16/3/2021

I have a few big drawings under way and a couple of commissions etc which I can't share here yet, but I have done some textiles work and some fun personal crochet projects over the last couple of weeks.

This first piece is a pixel crochet banner which is a partner piece to a previous yellow banner which read "Stay Soft Hard Lad!!!" which I made for my boyfriend a while back, to remind him that his softness is beautiful. This piece has been planned out for a while, but this last week, with the horrendous Sarah Everard case, and the appalling statistics that have been released about sexual harassment of young women, it seemed to be calling out to me. As women, we employ so many politeness strategies to put men at ease, we make ourselves smaller and softer and shrink ourselves. This piece is a reminder (to myself as much as anyone), that we can be tough. At times, particularly at the moment, we have to be tough. We have to be listened to, and not fear upsetting people or being called a 'bitch' for taking up all the space we deserve. 

I've also enjoyed making some Toft pattern crochet animals - this lobster and tarantula. Toft make fantastic, fun and unusual patterns and I'd really recommend checking out some of their books.