Making Matters – In Search of Creative Wonders – Clare Hunter

Making Matters – In Search of Creative Wonders – Clare Hunter

I am a fan of Clare Hunter’s. I particularly liked Threads of Life.

Here’s the blurb …

In an era of screens and machines, what a joy it is to read Clare Hunter’s inspiring new book, which summons up the creative delights of making wonderment with our own hands’
Justine Picardie, author of Miss Dior

‘Making Matters celebrates the joy of the handmade in all of its wonderful variety. In a fast paced world, it is a timely and beautiful exploration of making traditions. I loved it!’
Kate Strasdin, author of The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes

As children, we made things: snowmen, paper boats, eccentrically costumed plays. That making fired our minds and imaginations – it altered our small worlds and shaped who we became. But as adults, it is hard to find to find the space for creativity and to remember its power.

Exploring craft traditions and forms of making from across centuries and cultures, Clare Hunter encourages to engage with the world afresh. To use our hands again, to see beauty in unexpected places, to play and protest and embrace imaginative possibilities. From paper crafts to wonders made from light and snow, she searches for creative delight – making lanterns, puppets and pinhole cameras.

Inspiring and fascinating, Making Matters celebrates individual and collective creativity. It blends history, culture and politics with rich storytelling, wonderful characters and tales of remarkable objects. Read this, and then make something.

I found this interesting and the writing is lovely. I would have liked images of the items being described, but perhaps that would make the book’s price exorbitant. There is cultural and social history, but also some personal anecdotes.

Very easy to read if you are all interested in making things.

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3D Turtle Project

Stitch progress

The project for this term is this from Inspirations Magazine (I bought a digital copy of the pattern)

I am not sure if I am going to frame mine (like in the image above) or do something different.

The thread painting is slow but very satisfying.

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Goff Place Mystery Clue 1 Finished

Clue 1

I finished Clue 1 of the Goff Place Mystery shawl.

It’s very easy knitting – good TV knitting.

I have to stop for a while though, as I need to make a baby blanket. The pattern is the Hudson Baby Blanket from here.

Here’s my yarn colours

And I am storing it in this bag

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Language of Love Update

Listen to that sound as the needle pops through!

Monday afternoons I have my stitching group and I have been working on the Language of Love piece.

I am getting there slowly.

Working with all seven strands (yes 7!) of the Silk d’alger (Au ver à soie) is interesting. The work is voluminous, almost three dimensional.

The hoop stand is a Anneome 2pcs Cross Stitch Stand (very light and small, so easy to take to classes).

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Tender Whispers from the Heart – January finish

The Scars of Life – Aminata Sow Fall

I have finished my January poem for the Tender Whispers from the Heart class. The theme was New Beginnings.

Aminata Sow Fall is a Senegalese poet. She writes in French, but I have used the translation.

The linen is an antique torchon (tea towel) and I used Au ver á soie perlée in shade 171.

It’s my hand-writing. I used a frixion pen, ruled lines, and then wrote the poem.

I am not sure about the buttons. I wanted a bit of decoration, but not too much, for me, it was all about the words.

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Mystery Shawl Knitting

Clue 1 Progress

I have finally started knitting the Goff Mystery Shawl from KDD – It is from the Mysterious Knits book (I think it’s from 2023). I bought a kit. So far, it’s easy knitting – I just need to keep track of my rows, so I know when to change colours.

I am weaving the ends in as I go, and I didn’t bother with a swatch. I am happy with the fabric and there isn’t going to be fit issues.

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Tender Whispers from the Heart Stitching

I have been trying to get my January poem finished.

It’s very satisfying working in back stitch with silk through linen. Listen to the sound …

I am onto the last stanza.

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Another Dorset Button

These things are addictive. I had visions of making a lemon tree.

This is the first time I have tried two colours on the ring – my joins aren’t great.

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More Socks – August Socks finally finished

These are the Book Binder socks by Helen Stewart.

The yarn is an Opal yarn from here – it only comes in 50g balls (I didn’t pay enough attention and I had to order another one).

2.25mm Knit pro zings.

The pattern is interesting, and would stand out better on a tonal or monochromatic yarn.

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Schoolgirl Sewing Club

The third installment of the Schoolgirl Sewing Club has arrived (have I started any of them? no) These are beautifully packaged.

I might need to do an inventory and see how many projects I have!

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Filed under Canvas Work, Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Inspiration, Purchases