Calendar: August 2012

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Yummy yarn

As I’ve mentioned a few times already, I’ve recently reconnected with my hand making roots. My plan is to learn how to knit socks – delicious toasty socks. Mmmmm.

This endeavour will be undertaken in the most lovely yarn – Araucania Rancho Multi #502 (to be precise).

yarn yumminess

One skein, one already wound into a ball.

I can’t wait to see how fabulous this yarn looks in hand-knitted socks!

Is it just me?

The sculptural monument built for the London 2012 Olympics, ArcelorMittal Orbit (designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond) reminds me of Robert Baines‘s work.

image from Wiki; click on image for original source

I think it’s due to the red colouring and the open-wire construction.

Is it just me or do you think so too?

[There is a fabulous image here; and also check out the website of Anish Kapoor for amazing progress images]

RMIT Year 2, Semester 2, Enamelling #1

The elective I took in second semester second year was Enamelling, as I had enjoyed it so much in first year.

Second year, second semester, Enamelling, project #1: ‘Champleve‘

Champleve is enamelling into a recess in metal – which can be created either by carving, etching or layer soldering (with high temperature, IT, solder).

For this project I took for inspiration a photograph I had taken of a plane tree in winter – one of the iconic Melbourne images in my opinion (especially as I worked in the city, and they’re everywhere).

Each component was made of two layers of fine silver, the top layer saw-pierced and soldered to the bottom layer.

components; image not to be reproduced without permission

The shape in the top layer is derived from the photograph – below. The pieces were rivetted together.

enamel neckpiece; image not to be reproduced without permission

I don’t really think this is a successful piece: the rivets do not seem robust enough, the fitting isn’t robust enough for the weight of the piece, and the articulation of the rivets isn’t ideal. Perhaps this is a contender for a re-working?

… last post in this series: RMIT Year 2, Semester 2, Silversmithing …