Knitting: winners and losers

No, this isn't a post about teams that didn't get into the AFL Grand Final.  (Nor is it a post about strangely heavy rubber baby props with machinery inside them, much as that would be quite an interesting topic.)  I have been working casually as an assistant in the props and graphics departments of the Channel Seven TV show Winners and Losers for a little while now.  The third season is presently being filmed, but for my very first task last season I was asked to knit a football beanie tiny enough to fit onto a newborn baby's head.  (Hence the slightly creepy dummy/ model/ prop creature.)

On the evening of October 2, my little beanie made its debut on national television.  I was pretty worried about whether it would fit, but baby Harrison's (Madeleine & Chloe Taylor's) mum Bec (Zoe Tuckwell-Smith) did a great job, and stepdad Matt (Blair McDonough) seemed slightly impressed too.  Another knitter made the scarf.

Meanwhile, my own shawl collared jacket/cardigan thing is not progressing as I am frustratingly stuck on the 'shawl' part.  So close and yet so far....I'll finish it mid summer no doubt.

Getting around...

I am really happy that my new Leaf Man -- and lots more wooden work -- is now living in Craft Victoria's Shop.

Meanwhile my Lonely Hipster print is proudly taking part in Caitlin Pesky's This is Melbourne exhibition at The Bella Union as part of The Fringe Festival.  I can't wait to see the rest of the work!

And a selection of my painted mirrors is now very pleased to be at Five Boroughs in East Brunswick.

I hope everyone has had an excellent Grand Final weekend.  I know two dear boys who are no doubt presently cocooned in red and white, leaping around the lounge room and grinning from ear to ear!

Woman wearing a duck, drying her nails

I have a new painting in the shop.  A woman wearing a mandarin duck on her head, drying her nails and thinking about nothing in particular.  She is 19 cm in diameter.  I thought I would try to paint a picture rather than a something that had to be cut around.  Does cutting a circle count? 

I have also been having a lot of trouble leaving comments on other Google blogs -- given that I have been receiving comments, perhaps it's just a technical issue that I am having with my account.  Either way, I am sorry to have not been in touch.  Thanks very very much for all of your comments -- they are greatly appreciated!!

Svijet oko Nas, 1987

An assortment of images from the 1987 edition of Svijet oko Nas (The World Around Us), a two volume children's encyclopedia published in Zagreb.  Thank you very much again to Zorka from the public library of Pucisca.

Another new man....

A little painted wooden man for my friend.  He was inspired by the 'chain' style of patchwork shown in the background of this card and will have some siblings soon.

Two more books from the library in Pucisca

More finds from the public library in Pucisca.  Above: Ja Sam Mala Kuharica (I Am a Little Cook) by Mira Vucetic, illustrations by Greta Turkovic and Vjekoslav Besic.  The first photo shows the endpapers.

Above: Skola Patuljaka (Elf School) by Nada Iveljic, Zagreb, 1996.  Great for architectural ideas.

A new man

I have a new man in the shop.  He is a greeting card that I made by playing in Photoshop with a couple of things that I painted recently: the large flower and the patchwork portrait.
So much for my New Year's resolution.  (How is/are yours going?!)

Some random holiday finds

Some random finds from the public library of Pucisca.  Thanks to the generosity of the lovely librarian Zorka Martinic, I will be able to show plenty more finds in the next couple of weeks.  Above: Etiquette for Children.  The well loved condition of the book suggests that the children of Pucisca take their manners very seriously.

Below: two items from Second Hand Shop in Split.  Such shops are a relatively new phenomenon in Croatia, and I was naturally excited to visit my first one.  Although I love my finds, I was disappointed that the stock mainly consisted of relatively new clothing, with very little household stuff.  My teenage cousins, engrossed in early 90s style, had no such complaints.

Above: this print is rather strange, don't you think?!