Exhibiting at Brighton Science Festival

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Brighton Science Festival is in early September. The exhibition ‘Scratch That’, about the prevalence of Scabies in care homes aimed at raising awareness is on Saturday 9th September 12-6pm in the old Police Cells in Brighton, under the Town Hall. Come along and see the results of research from Sussex Medical School, interactively engage with how it feels to have Scabies through my textile developments and see collaborative art/science research in action.

BBC Radio 4 ‘More or Less’ programme Friday 25th August, 16.30.

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Earlier in the summer I was approached by the BBC to give an interview to about the history of clothing sizing. I was really keen to do this and try to put the problems so many of us have with this issue into some context.

It was a sweltering day, and it was a relief to avoid travelling and being able to take part in the interview in the BBC Brighton studio. If you ask me now what I talked about, I can’t remember, so it will be a nice surprise for me as well to listen on Friday at 4.30pm.

If you miss it, don’t forget to catch up on iPlayer.

 

 

Photoshoot for my latest book today. 

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Today has been all about lighting and getting knitting to lie flat. Every knitter knows how annoying the stocking stitch roll can be, and we are resorting to the tricks and tips the lovely photographer I worked with on The Knitting Book taught me. So far have managed to get some nice clear shots. I am loving daylight bulbs, as it's a bit cloudy today. 

This morning's photos were mostly about shaping and tension swatches.   This afternoon it's colour techniques. 

Chapter Nine is nearly finished. One particular section on shaping calculation has been knotty. It's been proofread now and apparently I have made it really clear. Let's hope so, sleepless nights pondering how to describe sleeve head shaping seem to have paid off! 

Back to the shoot now, but before I go, here's a camera-eye view of today's efforts. 

Cutting fabric strips for research garment

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I have just spent ages cutting nylon tulle into 1/2 inch strips. I tried tearing them, but the edges roll and become too smooth for my purpose.

Luckily I could use a powered rotary cutter, but even so the tulle fought back and slithered around. 

The strips are to be woven into machine knit fabric to create a scratchy surface. Yes normally one is striving for a soft surface, but this garment is going to emulate for the wearer the feeling of having a skin disorder. 
Sampling so far has found that nylon tulle on a Lycra base knit can be quite irritating. When the nylon is slightly melted it becomes even more irritating. So that’s the plan. 

Peg loom

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Ross has built me a peg loom. This is the only photo so far but more will follow. We found helpful instructions on the Internet and the finished one has three rows of pegs of different sizes spaces differently. 

I want to make some rugs and although I am part way through hooking  one I also want to make a loosely woven fleece one to felt and I haveJacob’s fleece that will do the job nicely. 

Scotney castle walk

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Just walked from Lamberhurst to Scotney Castle. No great distance but managed to get stung by nettles, thistles in my feet and a dash of sunburn. 

Rewarded by a very substantial cream tea with both fruit and cherry and coconut scones. 
Last quick visit to the toilets before walking back to the caravan.
This weather is what summer holidays should be for.