six months on

hi guys

I was going to post more or less constantly about the trials and tribs of doing Warp and Weft stuff, but then I got caught up in actually doing it, and then I had a bit of a blip mental-health wise, and then it was Christmas and now it's now and I've actually more or less finished all 8 masks. There is more info about the project on our blog.

I don't want to give too much away but here are some secretive photies.

looking good, although not really in these pictures because my camera isn't working all that well any more.

So that's exciting. Here's the flyer for the show, in case you haven't seen it 5,000 other times on twitter and wherever.

do feel free to pass it around. We would really love you to come along and see all the masks in situ. It will mean a lot to us and it will blow your fucking mind.

I thought here I would say some stuff about the inspiration for the masks, crafts-wise. I had a murky idea about how I wanted them to look, and I have to say I've been heavily influenced by Jo Hamilton's crazily accurate crocheted portraits:

If you look on her website there are some mannequin masks which are a bit like my crochet ladymasks, which I hadn't seen before I started the project honest guv. Anyway she's a super talented needlewoman and I praise her highly. skill.

what else. this is Blanka Amezkua. She makes embroideries based on the way women are depicted in comic books, they're pretty cool. Embroidery not crochet, but what the hey, we're all craftswomen aren't we?

I'm also well into yarnbombing, if it's done creatively (none of this wet-scarf-round-a-lamppost eyesore-osity). I live on knithacker (they featured us last year! and my Ron Swanson monster a bit earlier which resulted in a possible meeting with the man himself) and there's loads of amazing cool ideas for getting knitting/crochet into the public realm.

finally I am in super love with Olek. You'll have seen pictures of her work on craft blogs and the internet generally: she makes crochet fabric in bright coloured camouflage patterns and uses it to yarnbomb tanks, bikes, people. She's a total dude and she dresses like she's crocheted herself every morning. Once she crocheted an entire flat, including all the people in it, and covered the walls with crocheted drunken sexts.

my favourite thing she ever did though, is this amazing installation 'The End is Far'. It's pink and glittery and the walls are covered in fussy, girly scrawled affirmations. There's CROCHETED GOLD SKELETONS in this piece. 

That'll do for now, not least because I can't think of anything else to say at the moment. Please come to the show if you can! and tweet about it and make me and Jenny famous! I want to do another post soon about the Art Party conference but realistically I will probably do it in June

xx

warp and weft and masks and women

Hi guys

this is a new thing about a new project i'm doing with my mate Jenny, it is to do with feminism, yay! The town hall is full of statues and busts that look like this

and are big ol whiskery men. The thing is, as Jenny found out, in the golden olden days people who could afford to get statues done of themselves did - and there aren't ANY women in the Sculpture Hall, surprise!

Sooo we're doing a little proj whereby we celebrate notable Manc women throughout history, by temporarily covering up the men's faces and hiding them, behind massive badass crochet womanface masks. I'm doing the crocheting and Jen's boning up on her history and learning about some seriously astonishing women doing their bits for a better world. The official blog and info about our women etc, is at wearewarpandweft.wordpress.com but I'm going to post here now and again, so I can talk about my feelings and complain and swear and things.

Right so first off can I just say it is EXTREMELY difficult to make a mask which a) looks like a person's face, b) looks like an actual, real, specific person's face, c) fits over the completely different face of a manstatue with a stupid massive nose (and in one case a stupid massive BEARD) and d) isn't completely dreadful in every possible way. I'm not going to lie to you, it's very hard. At the moment I've given up on a) and b) and am focussing on c), after which I will attempt to do features and whatnot.

As for d) well time will tell won't it!

Here's some photos of eyes I have done so far.

this is Elizabeth Gaskell

this is Sylvia Pankhurst

this is Sunny Lowry (she looks angry)

I'm having most trouble with noses so that's why I've stopped at the 'masquerade ball' stage here. It's going okay now, I've got a few wonky noses sorted out. 

Another thing which is bothersome, is that I don't really have terribly great photos to work from, so I'm sort of guessing what they look like anyway. It's pretty hard and my motivation keeps wandering off and falling down the nearest drain. I am enjoying the process though, it's fun to try new things even when they are impossible. 

Some half-finished masks will be in PS Mirabel's Artifice exhibition curated by Aziza Mills at the end of August, so keep an eye out for that.

Ohh I'm sure it'll be fine. Join me next week for more worries and general chitchat!

xxxxxxxx

Some monsters what I forgot about

Oh hi there. I was just idly looking through some of my photo folders, marvelling at how disorganised they are, and I realised that I had NOT showed you some VITAL ITEMS. This is very important! I had better show you RIGHT NOW and CAPITALISE some words while I am AT it!

Erm

Well first up, this is Cara and Siobhan.



Cara wanted monsters to celebrate their 5th anniversary: the perfect present. They are very cute aren't they! I love making monsters with red hair, for some reason. I think it's because I can make it mega bright and that's my MO. Anyway, Cara advises me that they love them and that is that.

Hooray!

Okay, secondses: this is my sister Caroline.



Caroline is VERY beautiful and fancy. She enjoys being bedecked in jewels and lace and looks spiffing at all times. We are not very similar. Check out this real ruby that I got especially.



Swit swoo Caroline.

This next one is Gruff Rhys. I forgot I made this and actually don't know where it is.



I went to see Gruff Rhys ages ago and he DJed afterwards at Islington Mill where I would have had ample opportunity to freak out and not talk to him, but the last time I saw him there was no such opportunity. I guess I will stick it on Folksy, it's a pretty cool monster. The big mouths are such an integral part of the monster style, that when I make one without it looks really bonkers to me. I wanted to concentrate on his jumper, you see. The swirly pattern is supposed to resemble the patterns on Gruff's guitar.

Ohhh-kay. What else. Digging in old photo folders is fun!

Oh my gosh. This is a dreadful photo, but I will show you anyway. It's Roger, you guys!



Roger wanted a monster for his nephew, a Roger monster, so the baby could play with the monster and then meet Roger and be all like, WHHAAAAT. That's why all the eyes and glasses and everything are made out of felt. It's my attempt to make the monster baby-proof. I can't believe I never took a proper photo of this, he's got wicked DMs which are missing off this crap one. Roger, if you read this and you have any better photos, please email them to me? He did show me one photo of the baby laughing his head off at the monster which was MINT.



Okay, last one for now. This is Jim. He made my website, which if you haven't seen, you should totally go and look at in a minute. If you don't care about the monsters, you should go for the web design. Although, if you don't care about monsters, what are you doing here you daft toilet.

Anyway, Jim's girlfriend Alice requested this one to go with hers (red-haired, wicked bright) and apparently his favourite shirt is this checked orange one. Do you know how hard it is to knit a gingham pattern on a monster 4 inches high? I think I did an all right job of it but I gave up by the time I got to the collar.

Oh Jim made Alice's website too, it is here. She's like this completely amazing recyclist and craft workshopifier.

Well that'll do. I'm doing a couple of craft fairs in the South Manc area soon, come along. The next one is the Chorlton Arts Festival one, in St Clements Church, Manchester Road, Chorlton. 26th November, 11-4 I think. Tell your mates! It's gonna be CRAZY. I love you xx

People I Like Numero Quatre

Ey up, how is it? It is fine here, thanks for asking. I have given up on the binary thing for a moment while I do a few monsters and stuff, and here comes one now.

So you know Adam and Joe? You know Baaaddad, he is Adam's dad who used to do singles reviews on the Adam and Joe Show and they used to send him to Ibiza and festivals and stuff, and he has made an appearance on the radio show at least once, doing this song. My favourite part is 'Yo, yo yo. Whose yo-yo is this?'

Anyway, also, I am quite entranced by Twitter, I love it actually. I would never talk to anyone if it wasn't for Twitter. I followed @baaaddad when he joined and he tweeted me to say my knitting looked ingenious. Aaaahhhh! I threw my laptop on the floor. Then I picked it up and replied that I had made Adam and Joe monsters and maybe I would make a Baaaddad one? He said generous idea. I got so excited about this tiny exchange, you would not believe it, I am so silly.

Right well: enough backstory, here is a picture.



I am calling this ensemble 'Holiday Nigel' since it is quite casual. I was thinking of maybe doing 'Hip Hop Nigel' which would comprise the outfit Coolio put him in that time, but I changed my mind.

Also Holiday Nigel is ready to go to a festival. He is a total raver so I put the smiley button on his hat to remind him.



The hat is meant to be one of those canvas fisherman type ones, that have eyelets in them and possibly pockets, but it looks a bit like a porkpie hat thanks to my penchant for making all hats tiny and crooked (see Adam's sailor hat). He looks like Alexei Sayle. That's okay though.

So just by coincidence, Adam Buxton was doing another BUG show in Manchester last week, so I got the monster ready in time for that. I couldn't actually make the show because I had to get up early and go to London for an Exciting Job Interview, and I was getting nervous by Wednesday night, so I gave it to Maddern to deliver, and he did a good job. I got a nice email from Adam saying thank you. What a gentleman. Hooray! I am pleased with every part of this story.

Right-o, those jobs aren't going to apply for themselves (have I said that before? It feels like it) so I mustache. Byeeeee xx

Monsters On Film

So I have been busy doing various things, half finishing them, abandoning them, and wandering off. That's what I've been doing the last week. How about you?

I made Bob's monster ages ago, and he now lives in a caravan somewhere on the continent so I wasn't expecting this to plop into my inbox:



How exciting! I love it. Music made by Bob as well. What an all round talented dude. Serious.

Oh yeah! I have other things to talk about.

After I posted the Kimya Dawson/Merrill Garbus monsters last week, and plugged it on Twitter, I saw that Kimya had written this:



How good's that? I asked her if she would like me to send the monster somewhere she could get it, and she ignored that. So I guess she doesn't want it. I'm still chuffed with that response though. I am so glad Twitter exists. I'd never talk to anyone otherwise.

Speaking of which, remember how I made Adam and Joe monsters once and met Adam Buxton and gave them to him? I don't think I ever mentioned it here, but he posted a very nice thing on his blog, which I was made up with.

Ugghh, this is really hard to write, I am not good at it. The monsters I've made as part of my People I Like thing are all people who've had some kind of influence on me, or whose work I admire generally, so to get such lovely feedback from them is actually awesome, to me. I'm not just shamelessly self promoting honest! I'm allowed a little show off, once in a while!

(I AM SO GREAT)

People I Like part III (LADIES' EDITION)

Hey. So a lot has happened recently. One of the things that has happened is, I have changed the way my blog looks, you may have noticed that Nic is smiling at you all over the place and the header is LOADS worse than the old one. Do you like it? I really DO. I was trying to get it to look more in sync with my website, with the blue and everything, but my blog is essentially like a scrapbook where I sling everything, so I thought it'd be good if it looked a bit scrappy, too. Luckily, I am very good at making things look scrappy. Result! Also, look over to the right. If you get stuck on here, and you want to go to my website but you've forgotten how, you can click on my fringe there and you'll be transported magically. Hooray! You can just go back and forth all day. But don't, because I don't want you to get the sack because of me.

Another thing that has happened is, I made some stuff. I will get right into this because I think it's going to be a long one. So make yourself a brew NOW, or you might regret it in about three hours.

So all the People I Like so far have been men, that is all right, I like men. I do have a load of women though, that inspire and delight me and make me feel happy.

First up is Merrill Garbus. If you don't recognise her name, she's the singer from tUnEyArDs. This is her, lookit:



I only got wind of tUnEyArDs' music earlier this year, and I was INSTANTLY obsessed with it. It was like, 'this is EXACTLY what I want, it's PERFECT for me, I am so pleased yes'. I went to see them in June and it was fantastic, oh my lord. One of the best things I have ever, ever seen in my life. Merrill looks amazing on stage, she belts out these powerful, crazy, mental noises and loops them and layers them and bangs drums and it's so primal and animal, it blew my mind to bits. I stood there for the whole show practically shaking because I was so overwhelmed, and on the way home I nearly cried because I know that I'll never exude such confidence and power, she is clearly having a great time and she whips the crowd into a right frenzy as well. It's wicked. Argh! I am such a loser.



So I tried to dress the monster like Merrill was dressed when I saw her live, but I couldn't remember really. I know she had face paint like that, and I think she had huge frilly sleeves made out of, like, tulle. Or whatever that stuff is that you make petticoats out of. I used a hyperbolic crochet technique to make big fat sleeves, which turns out to be kind of hard to photograph:



Hmm. It's a cool technique and a really easy way to make something which looks pretty great. You can see what I'm talking about a bit better here. You get a lot of people making coral reefs this way. I think I was also thinking of Bjork's dress at the Biophilia show, which made her look a bit like a coral reef. There aren't any photos of it on the internet, apparently. Oh well!

Also I only made one sleeve, because it took me about three hours. I think it looks pretty good balancing the cascade of hair on the other side.

Okay so that's her. She's wicked.

Another Person I Like is Kimya Dawson. She's an old school girlcrush of mine.



I don't know what I was going to write about Kimya Dawson because I made this monster ages ago. I've been listening to her for years and reading her blogs and stuff on the internet for slightly fewer years. She seems like a nice person and she does a lot to champion people with problems, addicts, shy people, people who don't fit in very much. I find her tremendously inspiring. She looks amazing as well. I think I'm drawn to women who find their own style and who embrace this sort of colourful DIY, punk aesthetic, because that's what I like as well (says the woman who wears the same hoodie every day).

This is how I chose to represent her tattoos:





What a copout, eh? This is supposed to represent an inner lip tattoo: it says '2 LEGIT'.



Thundercats T-shirt:



Uh huh. Aaaand, these are the ears from my Superted costume that I wore once. I doubt I will wear it again, so Kimya can have them.



Anyway so I guess I will post those monsters off, to frighten and confuse some people who I have a great deal of respect for. Yesssss!

Aaahh. The third thing that happened was that I finished my job at the Arts Council. I was absolutely gutted to leave and I was really touched by all the lovely comments from everyone there. I never realised I had made any kind of impression on anyone, I hardly ever even spoke to anybody. So that's the end of that chapter, I will be looking for a job from now on, AGAIN. I feel pretty okay at the moment. Hopefully I will stay like it.

All right guys, phew! My mega-post has come to an abrupt end. Hope you weren't too bored. Take it easy and see you again soon, x

People I Like part II

How do, how do you do? I do knitting. I thought I'd tell you something even though it is kind of a crap story. No it's good! It's good.

I went to see Jeffrey Lewis and the Junkyard today in Preston, it was super fun and very exciting, as always. I love Jeffrey Lewis. When I was a bit younger and a bit less sure of myself, I listened to his songs about being an artist with no confidence and no money, and thought, this boy is singing about ME and MY FRIENDS! Listen to 'Seattle' off of his album The First Time I Did Acid I Went Insane and Other Favourites, and it is pretty much a description of me (or what I like to think of as a description of me, the reality was probably a bit less romantic and more... pathetic) aged about 22. I don't know, he just sums up the hollow feeling of failure and terror I felt throughout my early and mid twenties, in such a warm and humourous way that floors me. It made me feel like it was okay that I was so lost and that everything would be all right eventually. I like to listen to 'Moving' every time I move house (in which he compares a now-empty flat with the empty vessel of a dead body). It's great. Now that's enough gushing.

So as part of my People I Like series, I made a Jeff monster and I wanted to give it to him after the show today. In the event, I bottled it and gave it to the drummer, realised I hadn't left my name or anything, shoved a Garth flyer in the bag and made a sharp exit. Ohhhh, oops! I would've liked to have spoken to him a bit and given it to him and explained what I was doing, but I was too shy shy. I hope he received it and that he likes it and that he didn't think it was stupid. Here he is, by the way:



Just realised I was rambling on and on and hadn't shown you any pictures! How very rude.

This is the t-shirt I gave Jeff monster, which isn't too different to the one he was actually wearing today, cool.



So the most distinguishable thing I can think of about Mr Lewis on stage is that his guitar is plastered in stickers, so I made him a little guitar and adorned it too:



That's that then. I am making a few other ones but I defo need to be less afraid of talking to people, don't I? It doesn't really matter to me as long as the person gets it, though. It's just a gesture, a slightly OTT and creepy one, but I only want to say thank you for providing me with something that affected me, and I can do that without having to SAY anything OUT LOUD.

Hey this blog is turning into a right therapy session. You guys don't mind if I do some introspective shit from time to time, I hope. Okay, bye now! Same time next sometime.

'Hello. I hope you don't think I'm insane.'

Ey up, me again, just a quick one with some NEWS.

As I mentioned before, I wanted to make some monster versions of famous, or at least semi-famous, or demi-semi-famous, people I like. Just for funsies really, as a token of appreciation, if that doesn't sound too crap. I started doing it and then felt a bit like a weirdo, so I stopped again. HOWEVER. I DID make Adam and Joe monsters.



I used to watch the Adam and Joe Show when I was a young stupidhead, and tape it so I could see the fast bits. I've still got a video of it somewhere, which would be fun to watch actually because it would have 90s adverts on. I had no clue about anything when I was 15 but obviously I had SOME taste. What I'm trying to say here is that I like them, and also I feel like I've known them for years. I think everyone who likes them understands what I mean. I'm being a bit vague so perhaps not.

Anyway, the monsters. I am particularly pleased with Adam's hat. I couldn't figure out how to make a tiny sailor hat, because it's not just a flat cap, it needs to be round, with a raised front bit and a peak. I find it hard to think in three dimensions sometimes. I thought I'd just wing it, and it turned out splendidly if I may say so, and I think I may. This photo doesn't really do it justice.



I think this hat is LITERALLY one of the best things I have ever, ever made, ever. It just turned out so perfect.

Ermmm... what. Oh yes. So there I was, poised to send the monsters off to the BBC, and then I got a ticket to see Adam Buxton do BUG at the Zion Centre in Hulme. Wow! Then my friends convinced me it would be super if I took the monsters to give Adam in person. All right.

So. How laboured is this story! BUG was last night, it was fantastic, I did a lot of shrieking laughing as I am wont to do. Then I practically had a nervous breakdown because I didn't want to give the monsters in person, it's too scary, I can't I can't! If you know me, you know that is my attitude towards most things.

Anyway... skip to the end... I plucked up the courage in the end and Adam is a lovely fellow and seemed happy enough with them, and he signed some stuff:



I got this for Christmas or something when I was a young'un, apparently they go for a mint on Ebay! Cripes!

And this is my Favourite!



Hooray! I didn't want to update this last night when I got in, as I was really overexcited and I thought I might sound too demented. I'm not sure if I sound any better this morning, but I can't keep it in any longer! Ha. I have just babbled on and on about it to the security man next door who clearly didn't care at all. And I now feel like I might resume the famous monster making, so look out. Oh and also, Zoe didn't snog him, she was worried she might cause a scandal and end up on This Morning.

Yessssssssssss