CONSTRUCTION NO.4 in ONLINE SHOP

My Triangle Knitting Project: Construction No.4 pattern is now available to purchase on our Online Shop, and WOOLI is back in stock.  I'm so excited about this pattern, particularly because it has the free additional Annex to it, which is an extra pattern to creatively use more triangles, with an embellishment project making braids and tassels. Construction No. 4 garments require 15mm knitting needles, and the annex requires 25mm knitting needles to make. 

Melbourne Workshops

This workshop is sailing along beautifully; it's proven that 2 days is a good length of time for attendants to really explore the idea of customizing their Construction Knitting Pattern.  So the Hellenic Republic is a few doors down for the best value lunch in town (a $12 lunch box special of 3 courses), and possibly the best coffee in town right next door at the Brunswick East Project.  It's my second last day in Melbourne, and I'm soaking up every bit in while I can.

In Frankie

In the new issue of Frankie you will find a free pattern for the Gnome Hood; which is our little teaser to get you inspired for the Construction No. 4 pattern, which will be launched online soon.  Speaking of online, Frankie seemed to have forgotten to print our website address alongside our extreeeemly generous free pattern offer, but we're hoping the Frankie reader is google savvy enough to find us J!.  I also need to desperately correct the caption that says I "make-to-order-garments"; so No, No, we don't, so pleeease do not email me with this request, ask your aunty or your mum instead!!

DIY Design with DANIEL EMMA

I'm quite a fan of the D.E. product, so when this D.E.(y) workshop popped up I jumped at the chance especially as I'm researching a new type of collaborative design practice called 'participatory design'; where the designer creates the tools and systems for the user to be co-designer, and assemble and adapt the design to their particular needs or taste.  This systems design is now something that is being used for product (see Droog's downloadable design), architecture and implementing new I.T for offices. Well if you're wondering what all this has to do with knitting, the answer is design has to do with everything, and hey, haven't you seen the Construction Knitting projects.  So Daniel Emma created a beautifully laid out set of materials and instructions that we used to make geometric shaped moulds to pour plaster into that made functional objects such a vessel, a magnetic paper weight and a wall hanger, which we then could finish to our liking with paint and and pigments.  D.E. do not consider themselves makers, so the novel experience of this workshop was being involved in their process of design thinking and problem solving, plus they were super generous hosts with their attention. 

Workshop Setup

Unpacked all the materials for the Kits for Construction 2-day Workshops, and set up in this lovely space.  This is a megakit that you get; it includes 6 balls of wool, 2 x pairs of needles, 2 x construction patterns.  Harvest Textiles will be carrying the product range thereafter, in case you don't make it to these workshops.

Construction Knitting Workshops and Walter Van Beirendonck

In Melbourne this week to set up for workshops at Harvest.  My first stop was the Walter Van Berendonck exhibition at RMIT's new Design Hub building.  I exhibited alongside WVB in 2010, at the Endless Garment Exhibition, amongst 9 other designers in this show but I recall being drawn to his work the most.  Seeing a whole body of his work again in this new show, now I know why it speaks to me.  It's that Antwerp culture of independent small practice creative communities, as quoted by Robyn Healy, "known for distinctive creative designs, marketed with little or no advertising.......... a way of thinking about fashion which is highly experimental and speculative design".

Urbis Magazine story on Hawke's Bay

The new Urbis Magazine has a spread on Hawke's Bay featuring it's famous Creatives and our usual haunts; David Trubridge, Leanne Cully, Blackbarn Gallery, and Mister D's (my morning coffee spot). I'm chuffed to get a mention from Aroha & Friends as; Things To Do in the Bay "Shop at Gather for Textiles and Homewares", amongst trout fishing in the Esk River and surf at Waimarama Beach.

For more than a snippet of Hawke's Bay life, follow the House of Aroha blog.

New Stockist

If you're based in NSW, Australia you'd be pleased to know there is a new stockists of the Construction Knitting Products.  Especially now that Wooli is sold out, and you need to start or finish a project, it may be handy to be near Sydney's southern beaches at Knitting for the Soul.

Melbourne Workshops

I'm really looking forward to these workshops at Harvest Textiles, as I've got some great projects planned for it / including this EMBELLISHMENT with Braids and Tassels project from my Annex of Construction No 4 Triangle Projects.  Our Wooli yarn is now completely SOLD OUT on the webshop, so the Workshops are the last opportunity to create a Construction Project for a while.  If you can't make the Melbourne Workshop, our stockists Koskela and Est may be able to supply Wooli.

Art Yarns at Gather

Suzie Brown aka WOOLWENCH paid Gather a visit to demonstrate her spinning wheel magic, and exhibit her amazing Art Yarns.  For me, having a yarn shop is like Christmas everyday (even rude customers I liken to drunk relatives), but when Suzie delivered 2 bags of fibre colour, fresh off the plane from Amsterdam, it was like all my Christmases had come at once, because this beautiful work together in one display was overwhelming.  WoolWench's handyed, handspun art yarns are available on the Gather online store, and will be on display in the shop until sold out, and if you don't aquire a piece of this fibre art very quickly, I will knit it all up myself because its just too tempting.

Melbourne Workshops

Melbourne's Craft Cubed Festival is now officially launched, and I will be participating by holding two-day intensive Construction Workshops at Harvest Textiles.  The Workshops include all materials including Bespoke Wooli, Knitting Needles and Patterns.  Plus exclusive to these Workshops, the NEW CONSTRUCTION NO. 4 TRIANGLE KNITTING PROJECTS with additional Annex Patterns.  The workshops will cover hands-on knitting techniques, how to design knitwear using geometric shapes, adjusting and tailoring patterns, finishing techniques / all using the clear visual aids of the Construction Knitting Patterns as a guide.  They are only small classes so I will be able to give one-on-one guidance, and the classes are suitable for all levels of knitting knowledge, from absolute beginners to advanced.
Bookings at Harvest Textiles.   Two separate workshops:
Sunday August 18 & Monday August 19 2013 10.30am - 3pm
Saturday August 24 & Sunday August 25 2013 10.30am - 3pm

Blankets for Smiths

This is taking comfort food to the next level.  I've just completed a commission for knitted blankets for Napier's F.G.Smith's cafe.  Now you can get really comfy, and drape yourself in a wooly blanket while you, in their own words "sip on rich full bodied Hawke's Bay wine alongside lashings of local lamb and venison"... or... what I'd really like to do while blanket is over my shoulders is: 'have a steaming cup of their spicy cinnamon tea in one hand, with a berry and cream cheese brioche bun in the other.'