From a Pillar of the Community to WoollenWood
Opening a shop on Etsy seemed like a natural progression to take my artwork out there, to be seen by national and international eyes as well as our local Slowmakers market stall. I have been part of a small local designer makers group called slowmakers for a year now, we do regular UNIK markets in my home town of Norwich. One day I was describing to someone, at the UNIK market, what my creations where made from and said out loud wool and wood. We both looked at each other and said that's a brilliant name for my business and so it grew from there. I envisaged a woodland somewhat like a surreal animation, filled with trees made from boughs of billowing yarns supported by trunks of carved crochet hooks.
I have been crocheting for about 30 years, taught by my Mum and Great Grandmother. Both worked with the medium in contrasting ways and each method appealed for different reasons. Be it learning how to invent mad things from my imagination by my mother or seeing the tradition and beauty in keeping to a pattern and mass repetition from my grandmother.
I took part in 'Aisle and Air' 'cley12' an exhibition by NNEP, where I created 'Pillar of the Community', covering an octagonal three metre high pillar in st Margaret's church cley, entirely with crochet/knitting with the help of around 50 peoples creations. Because of the many different souls joining the project I loved the unpredictability of how it would look in the end, and the creative crochet communication that went on between each of the handmade pieces resting next to one another, it took six months to make two of which to curate/ sew together, the last month was done onsite.
As part of 'Pillar of the Community' I really wanted to try my hand at very large crochet, but couldn't find any collosal hooks, so embarked on making my own, from broomsticks, which then naturally flowed to using found wood from walks and from friends, carving them into sculptural scrumptious pieces for the eye and hand, practical yet decorative!
One option as part of cley12 was to use donated NWT fleeces, which I intended to take through all the processes to become a yarn to crochet with. I learnt how to dye with natural dyes by going on a course with the worsted guild of spinners weavers and dyers. They also provided a workshop at Barrington farm, where I work part-time, their patience taught me the basics of spinning. Shortly afterwards I fell for the craft of spinning freestyle Art yarns. I like to improvise, choosing colours and textures from what's at hand in the moment, creating something that makes me smile from the fun of playing and curating a pleasing colour/texture way, I love the way it feels like going on a journey somewhere new each time I spin a yarn.
This hand spun ArtYarnYumness I can now bring back to the art of crochet in the land of woollenWood, creating something totally unique which fills me with even more eagerness and joy to make and share the things I love to do.
