My second attempt at the knitting machine ended up in a tangled mess but don’t watch dat, watch dis – I found a new rabbit hole to fall down!

Of all of the things I imagined myself doing this week, learning how to use a knitting machine was not on the list. But look at me now – the knitting machine queen!

Last week it was clear that I had to do something else to make my studio work for me the way I needed it to.

It’s a great space, and I couldn’t have carried out my latest projects without it… but it’s not living up to its potential. I need more from it. So I finally pulled my finger out and started making the studio I need.

There was one unintended consequence of last week’s wool washing: lots of steam turning into condensation and making its way into a portfolio leaning in a quiet corner.

On the surface it looked like a disaster, but the loss of some old work taught me something…

This week I started to connect a flimsy neck to the bulk of my woolen head of Medusa. Now that there’s a nose, two rudimentary eyes and recognisable lips, it seems right that there should be some kind of bodily grounding.

The challenge – ok, the entire thing is a challenge because I’ve never done this before, so let’s say the main challenge – this week is to use what clean wool I have as wisely as possible before I run out.