December Log

December 1st - 2nd

Here are the scarves currently on show at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen's exhibition Object (not a political show: the word's used as a noun, not an imperative!).

There are two Stalks scarves (left) and one small and one large Meadow

The fabric length I completed last month (see below and the whole fabric-making sequence here) has been handed over with all its layout and cutting instructions and I now feel I want to think about what I do next - perhaps with a phase of drawing and experimental work.

Approx 4 metres fabric on 14 mm crêpe de Chine. Wax and dyes in layers.

December 3rd - 29th

I have spent a lot of time away from the studio this month as there have been elderly members of my family ill in hospital. I hope again to post regularly as soon as I can. Very best wishes to all celebrating Christmas and New Year if I'm not back before then.

And to those that noticed, and care about grammar, I have corrected that evil split infinitive. It has boldly gone.

30th December

Website, Housekeeping, and some Facts and Figures

Time to do some website housekeeping today as I have a few spare moments. It has been a very difficult month in many ways and although the year is nearly over, the difficulties aren't. I shall certainly be out of the studio for a while longer.

As I don't use a custom made "blog site" which has a formula to add photos, archives, etc. I use my own work website and put the blog on it. So all through the year, and especially when I get to the end of it, I need to make new folders, update countless links, add new ones etc and continue to make the blog and archives a logical and accessible part of the website.

When I started the blog two years ago as my brother and Peter sailed out of Hobart (the mystified may go here or here ) I had no idea of the size it would become and that people might actually be interested in reading it for some peculiar reasons.

For instance, I use the statistics feature offered by my host and am more than puzzled as to why internet searchers arrive at my site to find this Neptune symbol so often:

I know this project page is accessed constantly, and I assume it's because people tell each other about it. I like to think people are making scarves that way because of it. And for some strange reason, perhaps because I illustrated a process used in a workshop, this month's blog is accessed a lot as well.

Statistics indicate that the Gallery pages are often the only place a visitor goes and I should be learning a lesson here and adding and updating them more often.

This year my visitor rates averages are just under 50.000 per year. If they are all looking for Neptune symbols, probably not a great achievement. But I am glad the rate keeps on climbing. The blog is definitely one reason why.

Sometimes people ask me why I don't have an interactive feature so that people can make comments. I don't for several reasons. In no particular order:

1. I don't usually want comments about work as I find it confusing, especially if I am feeling my way through something new

2. I don't want endless commiserations on the death of my pet fish

3. I can't, because I'm not smart enough to write the code