Since I’ve been doing more knitting and stitching for adults – especially women’s scarves, hats and purses – I’ve updated my kids’ knitting website to show off all my knitwear. I’ve modified my Instagram and Facebook pages to reflect the change and consolidate my knitted things, too.
So the website address is still littlebrotherbigbrother.com but the headline is now Quirky Knits for Colourful Kids (and Adults).
I’m trying to focus my jewellery-making on high end, complex floral pieces – although at the Saturday market, it’s the kids’ bracelets that sell!
This month I’ve added several sets or template pieces to my bridal and wedding party collection; you can see details on my BronzBeads website, and check for new listings in my Bridal.Beads online shop.
Here are a few, to give you an idea of what I’m working on:
In early December – a great finish to the year – I enjoyed many visitors and a good number of sales as an artist in residence during the annual Kāpiti Coast Art Trail.
Also in December, my third book of inclusive, progressive, evolving-christian liturgy resources, named “Joyful Spirit Bubbling“, was published.
In July, my hand-stitched cushion, “Sunshine on Fields of Gold”, was awarded the Crafts prize in Kāpiti Arts and Crafts Society‘s annual Art and Craft Awards. Judged by Penny Eames and sponsored by Forsyth Barr, the Society awards prizes in both Art and Craft sections.
March – April: my story about a fibre art commission made the cover of March 2023 Creative Fibre magazine – and one of my entries in the national Creative Fibre Exhibition at Pataka Art & Museum in Porirua had a red sold sticker before the Creative Fibre event began!
Friends have given me linen and Aida cloth, and I’ve tried new stitching techniques this year, for example, the Black and Red Village fibre artwork. And for the first time, as part of a demonstration/workshop following my weekly craft group, I made silk paper, and was very please with the results.
I’ve been concentrating my jewellery-making on high end, complex floral creations for wedding parties and special occasions; my best-sellers are still kids’ bracelets at the Saturday morning markets.
And right at the end of the year, I’ve tidied the gardens – including moving some plants, and finding a home for the beautiful standard “Iceberg” rose my daughter and grandsons gave me for Christmas!
Wishing you a happy new year and heaps of art-and-craft enjoyment in 2024.
Because I’m concentrating on fibre art and jewellery-making, my knitting has taken a backseat lately, and I’ve concluded it no longer needs a dedicated website. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to merge WordPress sites, so many of the pages from my little brother big brother website are now here on my showcase. It’s given me the chance to refresh some of the pages, and – although it’s a work in progress – keep the knitting pages up-to-date.
Check out my two main ranges, with themed accessories and links to my online shops:
BronzArt – women’s accessories
little brother big brother – quirky knits for colourful kids
See my latest collection of earrings and a necklace in my new “Bellflowers” range. I’ve bought some most beautiful bell-shaped flower beads in several colours. Some are glass; some acrylic. My first few Bellflower earrings are on a short drop and quite shiny and delicate; latest ones are on a longer drop, with toning beads and spacers.
My Eclectic Yarn pages and updates were beginning to take over this site, which was meant to be just an overview of my creative endeavours – so I’ve created a unique website. I’d love you to FOLLOW me on the new site, as well as this one.
All the fibre art pages from this showcase site have been transferred to the new one, and there’ll be plenty more new and updates from eclectic yarn, especially as I create new things and prepare for the 2023 Kapiti Arts Trail in November.
(July 2023) This cushion, “Sunshine on Fields of Gold”, has been awarded the Crafts prize at the winners of Kāpiti Arts and Crafts Society’s annual Art and Craft Awards. Judged by Penny Eames and sponsored by Forsyth Barr, the Society awards prizes in both Art and Craft sections.
See images and description here
One of the photos accompanying an article I wrote about a fibre art commission, “Da Bees”, has made the cover of March 2023 Creative Fibre (New Zealand) magazine.
And one of my entries in the national Creative Fibre Exhibition at Pataka Art & Museum (Porirua, Wellington Region) already has a red sold sticker!
My entries: “Enchanted Forest” stitched fibre artwork (behind me) and the small, bright turquoise “Swirling Summer Seas” scrumble knit work.
I’ve also made a couple of works for the “Squares, squares, squares” challenge at the Festival of Fibres event at the end of the month – see previous post.
Latest fibre artworks: for the NZ Creative Fibre “Festival of Fibres” Event challenge later this month:
Two more Silver Birch Forest works, and a couple more ‘works in progress’ – stitching is finished but still deciding whether to frame or make into a bag or cushion
I’ve just completed two more fibre artworks in my “Silver Birch Forest” series, bringing the total so far to 13. The latest are to enter into the 2023 Festival of Fibres challenge.
You can read more on my Silver Birch Forest series page.
I’ve a couple more works in progress that feature squares, too – not sure which (if either) I’ll submit.
I’ve been making bracelets for kids – lots of bracelets in pale and bright colours: hearts, flowers, shells, daisies, shiny pearlised beads, all adjustable sizes on memory wire.
Have a look in my online shops: littlebrotherbigbrother+little sis – originally for kids’ knitting and now including jewellery as well.
Adults’ jewellery – including pretty daisies and hearts as well as more sophisticated beads are at bronz.beads
How exciting! I’ve been finding photos of some really old stitching, for a presentation I’m putting together. Kapiti Coast Quilters has invited me to talk to them about my fibre artwork – hope I’m answering the questions they’d like answers to.
Quilting seems to me to be a very planned and accurate passtime, while my work is almost totally process-driven; I think the contrast between our ways of working will be interesting, but there are sure to be similarities, too – especially in the ways colour and patterns inspire ideas.
Meantime, here are a few ‘retrieved treasures’ including stitching I’d almost forgotten about, from the “Paua dragon” bag that ended up in a frame, and “Paua Dreaming”, an experiment with fabric and beads, to “Shades of Evening” bedroom set and samples in other colours to the original “Tiffany Peony Lamp” cushions.
bronz showcase 
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