In which I am a piece

I've finished the first half of the red stole (more on that tomorrow) so I'm putting it aside for a bit to get involved with a brilliant project.

Various brilliant crafty types (including Mr X Stitch, Deadly Knitshade, Hilary of Craftblog UK and the Craftivist Collective) are making a giant jigsaw embroidered with provocative messages to support Save the Children's Race Against Hunger Campaign. The project will create an art installation to raise awareness of the issues of world hunger and injustice.

The idea is that crafters like thee and I make 3 jigsaw pieces - one for the big jigsaw artwork, one for yourself to keep as a reminder to be part of the solution, and one stitched with the words "I'm a piece" to give to your MP, to ask them to be the positive change they wish to see in the world.  You can find more info and templates to download here. 

So why is this project happening now?  In 2013 Britain is hosting the G8 summit.  It's a great chance for the Government to use its power and influence to tackle child poverty, and the "I'm a piece" project and giant jigsaw artwork will hopefully remind us that we are all part of each others' live, and our actions can help or harm other people.  When I write to my MP I'll be asking him to urge David Cameron to make the most of this opportunity to end child hunger.

So, get stitchin'!  If you're sharin', use the hashtag #imapiece.  I'm thinking of organising an event in York in early December to encourage people to get involved.  And in the meantime, you can sign Save the Children's Race Against Hunger petition here.

In which I sketch Frida

I decided to sketch Ms Kahlo the other night.  Here she is!  I just used a pencil and my watercolour pencils to start with.  I'd given the pencils a quick brush of water to blend them, and then decided to give her skin a wash of red wine with the brush.  It looked lovely and blushy pink at first when it went on, and then turned a bit purple-grey when it dried.  Kids - don't paint with wine.

In which I organise a cat

Tess, the howling cat beast, has some complex needs.  She takes medication for her arthritis, for her diabetes, and is on medicated diet food as well.  Mr P and I adopted her a few years ago, when she'd already had surgery to remove a lump in her kitty-boob - she now has only five nipples.  She's now 11 and just the best kitty ever.  She head-bumps my face and gently bites my chin when she's really happy. 

With her diabetes, Mr P and I have to inject her twice a day with insulin.  And we need to make sure we do this, and let the other know so she doesn't get injected twice in one morning.  We'd been keeping track on scraps of paper, but I made a little blackboard chart for the kitchen which looks a bit nicer. I got the blackboard from Hobbycraft, and wrote the days etc on with a white paint pen.  I then found a bit of thin plyboard, and cut and filed it down to the right size, and stuck it on with wood glue to make a shelf for the chalk. 

So tidy!  Tess couldn't care less. 

In which I print a Gormley

In the summer Mr P and I went to Crosby beach and saw Anthony Gormley's installation Another Place.  I took lots of photos, and when we got back, made some sketches from them, and finally this print:

It's a Gormley man!  Gor-man?  Anyway.  I like the colour of the muddy sand, it just didn't work as well as I'd hoped as cloud.  Perhaps I should have used less of it there.  And the sky's a little too vibrant, maybe? 

In which I want to go to Brazil with Michael Palin

I watched the first episode of Michael Palin's Brazil last week.  Dear old Michael "the lovliest Python" Palin stopped by São Luís to see some Bumba Meu Boi action.  Bumba Meu Boi means 'jumping the bull' - it's a folk dance thing where people make a big old embroidered bull costume, and act out the bull's story on the street.

Whut?  Embroidered bull costume?

Oh yes.  It was amazing!  You can see the episodeon iPlayer here, with the bits on Bumba Meu Boi starting at 3 mins and 12 mins. And here's the best screen grab I could get of the bull - I think it's mainly done with beads and sequins - and it looks fab.  

I want to go to Brazil!  Ideally with Michael Palin, I think we'd get on.  Failing that, I want to learn more about Brazilian embroidery.  Anyone got any ideas where I could start?

In which there is a third figure

I've been carrying on with the stole, here's the third figure.  The colour's a bit wrong, the background is redder than that.

And a bonus shot of Tess cat sleeping.  I love cat toes.

In which a lady jumps

Here's Ms Top Left, jumping on the stole. 

It may look like a ghostly hand is fondling her knee, but that's just empty space for the next figure.  He and his neighbour will be done in a slightly darker gold thread, and the two at the bottom in a darker shade still.