If there is one good thing to come out of 2020, it's having a bonus of 12 months to work and complete my jumper for the 2021 Jumpers and Jazz in July tree jumper exhibition! If the festival had not been postponed last year, I would have completed my jumper in time for installation. The postponement meant that I could review and then make a bold decision to pull apart the almost completed serape blanket element and start again. The shape was wonky, and I was not happy with the SC stitch look.
Before I even starting crocheting the serape blanket, I planned the stripe sequence by counting the rows on a blanket that I own and transcribing it into an Excel spreadsheet! I love a spreadsheet at the best of times, and it was perfect for this task! I knew how many colours were needed and could adjust depending on the colours available. Hooray for being a nerd and loving spreadsheets!
After starting the serape blanket in November 2019, I became aware of and fell in love with mosaic crochet. Fast forward to April 2021. I started on the remake blanket and 'frogged' (pulled out the rows) the original blanket, recycling the yarn in the new blanket.
A Sixel paid pattern provided the amazing skulls used for the black and white top blanket and the blanket's top feature stripe. Unfortunately, I could not find the right pattern online for the feature stripe typically seen in serape blankets. So, I made one! This was my first attempt at creating a mosaic crochet pattern. I'm delighted with how the stripe turned out. The sugar skulls featured on the altar were also made last year. But, if I am honest, I was not looking forward to decorating them. I am not an experienced embroiderer, so the thought of embroidering flowers onto them was not one I was wild about. A trip to Melbourne to visit friends and family provided me with an opportunity to assist my cousin with a craft project. It turned out it was embroidery and not crochet. I followed some simple instructions in that session, which turned out to be the flowers and dots that I needed for the sugar skulls! Thank you, fate.
Synchronicity has played a major part in the creation of this jumper. So many times, I was left jaw open thinking, 'oh my goodness, what?' with how bits all fell into place. I could fill a novel if I were to list them all. But, perhaps it's best to focus on the special one. I did not intend to tribute this jumper to my dad. And to be honest, I hadn't even associated him with it. That only happened when I realised I had to book time off to stitch the jumper onto the tree. Noting the installation date, I realised that it was the date of my father's funeral. The theme and date coinciding made for perfect timing. I knew right then that I was dedicating the jumper to Murray.
I start to think about a theme for a jumper for 'next year' as I am installing my jumper. In 2019 I thought, mmm, Mexican food as I stitched on my sushi themed jumper. Then I realised that I could make sugar skulls asI am quite down with making a skull. The idea bloomed in making a serape blanket, with a Day of the Dead altar, and off a started on the design. With the gap last year, I had actually started on next year's theme ideas before installation day. I think I have settled on a concept. It'll bounce around in my head for a while before starting the pattern making phase and commencing the crochet phase.
A lot was learnt by making this blanket. I have added new crochet skills and techniques to my repertoire. The recognition of my abilities in being named as the winner of the Excellence in Knitting and/or Crochet section is truly magical. I am grateful and congratulate all winners and entrants on producing such extraordinarily stunning pieces.
action of the first cross. Once the cut was called it was time to commence Operation Installation. My tree was known as “Tree 64” this year. There is a building in place of the vacant site now. I think in all It took me 3 or so hours to stitch my tree jumper “Sherbert” onto my tree. I really enjoy how that process unfolds. I have an idea in my head when I start as to how it might look. Then it changes to how I imagine it might look as I see it flat on the floor in my home. As it starts to be stitched on those images changed quite dramatically for me this year. It ended up looking very different to and happily even better than I thought it would.
