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.

Well, March has rolled back around again... In the words of a book blogger I follow, "We Have Always Lived in the Month of March," by Shirely Jackson. It's been such a very, very difficult and strange year, but I think we all seem to be feeling a bit more hopeful. I have my vaccination on Friday (I'm in the moderate risk group) and my Dad has had his too, so that is a positive for my family, which we're incredibly grateful for. Another positive is I'm borrowing my Dad's old laptop whilst I save up for mine to be fixed! 

The last couple of weeks have been mainly admin focussed (so the laptop has been very much needed) and quite a lot of practical work has taken a back seat. But I do have a few new things to share...

Here's a pile of crochet squares I've been working on. In my final year of art school I made a piece called 'Softer Landings' where I yarn bombed the main staircase of the Ruskin and I want to return to that project and expand it. My current plan is named 'Softening Sheffield' - I've applied for some council funding (please cross your fingers for me), but whether I get it or not, I plan on making a series of pieces over this coming Summer. I need to make a lot more crochet squares - I can do about 50 a day, but it makes my wrist hurt a bit, so I might need to spread my making out a bit more.

Another piece I'm working on is a new textiles banner, in pinks - pink crochet onto pink faux fur fluffy fabric - it will be a sister piece to a honey monster-is yellow banner I made for my boyfriend a couple of years ago. Pixel crochet is one of my favourite ways of making; it's time consuming and a bit fiddly and it's not exactly a 'cool' medium, but I find it a fluent visual language and I like taking time to focus on an unusual textile project. I'd love to get into punching and rug making, but it's expensive to get started and quite a crowded 'market' at the minute, with lots of amazing makers creating incredible and fun pieces. So for the time being I think it's most likely I'll stick to crochet.

My final piece to share is this drawing - I was adamant I wanted to get it done on March 1st, so it can be an official March hare! I have another hare to draw this month, which I think I'll do on the 31st, to bookend the month with hare studies. I really love their long legs - we have quite a lot of wild rabbits in our local parks, but I've never seen a hare in the wild. Will keep my eyes peeled!