Showing posts with label Inspirations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspirations. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Crochet Chairs
I’ve been pondering the idea of making a crochet chair recently and so thought I would do a bit of research. Here is a collection of amazing crochet chairs for inspiration.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
International Free Form Crochet Guild – 2011 Guild Show Exhibition.
Unfortunately this year I ran out of time to complete my exhibition piece however the exhibition is excellent as ever.
To view the 2011 exhibition online please click here.
This is one of my pieces made for Inside Crochet magazine to see more of my work at Flickr please click here.
Prudence Mapstone's work - Click here to see more.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Kelly Swallow Patchwork Designs
Monday, 20 June 2011
Work in Progress – Freeform Crochet Poncho
As you can see this is a work in progress, also known as, a WIP. This little project has lain in my studio for way too many months being ignored, shame on me. It was securely packed away so at least I can say it hasn’t been gathering dust. I decided to take some photographs today so that this may give me the motivation to finally get it completed.
Unfortunately the weekend brought what seemed like a never ending assault of technology issues which ensured the current 2 designs I’m working on weren’t completed, much to my frustration. Thus the freeform has now been queued yet again. With wilting laptops, blue screens of death, dysfunctional and intermittent broadband connectivity and a printer that appears to be playing dead, there has been much counting to ten.
Unfortunately the weekend brought what seemed like a never ending assault of technology issues which ensured the current 2 designs I’m working on weren’t completed, much to my frustration. Thus the freeform has now been queued yet again. With wilting laptops, blue screens of death, dysfunctional and intermittent broadband connectivity and a printer that appears to be playing dead, there has been much counting to ten.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Ravelry in Scotland – Edinburgh & Glasgow Meetup with Jess & Casey.
Saturday 14th August, 2010 @ 2pmThe Meadows, Melville Drive, Edinburgh
We’ll meet near Middle Meadow Walk, if you head down past Peter’s Yard and cross the junction we’ll meet on the grass to the right of there, maybe a picture is more helpful!Bring your knitting and any treats you like :)
Sunday 15th August, 2010 @ Time to be confirmed.
Botanic Gardens, near or in the Kibble Palace greenhouse.730 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0UE
I’m hoping that lots and lots of you Ravelers will be able to attend one of the above meetings it will be a great event weather permitting. I’m hoping to be able to attend both Edinburgh & Glasgow and look forward to seeing you there.
If you need further info please refer to the ravelry announcements here.
To get directions please use multimap here.
Alternatively just ask and I will try to help.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Five Funky Flowers Crochet Pattern
All five flowers begin with the same centre. You can make the flowers in any colours and any type of yarn with the recommended hook size. Here I used DK yarn and 5mm hook.
Flower Centre Pattern
Ch 4 join with a slip st to form circle.
Rnd 1: ch 1 work 9 hdc into the circle, join with slip st.
Rnd 2: ch 1 work 2 hdc into each st, finish by working one hdc into same sp as ch, join with sl st.
Pink Sunflower Pattern
Join pink yarn to the flower centre, begin with 1 sc into the centre, ch 6, sc into next st – repeat all the way around, finish with a sl st.
Celtic Rose Pattern
With Flower centre already complete
Rnd 1: *ch 6, sk 3 st, 1 sc in next st*,** rep to end
Rnd 2: *ch 8, sk 3 st, 1 sc in next st*,** rep to end
Rnd 3: *ch 6, sk 3 st, 1 sc in next st*,** rep to end
Fasten off.
White Daisy Pattern
With flower centre already complete, begin with 1 sc into the centre, ch 10, sc into next st – repeat all the way around, finish with a sl st.
Square Edge Flower
With flower centre already complete, begin with *1 sc in 1st st, 1hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, 1 hdc in next st, sl st in next st*, ** rep to end.
Ruffle Blue & Red Flower
With flower centre already complete,
Rnd 1: begin with 2 ch sl st into same sp, *dc into next st and sl st in same sp*, **rep to end
Rnd 2: ch 2, turn flower over and work in opposite direction, working on back of flower, make 1 dc into same sp and finish with sl st in same sp, * work 2 dc into next petal and finish with sl st in same petal*, ** rep to end.
This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/ Thank you Crochet Conversion Chart US/UK International Yarn Weight Conversion Chart
I hope you enjoy using this pattern and if you are looking for other free patterns please visit Crochet Pattern Central
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Artist’s Crochet Satchel
I’ve been drawing so much lately I thought I should come up with a bag to keep all my sketch books in and here it is.
The pattern is really simple and yet I feel effective. The effect is gain from the choice of wools and yarns used.
Materials:
Approx 200g of a variety of colours of yarn. A 5.5mm crochet hook, darning needle.
Measurements:
13” wide, 11” deep, 3.5” flap approx.
Pattern:
Bag - Ch 90,
Work 48 rows in sc.
My colour combination was;
Row 1: satsuma
Row 2-3: candyfloss pink
Row 5-6: red
Row 7: mauve
Row 8-9: pink multi
Row 10,11,12: tangerine
Row 13 : red 2
Row 14-15: dusky pink
Row 17-18: red
Row 19,20,21: fuschia
Row 22: claret
Row 23: satsuma
Row 24,25,26: pink multi
Row: 27-28: organdy pink
Row 29: mauve
Row 30-31: Red
Row 32: rust
Row 33: lavender
Row 34 –35: tangerine
Row 36: plum
Row 37-38: dusky pink
Row 39-40: brick
Row 41-42: mauve
Row 43-44: baby pink
Row 45-46: claret
Row 47-48: satsuma
Strap
Ch 140 ( here I used satsuma as it was at 1st and last edge of the bag)
Work 6 rows in any colour combination.
satsuma, mauve, red, fuschia, brick, satsuma.
Finishing
Now fold the bag into a satchel shape with the straps being attached in-between from and back of bag, to the very bottom of the bag.
You can either sew it together.
Here I crocheted it together, again using satsuma, by working the strap down 27 sts at the front of the bag, 7 sts across the bottom of the bag, then 27 sts up the back of the back. Repeat on alternate side.
You can then sew all ends in and attach a button if required. Here I just attached lots of tassels.
This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.thesunroomuk.blogspot.com/ Thank you
Crochet Conversion Chart US/UK International Yarn Weight Conversion Chart
I hope you enjoy using this pattern and if you are looking for other free patterns please visit Crochet Pattern Central
The pattern is really simple and yet I feel effective. The effect is gain from the choice of wools and yarns used.
Materials:
Approx 200g of a variety of colours of yarn. A 5.5mm crochet hook, darning needle.
Measurements:
13” wide, 11” deep, 3.5” flap approx.
Pattern:
Bag - Ch 90,
Work 48 rows in sc.
My colour combination was;
Row 1: satsuma
Row 2-3: candyfloss pink
Row 5-6: red
Row 7: mauve
Row 8-9: pink multi
Row 10,11,12: tangerine
Row 13 : red 2
Row 14-15: dusky pink
Row 17-18: red
Row 19,20,21: fuschia
Row 22: claret
Row 23: satsuma
Row 24,25,26: pink multi
Row: 27-28: organdy pink
Row 29: mauve
Row 30-31: Red
Row 32: rust
Row 33: lavender
Row 34 –35: tangerine
Row 36: plum
Row 37-38: dusky pink
Row 39-40: brick
Row 41-42: mauve
Row 43-44: baby pink
Row 45-46: claret
Row 47-48: satsuma
Strap
Ch 140 ( here I used satsuma as it was at 1st and last edge of the bag)
Work 6 rows in any colour combination.
satsuma, mauve, red, fuschia, brick, satsuma.
Finishing
Now fold the bag into a satchel shape with the straps being attached in-between from and back of bag, to the very bottom of the bag.
You can either sew it together.
Here I crocheted it together, again using satsuma, by working the strap down 27 sts at the front of the bag, 7 sts across the bottom of the bag, then 27 sts up the back of the back. Repeat on alternate side.
You can then sew all ends in and attach a button if required. Here I just attached lots of tassels.
This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.thesunroomuk.blogspot.com/ Thank you
Crochet Conversion Chart US/UK International Yarn Weight Conversion Chart
I hope you enjoy using this pattern and if you are looking for other free patterns please visit Crochet Pattern Central
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Wednesday Night Project – 030310 Yosolda Teague
Thank you Amanda at Eight By Six.
At the age of only 24, a self-taught Scot has become something of a rock star in the colourful world of knitting. Working from her flat in Edinburgh, amid beautifully composed arrangements of wool and buttons, Ysolda Teague cannot produce designs quickly enough for her fans to knit.
Her website receives 2,000 to 5,000 hits a day, as knitters log on to buy her clever, accessible patterns for hats, retro cardigans, mittens and soft toys. Her two books, self-designed and self-published, are selling so well that she can’t keep pace on her own.
In North America, where knitting is a multimillion-dollar online industry, Ms Teague gets celebrity treatment — and she has the income to match. Fans recognise her in the street and her female followers, who range from teenagers to pensioners, endure five-hour round trips to see her at one of the many conventions she attends.
“It is a little weird. These people know me but I don’t know them. It’s such a huge online community, but people are so friendly to me,” she said. “What’s strange is that I work at home and it’s just me. I haven’t changed.”
The fame and prosperity started by accident, in the lecture halls of the University of Edinburgh. Ms Teague, an English literature student, realised that she absorbed information better if she was doing something with her hands rather than taking notes. So she began to knit in lectures and found she could recall everything. “Everyone in my family knitted,” she said. “My mother is a Highlander, who grew up outside Fort William and moved to Edinburgh to go to art college. I learnt to knit when I was 6, but I didn’t want to study anything crafty.
“While I was knitting at university I wasn’t following patterns because I couldn’t afford them, but I started posting pictures of things I had made. People wanted to know how to make them, and I had to do the pattern.”
She made her breakthrough at 19 with her first proper pattern — a lace cardigan in a fine yarn, inspired by a 1940s design, using wool she had inherited from her grandfather. One of the biggest knitting websites paid her $80 and asked about her website — so she had to set one up.
“Then I noticed two or three designers were selling their own patterns, and it seemed very simple. I sold my first design for £2 or £3.” she said. “Over the last two years at university I made £50 to £100 a month from knitting. My parents were horrified when I said I wasn’t going to get a proper job.”
She saw the growth of traffic on her website and decided to try to make a living from knitting, teaching herself techniques from books from the 1940s and 1950s bought at church sales.
“I gave myself six months to make the equivalent of the annual minimum wage. That was my goal. It took six weeks. My mum now works packaging up my books and mailing them.”
Business is now booming. Her patterns cost between £2 and £4 and she sells several thousand a month — or, if she brings out a new design, a few thousand in a day. “It had got to the point where I could either run the business or design things,” she said. “I have sold patterns to Africa; I get blog traffic from Iran. The main markets, though, are the US, Britain, Canada, Scandinavia, Europe and Australia.”
She raised £15,500 for Haiti in two weeks and her focus is now on her next big challenge — designing her first dress. Her fans, no doubt, have their needles and credit cards poised.
Times Online 27th February, 2010
At the age of only 24, a self-taught Scot has become something of a rock star in the colourful world of knitting. Working from her flat in Edinburgh, amid beautifully composed arrangements of wool and buttons, Ysolda Teague cannot produce designs quickly enough for her fans to knit.
Her website receives 2,000 to 5,000 hits a day, as knitters log on to buy her clever, accessible patterns for hats, retro cardigans, mittens and soft toys. Her two books, self-designed and self-published, are selling so well that she can’t keep pace on her own.
In North America, where knitting is a multimillion-dollar online industry, Ms Teague gets celebrity treatment — and she has the income to match. Fans recognise her in the street and her female followers, who range from teenagers to pensioners, endure five-hour round trips to see her at one of the many conventions she attends.
“It is a little weird. These people know me but I don’t know them. It’s such a huge online community, but people are so friendly to me,” she said. “What’s strange is that I work at home and it’s just me. I haven’t changed.”
Related Links
She spent three months touring conventions in the US last spring and returned in the autumn. Soon she will leave for Ohio, the venue for one of the knitting world’s biggest trade fairs.The fame and prosperity started by accident, in the lecture halls of the University of Edinburgh. Ms Teague, an English literature student, realised that she absorbed information better if she was doing something with her hands rather than taking notes. So she began to knit in lectures and found she could recall everything. “Everyone in my family knitted,” she said. “My mother is a Highlander, who grew up outside Fort William and moved to Edinburgh to go to art college. I learnt to knit when I was 6, but I didn’t want to study anything crafty.
“While I was knitting at university I wasn’t following patterns because I couldn’t afford them, but I started posting pictures of things I had made. People wanted to know how to make them, and I had to do the pattern.”
She made her breakthrough at 19 with her first proper pattern — a lace cardigan in a fine yarn, inspired by a 1940s design, using wool she had inherited from her grandfather. One of the biggest knitting websites paid her $80 and asked about her website — so she had to set one up.
“Then I noticed two or three designers were selling their own patterns, and it seemed very simple. I sold my first design for £2 or £3.” she said. “Over the last two years at university I made £50 to £100 a month from knitting. My parents were horrified when I said I wasn’t going to get a proper job.”
She saw the growth of traffic on her website and decided to try to make a living from knitting, teaching herself techniques from books from the 1940s and 1950s bought at church sales.
“I gave myself six months to make the equivalent of the annual minimum wage. That was my goal. It took six weeks. My mum now works packaging up my books and mailing them.”
Business is now booming. Her patterns cost between £2 and £4 and she sells several thousand a month — or, if she brings out a new design, a few thousand in a day. “It had got to the point where I could either run the business or design things,” she said. “I have sold patterns to Africa; I get blog traffic from Iran. The main markets, though, are the US, Britain, Canada, Scandinavia, Europe and Australia.”
She raised £15,500 for Haiti in two weeks and her focus is now on her next big challenge — designing her first dress. Her fans, no doubt, have their needles and credit cards poised.
Times Online 27th February, 2010
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Wednesday Night Project 030210 – The Yarn Museum
The Yarn Museum is, initially, a virtual site whose purpose is to honor the artistry and beauty of handspun yarn from spinners around the world. It went online in December 2006 and continues to evolve.
Since yarn has so often been used to make other items such as hats, sweaters, rugs, this site delights in the (possibly) transitory state that yarn is in before it becomes the materials of something else - whether knitted, crocheted, woven or displayed in a bowl.
The Circle of Advisors (listed at left), are spinners who've agreed to check in on how things are going and offer their thoughts. They are all wonderful spinners who love what they do, and have offered a wealth of information and support. Please visit their sites to see many different perspectives on handspinning. I am a spinner and I love yarn. Although I started the project, The Museum will be a collaborative effort among all the spinners who want to participate, including you, The Growing Circle and The Circle of Advisors.
How you can be involved: tell us what you'd like to see on the site. Offer links to great information that you and others have made available. Tell us about sites we should link to. Write articles, if you like. Submit your pictures for inclusion in the online shows.
I hope you like what you see as you look around the site. More information is always being added. If you have questions, please drop me an email: lindaATyarnmuseumDOTcom Thank you for stopping by!
Please respect the copyrights of all the artists on these pages by NOT downloading images for your own personal use without their express permission. All handspun yarn images and individual yarns remain the property of the artist who created them.
Click here to visit the Yarn Museum
Monday, 1 February 2010
Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 46
Winter 2009 is about all things handmade with the emphasis being firmly on traditional crafts. The demand for ageless knitwear offering quality, luxury and longevity is coupled with the continuing trend for natural fibres and is reflected in the following three stories:
Inspired by the privileged classes of the 1920’s countryside, Heritage is eccentrically English and includes striped, patterned and lace womenswear designs. Soft greens and greys contrast beautifully with rich heather purples, golds and chestnut.
Vivid autumn colour is the inspiration behind Folklore, which explores traditional folk designs including tartans, plaids, fairisle, tweeds and texture. Versatile and wearable, the designs are coloured with hues of greens, rich berries and hints of gold.
Click here to get your copy.
Monday, 25 January 2010
Thing A Day 2010
Thing-a-day is a yearly creative sprint where participants commit to creating one new thing a day and post it on a collective blog. 2010 is thing-a-day's fourth edition and the first to run on Posterous.
Click here for all the info.
Well I’m registered, and at this point, raring to go. Most of the project will be posted on Create A Blog Dialogue.
Please feel free to follow, participate or encourage.
Saturday, 9 January 2010
World’s Biggest Crochet Hook
Crochet fans will be amazed at this art installation recently created at the Turnpike Gallery in Leigh, Greater Manchester. Using her entire body as the crochet hook, the artist has created a huge pod big enough to sleep in.
The artist is known as rockpool candy, and is what she calls a fibre activist. The giant formation is crocheted from thin plastic tubing showing that you really can crochet from just about anything. The crochet hook is, in fact, the artist's entire body.
This is probably the craziest crochet you will ever have seen. It makes you realise you can crochet with just about anything.
Why stop at dainty crochet, when chunkier yarns give fantastic effects too. As long as you have a big enough hook, you can crochet with anything. Try Rowan Biggy Print with a 20mm hook. Move over traditional, and make way for experimental crochet.
Source: Coats Crafts UK
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Wednesday Night Project 060110
What Happens When We Wind!
There's nothing wrong about the wool
When first it is untied;
The strands are lying evenly
And neatly, side by side.
But you should see what happens when
We start to wind that wool!
It gets in knots that won't come out,
No matter how we pull!
It keeps on slipping off our hands;
It tangles left and right;
And long before we're half-way through
It's in a dreadful plight!
The ball jumps down to find the cat,
And then it wanders round
And ties itself to table legs,
And things upon the ground.
And while we're looking for the ball,
Our Mother says, 'Oh dear!'
'You've got it in an awful mess!
'You'd better bring it here.'
V & A - Knitting Patterns for Children click here.
The V & A website has an array of resources and free patterns for knitters. I particularly like the 1940’s vintage patterns that are available for download by clicking here
1940s Patterns to Knit
The 1940s in Britain was a high point for hand knitting. Women on the home front could make a contribution to the war effort by knitting for the troops using patterns that were often given away free. Many specialised patterns developed such as the balaclava helmet with ear flaps for use in telephone operations or the mittens with a separate forefinger for firing a trigger in the cold. Once the war was over both clothing and knitting wool were still rationed but people turned to knitting as a cheap way to enhance their wardrobes. Fine wool and pretty lacy patterns became fashionable.The Archive of Art and Design holds a collection of knitting patterns from which a small selection has been made. They fall into two groups: wartime knitting and general knitting.
Knitting in the Archives
The Victoria and Albert Museum runs the Archive of Art and Design from a base in west London. The Archives collects documents related to firms and individuals who worked in the creative industries. They have a small collection of documents from people who designed knitting or who taught it or practiced it. The collection is strong on people active in the mid 20th century.
Eileen Calvert, knitter and needlewoman: collection, about 1930-86.
AAD/1993/10
Elizabeth Davenport, knitwear designer: papers, 1937-88.
AAD/1991/8
Ephemera Collections: patterns for crochet, embroidery, knitwear and sewing, 1885- about 1979.
AAD Ephemera
Ethel Garnham, crocheter, knitter and seamstress: collection, about 1930-51.
AAD/1991/5
Ramah Judah, embroiderer and knitter: collection, 1918- about 1949.
AAD/1990/3
Knitting Patterns: about 1939- about 1959.
AAD/1990/11, AAD/1995/34
Eve Sandford, knitting designer: albums, 1961-9.
AAD/1988/6
Contact Details
Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, West Kensington, London, W14 0QX, United KingdomTel: +44 (0)20 7603 1514
Email: archive@vam.ac.uk
Visit The V & A website - Knitting Section here
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Edinburgh knitting project attracts ex-cons
Weaving is taught at the Greyfriars Community Project
Weaving, knitting and crochet are not what you would expect to attract ex-convicts, drug users and alcoholics.
But now a Greyfriars Community Project scheme in Edinburgh is proving popular with men and women knitting scarves, weaving ties and crocheting purses.
The project volunteers said teaching the traditional skills helped centre-users rebuild their lives.
Pat Laing, of the Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, said: "It's about getting skills."
She added: "You're never going to be a weaver, but it's the co-ordination, the involvement, just doing something useful and seeing something at the end of it that you can actually say I've made that, I did that, which is really great for your self esteem, and for your sense of self worth."
I come here to clear my head and just focus on doing stuff instead of being out in the streets gang fighting and taking drugs 
Project participant
One 21-year-old taking part in the scheme, who did not wish to reveal his name, said he had spent several years behind bars for serious assault and attempted murder but the project had helped him turn his life around.
He said: "It's like a dream come true.
"I've been in prison several times, more than several times, and then I started in here and from then on I've found a better person within myself.
"I come here to clear my head and just focus on doing stuff instead of being out in the streets gang fighting and taking drugs."
Dying out
Teaching traditional craft skills to those with chaotic lifestyles is not only to give them a sense of purpose so they can turn away from addiction and crime, it is also designed to help keep traditional skills alive.
Josiah Lockhart, Greyfriars Community Project co-ordinator, said: "It's something we've had for thousands of years and is dying out right now.
"We really wanted to help address the breakdown in the community and reinvigorate a desire to bring back these traditional crafts."
The unnamed participant said he was planning a career in music and dance and was already doing some DJing work in the capital, but he warned that without the Greyfriars Community Project he would easily slip back into drink, drugs and crime.
He said: "It would take away my self motivation to get up in the morning, so I'd automatically convert back to my old ways, which is something I do not want to do because I've been there, I've got the T-shirt."
By Morag Kinniburgh, BBC Scotland
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