Jack of Diamonds Knits the Doublet at Pop Craft...

Calling all aspiring knitters and curious textile types - Jack of Diamonds will be knitting The Doublet this Sunday the 3rd of June...

Pop Goes the Colour...

Since the studio has been finished I have been putting my machines to work to produce some knitwear for the wonderful Pop Craft pop-up shop at Harvest Textiles in Brunswick East. Pop Craft stocks some wonderful local designers who create jewellery, accessories, home wares and garments - behind the eye catching window display you can find crafted pieces by Ilka White, Stella Jones, Melanie Boermans, Kayo Tanaguchi and Anna Varendorff.

The window displays have also become something of a talking point too - the talents of Isabel Knowles and Cat Rabbit (Owl Know How) and the crafted humour of Tai Snaith have been entertaining passers by for the last couple of weeks.

Pop Craft is also running knitting workshops in conjunction with their clever range of knitting kits - you can make a pair of wrist warmers, a beautiful braided scarf or a bag which doubles as a cushion. I have to mention the beautiful range of yarns including pieces from Marta's Yarns, Dairing and Avril. In fact, I found the love of colour a little infectious and couldn't resist adding a little bright to my typically muted garments!

The lovely light space full of colour is the perfect antidote to the winter blues on the grey, grey Melbourne days - so if you knit or would love to learn pop on in to 512 Lygon St Brunswick East between the hours of 11-5.30 from Wednesday to Sunday...

If you would like to know more about the lady behind Pop Craft you can read my interview with her for the Creative Women's Circle ...

Voilà!

Off the radar for some time now... I have been busily preparing my new studio space. Here is a little sneak peek of the new home of Jack of Diamonds Knits situated in a bustling Brunswick warehouse of studios which is home to many creative folk including the very wonderful Sunday Morning Designs and Copy Boy.

The abridged tour starts here at the blackboard wall and Doublet...

...just across the other side you will find bobbins and bougainvillea atop a rather archaic filing system...

...and the already full pinboard here showing the work of the talented Joceline Lee and Ernesto Caivano...

...some sample swatches and recent acquisitions...

... shift your gaze westward and sneak a peek at some of the yarn collection and while you are here I'll let you in on the next pattern I plan to release this month...

...meet the Perseus Tunic, cap sleeved, wide roll neck and super stretchy thick fabric - all done in one piece on a single bed punchcard knitting machine...Voilà!

Tattoos Are Art...

I was involved in a recent discussion on the topic of tattoos. I was a little surprised to hear several women voice their dismay at young women choosing to permanently ink themselves. I live in Melbourne after all and this fair city is fast becoming the home of the sleeve tattoo... Given that I am working on a new tattoo for myself  and am an avid admirer of the craft of tattooing I though I might share the work of an extraordinary tattooist who lifts this trade into the realm of fine art.

Whip Shade 3 - tattoo on leather

Whip Shade 5 - tattoo on leather

The woman responsible for these four works is Amanda Wachob. She resides in New York and her practice includes not just tattoos but also some extraordinary experimental works on leather and fruit (yes, fruit!). No matter what her canvas, she clearly wields the tattoo gun as an artist's implement.