Heart Fair Isle pattern

I am sure I say this every year, but we don't really 'do' Valentine's day in our house and if cards or presents do get exchanged, they are often handmade. This is my offering this year to my two loved ones. I quickly whipped up a little heart Fair Isle pattern on some graph paper last night and set it into some card this morning. Simple! It didn't take long at all, in fact, I have drawn up the chart, so you could even knock one up today if you forgot to buy a card this year! And if this doesn't take your fancy, I also have a free heart pattern here.

Happy Valentine's day!

Crochet Polar Bear Pattern

In all the excitement of the last few months I forgot to say that DMC have a range of new patterns out and they are really fabulous, I urge you to go take a look. You will see one of mine in there, this contented Polar Bear. I think he looks like he has just had fish for his tea, yummy....

little chicks

More toys from the exhibition pile...

more action on the site

I have recently been working on new products, my website and some new pattern collections. More of all those soon. The most recent addition to the site are these pretty floral necklaces. I really enjoy making them; the extra fine lacy wool means the resulting necklace is exquisitely delicate and somehow more satisfying. The little crocheted flowers look somehow perfect, perhaps it is because they are so tiny, you can't see any faults!

pretty pins

After coveting these lovely tights from the wonderful Liberty I finally laid my hands on a pair today and couldn't wait to take them for a test run.

They are screenprinted by hand in Scotland by a lovely company called Bebaroque, who also use embroidery on their hosiery, as well as entire leg patterning. I chose the simple Dorothy pattern as I don't think any gal can wear enough bows, even a quite un-girly one like me! I was torn between the tights and the little pastel socks, but the gold foil on these swung it for me - very glitzy eveningwear without being too 'bling'. I also thought I would get loads of wear from them as they are quite subtle compared to some of Bebaroque's other fabulous designs.

The branding on the packaging is great; lovely illustrations in the style of the swirly Bebaroque prints, and a sweet description of the company's ethos, all laid out simply and beautifully.

I am on a personal quest to buy less fast fashion, but instead invest in fewer pieces of more beautifully crafted, durable garments, preferably where possible buying handmade and/or British, with a view to supporting small businesses and craftspeople like myself at the same time as the dwindling British textiles industry. Bebaroque certainly tick all the boxes, and are even British textiles graduates like myself, so I am already feeling less hypocritcal in my fashion choices. Plus, all of this is a great excuse to spend money on gorgeous things!

I think I shall be looking for more small designer makers to support and showcase here...all purely in the name of research of course, so please let me know of others you think I may like.

Now all I have to do is make sure I don't ladder my Dorothys...