for me, I don't have especial plans for 2024.
Lots of things started in 2023, I want to see where they take me. I'd like to spend more time visiting galleries, perhaps go for an afternoon rather than feeling it has to be a day, and building my sketching skills. And perhaps practice carving out time for practice!
I've become more and more interested in fashion as a form of identity and self expression. I really enjoy watching videos exploring different ideas and then, when I am out, people watching.
I found a new youtube channel The Knitting Man, Gary Ray Smith, who works with lots of colours and has developed an interesting technique for catching all the floats. I succumbed and bought a pattern!
Source Mugs by Gary Ray Smith. Gary knits in the round and then steeks the finished item. One of many good ideas.
Happy making!
All blessings to you in the new year, and with what unfolds creatively dear friend - whatever we make, I hope we get the chance to co-create again! I am looking forward to doing more face-to-face meetings this year!
Love!
Clare.Dearest @shanibeer ! I so enjoy reading your post about your year, and to be included in it is beautiful: thank you sincerely for thinking of me in your rewards!! I love the knitting you've been developing, and I hear you around the creative process...It has been a love-hate relationship for me this year with technology in particular (have even considered quite seriously coming off-line altogether!)
So many opportunities opening up for 2024! 😍
I love art history! I became obsessive with it in college. At my first uni the prof was great, at the second, that prof didn't know what she was talking about. 😂 I legit thought she was a TA and I asked her - nope, had been teaching for 7 years. lol
And aww I enjoy your blogs and getting to know you! Thank you for including me. 😄
I have been working on the Forever Blanket of late, maybe I can finish it in 12024? Maybe? 😁
Oh, the Forever Blanket, 12024 seems reasonable 😁.
The art group is great, its very relaxed, quite a small group. The same tutor does a course in London with Gallery visits - one day!
Thank you @shanibeer colourwork and fairisle are on my list! The knitting man might just be the ticket to make that a reality.
That pattern looks like a lot of fun!
And I'm always people watching, it takes all sorts.
The Knitting Man (and Mrs Smith) are very entertaining 😁
I haven't yet mastered the technique he uses, he gets this lovely rippled effect and sort of v-shaped patterns on the reverse. I'll keep trying 😍
All the best for the coming year!
It is amazing to me, just how random a year can be.
Hope your 2024 brings you much joy.
Indeed. We might start out in one direction and end up somewhere quite different.
And to you 😍
I absolutely love the knit wears, they are so pretty
They're gorgeous, aren't they?
What a lovely roundup of your year. It sounds like it has been a busy one! I look forward to seeing the output of your projects, interests and creativity in 2024.
Wishing you an amazing year to come.
It's nice to look over the previous year - you forget so many things and, sometimes, how far you've come.
And to you 😍
I would say your 2023 was exciting and fun enough especially the part that involved going out and meeting with people and you also did some amazing things. I pray the new year will bring you so much more happiness and joy. Happy new year, my friend.
Thank you, and to you 😍
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Many thanks 😅
Knit wears are always so pretty. This is perfect honestly.
😍
I’ve not really made a close friend here in Hive but I hope to do that next year
Good to know a few things about you this year
I hope next year serves you better
😍
Looks like was a great year For your year. Happy 2024 wish You more inspiration.
😍
It’s pleasing to hear all of the new experiences and new friendships that have taken place for you. It’s great you are having fun with your artsy side and meeting with others that inspire you to do more.
Wow I really love the designing from photographs ideas. I would love to take photos of scenery or objects and then try to design a wearable piece.
One thing I appreciate the most about this community is seeing and experiencing different levels of crafts and art through other’s journeys and knowing there’s so much more out there to be explored. I love learning about different artists and places you can go to see and learn about a variety of arts. There’s so much that can be done with fiber arts.
I hope you’re able to spend more time in 2024 enjoying the fashion side as you’re hoping to. Thanks for joining the challenge ~
The knitting inspired by photographs are a fabulous idea, aren't they? So much fun!
Thank you for hosting the challenge, it's always nice to have the inspiration. 😍
Such things which are made by hand are very beautiful and a lot of work is done on them.
Thank you 😍