Pulling Out All The Stops......

Let's face it, September was not a very good month for me but October is shaping up better so far.  After the year we've had as a family, holidays were pretty much the last thing on our minds, particularly as my partner had such a rough time after his heart attack, with serious side effects due to his medication.  However, with him feeling a whole lot better and the both of us needing to get away for a break, we've booked to go to Boston (yes, I know, again...)for a week.  We feel there is still plenty for us to see and explore  - we really want to discover what lies at the train station 'Wonderland' for one thing - plus it's familiar and easy for my daughter to get around.  We are already so excited - it's given all of us the boost we needed to lift us out of the doldrums.

As there are a few weeks before we go, I have decided to make a huge effort and try to clear my list of oustanding commissions.  Many people have been very kind and said 'whenever you can' but I would like to be able to go away in the knowledge that all my obligations have been fulfilled and come back to a clean slate.  This probably means knitting during every waking moment, but there are worse ways of spending time!  One such commission is a tiny knitted tea set - I'm about half way through that and it's looking good so far.

I have three more of these babies to make, in very garish colours.  I shot myself in the foot a bit here as the design is a lot more involved than previous mascot scarves so takes twice as long to knit.  The end result is hopefully worth it though.

I'm still plugging away knitting items for the animated film - most of them I can't show you as they would give away the secrets of a very original idea, but I think we are safe with a couple of chairs.

No painting commissions at the moment (if you are thinking of a portrait as a Christmas gift, better get in quick!) so if I have a moment, I plan some equine pictures from the slew of photos I took at the Paralympics - there is the local annual exhibition coming up and I have nothing to put in!

So they may have to wheel me out to the plane and throw me in, but at least I'll be going off happy!

And That's That!

This got finished today - hooray!  It is a very large canvas, involved a great deal of paint, a great deal of pain from my injured shoulder as I had to paint it on an easel rather than my usual stance of drawing board in the lap, and a fair amount of language entirely unsuitable from a lady.  I do not like copying another artist's work, I have serious problems with perspective on such things as chairs, and the more I worked on it the more mistakes in the original I uncovered and struggled to correct.  But never mind, it is for a friend of mine, it's what she wanted and I hope she likes the end result!

At Last!

Here are the completed armchairs plus a matching footstool and coordinating scatter cushions.  Each armchair measures exactly 8 inches tall, with the seat being 2 inches off the ground.

These involved an incredible amount of knitting as the basic structures are completely covered, as well as the patterned seat cushions.  I'm really pleased they ended up so uniformly the same and really quite sturdy.  I'm also glad I got these out of the way first before tackling the other items of furniture required, as I think these might have been the most labour intensive.

Now, any suggestions on how to construct a knitted aquarium?

Oy Cheeky!

That's the trouble in our house, you get a new chair and there's always some hairy mutt comes along to investigate......

...well, look at you, taking advantage when nobody's looking!

Don't get too comfortable, you are off to be the topper on a wedding cake very soon.  I do hope they put a cover down first, I wouldn't want a slice of cake with dog hair on it!

No, No, Not The Comfy Chair......

One miniature armchair complete - I photographed it on top of my armchair so you can get an idea of the scale. 

Take A Seat.....

Here are the armchairs so far - the basic structure done and dusted.  I had to re-do the arms as the animator thought the original one was too low and in hindsight, I agree.  Luckily, I had only done the one when I was told this, so it wasn't a huge chore to re-model.  The bases are parts of a cardboard box stuffed with newspaper and the sides are pieces of foam board - wonderful stuff for this kind of thing as it is strong yet very light and easy to cut.  Now comes the fun part - cushions, buttons, fringes, tassels and scatter cushions!

A change of subject here but it is something that really bothers me.  I get quite a few enquiries about the patterns I use in my crafts or asking for other arts & craft advice.  Now I was brought up to be polite and helpful, and will always bother to reply - sometimes at great length - as I feel happy to share information where I can.  What bothers me is that after spending my time either writing out guidelines to making something that I don't have a written pattern for, or going to the trouble to send on links to books, or in one case, writing an essay on drawing for beginners, nobody bothers to say 'thank you'.  If I was chatting to you on the phone or in the street, you wouldn't just walk off without a word once you'd obtained the information you needed. So why is it OK to do that over the internet?  Hmmmm, something to think about. 

Feeling Blue.....

I feel dreadful today......just took the dog to the vets to have his teeth cleaned.  Not only have I had to deny him food and water this morning as it will be done under anaesthetic,  which meant he followed me around whining for two hours, but I had to witness him fall to pieces when he realised I was leaving him at the vets.  Poor Clovis, lying on the floor shaking, scrabbling to get to the door - not the best image to be left with as I walked away.

However, I know that in a few hours I will pick him up and he will be minty-fresh instead of having breath that could gas you at twenty paces.  I hope he forgives the betrayal!

Not long left of the summer holidays - I am back at the day job on Monday.  I am trying to get as much done before then as I can - the fish painting is progressing nicely although I am heartily sick of sea anemones!

The chairs are time consuming as they involve a lot of straight knitting and are quite large compared to what I usually make.  It's been interesting working out how to make them as strong as possible without losing the soft knitted look - thank goodness for foam board!  I think the difficult bit is over now, although I really wish I'd written the pattern for the back section on a piece of paper instead of the foam board...I have to make cushions to the same specifications!  I think it's still fresh in my memory though.

Now to get some last minute cleaning done until it's time to get Clovis - I told them to call me if he starts howling & creating afterwards  (which he will).  Lay your bets now as to how soon it will be before they want me to take him back!
Clovis Update
Just got my poor dog back from the vets, in a right sorry state.  Not only is he confused and shaky after a general anaesthetic, he's had two teeth out and apparently was a heavy bleeder.  This I can tell from the sanguine staining all round his face and ears, poor love - bathtime whenever he's ready.  So it's no walkies for a day and crummy vet's tinned food plus antibiotics for a while.  He is NOT impressed!  I'm not impressed by the staggeringly large bill either but better that than a very poorly dog later on.

Augh!!!!

These two armchairs are a far cry from the simple softies that I knit for my dog sets!  These are having to be built with almost the same principles as real armchairs in order for them to a) fit the knitted people being used in the animation and b) have some substance so they don't collapse and move about when being animated.  The above is just the basic structure - they will later need the cushions complete with patterns, buttons and fringing.  Luckily I had the presence of mind to make them in tandem with each other because I'd never remember how to do this a second time around!  Hopefully writing the pattern instructions on a piece of interior structure won't come back to bite me in the posterior later on.......

I'm not labouring over the chairs during the day however - while the light is good I am having fun with fish, yet again using the Inktense colours because I just love them.  Got to fit in as much as I can before going back to work next Monday - also planned for this week is a trip to the dump; haircuts for me and my daughter, the dog being sent to the vets for a teeth-cleaning, and some last minute jobs round the house.  Where did the summer holiday go?

On The Road........

I've really been putting the hours in on this in an attempt to finish him before the end of the week.  It's nearly there, just his bottom and belly to do and then an understated background.  I'm at the stage where I hate it and think it should go in the bin.  I don't know about any other artists out there, but I always get like this a few days before the completion of a picture - I don't know if it is because I have been looking at it for too long or if it is because it needs the final touches to come together, but today it looks to me like an amateur daub.  I am well aware that this feeling will pass, it happens too often for me not to recognise it and deal with it, but it is not nice.  It will be OK as soon as I sit down and get on with it!

On to something more whimsical - it's a chair!  A very little knitted chair!

This I am pleased with - I have adapted the sofa, changed the colours and made the pattern simpler (and quicker).

This will have it's own little dog and maybe a couple of other bits and pieces before going on Etsy.

Talking of knit sofa and dogs, this is still up for grabs...he's feeling pretty sad that only a couple of people want to give him a home!  He's very small, just 3.5 inches (9 cm) tall and the sofa is 8 inches (20 cm) long.  He has wool jointed legs, sewn in teddy eyes and a leather collar.  If you have anything you'd like to swap for him , do get in touch - it doesn't have to be anything arty-crafty!