FROM UNFINISHED CARDIGAN TO TOTE IN LESS THAN 40 MINS...

It's amazing what you can do with left overs! Approx. 4 years ago I started a 'me' project which just never saw the light of day. I loved the idea of a long cardigan coat in very bright colours at the time, but now trends and tastes have changed. So I was left with a stash and some large pieces of crochet.

This is the cardigan after 40 Min's work, now manifesting as a Tote bag. It has a very long sturdy strap and a strap fastening at the front, with a crochet button.

The bag can be hung cross-over wise across the chest for maximum security, comfort and ease.

The bag is very wide and expands due to the additional side panels...

(The cardigan piece before it became a bag)

...The side panels were made from the same multi-coloured yarn with added bright pink mohair, which surprisingly added a lot of strength and strangely turned down the brightness of the multi yarn.

KITS FOR KNITTED/CROCHET BROOCHES & BRACELETS

Wow! well it has taken some time but my first kits are all finished.....there are 2 types; one for knitted/crochet bracelets and the other for knitted/crochet flower brooches. They contain various versions and different patterns written by myself. This image is of the knitted petal/ leaf pattern and below is the crochet petal/leaf version.

...these kits were designed for my stand at Alexandra Palace, London 8th-11th October at the Knitting and Stitching show (Tickets available at twisted thread)

Originally I was going to delay this type of product but since I will be working at 'The Makery', Bath, U.K. taking workshops and providing kits, this was a very good chance to test drive them.

...Both kits include deadstock or remnant yarns and printed instructions for a large variety of patterns. The bracelet includes the recycled cardboard tube for the bracelet skeleton and the brooch, 2 brooch pins (Placed securely in a handmade little envelope). The yarn left-overs were wound into balls and my own bands placed around them (The bands make no claim to the yarn however!)

...So only time will tell what reaction these little kits will have.....initially retailing at a discount price, to allow for responses to the patterns and ideas which are contained.

...pre-made versions from the kits will also be on view and to buy at the exhibition and at 'The Makery'.

A VASE FULL OF FLOWERS crochet of course!

My ingredients in their mixing bowl! Now that I have a number of garments for my upcoming show (Knitting & Stitching show, Alexandra, Palace, London/8th-11th October)...I am busy making smaller, available to buy, there and then items, as the garments are intended to catch the viewers attention and maybe gain some commission work. So following on from my workshops and kits to be available at 'The Makery' (Bath, U.K.), I have a number of corsage type brooches on the go.

My problem was, 'How to display them?' so when I found this 'Shabby Chic' style vase (which will look fabulous on my kitchen window sill) it inspired me to treat them as 'real' flowers.

(Close up of 'Shabby Chic' style vase)

...To do this I wrapped spare yarn ends around the ends of bamboo knitting needles, this provided an anchor to pin the brooch fastenings to. The needles are then placed in the vase, being held in place by hidden balls of yarn (No oasis for me!)

...To advertise their Eco nature and price I used my logo and one of my garment price labels. (However for photographic purposes only, I have tied the 'Eco bracelets' price tag on here, as I have yet to do the costings for the brooches-no doubt a job for Friday!)

'WHERE FOR HEART THOU?' bag

Today's job done! This medium sized bag is made from some white acrylic (had bought 100g a long time ago for a panda!) and some left over black cotton which seems to have been on the go for at least 2 years! Originally bought to make some gloves. The main is simple treble crochet work with the top edge folding back on itself and self sealing to form a strong neat edge. To the reverse side is a mobile phone pocket made a little more interesting by the applique bobble stitch heart motif.

....the strap consists of crochet tubes linked together, this forms a very strong crochet chain which is also soft on the wearers shoulder.

It has a strap style fastening, which originates inside the back phone pocket, works its way over the opening and finishes at the centre front as a loop over a white pom-pom.

..The strap is of a good length to go around the shoulder leaving the bag at hands reach. I originally intended to have 2 short straps but it just seemed to work better in this option.

The front also has a bobble crochet stitch heart motif, which is a secret pocket.

Front heart in use as a pocket.

The sides are treated to tie crochet chains which terminate at two cute pom-poms. The chains are tied in a bow after threading through the sides to gather and create a side pleat. This and items like it can be found at Alexandra Palace London on 8th-11th October :)

'AFTER BETTY(boo)...' DRESS

(A work in progress)

...After some thinking I decided to call my latest piece, 'After Betty (boo)...' (Obviously due to the fabric but also the cute flippy crochet hem which moves when the wearer walks), although the original design was not intended to be part of this collection, which is now drawing to an end, I decided that at some point I would like to approach several galleries I am known at, to display my work. This would be under the title, 'After Who?' Therefore since this title allows me the scope to show a variety of my works (Garments, accessories, furniture & art) I need to name pieces with according titles. (hopefully next year after this round of exhibitions are over, I can update my blog on my new exhibitions)

...this is a close up back view of the dress, showing the print and the crochet edging of the scooped back. ( I really like this photograph as it has reflections including my cat!)

...The lower edge black Rowan cotton glaze crochet edge.

The dress has less knitwear on as my usual style when I combine knit and wovens, but sometimes this does work for the better not to overload.

The front sports a mustard bib with Tulip crochet stitch and black edged ruffles. The mustard is picked out of the print colours.

As with many of my dresses which incorporate woven fabric, it has unusual darting, with 3 curved darts working from front to back to emphasize the hip area.

The Tulip crochet stitch close up.

...side view showing how pretty the back scooped edging can look.

SKETCHBOOK PREP TO DISPLAY DESIGN SKETCHES AT THE KNIT & STITCH

This is my solution to 'How do I show my sketch work when they are in a old battered, falling apart, travel everywhere with me notebook?'......Since my exhibition stand has evolved into a retro, vintage look, I found this lovely Cath Kidson fabric (Love Cath Kidson prints;even saw a mobile phone designed with her patterns)

...next ingredient, is this plain photograph album...

...result is a 'Shabby Chic' sketchbook. Here I have added my labels which are to be on my garments; the labels are a mix of my logo, a parchment craft label which represents the knitwear and a hand-made mini card (Will have the fibre content and price written on)....all of which are held in place by my 'Quirky little knits' badge, with teeney weeney written blogspot address.

...inside the pages were as you would expect, but this is what I was looking for. The pages provide an area to make written annotations.

....example of the sketches which need to be placed inside the new sketchbook.

....vintage style papers are torn and placed underneath the sketches to help make them stand away from the flat cream pages.

'SHABBY CHIC JEWELRY' crochet of course!

Crochet Brooch through the eye of a fish! This image is a play on focus, of a crochet brooch, hung on my 'Shabby Chic' garment rail. It was playing with focus, where the background became the focal point not the foreground item. It is then digitally worked.

Left over yarns in flower and disc shapes are sculptured in random one-off brooches....

...in time to be on sale at The Twisted Thread show. Not sure about this one, I like the idea of adding in recycled ribbon but I think it creates a horse show rosette!

...this image is again playing with focus, with the aim being on the left hand back petal, instead of the obvious foreground...

....I intend to display these brooches and other like them in my 'Shabby Chic' flower vase, with the brooch pins, pinned onto the ends of knitting needles to form a flower arrangement.

This one features a medley of yarns, which is at last the last of my pink cotton (a yarn which seems to have been endless for the last few years and is indeed recycled from a huge coat cardigan which because it was for me, was never finished!)

'SHABBY CHIC' exhibition stand planning...

...At less than 4 weeks to go to exhibiting my knitwear at The Twisted Thread, knit and stitch show (October 8th-11th, Alex. Palace, London) http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=23 ...I am beginning the thought out process of how my stand should look. It will have 'Shabby Chic' influence. With cream wrought Iron garment rail and pretty boxes to hold my Eco bracelets...

....This little cream iron work holder started life as a salt and pepper pot holder, but is an ideal size to use to display business cards. I needed new salt/pepper pots so it was a very useful find indeed.

...the wrought iron features a rose (which helps to tie together label identity, since my own website has roses on it too) and a heart shape at the top. On my labels (Blog to follow) I have cute hand made cards/envelopes (To state fibre content/price & sample of yarn) which also have a little red love heart on them. My postcards/notelets have been designed to have the caption, 'Made with love by me'. So all in all it should relate nicely.

...full size version of my 'Shabby Chic' garment rail, courtesy of 'Sylvester of Oxford' ( Very impressed by their products and customer service)

Finally this is yet another example of how to recycle. The yarn is throwster silk (Left over silk which is then spun) and began life as a back piece for a red linen dress, but it became obvious it was not suited to the job. The red linen underneath it was to be a sleeve cuff but yet again this was not suitable. So I combined them to make a very quick choker and managed at last to re-use some glass beads from an old favourite earring, which had lost its partner.

'POPPY-ROSE DRESS' my favourite design...

(Scan from my Interflora leaflet)

Finally finished! My first real garment from '...in an English country garden' collection. This unique special occasion dress began its origins from a simple beautiful bouquet of bright pink flowers teamed with the natural acid green of its leaves. The fabric was a end of line roll with limited amount of metre-age available, so I had to work with what I had. This inspired me to design a collection themed on English country gardens, and in turn this particular design can be also available in Ivory soya silk as a elegant unusual wedding dress.

....From design illustration to actual garment. The crochet is made from random flower patterns which I have written from Rowan Lenpur Linen, Debbie Bliss cashmere and cotton, and deadstock 100% cotton. Therefore yet another Eco-idealology dress from end of line and natural fibres.

....The main design feature is the back 'bustle' detail, with a montage of textural crochet flowers forming a hip emphasizing shape, enhanced by the curved darting. I am really please by this outcome but GOSH! did it take some work....

The edges of the hem and armholes are trimmed with picot crochet in cotton, which is a pretty good match to the woven satin.

..the front and back waist has been treated to pin-tucking which helps to pull in the waist area. The top is shaped with a scooped neck, reminiscent of Edwardian necklines, it in turn is covered with '...an English country garden'.

...The side view shows how the 'bustle' area is quite textural and stands out from the main dress...

..the side view shows fine lace crochet inserts at the waist area to add interest. Overall this is one of my personal favourites as the dress has such impact both in colour and texture. It will be on a display stand to view at the forth coming Twisted Thread, knit and stitch show at Alex. Palace, London in early October. Please come say hello. x

...This design can be ordered to be bespoke made, in any colour of fabric or yarn and size desired.