Xmas socks

My brother models his handknitted Xmas socks. Thanks to @hayleycampbelly for the artfully arranged action shot!

Knitting frenzy - more presents finished

The Eleanor Cowl by Audknits (free Ravelry pattern) in gorgeous Fyberspates Scrumptious for another friend abroad...

S'cuse the dodgy shots taken last night on a train - I needed to get it in the post to make it to Canada before Christmas.  Talk about cutting it fine...

Oh, and I finished these cashmere wrist warmers a little while ago but forgot to post them up (pattern to follow as soon as I've had time to write it up):

Another one off the needles

An early Xmas present for my gf from Singapore. I thought a little cowl would keep the December wind out.

Scuse the less than glamorous pic taken against a #63 bus seat. It all got a bit last minute... (as usual).

Woolshops of the world

Took a day trip to Bath today and was lucky enough to have a good rummage in Wool.

Great shop, very friendly and knowledgable owner and a lovely broad selection of yarns. Definitely worth a road trip

Off the needles - Xmas pressie #1

Finished Xmas pressie no.1.  It's for my mum but as she doesn't have an internet connection I think I'm pretty safe posting this without risking spoiling the surprise.

Now onto a sock knitting extravaganza!

Knit your own Death Star and Light Sabre

Ok, so I'm geeking out a bit and having far too much fun on my lunchbreak, but LOOK AT THESE:
Both reblogged from the excellent craftycrafty.tv

Knit your own Death Star

By Lauren O'Farrell

16 November 2011 At 1:28 Pm • Posted Under Geek Craft

It's a universally known handmade fact that Star Wars craft is the force that keeps all other craft together. Sure there are your run of the mill intricate heirloom knitted shawls, chic knitted dresses and cutesy amigurumi but nothing says craft WIN quite like a knitted Death Star.

Yes, you heard me right. The cosmic Nicole Kostelec has created a free knitting pattern for theDeath Star from Star Wars. Free, supremely geeky, and pictured shooting out a vibrant death ray at an unsuspecting planet.

I've said it before and I'll happily say it again. The craft force is strong with this one.

[source: the lovely Emsiepopples over on Twitter]

Knit your own Lightsabre

By Lauren O'Farrell

4 November 2011 At 10:59 Am • Posted Under Movie and TV Craft

You can be pretty sure that both Yoda and Obi Wan knew how to knit. How else could they both survive all those dreary years in Jedi Master isolation? Now you can join them by using the woolly force yourself as a stitching Skywalker.

This Knitted Lightsabre pattern from the fabulously named Zombie Sheep (brandished here by a purly Princess Leia who obviously means business) is a free knitting pattern that can be downloaded from Ravelry (the home of some of the universe's coolest patterns).

It's well worth checking out the other patterns in her Inside Joke collection too. There's everything from hip knitted skirts to graffiti crochet cosies.

Yoda would be proud; the fibre force is strong with this one.

[Source Emsiepopples: via Twitter]

I'm in print!

One of my projects was spotted by The Knitter magazine on Ravelry and they approached me to ask if they could include it in the Readers Page of the most recent issue.

Footlocker on Oxford Street - look what I made!

Display plinth & alarm cosies
















































Unfortunately they wouldn't let me rearrange the alarm cosies so they don't sag, but a girl can't have everything...


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Converse/Footlocker 'Threads' ad campaign

I’ve had a bit of an exciting secret squirrel knitting project on the go recently which has finally launched.

Several yarn artists were asked to come up with yarn bombing concepts for various for a viral ad for Converse & Footlocker, to launch Converse's new Padded Cuff shoe.  

I was commissioned to produce various cuffs and cosies for street furniture – lamp posts, trees, benches, fencing, scaffold poles etc. 

You can see the ad here:  


  
I was also involved in making some pieces for the in-store activation in flagship stores in London, Berlin and Milan, including cuffs for the door alarms, cosies for shop window plinths to put the shoes on, a massive advertising pillar in Berlin and cosies for bikes to go outside the store.  Pics below of the Berlin store which launched yesterday - really pleased with the way everything turned out.

The excellent Kate Jenkins

I love Kate Jenkins quirky and humorous crochet work. Happily she's got an exhibition on until 24th Sept at the Rebecca Hossack Gallery on Charlotte St, London W1. http://r-h-g.co.uk/

Absolute genius













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Star Wars amigurumi - ok, so I'm a bit obsessed this morning...

Lucy Ravenscar's created a whole cast of Star Wars Amigurumi characters to make.  Star Wars themed Christmas nativity anyone...?

Bloody marvellous

R2D2 custom made jumper - in case that last post wasn't exciting enough....

OMFG!  Incredible workmanship from Etsy's Erica Knit.  I wonder if I can work out how to make a Darth Vader version with hat/mask....

     

And let's not forget the matching hat  

Star wars fair isle charts - I can feel a twinset coming on...

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/charts/starwars.htm

 

This link is also worthy of mention:  http://www.angelfire.com/space2/swcharts/knit.html

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Woolshops of the world - Lewisham

I've just been to the fabulous knitshop.co.uk 326 Lee High Rd, Lewisham.
They have their own range of gorgeous yarns and are incredibly helpful & knowledgable.

A great find in South London!

Etsuko Ichikawa's inspirational burn art

Etsuko Ichikawa’s work uses a unique process to create wonderfully organic, almost balletic pieces.  Watch this wonderfully shot video to see it in practice.
 

  

  

Design trend: Looking to the past

Thanks to my lovely colleague Alexa Saller at Bloom for permission to re-blog her excellent Design Trends thought piece:

Design trend: Looking to the past

Last week we posited that one of the reasons for Habitat’s demise was that its futuristic furniture was no longer to the public’s taste.  Increasingly in design we’re noticing a trend for reviving the old and making it relevant to the present.

A blast from the past

Since the mass fashion market exploded in the mid 20^th century every decade has had its own particular style – hippie in the 60’s, rockers in the 80’s, grunge in the 90’s. This century has certainly had its own style notes – leggings sadly being a defining feature – but increasingly fashion brands are reinventing the past for the present. Prada has done an exceptional job of this in their S/S 2011 campaign.   They’ve done more than just take influence from the 70’s, they’ve fully embraced the decade to create a retro collection that really stands out from the crowd.Modern Classic

Christian Louboutin has chosen to recreate a number of 17^th C portraits for his Fall collection. In doing so he has created a shorthand for ‘classic’, a statement that his shoes, a hallmark of the modern age, will stand the test of time.The age of ingenuity

Whether influenced by the Doctor Who revival or the imminent arrival of the final instalment of Harry Potter, we’re not sure, but Steampunk has become a thriving cult movement.  
Embodying a kind of neo-Victorianism Steampunk has spawned a whole culture, influencing everything from architecture to music to fashion. The movement’s appeal seems to stem from its roots in counterfactual history, which encourages followers to use their imagination and consider – what if? Author G. D. Falksen, wearing a steampunk-styled arm prosthesis by Thomas Willeford, exemplifying one take on steampunk fashion.

The Golden Age

Despite many consumers having to tighten their purse strings, the upper echelons still have plenty of cash to splash.  However in an era where superstructures are a dime a dozen and 3D tvs are the norm it can be difficult to impress the jet set.  Yet the past is rarefied and can therefore form a compelling reference point.  The fog of time has a tendency to preserve only the most glamorous features, making the memory all the more precious. To this effect Van Cleef & Arpels have recently created a Bals de Légende collection of jewellery. Consisting of 160 unique pieces, the collection has been inspired by five of the most extravagant balls of the 20^th C.  Today equivalent events aren’t nearly as exclusive and many have beencommercialised, making a celebration of a bygone era is even more fantastical for its rarity, you almost can’t help but be impressed.

A simpler life

The last couple of years have also seen growing support for The Prince of Wales’ rejections of modernist architecture and a long waiting list to buy a plot in Poundbury, his New Urbanism development on the edge of Cornwall.  Again this seems to stem from a desire to return, not to the extravagances of the past, but to a time when things were simpler and communities were smaller.

Breathing new life into an old brand

Brands are also tapping into the past.  The most recent example is the Little Chef redesign, which has leveraged one of the brand’s biggest assets - nostalgia.  The simplification of the marque helps the quirky chef to stand out even more.  Meanwhile the bright modern colours prevent it from looking dated, giving it greater longevity than the Hovis packs, which have arguably gone too far down the nostalgia route and now just look a bit dated.

The past can be used at all price points in a multitude of ways - to inspire, excite and engage. Furthermore it provides a short-hand of associations, meaning you don’t have to re-educate the consumer. It’s not suitable for every brand, but get it right and a strong emotional connection with the consumer will be your reward.

Super cool book designs

I'm a big fan of Jules Verne so I was a bit over excited to come across these book cover designs by Jim Tierney

V&A exhibition - Cult of Beauty

One of the best exhibitions I've been to - well put together, thorough and really interesting.  The Cult of Beauty ends on the 17th July, so if you haven't had a chance to go yet, I strongly suggest you get your collective arses down there:

Embroidered Toast

My excellent brother @joelgolby just sent me a link to this awesome craft series by Judith G. Klausner
As I'm rubbish at sewing I'd personally want my work to last a bit longer than a couple of days before going mouldy