Knitting blues

Playing with stitches, knitting and crochet but always blue

Thinking about denim and all the shades of navy through to palest blue gives a discipline to this wild type of knitting. It's never boring because you can experiment with new stitches or different textures. It will hopefully still look ok because it's all blue. As usual my photograph is lighter than the actual knitting.

I collect yarn usually of the 'odd ball' type in wire bins in shops which are half price. I've got a tremendous variety. Ideally I'd buy that denim yarn from Rowan that is designed to fade when washed but I'm not sure they manufacture it any more. Today I'm meeting my daughter and grandaughter in London for a wander round the shops and I hope to pick up some more yarn from John Lewis. And I'll also take some pictures for this blog.

When I look at this picture the dropped stitch glares out as if it had flashing lights around it. I'll stitch it in later so hopefully it won't show!

In the boxes this week...

In the Easter window this week. See below for details

 From the top, left to right: Origami star card by Sue Inglis 1.95; ceramic heart by Kate Hackett 3.00; textile bracelet by Jenny Stacy 15.00;

Porcelain blue decorated bowl with spoon by Ali Cooper 24.00; daffodil jug £18 and two mugs below 16.00 all by Kate Hackett; moonstone silver ring 58.00 by Kirstie Turner; silver locket on chain 50.00 by Emily Watson;

 Fox coaster by Jacqui Watkins 4.00; crochet bluetit 29.00 by Michelle Green; hand knitted socks 25.00 by Carol Keats and mini wheelscope kaleidoscope 88.00 by Frank Higgins.

London Sunday

Chocolate strawberries in Selfridges. £10 a cone.

At the Country Living show. The woman is giving a talk on keeping chickens.

The Heals stand - starting a trend for bright cushions?

Beautiful fabric through the window at Annie's costume company.

In Loop. I love these little knitted guys. Think Laura Long designed them.

Inside Loop

Julie Arkell's quirky doll. I bought one of her books at Loop.

Glad I visited the Country Living show yesterday. A proper day out.

So refreshing to tramp the streets of London again and get ideas and see fresh sights and talk to interesting strangers! 

Gertie Strahl makes delicate patchwork, crochet and embroidered pieces using ancient fine fabrics. www.treutmade.com  Her stand at Country Living stood out for me. She'd made everything herself. I can imagine her work in Libertys.

I was also smitten with the feminine greetings cards by www.somethingforthegirls.com  My daughter has given me these cards - delicate kitten heeled shoes embellished with dots of glitter or ballet shoes and tutus lightly glittered. So pretty.

I spoke with two companies whose work I'd like to stock in Handmade Happiness. More of these later!

In Camden Passage lives Loop, the brilliant knitting shop owned by book author Susan Cropper.  Julie Arkell gives workshops at Loop. I've long wanted to have a go at papier mache, with jewellery in mind. Yesterday I couldn't resist buying one of Julie's books picturing lots of her quirky animal figures.

Thought for the day: Using really fine yarn to knit or crochet with makes items look more appealing, more clever and more expensive!!

Seascapes and lino cuts by Christine Burgess

'Breeze' by Christine Burgess. Love this painting.

'Dunes' by Christine Burgess

'Wild Woods II' by Christine Burgess

Lino cut card by Christine Burgess

'Dandelion' lino cut card by Christine Burgess

When I started Handmade Happiness I already had a nucleus of makers, old friends, whose work I wanted to sell. One of these is Christine Burgess. I have known her for many years and Christine constantly impresses me. Everything she does turns out well.

She ran a successful childrens' craft shop called Crocodile Crafts in Chichester. She turned her attention to wood turning and produced the most beautiful bread boards and wood serving boards. Her lino cuts are sophisticated and popular and now, her amazing acrylic paintings usually featuring the sea and cloudy skies just blow me away.

These three paintings pictured above are her latest work, delivered to Handmade Happiness this week. Now is the time to invest in Christine Burgess. I have a strong feeling her work will be very collectable in the near future. 

New ceramics at Handmade Happiness

Bowl and teapot by Justine Jenner

Coffee cup and saucer, two dessert cups on tray and mug by Justine Jenner with cushions by Kate Box

This week Justine Jenner brought in her ceramics. I love these grey, contemporary pieces. Just simple, good design and beautifully handmade. Justine's work is totally different from any other ceramics stocked by Handmade Happiness. They are a welcome addition.

New paintings by Christine Burgess

Three seascapes by Christine Burgess. New ceramics below by Kate Hackett.

Lemonade by Christine Burgess

A beautiful painting by Christine Burgess.

I had two 'Wow' moments this week. The first when Pam Dew bought in her stunning new quilt (see post below) and the second when Christine Burgess bought in her new paintings on Friday. 
I am immensely proud to display these two peoples' work on the walls of Handmade Happiness. I think you will agree that their work is first class. Displaying these pieces in Handmade Happiness creates a special atmosphere and makes the shop even more of a pleasure to visit. 

Pam Dew's stunning new Quilt

It's immensely colourful and really big. I love it. Quilt by Pam Dew.

Pam Dew's new quilt is a magnificent piece of art. It would say welcome in a big office foyer. It would cover a whole wall in a cosy cottage. I just can't imagine it across a bed. Far too special for that!

Celebrating Spring at Handmade Happiness

Kate Hackett's spring flower decorated ceramics. Mugs £16; jugs and plates £18.

Easter tree by Sue Inglis. Chicks, bunnies and sheep £5.95 each. Pom-poms 50p 

Today Christine Burgess is delivering her latest paintings. I can't wait to see what they are like! 
Today also marks the start of the Contemporary Textiles show at Landmark Arts in Teddington. The preview is tonight. I hope to get there on Sunday. Younger daughter is staying tonight which will be lovely.

Keep the creative flame burning

Some of Alison Crosthwaite's gloriously dyed velvet

When was the last time you were truly creative? When you drew/designed a new making project that was unlike anything anyone had done before? Some people are naturally creative and have ideas flashing into their brains night and day. Others have to work harder at it. But I believe all of us are born creative if we only allow ourselves to be so.

Last September was when I was last truly creative. I made lots of medal brooches each entirely individual and I was pleased to come up with something that looked so different.

Today I was looking at one of my 'design notebooks' and I was amazed at how every day it seemed I jotted down new things to make. Most of them never got made. But my notebooks remain a rich source of inspiration.

Right now I want to make some original necklaces. I've made lots of jewellery in the past:  conventional jewellery, painted bead and modelled bead jewellery and textile jewellery. It's time I focussed on it again. 

Few things in life are more exciting than the thrill of making something you've thought through for yourself. Techniques can be learnt from library books or the internet.  Ideas and the special way you use them pop into your head and will help you produce something different that is uniquely 'you'.

Stars and daffodils

Origami star garlands made by Sue Inglis. £7.99 each.

Spring daffodils in the window in front of Tanya Williamson's popular cushions. £48 each.

I've just managed to burn an egg. One day I caused an egg to explode and litter the kitchen with tiny bits of egg shell.  I set an egg on to boil and then forget it. I get distracted by a phone call or immersed in a bit of research on the computer. And egg explodes!

That is what has happened with my blog this month. I have been distracted by other things and the blog has suffered.  My poor mum, who some of you will know, suffers from dementia, has had a tough month. After lots of discussion we are moving her to another care home where I am hoping, she will be a lot happier and soon I will be able to focus on other things, like this blog!

Unravel at Farnham - impressions

Great display for small needlefelted creatures by Jenny Barnett

Hooked items in kit form.www.hookedbydesign.co.uk

I still love Fairisle knitting.

Yarns dyed with natural dyes have this soft, pretty look.

Yesterday my friend Chrissy looked after Handmade Happiness so I could go to Unravel at Farnham Maltings. It's also on today and tomorrow if you live nearby.

You have to love yarn to enjoy this show. Nearly every stall has banked skeins of yarn in billions of tempting colours. 

I've tried stocking skeins of yarn. They look great. The problem is a) the customer has to wind it into a ball herself and b) many skeins are not standard 50gm or 100 gm weight like ordinary balls of yarn which makes it difficult to work out what a skein will make or how to use skeins in a conventional knitting pattern. They are extremely decorative though.

 What stood out for me was the unusual hooked pieces shown above. Like rag rugging in miniature. It looked a fun thing to try. The made up pieces are examples of what the kits look like. I asked about selling the samples in my shop but understandably, this is not an option. 
I found angora yarn on another stall, unbelievably soft and look forward to knitting with some of this.  www.bigwigsangora.co.uk 

Jenny Barnett's imaginative stall showing her needlefelted animals was interesting. Jenny holds needlefelting classes.  www.jennybarnett.co.uk

The natural dyed yarn shown above translates into the most gorgeously coloured crochet throws, just visible on the left of the picture. Again I asked if HH could sell those but again they are really just samples of what the yarn can do. Patterns for the throws are available.
www.thenaturaldyestudio.com

Teddies, bare brooches and knitting

New handmade teddy by Lindsey Agostinelli with fish cushion by Tanya Williamson

Another teddy by Lindsey Agostinelli

Grey baby top with cashmere £29

Carol Smith's amazing stitched people brooches £19.50 each.

Love this new card knitted  by Sue Inglis.£4

Yesterday I cut out dozens of felt Easter bunnies for an instead-of-chocolate little Easter present. It feels good to sit at my worktable and make stuff instead of getting the counter cluttered with bits of materials, threads and torn paper.

I must have one of the nicest jobs in the world and I do feel lucky.

New scarves and how to make pom poms

Soft and warm silk mohair scarves knitted by Gill Martin £24

Deep pink mohair silk scarf knitted by Gill Martin £24

Knitted bunting by Sue Inglis £20. See instructions to make pom pom flowers below.

These pom pom flowers are quick and easy to make.

 First get a pack of tissue - this is from Rowswell's for 70p. Tesco stock similar. Open out the tissue and cut it in half across. You'll have two multi-layered rectangles. 

Take one stack and starting at a short end fold it in by about 3 cms/ just over an inch. Turn over and fold again on top of the previous fold, concertina style. Turn over, fold and carry on until you've used up all the tissue and have a ruler shaped pile of pleats.

 Fold this in half, lengthwise, open out again and tie a piece of strong thread round the middle crease leaving two long tails of thread and knotting it several times tightly.

Now cut each end into a point with scissors.

Carefully pull one layer of tissue out without tearing it, pull another layer out and carry on until you have made a ball, and there are no more layers left to separate.   

Using your thread ends tie somewhere high as Carnival style decorations. I used gold tissue at Christmas and pastels would be pretty for a spring wedding tied together in big bunches.

Charity shop bargains

Sevi child's necklace £1 and child's knitting needles 20p

Glass vase 75p; green Denby pot £2 and pleasing white lidded pot 50p

Book of fashion illustrations 50p these are by esdar maren.

Love this ceramic egg holder.£1

 I felt like a run round the charity shops yesterday and these things are what I found. 
The necklace reminds me of the first time I saw a Sevi necklace and how it inspired me to paint beads for childrens' necklaces and even wacky dressed animal beads and people beads. Some of them were bought by Neiman Marcus. That was a long time ago.

I always look for heavy glass vases to hold spring flowers. I really like the design of this one. And that green pot. Is it me or is there something special about certain shades of green right now. I want to paint walls green in my house. Deep lime or olive.

The fashion illustrations book is ideal for making into carrier bags for the shop. They will look great. 

And I remember seeing these ceramic egg holders being sold on a stall somewhere. I have a feeling I liked them but they were £20 each.
There is something satisfying about finding just what you like at a bargain price.
Today I'll take photographs in the shop to share with you. 

Bunting and boiling over

Bunting by Jenny Stacy

Bunting by Jenny Stacy

This week I am growing increasingly tired of waiting for people.

Waiting for my boiler replacement to be sorted. I've been without a boiler for months now and having discovered I qualify for a government warmth scheme back in September(ie. free replacement boiler) I'm still waiting for (a) to get back to (b). When I speak to (a) of course he professes ignorance. 'Nothing to do with me.' So I ring both (a) and (b) regularly to be told they personally will chase it up and ring me. Do they ring? No.

Waiting for other peoples' decisions on matters of importance. Waiting for people to do what they say they are going to do. Doesn't it drive you mad? I wish I could side step all the hurdles in my way and just do what I think is best (I'm not talking about the boiler now). But I can't, I have to wait, impatiently, for other people to get back to me.

I sometimes wonder whether bureaucrats would act faster on my behalf if I was a man. There I've said it. Has the world not moved on at all???

Big Valentines cards

Making Valentines cards. A mosaic of paper by Jenny Stacy

A finished card.£2-50 by Jenny Stacy

No two cards are alike. Valentines cards by Jenny Stacy

Yesterday 10 Valentines cards were sold in Handmade Happiness so next week I will again be making them in the shop.It feels like playing to make things like this. I love it. Although part of me feels I should be focussed on making jewellery - the big handmade bead necklaces I used to make - there will be time for that later. Right now it's February and time for all things hearts!

Tiny Valentine's cards

Tiny handmade Valentine's cards with envelope £1 by Jenny Stacy

This week the floor of Handmade Happiness is littered with tiny scraps of coloured paper. I'm making Valentine's cards. These tiny ones and much larger ones, some of which have the word Love embossed in gold on them.

I remember in a previous year painstakingly threading red rose petals and hanging them in the window as part of a Valentine's window display. I do love real flowers in the shop. Soon I'll be able to have white hyacinths and their lovely scent.  Tulips might be nice for now but they do tend to flop over the moment they are put in water.

Yesterday was a celebration day for me. I submitted my online tax return.

By the way I've used up all my old magazines and the ones that customers have brought me. So instead of puting your old magazines into the recycling bin could you possibly drop them in to me? They would be gratefully received and turned into carrier bags and paper bags for the shop. Thank you. 

New cushions made by Kate Box

Kate Box's knitted cushion £57 and Jenny Stacy doll £29

Kate Box cushion £57

 These soft cushions are knitted front and back in 100% lambswool by Kate Box. Luxurious and smart. 
Regular visitors to Handmade Happiness will know that Kate also makes colourful striped and bobbled wrist warmers, snoods, scarves and baby blankets.