susie johns at the circus

Open Studios

Once again, I am taking part in the Blackheath Art Society Open Studios event. I'll be opening my studio on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May, with lots of paintings and drawings on display, mostly watercolours. Visitors will have the opportunity to buy pictures, framed and unframed, knitted and crocheted items (like these little crocheted pots), quirky hand-made jewellery and hand-painted greetings cards.

You will find further information about the event, including addresses and contact details for all the participants, on the BAS website: Blackheath Art Society Open Studios. 

Customising Clothes

When I started my 'No New Clothes' resolution at the beginning of this year, part of my resolve was to make the most of the clothes I already own. That means throwing out items that really don't suit me or fit me any more, and altering or customising items that still have a bit of potential.
So far I have only one project on the go: a rainbow striped cardigan that I knitted last year. I'm making it a bit longer, altering the fit so that it's a bit more shapely, and changing the button bands. When it's finished,
I hope to get a lot more wear out of it.

Knit an Egg Cosy for Easter

I will be at Liberty's, Regent Street, on Saturday 16th April from 12-3pm, demonstrating how to make knitted egg cosies. Come along and learn how to make an egg cosy in time for Easter.  

Liberty's haberdashery department is located on the 3rd floor of the store and it's really fantastic. I'll be in the Rowan yarns section, so do come along and say 'hello'.

If you fancy having a go at knitting your own egg cosy, you don't need to bring anything with you, as there will be enough yarn and needles to go round.

link to Liberty's website for more info...

Photography

My daughter Edie is in the middle of her A Levels and also preparing to apply to art school. Here is a photo she took of me doing some embroidery. I think it's a really good photograph, with great use of available light.

Link to the photo on her Facebook page:

No New Clothes

My resolution for this year is that I will not buy any new clothes.

I have been inspired by others who have pledged to do the same. Over Christmas I read a piece in a newspaper written by a columnist who had decided not to buy any new clothes in 2010 (though he did buy some vintage shirts and a waterproof jacket, I think). Then there was an item on Woman's Hour the other day about an American clothes designer who wore the same dress every day for a year (she had seven copies of the same dress), and accessorized it with things she already owned.

Another incentive for not doing any clothes shopping in 2011 is the increase in VAT and a vow not to waste money.

So here goes... No New Clothes. I will wear only the clothes I already own. This includes shoes, underwear, accessories – everything. I will chart my progress by keeping a photographic record (see left-hand column), not on a daily basis but as often as I can. It will be interesting to take stock of my existing wardrobe and maybe to uncover items that have been pushed to the bottom of the drawer. (Although I will also be de-cluttering and taking unwanted clothes to the charity shop.) As things wear out they will, of course, have to be thrown away or recycled. I also intend to give some items a new lease of life by customising. 

View 'No New Clothes' photo album

Exhibition of work

Some of my work will be on display at the Tourist Information Office in the Visitor Centre in the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich from Monday 6th December for four weeks. 

The exhibition will consist of examples of my knitted fruits and vegetables, including the pea pods, carrots, apples, cauliflower florets, artichoke (shown here), pumpkin and so on, and some of my knitted fast food, including the prawns and sushi, as well as about 10 watercolour paintings of fruit and vegetables that I painted this summer at my friend Nicky Sanderson's studio in Leith, Edinburgh and at Hospitalfields in Arbroath.

The Greenwich Visitor Centre is well worth a visit and the perfect first port of call for any visitors to Greenwich, and I am delighted to have been asked to showcase my work there.

Greenwich Tourist Information Centre

Late Summer Jumble Sale

I'm going to be taking part in a fun event in a few weeks' time... a good, old-fashioned jumble sale with a difference. The date is set: Sunday 12 September 2010, from 2pm until 6pm in the garden of The Pelton Arms, Pelton Road, Greenwich.

Members of the Knitting Night at The Pelton group will be running many of the stalls, with yarn, needles and vintage patterns for sale, alongside vintage and secondhand clothes and accessories, bric-a-brac, books, toys and games. Refreshments will be available, as well as opportunities to win prizes in the lucky dip and charity raffle.

The only thing stopping us is bad weather... if it rains, we'll have to postpone it until another day.

Button pictures

One of my painting students presented me with a box of buttons a couple of months ago. They were the sort of thing you'd find in most homes: odd buttons collected in a box and kept in a safe place until needed; a random assortment, with virtually no two the same. There were, however, a few still attached to the printed cards on which they were purchased, years ago: now creased, faded and torn.
To say 'thank you', I selected a scrap of card with two buttons hanging on – literally – by a thread, a did a quick watercolour sketch, which I gave to her. Pleased with the picture, I did another for myself, then found some more ancient button cards and did a few more pictures. Then, on a weekend by the seaside with my son, we visited an antiques fair where I bought another few cards and did a couple more paintings in my room at the B&B.
Today I added a few of these pictures to one of my picture albums (on the left-hand side of this page) and will probably add a few more at a later date.

Knitted Fast Food

 

My latest book will be published in the UK on 4th June. One of a series of small books published by Search Press –  Twenty to Make – it features patterns for all kinds of knitted food, including hamburgers, hot dogs, bacon and egg, fish and chips, noodles and prawns. 

I have just finished work on two more books for the series – Knitted Fruit and Knitted Vegetables – which will be published in November, and I'm just starting work on the next one, which is Knitted Egg Cosies.

These novelty knits are great fun to make and I'm really enjoying developing the patterns. It's very creative!

Open Studio

 

I am participating in the Blackheath Art Society's Open Studios event. Last weekend we had a lot of lovely visitors and I am hoping for another good turnout next weekend, 15th and 16th May.

I'll have quite a few paintings on display, framed and unframed, as well as greetings cards and some jewellery and accessories. I'll also be running a Knitted Flowers workshop, giving visitors the opportunity to knit a flower and take it away with them – all materials provided, no charge! 

Studios are open from about 12 noon until 6pm and you can get further details if you click on the link below: 

Blackheath Art Society Open Studios