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!)

'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.

YET MORE ECO CROCHET JEWELLRY!

This is a one-off necklace which started life as a crochet trim for a knitted panelled top, which has been discarded. The trim was made from Rowan Lenpur linen and Debbie Bliss 100% pure silk , both double knits.

(View of necklace worn high on the neckline)

Loops and discs were formed in crochet in a totally free-form random fashion, whilst trying to keep the balance of colour and weight.

(close up of loops and discs)

The necklace uses no other materials other than natural yarns which are left over end of yarn skein/balls.

(This is one of my display mannequins for my stand at The knit and stitch show in October....I have left the plastic covers on to help protect them until then, but loving the refective photographic results at the minute)

The necklace been worn at normal length with natural fall of the crochet textures. The 'chain' part is made from chains and doubles and is long enough to slip over the head, to eliminate the need for fastenings.

Full length version with side style view.

Chocker style wearing with main texture being worn at the side (To shorten the length a slip knot is simply tied in the crochet chain once pulled over the head)

This is a close up view of one of the Lenpur Linen discs whilst in construction.

'MAKE DO & MEND' ON TREND ETHOS

(Basic base is a recycled yarn tube but other tubes which are the right size for the arm can be used. A cover is hand sewn by slip stitching to cover the tube)




Development for 'The Makery'. A new business in Bath. U.K. specialising in bitesize workshops based on reusing items and getting back to basic skills and crafts. This is an on going piece which I am working on to hold knit and crochet workshops. This should be around November time.


...crochet and knit is used to make flowers and leaves from left over yarns....

..working out the placement of said flowers....

....inside the tube, with the cover in place ready to be hand stitched...

...finished bracelet, white garter stitch base with crochet embellishments...other applique can be applied, it just needs imagination (Old buttons are very useful)

...here one of the flowers has been sewn to hang loose so that it moves with the wearer....

....bracelet stood on an empty yarn tube, lol it looks like a vase of flowers.

DEADSTOCK YARN MINI BAG

After my meeting with Kate from 'The Makery' I have been developing items made from recycling and ones which can be translated into short workshops. Hence this little bag. It is made from left over deadstock yarn. I bought some Wendy yoyo yarn for a crochet dress and because it has lycra a bikini, in relation to design/pattern writing in time for next fashion season. I used to knit with this yarn years ago and have never been able to find a on-par alternative after Wendy discontinued it.

...The lot of yarn has gone so far! I have enough left to make more bags and jewellry! The fastenings were made from 'grandma's' button tin buttons and the sparkle from left over lurex yarns which seem to have a never ending end!

...The mini-bag is entirely crochet, using mainly doubles in a stepped technique and some shell work. The flap fastening wraps over the opening and seals with a crochet loop around the buttons. The same method applies to the strap fastening. allowing for shortening of the strap.

...The bag features embellishment, which is a feature to be used on my workshops at 'The Makery' (website links to follow)

Close-up of the left over yarn flowers and old buttons.

Close-up of the double crochet stepped stitch.

MARKETING! is the cost productive? that is the question

Hello! I am back from visiting Alison in Sweden (See knits and pearls blogspot) Had many a knitting/crochet session, natter on her porch and even attending her first own organised knit cafe. Well done you! hugs x. Have been working on several projects there and since which should be in completion in the next week, so blogs aplenty to follow.

....Today I have been working on my marketing for the launch of my designs at the Twisted thread knit and stitch events. Firstly 8th-11th October at Alex. Palace, London Resource centre Stand Rcc11, Just look for the Quirky little knits sign. I will be offering some voucher discounts.

..These images show some of my postcard and notecard ideas and I am in the process of designing these with decisions to be made on final outcomes.. Funds are limited and I need to work out cost versus sale value, versus marketing benefits.

...Also today I had a meeting for taking some tutoring/lesson plan workshops at a new upcoming business in Bath, U.K. This is called 'The Makery' which is a shop/workshop/online based venture, based on the new on trend (Lol what my family and I have naturally done all our lives!) of 'make do and mend'. Workshops will be based on recycling and eco-based, in a range of concepts from gardening, chicken rearing! clothing and fun hen parties, to name but a few. 'The Makery' launches in a few weeks time. More details and links to follow as things progress.

...The low down being that I will at this stage be taking workshops in possibly recycled knitted jewelry, changeling garments, accessories and mixed media art and life drawing lessons. Lol The hen party naked man life drawing sounds erm interesting! Can't wait! I have been training for this position all my life! x

'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.

:)

RECYCLED CROCHET BRACELET

Today I have mostly been working on.......recycling my left over cabbage! yarn. This also makes use of the inside of certain spun yarns around inner cardboard tubes...

...Take one inner cardboard tube and Crochet a 4 treble width band until it is long enough to wrap around the tube, inside and out. Once long enough wrap around the tube which has previously been painted in a corresponding tonal colour. Then slip stitch using a darning needle the ends of the band together to secure on the tube.

...Then pick up (using a mixture of your left over yarn ends) a stitch of the wrapped around band and make chains, anchoring at random points up and down, around the bracelet. On this one I have made a focal point by creating a circle of chains at one point which has been reworked into to form a free style flower. The chains can then be reworked if desired with rows of doubles and trebles to form a sculptured look.

....I will be launching my designs at the forth coming Twisted Thread, Knit & stitch shows 2009.
http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/listExhibitions.aspx