make do and mend

You would think that as a textiles designer, I would be on top of all those annoying little holes which appear in my favourite knits. However, I had let my gloves and mittens get into a terrible state, the holes were so massive the gloves had stopped keeping my fingers warm! So, with all this talk of economic meltdown, I made a resolution to become more thrifty and dug out my darning wool. I thought it would make more sense to make a feature of the mend than try to hide it, so this was the result, and I love it! I have definitely got the bug, and am worried I may start attacking my jumpers just so i have something to sew up....

wedding belles....

As promised, here is a photo of all the lovely bridesmaids wearing the shrugs lovingly knitted by me. I am hoping there will be some beautiful professional pictures of them too, so I will post them when I get some, and will let you know when I have got the patterns finished and on sale, possibly on Ravelry.

west dean chilly weekend

This weekend I taught a knitted accessories course at a very crisp, chilly and stunningly beautiful West Dean College.

But while it was sub zero cold outside, it was definitely warm and fuzzy indoors as I had a really relaxing and fun time with the lovely ladies in my class, who produced some gorgeous and inventive accessories......

among them the most perfect teeny tiny pom pom I have ever seen......!

Check out the work in progress, final textiles and more striking shots of the grounds here

happy new year!

A very happy new year to all! I had a lovely relaxed Christmas, and even managed to finish the shrugs the evening before the wedding last weekend, and they looked gorgeous. Photos to follow, and hopefully a pattern will be available shortly after that. Until then, here is a photo of the ribbon name tags I sewed into each shrug - would you believe I didn't have a chance to try out my new sewing machine until now? I think it has felt unloved for the past two months, but now i know how to embroider letters, I feel sure I shall be using it all the time....I hope!

merry christmas everybody!

and a happy new year.....

a vintage year

I came across this very festive issue of stitchcraft and had to share it with you, it is the holiday season, after all! dontcha just love vintage patterns....?

ding dong the bells are gonna chime!

It was fitting day this weekend for the bridesmaids shrugs, very nervewracking for me, especially as I have fallen behind in the making, but I think it went well.

The maids looked just gorgeous in their dresses and the shrugs actually fit!

I am now on a shrugfest to get them all done by the 3rd of January, only two more to go, and then all the edgings, so it is achievable, and it was great to see them on, it gave me an added incentive to get them finished, as I can't wait to see the full line up with all five bonny bridesmaids lined up in them.

Thank you to the models for my pics, the lovely Caomha and Clare, chief bridesmaids, who had to dodge needles and use their imaginations a lot when trying on!