The (Apparently) Annual Update

Another old image. Not signed since I could never decide if it was finished. I can't believe I was working on this in 2011...

The start of a new year and its been another year since my last post. I wonder if reducing it to an eleven month gap between posts is a reasonable self-improvement goal? 

I'm pleased to say that I did actually make a start on a new painting this year. I'm less pleased to say that it hasn't gotten past the sketching stage, and it's tiny. 

Mostly an exercise in trying to hit the focal points, but I do enjoy anytime Alyce gives the boys grief!

I also made an attempt at Inktober. Knowing that October is always a very busy month for me travel-wise I didn't want to set myself up to fail, so I didn't plan on doing a sketch every day in October, but I did try to plan out a sketch for each of the prompts within the theme of Story-based illustrations with a goal of eventually getting through them all (I managed a fair few ideas, but some of the prompts left me stumped, and some of the ideas haven't panned out). I haven't given up, but I also haven't completely finished many sketches yet. 

Inktober cue: swing

I also had a chance to try my first fluid pour last summer (plus a bit of blowing with a straw), using my mother's supplies.

I still haven't decided which way should be up, but I quite like the oceanic feel of my first pour.

I really enjoyed it and want to do more, but I haven't gotten around to getting my own set-up. I've spent ages watching various videos of other peoples' fluid paintings, though; they're pretty addictive. 

I've finished a couple knitting projects (including the un-ending Boxy). Knitting always comes out a bit different from what I had in mind; sometimes better, sometimes worse, sometimes just different. Should anyone be making a longer Boxy, I advise not adding quite as much as you think you'd like - mine was supposed to be a tunic and it's knee-length now. :P Stephen West's Marled Mania is great, other than that I don't like the wool of the funnel-neck on my skin. The colour marling is great, though, and I have plans to make a modifed version once I can find pattern for something with a lower neck. I also finished Tegna, and have started working on Arbus.

Tegna

Arbus in progress

Out of sewing projects, my two best successes were a pair of capris made from a self-drafted pattern based on a favorite old pair of trousers (the pattern wasn't a great success as intended, since it's for a woven fabric and that come out very tight; it's great for knits, though), and a Simplicity 8013 which isn't quite finished yet, but is good so far (if a bit low in the neckline).