THE SECRET TREE ELF

This is one of those quick posts I have been meaning to do for some time. My daughter and I quite often take a walk through some wooded grounds on the way to the park. It wasn't until this year when the leaves were still yet to come in full force that we spotted him...

....if you look closely you can see him hiding in the foetal position with a sticking out big toe, bent knee and round bottom, his head appears on the other side of the branch which he is clinging onto. I took this photograph with the dramatic pre-spring sky and have only just gotten around to transfering the file to my laptop.

Our tree elf appears as if by magic and then when you walk underneath him he completely disappears.

LIGHT BOX TABLE WITH CROCHET DETAIL

I was having a space issue and totally thinking I should invest in a light box instead of using the window to trace off my figurative silhouettes for my illustrations and came up with a combined solution. I designed this table to fit over existing furniture in my office/studio space, which laps over the window sill to allow the table top to be as big as possible.

...the shape was influenced by the sinuous curves of the Art Nouveau period (lol but actually I think it looks like bababeau! but without the fluff, see Swedish 70's cartoon)...I set the light box into the smaller area, emulating the offset rose from the works of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

...The light box is made up of 2 sheets of acrylic sandwiched together with a crochet jam! Thank goodness for my very clever dad who has made a multitude of furniture designed by myself and my mum over the years, and he never once looked at us as if we needed mental help! He even managed to make the light box lower layer removable so that when being used as a light box shadows from the crochet do not interfere with the tracing process.

...When the light box is switched on with the crochet intact, it makes a lovely mood light reflecting the pattern of the crochet around the room. (pictures to follow)

.... The whole table was made from off cuts and left overs from other projects including the paint, however the legs were new.

...so a big thank you to dad......more furniture ideas are in the process of being created.

'PHARAOH' COLLECTION SKETCHES & SAMPLES

(Egyptian draping inspired swatch)


Here is a selection of some of my quick sketch ideas from my note book; this book goes just about everywhere with me so I can get that idea down before it disappears from my memory. Based on the draping effect of the neck area of the ancient Egyptian style dress trends. Made from Silk and Viscose using a mixture of hand knit & crochet with some machine knit. The idea is to start to interweave the natural scooped drapes.


(Silk & Viscose close-up)



(Crochet top with hidden muff style pocket)


... this concept only collection to date, is trying to think outside the box and work on new ways to work around the body.




(Crochet interweaved draping detail dress)


....development of the idea of evolving jewellry with the actual clothes.





(Crochet hieroglyph inspired cardigan)


....a more classic example using the same elements with a wrap style fastening.





(Crochet Egyptian necklate)


....another of my experiments to create unusual crochet jewellry which is elegant and delicate.


Some of these items may be seen at the forth coming knit and stitch shows( http://www.twistedthread.com/ ), Come see Quirky little knits at Alex. Palace, London 8th-11th October in the Resource centre, stand RCC11.

:)

'AFTER MONET' POPPY ECO DRESS

(Sampling development)

From a rug to a dress via sampling! Initially this almost 98% eco dress developed from an idea for a crochet rug; the poppy which it was designed around was made from recycled red acrylic yarn, which was to be the main focal point of a Art Nouveau inspired rug. However on reflection a yarn rug in a household with cats and their cat hairs did not make the grade.

So then the poppy/rose was transfered to my sampling process in which it was used on various points of the body to see where it would gain most impact. I finally focused on the chest, thinking along the lines of bibbing on tea dresses.

(Throwster yarn details)

....the dress was intended to become one of my sample dresses available to be ordered/commissioned from at my forth coming launch at the knit and stitch shows (goggle to buy tickets), but I ended up wearing it to a friends wedding recently to test drive its wearability. It was comfortable and was not too bad on the creasing considering that the main woven part is 100% Linen. The lower edge crochet was not uncomfortable when seated and also was unaffected.

(Side view to show claw style darting)

...The main poppy bib works well on both full and althletic figures as it emphasizes the bust area without showing flesh. The arm area makes use of picot edging stitch. The chest area also has unusual claw like darting.

(Lower edge crochet) ...The lower edge was formed from again recycled yarns and throwster yarn along with Rowan Shimmer to frame some of the crochet for definition. This same contrast yarn is used on the bib and as button loops for the back fastening.

...Why is the dress 98% eco friendly? The main body is made from locally sourced, market bought Linen and therefore is supporting loacl business and limits carbon footprints. The yarns used are recycled i.e: left overs from previous projects (waste not want not!) and 'throwster yarn' This yarn is 100% silk and is basically the left over silk from the fabric spinning process, it is gathered together and spun into a fine thread. However the shimmer yarn uses some man-made fibres.

...Why 'After Monet'? This dress although a one-off falls under my 'After...' series where certain elements are key. for example, tea dress and lower edge detailing. This particular one is inspired by the Monet poppy painting. Some other examples of the After... series dresses are inspired by Dolly Parton, Kate Moss and the late Farrah Fawcett.

...The back is cut-out with a strap strategically placed to allow the wearer to hide visible underwear straps. It has a short back zip and crochet cover buttons with loops.

The dress is available to order in any choice of fabric, colour and yarns. (Although this does make the eco part not to be able to be guaranteed)

'MINI-ME' BACKBONE CARDIGAN

(Cable stitch for back-bone back detail in cashsoft cotton)


Whilst also working towards my products to be launched at the Twisted thread shows, 8th-11th October at Alexandar Palace, I managed to fit in a smaller version of my previously blogged 'Back bone cardigan'. This mini-me was for my daughter for a friends wedding.

...this mini version used padded love-hearts for the fastenings instead of the previous vintage heavy brooch....a wee bit more child friendly!

...the cardigan used mohair, silk and cashmere in a soft mixture of muted pinks to form an interesting mix. The sleeves ironically used old bones rib.

...the back cable detail follows on from the shawl collar and ends underneath the lower rib. This not only adds unique detailing but serves to help anchor the collar.