Progress continues on the to-do list; I had a fruitful day of designing packaging for the sonic tuckshop at Sonic Art Oxford, and my recorder is filling up with sounds for Gentle Fire by Alvin Lucier. I will be performing Gentle Fire in the afternoon on Saturday 27th February at Oxford Brookes University in the same space where The Missability Radio Show’s knitted walking stick cosy competition was judged.

And the Sonic Tuck shop idea will be open on the evening of the Thursday just before then, and the designs on my sound-effect POPcorn bags might end up looking something like this:

I am still poring over my book of vintage firework package designs for ideas and thinking about how to represent sounds in images. My inner-knitter especially like that many old firework designs specify the use of woollen gloves as protection whilst holding certain fireworks!

I think screenprinting is the correct printing process to use for my sonic tuckshop, because it lends itself to the happy accidents of off-setting that give so much old firework packaging its psychadelic appearance.

In other news, I have been knitting and sewing. First of all I knitted this (Rav link) for Kate after reading her post from ward 31 and remembering how Bowerbirdknits made this pattern for a friend of hers who needed heart surgery. I love the pattern; it is very visceral and somehow for me evokes everything that is soft and beautiful and fragile and mortal and precious about the heart, and about friendship.

There was also lots of love in Liz’s birthday present, which I put together at the weekend from Amy Butler fabric and some oilcloth from John Lewis.

In that pocket, you’ll see red and green items. They are respectively, a heart-shaped cookie-cutter and a serviette with a fine grape print on it.

No self-respecting packed-lunch emporium would be without these essentials, no?

The bag is a really cute Simplicity pattern – Simplicity 4535 Totes and Organizers – and I enjoyed putting it together with pockets on both sides, an oilcloth lining, and enough room inside for a small flask and tupperware boxes containing tasty lunch fare.

I think I will make many more of these pleasing bags and foist them upon the people I love. In the meantime, I’m off to Oxford now to scheme about radio and teach about Music Theatre Practice.

Big love to you all, to your makings and your friendships and everything xxx