The Steampunk Circus

Last year Tullie House ran a museums at night event for which I ran a fancy dress life drawing activity. It was really good fun and I had such a good time so I was very pleased when they invited me back to do it again this year. To tie in with their current exhibition, Mechanical Circus (I did lots of automata workshops for this exhibition,) this years theme is the steampunk circus.

Front view

Side view

Back view

I wanted to make a costume for the event but knowing how much running around I did last year I didn't want to make anything too impractical so I decided to make a waistcoat. That way I could enter into the spirit of things but still be free to run the activity without worrying about fancy skirts or anything! I used a basic pattern and replaced the tab at the back with ribbon loops so I could lace it up to give it a more Victorian feel. I also decided not to bother with buttons and am using an old brooch as a fastening instead.

Lacing detail

Front detail

Brooch fastening

Get Your Knit On!

So, what started out as a funny idea between myself and my friend seems to have taken on a life of its own and become an organised event. Said friend suggested doing some knitting in the city centre and seeing how many people would join us. I said it was a good idea, we could even make it into something a bit more and make scarves for the Christmas angels that they have on display every year in our city centre. She said good idea.

Then I saw that The Big Issue were doing a Big Knitathon so I thought maybe we could be part of this. So I contacted a friend at the council and he said fab idea, I'll get the press department to do a press release. And so what started out as a bit of a giggle is now a fully fledged knitting event. Which is nice.

On Monday I went to a new knitting group at Cornerstone which was really good, the people were really friendly and when I told them about the event I was organising they were very enthusiastic and have already helped out by putting up a poster for me and donating some wool and some needles.

So, if you want to get your knit on and be part of a world record attempt to get as many people as possible knitting simultaneously then get yourself to Carlisle on Saturday 17th November from 2pm and come and get stitching!