roundup...

I am aware I have been a bit too busy to post anything much at all this year and it is nearing the end of April - where has the year gone?! The cold weather has made it seem like eternal winter and so I feel I missed the whole of March indoors, crocheting!

To make up for the lack of posting here, I thought I would share a few pictures of some of the exciting things I have been doing so far this year - regular viewing will commence shortly.
I have directed and styled quite a few fab shoots, with the wonderful Britt Spring, the pic above is from the last, with a stunning piece by Kat Goldin.

 Crochet, crochet and more crochet! For the magazine, and for a couple of new projects. This is my favourite blanket project of the lot.

 I managed to catch the Wool exhibition, Wool House at Somerset House in March. It was in collaboration with the Campaign for Wool. This was particularly exciting for me as I finally got to see a crocheted sculpture or 'Crochetdermy' by Shauna Richardson, which didn't disappoint - it was amazing!

I also taught a couple of classes at City Lit  and the experimental class in particular was great fun. I met a bunch of very creative women, one who upcycles old brollies into fab bags and another who is an amazing spinner. All in all a great year so far...

First of two parter at City Lit last weekend, it's a 3D crochet class, so much fun was had making beads, weird and wonderful shapes and ruffles. Next class we will be concentrating on surface texture and experimenting, so more pictures to show with the outcomes of that next week!

3d crochet workshop

Details of my upcoming class at citylit, perfect for crocheters who know the basics and want to try out some new techniques in a fun way, we will be going through shaping techniques, to create pieces which could be jewellery, toys or art pieces. Get booked on!

crochet floral necklace class

This weekend it was Stitch and Knit show time again and I was asked to run some workshops for West Dean college.

We only had an hour so I taught my crocheters how to make a simple floral necklace, one of my favourite accessories.

More pictures from the stalls and the show later...

vintage at goodwood

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Vintage at Goodwood festival to teach a few workshops and soak up the atmosphere, which was slightly damp at times, unfortunately for my sandals!

But when the sun shone, the Sussex countryside was glorious and the vintage style surroundings were great fun.

Here are some pics, if you didn't get the chance to go this year, book up for next, it was lovely! Although make sure you dress up - I made the mistake of thinking it was a typical festival and (shock! horror!) forgot my heels!!

west dean in summer

The only season I hadn't been to teach at West Dean was high summer, which has now been rectified as I have just spent two days there teaching some beginners classes. The ladies in the class were lovely, even if the weather turned against me and I didn't get a long, lazy, summers evening stroll through the sheep fields.

The gardens were in full bloom however and looking just beautiful, even in the drizzle and the view from my fabulous room in the quaint vicarage was gorgeous.

I am teaching a new class at West Dean next time, looking at adapting vintage knitting patterns to fit the modern sizes and tastes. Come along and peruse my extensive collection of vintage patterns or bring along your own pattern to decipher.

i knit london

I am very ashamed to say that until last week I had not made a visit to the infamous I Knit London store in Waterloo. I should hang my head in shame as a London based knitter, but I finally made it on Friday, after an epic bus journey across town through multiple roadworks (next time I shall get the tube!)

It is a small yet packed to brimming store, full of fun, bright, colourful and interesting yarns, products, samples, books and much more. I loved seeing George the sheep in person, clothed in what seemed like hundreds of skeins of Colinette Point Five in rainbow hues and placed in the prime spot in the window.

As per usual, I cannot leave a yarn store without a purchase, and seeing as I have finally succeeded in reducing my stash after an epic move, I settled on these wonderfully sweet Lego stitch markers by Bothered Owl.

I think I saw them first on the Stitch London newsletter and have been meaning to buy some for ages. They take me right back to my childhood, recalling hours spent following instructions for making houses, cars and spaceships. I also end up loosing so many stitch markers when I am knitting in the round - they pop off at the end of the round and disappear down the side of the sofa - I am hoping these will be big enough to spot! Ah well, if I lose any of these, it shall just be an excuse to pop back to I knit!

moving house...

...which is why i have been away....

more news soon :)

knitting and crochet classes in london and the south east

This is the latest list of knitting and crochet classes I shall be teaching in 2010:

Project Crochet; Chevron Pillow, an intermediate class run as my alter-ego, Make Do Mend, where we shall be supplying all materials needed to complete a pretty zig-zag patterned blanket as we hold your hand through the first steps of the advanced stitches. Each project we make throughout the series will increase in difficulty and be varied enough to hold your attention. Other planned projects include vintage style bags, flowers and simple first garments. 23rd May, Kingly Court, London.

Crochet; The Basics, a taster day at West Dean College, Sussex, 13th July

Hand Knitting; The Basics, a taster day at West Dean College, Sussex, 14th July

Crochet for Beginners at City Lit college, Covent Garden, weekday evenings, 28th-30th July

There are also quite a few interesting classes in the pipeline for fairs and festivals this summer and autumn, which I am excited about, so I will let you know when these are confirmed.

spring into knitting

Another incredibly busy few weeks has seen me teaching knitting all over the place. This bank holiday weekend brought me to my favourite place of all; West Dean College in Sussex and it just so happened to be my favourite time of year to visit too; the lambs were gambolling all over the front fields, ducklings paddled in the pond and spring flowers bloomed everywhere. The food was divine as usual, using all the local spring produce and of course, as with any time of the year, the company was excellent.

I had a rather more art based collective of students than usual, which led to an interesting, fun and inspirational weekend, fuelled by very different creative personalities. We also had a Kiwi taking a stop gap travelling the world and an Oz based Brit, making us a very cosmopolitan group, which also added interest to the colours chosen, as the ladies who saw the sun a little more often were more daring in their palettes than those of us more used to wet, grey days!

Most of the experimental pieces made at the weekend looked like they should have been at the bottom of the sea, as part of some great, vibrantly coloured coral reef - perhaps it was the antipodean influence. Whatever it was, it made a typically grey bank holiday weekend much brighter and the oddly shaped jewels, beads, flowers and art pieces all served to inspire and intrigue.

This weekend, there were two other jewellery craft courses occuring at the same time as mine, a felt making workshop run by Heather Belcher and a polymer clay workshop with Carol Blackburn. Both looked like great fun and I always enjoy watching Heather's industrial carder at work. She also had fabulous colours on display in her unspun wool hanks, it seems that, just like me, she cannot resist a rainbow! I wish we had all realised beforehand we were all doing jewellery at the same time as our students could have bartered over each others colourful and unusual beads, creating a truly unique necklace out of it.

Next time at West Dean, after my taster days teaching beginners knitting and beginners crochet, I shall be doing a vintage fashion and knitting patterns inspired course. Keep an eye out for more details soon.

artreach craft workshops

Here are some photos, courtesy of Joy, from the workshop with Artreach in Northwood last weekend. We made crochet flower necklaces and simple floral corsages, while other groups made hand sewn brooches or painted silk greetings cards.

Here is Susie Johns, who it was a pleasure to meet again, showing her groups how to paint beautiful designs onto silk.

And here I am reintroducing a mother and daughter to the delights of crochet.

Lots of fun was had by all and I have since begun a series of mixed media workshops with the group, aiming to create a colourful textiles wall piece, or 'quilt' around the theme of snow days. Will post pictures here when it is completed in a few weeks time.

artreach craft workshops

This weekend I will be running a workshop in Northwood alongside one by the lovely Susie Johns. I will be bringing along some crochet hooks and a big mystery bag full of lovely fabric, yarn, buttons and other assorted fabulous bits and bobs. We shall be learning basic crochet chains and sewing techniques to create simple flowers and cute necklaces.

Must get my camera fixed before then so I can post pictures next week!

new website!

Hop on over to my new look website, as designed by the ultra talented Model Robot. I love the easy to navigate layout and multiple tiny little square pictures.

The re-design has come about due to the fact I am going to be setting up an online store where you can buy all sorts of lovely Monty products and patterns, which will hopefully go live in the new year.

You may have noticed that I have also moved some aspects of the site, such as the gallery of knitters' pictures and revisions from my knitting books to my blog to ensure they are always up to date and easy to follow. I also have a whole current list of my knitting and craft workshops and lessons on here and will soon have some easy to follow knitting tutorials too.

knitting classes

Below are some of my upcoming beginners knitting classes and craft workshops in London, the South East and the rest of the world!


Hand knitting for improvers April/May 2010
City Lit College

Textiles Jewellery - Innovative Knit and Yarn techniques, 30th April - 2nd May 2010
West Dean College, Sussex

Knitting classes in the South of France! Next class will be in May 2010 and will be designing your own knitting. Contact Les Soeurs Anglaises for details

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to arrange your own bespoke knitting, crochet or craft classes in London.

If you want to book classes for groups, please check out my alter ego, Make.Do.Mend

roll up, roll up!

The time has come for another day at the lovely kioskiosk. This Thursday the 27th August I shall be selling my wares and helping with crafty queries by the Thames.

This time alongside my own knitted toys and other goodies, I will be selling Model Robot screen printed t-shirts and bags, and some beautiful jewellery by Jenny and the Bead Stall, as well as starting a mini knitting bee with Mrs G.

Do drop by to have a little knit by the river, or to just say hello, I'll be there from 10am.