15/03/12: Crocheted foxglove trumpets test run


Today I started working on the full scale crocheted trumpets for the foxglove. They will take a bit of experimentation to get the shape right. I am using 8 stands of yarn and a 15mm hook.


I had a lovely phone call with Simon from Atlas Scaffolding in Stoke who has agreed to lend me 3 14ft scaffold poles to construct the flowers on. Hurrah!



Later on I had a experiment in making a sunflower centre for another project which you can see her next to the foxgloves trumpets so far.

09/03/12: Knitted hollyhock experiment





06/03/12: Giant bloom models outside


Here are the three flowers made so far- a pompom hollyhock, a fabric pompom hollyhock or potentially a delphinium and a felt foxglove.


I am very pleased with how the foxglove has turned out. It is the most realistic and has real character.


I have included a knitted figure in this one for a context shot to show the size of the blooms. I want the real things to tower 4-5 metres high.


My studio mate, Livvy Penrose, played me this video by Dorothy Cross about the foxglove. It is interesting and informative and weirdly creepy.

http://awp.diaart.org/cross/foxglove.html

05/03/12: Felt foxglove making

I used felt to make my foxglove model. I glued cone shapes to be cut into the flowers unique bell shape.


I was really quite taken with the pre-cut cones themselves though! An interesting experiment/ idea to store away for future thinking. I do like multiples!


01/03/12: Pompom hollyhocks and fabric pompoms

I have been trying to decide which three blooms to choose from. I have narrowed it down to foxgloves and hollyhocks for sure with delphiniums, wild roses, calendula and evening primrose as possibles.

Today I made a scale model pompom holly hock. I experimented with making fabric pompoms to see what effect that gave. Next up I am going to make a scale model foxglove.

I forgot my camera so I will post images next time.

23/02/12: Giant pompoms making


I am spending some time thinking about which flowers to choose for the commission. I like thinking through making. I really like the 'pompom'-esque hollyhocks from the last post so I decided to experiment with making giant pompoms which could be joined together to collectively make a huge hollyhock,


I used 8-12 strands of yarn to wrap with.


The pompom circle is 45cm in diameter and the central hole is 15cm across.


I did 3 rounds of wraps.




I learnt that the central hole needs to be smaller than usual rather than proportional to a normal pompom. This is because otherwise when you tie off the pompom the stands all gather together making the diameter drastically smaller than the original size. Also in future I would do more wraps to make a fuller pompom.



While I was thinking I also made a crocheted flower using 10 strands of yarn to see how big it turned out. To get a bigger bloom I will need a bigger crochet hook and more strands of yarn.