I printed the cards today. I actually found this process much harder to figure out than I was expecting too. I tried various things (rollers, heavy books) to press the card down on top of the print before eventually settling on a moisturiser jar with a folded paper towel taped over the top. (I was going to take a photo but at 3.30 it was already too dark).
The eagle eyed might notice that I added an extra little tree, I wasn’t happy with the original composition. Just a bit too uniform, but I think this improves it. Not all of my prints are very even, although I got much better (and faster) at this with a bit of practise. I tried not to be too perfectionist about which cards ended up in the reject pile though. Sometimes it’s nice to show the handmadeness of something in its imperfections I think.
If you want to exchange cards please do email me, I think at the moment I have about 8-10 more cards than people to send them to. You may want to check royal mail’s website for last posting dates to where you are if you care about getting them by the 24th. (I know that to Australia it is tomorrow – best get myself to the post office).
I did go to the city knitty meetup last night. And I had fun :) I talked to people and was actually pretty relaxed and not tongue tied. The new venue, Chai Teahouse is also really lovely – quiet, comfortable, well lit and spacious. Perfect for a large group of knitters to hang out. I had some really good chamomile tea made from actual chamomile flowers – perhaps that helped with the not being too shy thing. I think I’ll be going back next week, with a really simple project so I can chat without screwing it up.
I’m glad you like my cable beret, I’ll try and do a pattern for it soon. I ordered some yarn that should be arriving tomorrow to make a new version of Snow White because while I love how the neckline looks on the dressform it falls off my shoulders when I wear it. I might rip out the yokeish part of the original and fix it but I’d like to make a perfected version before doing the pattern.
I picked up some bristol board yesterday while getting the stuff to add to the liquitex so I’ll hopefully get the illustrations for the lace up gloves pattern done soon. All the photos are taken, but need to be edited and some of the text is done. So that’s coming along too.
Oh and I have an exam on poetry next Tuesday, and after years of schooling where they said such things as ‘poetry doesn’t have rules’; ‘you don’t need to know what a sonnet is’ and ‘iambic pentameter is just the way Shakespeare wrote, that’s all you need to know’ I think I need to study for it.
While writing this I’ve been watching someone across the road hang bunting across their back garden. Fitting but also intriguing.
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Yeah, I would like a card, too. :D I’m not sure if I’m so great with making cards myself though… :o Or I might try creating something on my computer and use my new can-do-it-all-superprinter for printing it out. :D
The cards look great, they remind me of winter and christmas and all sorts of things like that. They are very pretty. :) I always like the handmade look to things like that, and usually I have to have messed it up pretty bad for it to go to the reject pile. You can always cut out parts that look okay and use them as gift tags. :)
quiet, comfortable and spacious! you don’t know how much we need somewhere like that in Newcastle. Everywhere here is dark, noisy, crowded and full of smoke. OK, slight exaggeration but all the cafes shut by 6pm so that pretty much leaves us with just pubs and bars. Went scouting for new venues last night but I’m not sure if anyone else will like the places I like…..Your group sounds delightful.
iambic pentameter = otherfoot fivebeat. that’s what my english teacher told me, her literal translation of iambic pentameter, and it stuck in my head as such a quaint, fabulous shakespearean phrase.
Great job with the cards, they look purrfect! xx
well now after four years of printmaking, i just did a rather bootleg holiday card with the speedball rubbery stuff as my block, and a pigment rubberstamp pad for ink. i just dabbed on the ink on straight from the pad, put my card down on a piece of felt, and basically stamped it on, with a great deal of smooshing. it came out surprisingly nice! i have forgotten all i ever knew about iambic pentameter but if you’re still up for card trades, that i’m good for. let me know.
I like the cards a lot, and I’d agree that imperfections can be an items charm, showing the mark of the maker. Love the Beret too!
Hey,
obviously, I’m very late catching up on your blog — started reading it recently because I’m working up to knitting arasaig. I just had to jump in here, though — I did some lino block print cards a couple of years ago, and a printer friend taught me a good trick: to get a nice ink distribution, place the card on top of the block, so that it sticks to the ink a little, then use the curved back of a spoon to rub the back of the paper. For me, it worked like a charm!