GRANDMA'S GIFT

About 44 years ago my Grandmother bought a then normal set of drawers when my sister was born. These drawers used dovetail joints and real wood. They stood the test of time until I was born, when as we shared a room we shared the drawers.

Over time they were painted in various colours and when I left home I inherited them. When my son was born they were made to match his nursery and as he grew were decorated with his own hand prints. And still they stood steadfast and sturdy as other 'build it yourself' drawers came and went to the big drawer in the sky.

Despite the travels of a now military family set of drawers they remained intact.

Now once again they have a new identity and have passed along to my daughter, this time with patch work decorpage and handknit handles....who knows what their next incarnation will be, but no doubt at this rate they will pass on to the next generation

A SHOE FOR KIRSTEN...

For 3 weeks at the end of November, following the Knitting and Stitching show at Harrogate (I'll be in the Textile Gallery) I will be exhibiting some of my work at 'The Barn Acre' gallery in Henley-on Thames. Kirsten Jones runs this gallery and has fabulous works, including printing. She likes my work so much that to wear at the opening evening party she has commissioned a ruffle long sleeved cardigan, roughly based on the 'After Dolly' vintage competition dress previously blogged (Pattern will be available in 'Knitting magazine' approx. May 2010)

She also loved my 'Poppy Rose' dress which consisted of neon pink and acid green combined with crochet flowers, and my idea of shoe revamping......So to wear with her cardigan on opening night, she commissioned these shoes. The original shoe was black patent, slight platform with a slingback. The other revamped shoes so far (See Christmas exhibition at The National Needlework Archive, starting on Tuesday) have always been wedged and so this gave me a new challenge. Covering shoes is not as easy as it would first appear, sealing (Finishing), wearbility practicality and fixing the knit to the shoe are all very important considerations.

The base of the shoe was treated with a 'Astrakhan' Stitch and plain doubles, with circle discs to emphasize the heel.

Kirsten wanted the shoes to be OTT, a bit mad! So I embellished with several crochet flower patterns (Available in kit form, hopefully at both Harrogate and Barn Acre) Even the 'Last' (Instep) shape was covered to allow for that flash of underneath of the shoe, the viewer gets when the wearer is walking.

Loose crochet discs were finally attached to the strap which will give movement.

NATIONAL NEEDLEWORK ARCHIVE 'CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION'

This is my selection of items which are now at The National Needlework Archive, which has just moved from Southampton to Newbury. U.K. I was asked by The NNA at the knitting and stitching show if I would like to exhibit at the upcoming 'Christmas' exhibition. Entitled ‘Felicitations and Decorations’ it runs from 3rd November to the 12th December. The directions to the exhibition can be found at the following website address...(http://www.nationalneedleworkarchive.org.uk/html/whats_on.html)

These images were quickly taken at home, more will be taken at the exhibition, as the shoes will be placed on a plinth. Hopefully I will have the time! to make more of my flower kits which will be available to buy from the Needlework Archive shop. The following explains a little about the idea behind my work and as well as future workshops the shoes are able to be commissioned.

“A play on a Christmas Flower...”
As a Christmas theme, the humble well known Poinsettia was a fabulous inspiration point for hand knitted brooches, with crochet detailing. However this is not a stagmentation.....the basic flowers have a plethora of combinations, making each individual make a one-off. The flower patterns can be used in a multitude of ways...from the decoration of the said shoes, to humble brooches and bag or clothing decorations.....Other unusual idea and inspirations are given via workshops including alternative fibre uses of Ecological ideal themes.

Back view of the shoe featuring a knitted Holly.

Comparison between the old and the new!

“Story of the unloved...”
“Women all over the world love us; we create joy and fulfil a basic female need. But I was once one of the few; the unloved shoe, bought, never worn and left under a bed with my soles kept clean. Then like the ugly Duckling to the Swan I was rescued and given an on-trend Christmas vibe, ‘make over’ and so here I am to show myself off with feathers preened in pride.”
Over loved and worn out or unloved, shoes/boots/sandals, you name it; can be given a fun revamp using basic knit and crochet techniques. This can be basic & simple or OTT, the choice is yours....workshops involve techniques and advice on how to produce ‘Quirky party shoes’ from scruffy old shoes. Inspiration is given on the use of Eco-fibres and ‘Make do & mend’ ethos.

IT'S GETTING TO BE THAT TIME OF YEAR....

Proto-type Santa Amigurumi! 'The Makery' Bath, U.K. runs workshops as bite-size learn how to make ethos. This is one of my beginning of an idea for the upcoming season. Kate from the Makery asked me to start to develop some Christmas items for both the workshops and the shop products (Being for display and in kit form) I have managed to get this little crochet snowman made in time to get some kind of feedback at the Knitting and stitching show next week.

He comes complete with matching hat and scarf and beaded eyes and 'coal' mouth. Other ideas are for Christmas puddings and Angels as baubles, key rings and mobile phone jewellery.

This is another finished Eco-bracelet (see previous blogs) It is in oatmeal linen yarn and I liked the photography of using it as a view finder. This bracelet was created making a cut along a recycled cardboard tube to allow the knit to stretch over the hand (Hence the little bump that can be seen)

New ideas...mobile phone covers..this one is from my endless stock of multi-yarn which used to be a cardigan!....The tiny spheres have inspired other phone cover ideas (To follow) ..I am thinking emoticons!

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!)

'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!)

MY ROWAN PRIZE FINALLY ARRIVES...

A few months ago I blogged about my success at winning knitting magazines Rowan vintage competition, with my 'After Dolly' eco friendly design. This was based on vintage crochet lace and inspired from the film '9 to 5' where Dolly Parton wears several lovely knitted dresses.

....yesterday my prize finally arrived in a big box, leaving me wondering what it was because I had forgotten all about the actual prize!

...I won 2 packets of yarn which are felted tweed chunky and milk yarn. The felted is something which I would not neccessarily buy to sample and develop work with, but this is a good thing as I will probably discover something new with it. The milk yarn as I have said lots of times is my favourite yarn, it just happens to be in a pink though! and I love pink which means my work as of late seems to be becoming pink....its something I was objectively trying to move away from.....so this may mean I will finally make my daughter something instead of only working towards my stock for once.

....the dress itself is yet to be photographed and will appear sometime in the future in knitting magazine along with my pattern. This to me IS the prize as it's one more step up to my goal of being a selling pattern writer. The dress it has been agreed will be returned to me temporarily, in order for it to be displayed on my stand at the Twisted Thread show...

....You can find me and the dress at Alex. Palace, London between 8th and 11th October 2009, in the resource centre, stand Rcc11.

...This is one of the books which was included in my prize along with a rare addition of the 10th anniversary publication for Rowan.