Sydney Crafternoon

persistence.

2011-07-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

knitting with one thousand threads.

Up and Coming Crafty events this June

2011-06-02T04:48:00.000-07:00

image from here

:: June 3 - Etsy and FBi Radio Party - Kings Cross

:: June 5 - Crafternoon #38 - TBC

:: June 10 - Etsy Craft Party - Eagle Soup Studio, Chippendale

:: June 11 - World Wide Knit in Public Day - Worldwide

:: June 18 - Creative Lane Festival - Marrickville

:: June 22-26 - Quilt & Craft Fair - Darling Harbour

:: June 23 - Ready, Steady, Craft! - Pine St Art Centre, Chippendale

So many things on this June, I guess it is the first month of winter, it just seems right to make crafty home-y things...

Are you going to any crafty events this June? Or will you be staying home like the rest of Sydney?

P.s This is not strictly in June, or just not at all - it's in July, but it is definitely worth a mention:

:: July 30 - Love Lace Exhibition - Powerhouse Museum

Time lapse Amigurumi!

2011-02-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been forever since i posted anything on here...sorry!

Hopefully this amazing Japanese time lapse amigurumi video will make up for my neglect..?

x

Crafty 1930's Patterns

2010-12-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Did you know you can search crochet patterns and images at the national library archives?
I think the've been updating thier online archives and there are searchable vintage Australian Women's weekly crafty tips and patterns. They go way back to the 1930's and have ideas for d'oyleys (as they spell it!) patterns for crocheted puff sleeve jumpers and other very lovely retro crafty things things.

Please let me know if you find something really marvelous in your searching travels!

tales of textiles

2010-10-31T04:44:00.000-07:00

Weaving Workshops - Sydney

2010-10-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

Are you into weaving? This workshop sounds great!
Visit WeAve Parramatta's facebook page for more info, and for updates about upcoming events.

Crochet Picture Frames

2010-10-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

How sweet are these little crocheted picture frames?

You can find a picture filled tutorial here.

image from here

Janice Jakielski - Addressing and Redressing the body

2010-10-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Have you seen these incredible stitched headpieces? Janice Jalieski has no formal textiles training and she believes this gives her freedom to explore beyond rules and boundaries. Her work is inspired by her grandmother's circa 1930's hat collection and explores themes of communication and connectivity.

"I am also drawn to the labor of embroidery, 

I can easily lose myself  when embroidering 

and hand sewing, the repetition becomes a 

form of meditation." - Janice Jakielski

So many gorgeous details, fine embroidery and beautiful colours...

Do you like to indulge in the labour of stitching too? do you find it meditative?
I find there is something endlessly satisfying about creating things.

images from here
want to read more? there is an interview with janice here

Etsy Find: All my friends Crochet Necklace

2010-10-01T02:09:00.000-07:00

via

Some BRIGHT crochet on a Thursday!

2010-09-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Wow!

Craft Talk

2010-09-23T15:26:00.001-07:00

Sydney Crafternoon :: Now with Sunshine!

2010-09-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's been faaaar too long since our last blog post! And so much has happened :: our crafternoons have moved from the cosy & wintery Pocket Bar to *sunshiney* Centennial park. Now we can bring delicious baked things to share, warm our backs in the sun, and stretch our legs on the endless grass. Picnic crafternoons feel so much more relaxed...

There are so many crafty things happening in Sydney this month (and next) from a BIG Crafternoon in Hyde Park for Art & About to the Sydney screening of the documentary "Making it Handmade". Pop over to our events page for dates and links and what have you.

What have you been up to?

crafty cards

2010-07-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ooh! look at these lovely crafty cards from upon a fold, perfect to post to crafty friends.

find this cross stitch one here

and this knitting girl one here

sew-shi

2010-07-11T05:02:00.000-07:00

via the independent uk

Fence Art

2010-06-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

yes, that's right fence art- people are doing wonderful crafty things with fences. They are quite inspiring.

There is this amazing fence lacework

sweet woven yarn love hearts

plastic cup installations or "cuprocking"

Who knew ugly hurricane fencing could become so pretty and colourful?

Crafternoon Featured on Eat Drink Play

2010-06-25T21:48:00.000-07:00

At our last crafternoon on a nearby couch, Ms Darlinghurst was enjoying some cheese and wine with friends. Curious about a circle of people stitching in a bar she came over to introduce herself and ask us a few questions. Her blog eat drink play documents her journey 'round Sydney's east, as she and her friends "trawl through bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants embracing old favourites and discovering new hidden gems."

This is what she wrote about Crafternoon:

Crafternoon at Pocket Bar

June 22, 2010 | Ms Darlinghurst

I have a phobia. It’s strange, it’s embarrassing and it’s legit… I am afraid of wet wool. Just ask the EX-boyfriend who surprised me with a wooly jumper and glass of water one morning.
So you can imagine my trepidation when I sat down at Pocket Bar on Sunday for a casual cheese and wine afternoon and saw a group of knitters…
Panic sunk in as soon to be tea cosy’s dangled dangerously close to full glasses of mojitos.
Deciding it’s time to face my fear I approached the group and was introduced to Alex, founder of Crafternoon. She was lovely enough to put her knitting needles down and have a quick chat.

When did Crafternoon start? In June 2009. Today is our 1st birthday.

What inspired Crafternoon? It was inspired by ‘Stitch and Bitch’ in Chicago only Crafternoon leaves out the bitch. It’s a great way to meet other crafters over a cup of tea, offering a supportive place to stitch, create and learn.

Does everyone know each other? No, people have just met through the group and become friends.

Who is welcome? Crafternoon is open to all. Most people knit or crochet, however any cafe friendly crafts are welcome…

How often do you meet? Once a fortnight.

Why Pocket? It has good food, yummy cocktails and a really nice relaxed atmosphere on Sundays.

How can people get involved? Check out the Crafternoon Blogspot for upcoming meetups and other crafty business.

When is the next event? Sunday July 4th, 2-5pm at Pocket bar, 13 Burton St Darlinghurst.

awesome bottle cosies

2010-06-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

from edge of urge

Make it - Mini Zine

2010-06-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

Have an occasion to celebrate (or not...) Make a Teeny Tiny Zine! it's fun and relatively easy...

I used photoshop and just divided an A4 page into 8 equal rectangles using 'guides'.
Then design away!
This zine was for our crafternoon group so i wanted to include info about upcoming meets, silly puns, a contact list, and a make-wish-list.
Print!
Then fold and cut it as recommended on this handy dandy How-Tuesday video:

Ta DA!

July Swap - Potholders!

2010-06-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

lovely image from here

The July Swap is open to all Sydney Crafternoon Members
*You MUST be able to attend the Swap Party on Sunday July 18*

Sign up BEFORE JULY 1 (RSVP here)
Have your Pot holders finished and read to swap on JULY 18

THE RULES:
:: Each participant is required to crochet/quilt/knit/sew 2 potholders.
:: Your pot holders must have a little loop at the top so they can be hung up.
:: Make your pot holders as lovely as possible, use beautiful yarns or fabric, colour combinations and patterns.
:: Keep the purpose in mind...use natural fibres as they are more heat resistant and less flammable, and consider padding or using multiple layers. We don't want yarn that will stick to either a pot or a hand when heated or exposed to flame!
:: Wrap your pot holders separately and attach a little note with your name and care instructions or a message...
:: We will swap in a lucky dip kinda way (as we did with the mug cosies) at the swap party.
:: Have fun making!

INSPIRATION :: PATTERNS :: IDEAS
Please add any helpful links you find in your travels around the interwebs

fun ideas for craft collectives

2010-06-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

It's been one year since our first crafternoon!
To celebrate our first birthday we met at our favourite cosy venue for mini zines, afternoon crafting, lucky door prizes, crepes, tea and fruity frappes.

Do you attend a crafting group or collective?
Or maybe you run your own on the other side of the world? (If so, Please say hi!)
either way, here are:

14 ideas to make craft groups more fun, connected, happy and awesome-er:

:: go to a crafty book launch
:: start a flickr group
:: hold a spring crafting picnic
:: organise a swap party
:: crafty daytrips - visit country town
op shops, knitting shops and cafes
:: make mini zines
:: visit a craft show together
:: organise a craft crawl
:: knit stuff for charity
:: make something collectively
:: meet up with people from other groups
:: have an exhibition of your work
:: have a collective etsy store, to sell your wares
:: start an art project together

Got any ideas for us to try? I'd love to hear about them...
Happy Crafting!

Celebrate all things handmade!

2010-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

This evening, parties took (and are taking) place all over the world. The Sydney Etsy party at Notebook Photographic studios was a lovely evening of fun fabric crafting, friendly faces and delicious food.

We all left with new twittery/blog writing crafty contacts, hand made flowery brooches, patchworky hexagons, goody bags, smiles and bellies full of cakes (mmm lamingtons...)

It's great to celebrate all things handmade, and I am constantly amazed by how lovely and friendly all you making folk are!

Crafty Artists - Louisa Bufardeci

2010-06-14T03:45:00.000-07:00

Aussie Artist Louisa Bufardeci embroiders lovely patterns made from the transcripts of telephone conversations.

fun idea and quite pretty, no?

Knitted brains...

2010-06-14T02:27:00.000-07:00

This scientifically accurate knitted brain really is something else!

xo

Perfect winter antidote...

2010-06-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

images from Nordic fair isle knitting patterns

The second week of winter is getting rather chilly here in Sydney.
And...cosy crafting events are the perfect antidote (aside from staying in bed and eating warm apple crumble...)

So get out your diary, because these wintery, noteworthy events are happening in Sydney over the next 2 weeks! Yippee!

World Wide Knitting Day - Sydney Event
(organised by pompom)
Saturday June 12
1-5 pm
Abraham Mott Community Hall,
Argyle Place, Millers Point (The Rocks)

Yarn in the pub
(organised by Brown Owls)
Wednesday June 16
From 5:30 pm
Madison Hotel, Surry Hills

Etsy Craft Party
(organised by Corrie on Meetup)
Friday 18th June
6:30 pm
Notebook's photographic studios in Alexandria
$20 pp
more info to come...

Crafternoon #20
It's our first Birthday!
Sunday June 20
2-5pm
Pocket Bar,
13 Burton St, Darlinghurst

Happy winter crafting!

Vintage Crochet Hats

2010-06-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoy this selection of Vintagey crochet Hats on a Tuesday....

Most of them are available as patterns if you are so inclined to make one!
(just click the link below each image)

The Beehive and Halo hats are from Babydee on etsy

This is my personal favourite...

This lovely popcorn beret pattern is available here

or perhaps you're feeling a little floral?

This floral creation features in a booklet from 1937

"Colourful accessories to crochet and knit"

Or, for a real statement piece, how about a striped crochet turban? Quite spectacular!

Happy Tuesday People!

Crafty Artists - Nike Savvas

2010-05-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a series of posts profiling visual artists who incorporate wool, craft, sewing or embroidery in their work:

Do you find inspiration in Nike Savvas' lovely geometric woolly intallations?
(Her exhibition is on at Breenspace gallery in Sydney until Sunday - 6th June 2010)

Nike Savvas (pronounced 'Nikki') is an australian artist and her current work Sliding Ladders is inspired by childhood algebra and geometry, op art, craft, colour theory and sun gazing among other things.

"wool is warm soft crafty, furry and lowbrow"

I love the effects of the overlapping colours...have you ever made something by with two kinds of yarn at once?

Etsy Finds - Knitting Art

2010-05-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

Is it any wonder that most of my favourite artists selling on Etsy have work featuring knitting or wonderful knitted scarves and jumpers? I have two prints gracing my walls right now with a knitted theme. I thought I'd share with you ten of my favourite knitterly artworks guarranteed to make your walls feel warm and fuzzy! (Well, not literally but you know what I mean!)

I love Knitting print by Ulaa

A Little Love in Every Stitch by LoveSugar

Big Plans print by Joutomaa

The Little Knitter print by TheBlackApple

Keep Calm and Carry Yarn by JennieGee

Knitty Knitty by AshleyG

Pamela in the Woods by HeatherFuture

Mittens by JuliaPott

Holly Golightly, Ode to Breakfast at Tiffanys by Elloh

Knit Together in Love by MeganKnorpp

I already have the Ashley G and the Julia Pott print and I wish there was room on my walls for more! Maybe knit themed artworks are just like scarves - you can never have too many?!

Who woulda thunk it?

2010-05-28T05:55:00.000-07:00

Apparently it's not just the lovely attendees of our Sydney Crafternoon group that are happy and willing to share their knitting wisdom...

"Here's Sarah Jessica Parker in action with her needles, during a break in filming. And apparently, she's keen to share her skills. A source said: 'As soon as shooting stops, Sarah's back to her knitting. She's introduced lots of other people to it - everyone is hooked.' Sarah Jessica was taught to knit by her 'Sex and the City' co-star Kristin Davis."
Source - allaboutyou.com

We might not be uber fashionable bazillionaires but we sure do love to knit and we LOVE to share! So don't knit alone at home - throw your needles and wool in your bag and come say hello some time! And unlike model Kate Moss, who "according to a source in the Daily Star, is trying to keep her new obsession a secret as she thinks it's seriously uncool. She carries her needles and wool hidden away in a big black Chanel bag.", we know knitting is WAY COOL! With or without a Chanel bag or a cocaine addiction.

Apparently craft groups like ours are becoming so popular that even Hollywood is cashing in. A case of art imitates life perhaps? Knitting fan Julia Roberts is set to star in the film 'The Friday Night Knitting Club' based on the book of the same name. So all we can suggest is hang out with us so you can tell all your mates you're the inspiration for celebrities everywhere. Viva la revolution!

Click on our Events page to find out the dates and locations for upcoming Sydney Crafternoon meets. See you next time!

This felt fantastic...

2010-05-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

Spotted over on the New York Times Online - these AMAZING felt creations by fashion designer Dana Barnes. Oh how I long to have these giant, soft, colourful granny sqaure throw cushions on my floor. Or to try my own hand at making some! Can you imagine the size of the hook needed to wrestle such a large thread?!

"There were fat crocheted granny squares the size of sea turtles drying in the sun that was pouring into the living area. There were bumps of felted, braided unspun wool, Ms. Barnes’s riff on a traditional braided rug, plumped up into floor cushions. There was a felt “bowl” as high as your knees.
And underneath it all was the original rug, an oatmeal-colored lawn made from panels of felted batting — squares of unspun wool — that she and the young crafters and artists she employs had sculptured and then sewn together by hand.
It was a sensuous landscape of felt. You just wanted to lie down and roll around on it"
Click here to read the rest of the New York Times article

Have you ever made any large scale craft pieces? I'd love to know how it went. I'd love to tackle a huge project like this. If only there was the floor space in my apartment for dozens of cosy giant felt granny squares...

What to swap next?

2010-05-23T17:49:00.001-07:00

After the success of our May Mug Cosy Swap we've decided to make swapping a bi-monthly ritual.

I'm all for swapping, it gets you making things you wouldn't usually make...making the mug cosy was the first time i had to negotiate crochet with fastenings.

We'd love your say in what we make and swap next, the options so far...

1. Decorative pot holders like these ones from Foxes Lane

2. Cosy Beanies (practice knitting in the round...)

3. Pretty brooches - do you like these knitted pencils from Kandy Diamond?

(for practicing sculptural kniting/crochet -flowers etc.)

4. Arm warmers (to practice knitting to fit the body -without the difficulty of fingers!)

PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR CHOICE!

over on the right hand side of this page...

Mug Cosy Swap

2010-05-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sydney Crafternoon had it's first swap today, each participant knitted/crochet/felted a mug cosy and wrapped it up ready for swapping at today's Crafternoon. All the cosies were put into a paper bag and pulled out at random...

I only managed to get a few pics...and most of them were blurry...but the smiles say it all!

What shall we swap next!?
(there is a poll on the right hand side of this blog where you can vote!)

p.s you can see my finished mug cosy here

Our fellow Sydney stitching groups.

2010-05-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

Sydney Crafternoon was started to fill the eastern suburbs crafting group void, and yet so many of our members ask if i could please...possibly...pretty please...make the meetings where they live...?

So, i thought it might be time to mention some of the other knitting/crochet/crafting groups around town:

Sydney sity klickers meet on Saturdays at Barmuda cafe on Australia St in Newtown. (my favourite part of newtown just down from Newspaper Taxi!. They are well established, and have been running since 2002.

Brown owls is originally a Melbourne crafting group, but they have recently branched out to other states (including NSW) and now run crafting nights at Lane cove, the Inner West and Sydney's CBD.

Sydney Stitch n Bitch meets at Harts Pub every second Monday at 6.30pm or so and at Manly Wharf Hotel every second Tuesday at 7pm or so.

Morris and Sons SnB meet on a Thursday night from 5pm and when they get thirsty they move to the Lobby Bar at the Swissotel on Market Street, Sydney CBD.

Rubi & Lana knitting group meet at Bar Fresko, Gordon every other Saturday from 11.30am.

These are a few groups i have seen around...
have you visited any of them?
Do you go to a group i haven't mentioned?
Do you attend a number of crafting groups?

In Theory...you could do a Sydney craft crawl across the week:

Harts Pub on Monday night, Manly on Tuesday evening, Brown owls on a Wed night, Morris and Sons the Following night, Saturday morning in Gordon! then over to Newtown for an afternoon with the Sity Klickers...then over to Pocket Bar for Sunday Crafternoon! Phew!

Victoria Mason and Kootoyoo present...

2010-05-14T00:57:00.000-07:00

I have coveted the amazing creations of Australian jeweller Victoria Mason for some time now. Her sweet silver jewellery takes every day items and turns them into tiny, precious, wearable objets d'art.

I recently saw that a teeny tiny crocheted granny square made by the crafty blogess Kirsty of Kootoyoo was turned into a most amazing silver spoon by Victoria, for an exhibition at Melbourne's Hand Held Gallery called 'One Cup - an exhibition of 48 teaspoons'. It blew my mind a little, okay a lot...take a look -

See the entire process over on Victoria Mason's blog Earl And Cookie.

Isn't it amazing?! Can you imagine how cool it would be to stir your cup of tea with a spoon like that?!

Well I'm not sure if a spoon will ever be available for sale but soon a necklace version of the granny square will be available for sale - how awesome is that?! So we can wear a little silver version of Kootoyoo's granny square around our neck at all times! AND she's even giving one away over on Kootoyoo's blog!! Cue brain explosion! *hyperventilates with excitement*

So I'm going to head on over to Kootoyoo's and enter the comp now! Who's with me?!

knitting and unrequited love.

2010-05-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

The other night at my favourite monthly musical soiree i was surprised to find a pile of beanies on the front table...

Talented singer songwriter Ange Takats learnt to knit in the round, and make lovely stripey beanies while pursuing unrequited love in a small town in Ontario, Canada. (she moved back home and he later married a perky blonde figure skater - in case you were wondering...). This canadian - unrequited - knitting - love story later became a song...

The Knitters Curse

I found a bag full of random things

that I acquired when I lived with you

knitting needles and dusty balls of yarn

and a printed email or two

the last photograph of us together

standing in a cornfield

I am wearing a purple scarf

you are wearing that green beanie

that I knitted for love that I knitted for you

hoping the stitches would pull us through

now you're marrying a figure skater

and a life of simplicity

she looks perky and sporty and blonde

the exact opposite of me

I am certain she could skate loop-di-loops around me in the ring

but when she's listening to Nina with you

are there goosebumps on her skin?

does she knit for love? Does she knit for you?

does she knit for love and will her stitches ever undo?

me and my unravelings

red and yellow, green and grey

these balls of wool keep getting in my way

tangled up in my desire to please

I'm casting off this curse

I'm waiting for release

now I don't knit for love, I just let love be

It's going to take a gentle man

to unwrap me

Check out her album, if you fancy - it's full of warm, real music and lovely knitting artwork adorns the cover.

It's funny how knitting pops up in the most unexpected of places...

baby, it's cold outside!

2010-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

As the weather has now taken a turn for the cooler, we've dragged our ugly old gas heater out of hiding.
I know, where are the granny square blankets, afghans and knitted throws to keep me warm? Trust me, I'm working on it! In fact it feels like I'm always working on one...

At least after seeing this lovely Belgian Natural Gas commercial I can imagine that my gas heater is filling my home with warm cosy knitting...even if it feels like I'm not!

Have you been working on a blanket or rug for what seems like all of eternity? What does it feel like to finish one?

Mothers Day gift ideas - hand made with love!

2010-05-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

Pssst - it's Mothers Day this Sunday. I know, we have a Sydney Crafternoon meet organised on that day! Oops! Well, we think our mothers will forgive us if there is a little handmade love to sweeten the deal. Say thanks and I love you Mum with some of these sweet crocheted gift ideas FREE from Lion Brand Yarn.

Please note: These patterns are indeed 100% FREE but you do have to sign up/in to their website to access the patterns. That's free also of course!

Amigurumi Mouse Doorstep.
We think the only squeals you'd get on seeing this little critter on your floor would be squeals of delight!

Apple Slice Tawashi Dish Scrubbers
I'd be happy to do the dishes too with dishcloths like this. I think they'd make nice face/body cloths too.

Beehive Potholders

Super cute, don'tcha think?! Beeautiful or beary nice?!

Amigurimi Teacup Pin Cushion
For the tea drinking sewing fanatics out there.

or say it with flowers with this
Amigurumi Potted Plant

There are loads more free patterns for all sorts of projects over on the Lion Brand website. If you make something special for your mum this Mothers Day, be sure to share your creation with us please!

And to all the mothers out there - we think you're just wonderful! Happy Mothers Day!

What sort of crafter are you?

2010-05-03T05:37:00.000-07:00

Do you craft vicariously, taking in other people's creations for nourishment?

I tend to have enthusiastic bursts where i start one thing, and get so enthused by it's success that i put it down before it's finished to start something similar, but slightly different, new and improved...

I especially like to work on small projects that have no particular goal (or one that changes a lot!). My last attempt at a scarf ended up becoming the cutest tea cosy...I'm all about going with the flow when it comes to crafting.

How do you craft?

Just for fun - woolly title.

2010-05-03T02:11:00.000-07:00

While i was waiting for the rice to cook...
(brown rice does take a while, you know!)

I made this woolly title. I hope you like it. hehe.

Sydney Crafternoon - now on Flickr!

2010-05-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

We've started a Sydney Crafternoon group over on Flickr so you can share your progress between meets, delight us with beautiful finished projects or post any shots you may have taken at the last get together.

Why don't you head on over and join in the fun!

Wind powered knitting factory!

2010-04-29T06:30:00.001-07:00

Crafternoon #15

2010-04-18T19:24:00.000-07:00