Wednesday Night Project 100310 – Men Do Knit & Crochet.

Today one seldom sees anyone knitting. Grandmotherly types, likely suspects, pull newspapers or magazines out of their handbags rather than skeins of wool while waiting for trains or buses. And headsets abound among younger women. The only person I know who knits in public is a man; and though he seems oblivious to criticism, his friends tend to make excuses for what is generally perceived as odd or inappropriate behavior.
When I was at boarding school during World War II, however, everyone knitted - including the headmaster, the teachers, and the whole football team. We knitted 9-inch squares, which somebody else sewed together to make blankets and scarves for British soldiers. "Knitting for Britain," it was called. The wooden needles were large and clumsy, not really fit for much else. It was a knit-two, purl-two, mindless sort of occupation, like mucking out a barn or shoveling snow. But it was wartime, so we all did extra things.
There was a picture hanging up in the school library of the football fields grown up in wheat during World War I. We were not issued rifles or taught to shoot and march in formation as our fathers had been. Pearl Harbor was still a few months away, and we weren't geared up to do anything much yet.
A few boys became obsessed and knit enormous, lumpy, 12-foot scarves for themselves. But most of us were satisfied to turn out a square or two at a time and throw it in the knitting bin. I don't know who supplied all the wool.
Full story here.

Over on Handmade By Mother there is a great post on Men knitting and Knitting for Victory.

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.”

Related Links

• How knitting became trendy again

• The tangled history of knitting

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 Night Project 170210 – The History of The Cloutie Clootie Tree.

Rag trees, clootie wells, and raggedy bushes are English, Scottish, and Irish names for special places with a mystical reputation. People visit in the hope of healing and good fortune and tie a piece of cloth on a particular tree or bush near a well or source of water. Often the tree is a hawthorn (aka whitethorn or maytree).
There are many, many places in the world with a tradition of attaching cloth to special trees as a ritual for good luck, good health, or as a votive offering. Wishing wells and sacred springs of water are widespread too.
A Wish Tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified as possessing a special religious or spiritual value. By tradition, believers make votive offerings in order to gain from that nature spirit, saint or goddess fulfillment of a wish.
I first discovered these trees when visiting The Samye Ling Centre, Eskdalemuir, Scotland.


Cloutie Tree
As you enter the peace garden from Johnstone House there is a Cloutie tree with colourful cloths tied to its branches.  It is both a Scottish and Tibetan custom to make a wish and then tie a coloured ribbon to the tree.  As the cloth fades the wish is carried off by the elements and hopefully one day comes true.  People are welcome to take a coloured ribbon from the black container beneath the tree, make a small donation in the box and then tie a ribbon to the tree.
My crochet clootie tree. If anyone would like to contribute a crocheted ribbon to the tree please email me at thesunroomuk@googlemail.com

Wednesday Night Project 100210 – Tweave.co.uk

At Tweave, virtual textiles grow and alter as you and others create them by contributing tweets. Explore how contributors are connected by interacting with the resulting virtual woven textiles.
Tweave is a creative project that has been developed by artists Ed Holroyd and Amy Houghton. Follow Tweave on Twitter so we can keep you updated.

What is Tweave?

The idea of Tweave was born out of a dialogue about: the creation of crafts online; crafts and the slow revolution; and textiles and its links to communication, social networking and the development of computer technologies. Tweave also draws inspiration from the fascinating behaviour of the weaver birds who gather and build networks of intricately woven nests in large ‘social groups’ as well as those of us who tweet.
Tweave is a place for anyone to chat, interact, play, create and connect in real time using Twitter. Through the theme of craft and making Tweave will evolve around objects (in the form of hashtags) submitted to this site.
All tweets fed to Tweave are used to create collective online artworks which take the form of interactive virtual woven textiles. These virtual woven textile artworks may merely be a by-product of the tweeting process or may be consciously adapted by the chosen content of the tweets.

Welcome to Tweave

With Tweave you can use Twitter to make, share and chat in real time. Tweet about objects you are making and chat to others about what they are making. Ask questions and offer critiques and advice.

Get started by signing in with Twitter

You can sign in through Twitter. If you are already logged in to Twitter you will just be asked to accept the log in to Tweave. If not, you will need to enter your Twitter username and password. If you do not have a Twitter account, sign up to Twitter.

Add an object

To add an object you need to choose a hashtag. Hashtags are any word included in your tweets that is prefixed with the ‘#’ symbol and are used on Twitter to group tweets. Your hashtag will identify your object which you and others will be able to tweet about.

Find an object

Other people have added objects by giving them a hashtag. You can find these objects by searching for that hashtag.

Send a tweet

Once you have added or found an object you can start sending tweets. Tweave will automatically add the hashtag for that object to your tweet. You can also choose to add an image to your tweet which will appear in the gallery for that object.

View a tweave

Each object has a tweave: a virtual textile that shows all the people that have recently tweeted about this object and the hashtags contained in the other recent tweets by these people. This gives a glimpse at the relationships between the object, people and their peripheral conversations.
tweave.co.uk

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

Wednesday Night Project 270110 – Lots of Love HEARTS

As we approach Valentines day I thought I would post a few links to interesting patterns for both Knitters and Crocheters alike. I hope they will inspire you to pick up your hooks or needles.

How to Knit a Heart

Knit a Heart in 15 Mins for Valentines Day

Knit a Heart – Craftpassion

Free Knitting Hearts Pattern

Hearts on Knitting Pattern Central

Felted Hearts

Filet Crochet Heart

Three Inch Crocheted Heart

Bella Dia Sweet Heart Crochet Pattern

How To Crochet A Heart shaped Rag Rug

Crochet Heart Fridgie

Roxycraft Hearts Amigurumi

Wednesday Night Project 200110 – Burns Night Supper 25-01-2010.

Celebrating Robert Burns
Burns Night, at its best, is a time to be hopeful, striking a balance between life's joys and sorrows. If Shakespeare's poetry scales the heights of poetic achievement, Robert Burns' poetry sweeps the broad rolling plain of common humanity, with all its triumphs and disasters. He writes about hope, courage and the joy of being alive in a world of terror, darkness and fear.
Burns Night recipes
If you're making your own haggis, you'll have to start preparation a day in advance. For a variation on the Bashed neeps, you can make Orkney clapshot (which is often served with haggis). Mix the mashed seasoned swede with an equal quantity of mashed potato and beat well until smooth. This mixture can be put into a pie or gratin dish, thickly covered with grated cheddar cheese and baked in the oven, or under the grill, until browned.
Click here for my own vegetarian haggis recipe.
Click here to make your own haggis.
Click here for a bashed neeps recipe.

Address to a Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!
Robert Burns

The History of Shawls – Wednesday Night Project 130110

 

Healing Prayer Shawl Crochet Pattern

The word shawl, derives its origin from the Persian 'shal', which is of ancient origin not only in India but in the Middle East as well. Shawls give warmth and have been used as a protective garment against severe cold since ancient times.

Another Comfort Payer shawl please click here for other handmade shawls etc.

The exact origin of shawl is not known. However, people were using shawls since a very long period of time. The Jewish men wore a shawl named "tallit" during prayers and ceremonies since long. In the first decade of the nineteenth century, silk shawls with fringes were available in China. These shawls with more embroidery were also popular in Europe and America during 1820s and were known as China crepe shawls. In Spain, the shawls were termed as "mantons de Manila" because they were brought to Spain from China via the Manila port. Infact, in Spain, shawls were a part of gypsy dress, known as "gitanas".
Shawls were also part of folk dress in various places like Germany, the Near East, Latin America, Andalusia and Madrid during the same period. Indian shawls became very popular as high-fashion garments in Western Europe in the early- to mid-nineteenth century.

January Prayer Shawl Crochet Pattern

Persian shawls were also world famous for their intricate designs and patterns. In fact, the word "shawl" itself is of Persian origin. Persian shawls were mostly manufactured from highly esteemed wool from Kirman goats. Apart from wool, silk and cotton were also used for weaving shawls of exquisite designs in Persia. Shawls were produced mainly in Kirman and in Mashhad in northeastern Persia. Besides, Tabriz town was also known for producing shawls of various types. Persian shawls competed in the market with shawls woven on jacquard looms in Russia and Europe.
Russian shawl history is a blend of oriental and European culture. It is said that Russian trade with Persia centuries ago resulted in the popularity of Persian shawls among Russian women. This in turn, initiated the process of shawl weaving in Russia. But eventually, the ornamental Russian shawl industry came up with innovative designs and finishes and became popular worldwide. Nepal is also known for producing Pashmina shawls of good quality since long.

Autumn Prayer Shawl Knitting Pattern

Shawls were popular amongst Indians in variety of forms since ancient times. The history of shawl weaving is closely linked to the history of woolen textiles in India. Kashmir valley of India is known for weaving shawls from Pashmina wool. Among all other shawls produced in India, Kashmiri shawls are known for their softness, warmth and traditional designs. The intricately embroidered and hand woven shawls from Kashmir are popular throughout Europe, Persia and other western countries since years.


Pashmina is considered as the softest, most luxurious and best wool in the world. The warmest and most luxurious of all the animal fibers, the wool basically comes from the cashmere hair of a Central Asian Species of the mountain goat, Capra hircus, also known as shawl goat. The fiber was also obtained from goats in Tibet and Central Asia. Even in modern India, shawls are a part of traditional male costumes in the colder regions of the Himalayas.
The Indian shawl industry got international recognition during the British rule in India. Apart from Kashmir, shawl making also spread its wings to Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat and some other north eastern states in India.
Here is another link to a lovely vintage shawl pattern and a fabulous blog.

Handmade by Mother 

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 Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7603 1514
Email: archive@vam.ac.uk
Visit The V & A website - Knitting Section here

Wednesday Night Project 291209 – The History of Hogmanay

Just a brief blog to wish you all a very Happy 2010. It looks like it will be a cold, snowy, white new year here in Scotland.
Best Wishes to you all.

What does Hogmanay actually mean and what is the derivation of the name? Why do the Scots more than any other nation celebrate the New Year with such a passion? Why should a tall dark stranger be a welcome first foot visitor after midnight, carrying a lump of coal and a slice of black bun?

The Origins of Hogmanay

A guide New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see!
While New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event - and have their own name for it, Hogmanay.
There are many theories about the derivation of the word "Hogmanay". The Scandinavian word for the feast preceding Yule was "Hoggo-nott" while the Flemish words (many have come into Scots) "hoog min dag" means "great love day". Hogmanay could also be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon, Haleg monath, Holy Month, or the Gaelic, oge maidne, new morning. But the most likely source seems to be the French. "Homme est né" or "Man is born" while in France the last day of the year when gifts were exchanged was "aguillaneuf" while in Normandy presents given at that time were "hoguignetes". Take your pick!
In Scotland a similar practice to that in Normandy was recorded, rather disapprovingly, by the Church.

"It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane."
Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693.

Hogmanay Traditional Celebrations

Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the Scandinavian word.
It may not be widely known but Christmas</> was not celebrated as a festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. The reason for this has its roots in the Protestant Reformation when the Kirk portrayed Christmas as a Popish or Catholic feast and therefore had to be banned. Many Scots had to work over Christmas and their winter solstice holiday was therefore at New Year when family and friends gathered for a party and exchange presents, especially for the children, which came to be called hogmanay.
There are traditions before midnight such as cleaning the house on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common). There is also the superstition to clear all your debts before "the bells" at midnight.
Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns' "For Auld Lang Syne". Burns claimed it was based on an earlier fragment and certainly the tune was in print over 80 years before he published his version in 1788.
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
An integral part of the Hogmanay partying, which continues very much today, is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality and of course a kiss to wish everyone a Guid New Year. The underlying belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note.
"First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are the only items still prevalent (and available).
"Handselling" was the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the New Year but this has died out.

Torch and Bonfire Ceremonies

The magical Firework display and torchlight procession in Edinburgh - and throughout many cities in Scotland - is reminiscent of the ancient custom at Scottish Hogmanay pagan parties hundreds of years ago.
The traditional New Year ceremony of yesteryear would involve people dressing up in the hides of cattle and running around the village being hit by sticks. The festivities would also include the lighting of bonfires, rolling blazing tar barrels down the hill and tossing torches. Animal hide was also wrapped around sticks and ignited which produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective to ward off evil spirits. The smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay.
Some of these customs do continue, especially in the small, older communities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where tradition, along with language and dialect are kept alive and well. On the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, the young boys form themselves into opposing bands, the leader of each wears a sheep skin, while a member carries a sack. The bands move through the village from house to house reciting a Gaelic rhyme. On being invited inside, the leader walks clockwise around the fire, while everyone hits the skin with sticks. The boys would be given some bannocks - fruit buns - for their sack before moving on to the next house.
One of the most spectacular Fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen on the North East coast. Giant fireballs, weighing up to 20 pounds are lit and swung around on five feet long metal poles, requiring 60 men to carry them as they march up and down the High Street. The origin of the pre-Christian custom is believed to be linked to the Winter Solstice of late December with the fireballs signifying the power of the sun, to purify the world by consuming evil spirits.
And it is worth remembering that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland as well as the first day of the year - to give us all time to recover from a week of merry-making and celebration, all part of Scotland's fascinating cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions surrounding the pagan festival of Hogmanay.
For further information visit Rampant Scotland

Wednesday Night Project 231209

The philosophy behind the Mirasol Project is very simple, the Mirasol Project supports local communities in Peru through the sales of the Mirasol Yarn Collection.
Peru’s heritage and culture of textile artistry is rich and ancient. The Mirasol Yarn Collection includes yarn made from the animals tended by these communities for generations in the Peruvian highlands. Without them we would not have this beautiful yarn.
By purchasing the Mirasol Yarn Collection you are supporting the shepherds and their families ensuring the continuation of this tradition.
A portion of every purchase goes directly to the funding of a centre in the remote area of Munani in the region of Puno.
The website has a wealth of information on the Mirasol Project that includes the Mirasol Yarn Collection with a link to your distributor to find your local yarn stockist.
The link above called The Mirasol Yarn Collection will bring you to links of all the books and yarns in the collection, while the link above called The Mirasol Project has links to articles relating to the project at different stages from May 2007, as well as a link that shows the stages in pictures.
Jane Ellison says ‘For me I feel it is good to know that I, like many consumers, can make a difference, by choosing what I buy.’

Mirasol Peru Website
 

What is the Mirasol Project?

The Mirasol Project is a scheme to improve the future of disadvantaged children in Peru and was set up in 2006. It is named after a little girl called Mirasol who helps tend a herd of 3,000 alpaca at the Mallkini ranch high in the sierras of the Peruvian Andes. She is one of the Quechua-speaking people of the Andes who are particularly disadvantaged. Few of these people can read or write, their health is poor and there has been no escape from the relentless poverty they experience until now. 

How did the Project come about?

The company, Michell and Co., which owns the Mallkini ranch have always had the interests of their employees at heart but wanted to go one step further in securing their future. The project aims to raise enough money from the sale of alpaca wool and cotton yarns to finance the building and day-to-day running of a boarding centre at the ranch to support the children of the alpaca shepherds in their educational studies. The boarding centre will focus on an integrated health and educational programme and provide a secure place for the children to develop their potential. It is also hoped that the Mallkini centre will serve as a model for the establishment of more centres along the sierras to reach even larger numbers of disadvantaged children. 

What has been achieved so far?

So far everything has gone according to plan although there have been a few minor setbacks. The centre now houses 30 boarders, the children of the alpaca shepherds, who live in the centre during the week. It will also eventually accommodate another 100 pupils who will travel from the nearest village each day. Classrooms and dormitories for the boys and girls have been built as well as accommodation for the teaching staff and cook. Even warm fleece school uniforms and pyjamas have been provided. A clean water supply has been established, the kitchen equipped, linen for the beds purchased and exercise books and pencils chosen. Out in the courtyard the mosaic Mirasol logo, to remind everyone of how this all came about, is nearing completion. The official opening of the centre took place in March 2008 and was a very emotional event attended by 40 local dignitaries, parents, children and friends. The whole building was decorated with coloured balloons and the classrooms were festooned with banners and drawings made by the children. 
As the activities at the Mirasol centre develop, it is important to continue to involve the children’s parents and to show that the local culture is valued.  Recently at the school the children celebrated Mother’s Day with the help of multi-talented Bernardo, the cook. They prepared some songs which they learned to play on quenas, traditional Andean flutes.

The boarding centre has a dual focus on the children ’s health and education. What progress has been made in the last year?

The children’s health is of paramount importance. A child in poor health cannot take advantage of educational opportunities. Even simple things like care of the teeth have to be learned and many of the children have suffered from toothache. The local Quechua Benefit Programme now sends a dentist on a regular basis and, for the first time in their lives, each child has a toothbrush of which they are very proud. They even take their toothbrushes with them when they return home to their families at week-ends. With the help of a local doctor, a health record has been opened up for every child to make a note of growth, weight, vaccines and mental development. Personal hygiene is fun to the children because there is the novelty of having a shower that feels like warm rain.
At the moment the boarding centre works in a supportive educational role but it is clear that very much more needs to be done. The children are Indian and speak Quechua while the official language in Peru is Spanish. Most of the parents do not speak Spanish at all so the children meet an entirely foreign language when they first start in the state schools where all the teaching takes place in Spanish. The children, understanding nothing, are quickly relegated to the back of the class where they sit demotivated for hours on end and can leave school totally illiterate. At the Mirasol Boarding House teachers speak in both Quechua and Spanish so that the children are improving their skills in both languages. As a result the children have a new found confidence.

How can you see this new confidence in the children?

Last May, at the parade in Muñani, a local town, the children proudly marched in grey uniforms with the Mirasol logo embroidered on the pockets, carrying the Peruvian flag and a banner of the Mirasol Boarding House. They were awarded first place in the marching competition and won some educational toys including Lego. The children are also happy to entertain guests at the centre, many from overseas and they are eager to learn something of their cultures. Sometimes the guests come bearing gifts. Two visitors came from England, one brought educational materials and the other donated a gas refrigerator. Then some Italian friends visited and offered to buy 28 bicycles for the Mirasol House. Visitors return home with promises of yet more help.  In December regular visitors, Kari and Per from Norway, arrived to meet a flock of excited children on their way home from school. Kari says, “I have to admit we cried with joy to see them like this. This was a big change from the timid children we said goodbye to a year ago.” They brought gifts of Panettone cake to be eaten with chocolate sauce for Christmas and also drawings of Norwegian scenes and poems drawn and written by their local schoolchildren. The older Mirasol children were fascinated by the similarities and differences between Peruvian and Norwegian life. They sang Norwegian Christmas carols and Peruvian songs and hugs were exchanged.

How do the children feel about their new life?

In the words of 14 year-old Wilian Chunga:
“I come from my house to the Mirasol Boarding House. I feel good here. I learn many things and study and do my homework. The teachers are very nice. I stay overnight at Mirasol. I eat food with vitamins and proteins in order to grow strong and healthy and be able to be the first. This is why I love Mirasol Boarding House. I never dreamed of living in a house that seems God’s house, because I learn many things I didn’t know before. This encourages me to go on with my studies. I appreciate this with all my heart. I also thank the persons who made this possible. I send them a big hug and wish them all happiness. Thank you!”  

How can we support the Mirasol Project?

Once again Jane Ellison has created some enticing designs to encourage us to go out and buy Mirasol yarns and support such a worthy cause. A man’s sophisticated chevron tank top in Nuna cleverly uses slip stitch to achieve the look of Fairisle, keeping the garment simple to knit.  Jane says, “It is important to me that knitters should find my patterns straightforward and enjoy their knitting.” A woman’s top is knitted in a simple lace design using Hap’i, a chunky slubbed cotton yarn, giving the garment a very fresh look. A little doll with a navy face and red hair has a colourful striped dress punctuated with slip stitch black and white to give a bubble effect: very new and very unique. It is a delight to knit with the high quality Mirasol yarns and make a beautiful garment but to do so knowing that the purchase of the yarn helps such a worthwhile cause makes it extra special. Jane says, “I feel that it is good that I, like many consumers, can make a difference.”
MICHELE MATHESON

Wednesday Night Project 161209 – A Little Late – introducing howies

This weeks Wednesday Night Project takes an unusual format. Instead of providing inspiration for the forthcoming weekend I thought I would let you know what I’m working on at the moment and hopefully provide you with some inspiration too.

I’m currently working on producing a few of my rugs purely from recycled howies fabrics. If you aren’t familiar with howies then why not visit them here and learn more.
About howies

our beliefs

A higher quality product will invariably last longer. It will keep on performing as it was designed to for longer before it finally needs replacing. And so over its lifespan it will have consumed less valuable resources than an inferior product that will have been replaced many times.
That's why we make the best quality products that we know how. Because ultimately the best thing we can do for the environment is to make our stuff last a real long time.

Functionality

We believe in making products that serve a purpose and that stand the test of time. We avoid the fashions of the day and just ensure our products are as functional and as simple as possible.
'That which has the greatest use, possesses the greatest beauty'.

Our Purpose

Why are we in business? For us it is not as simple to make a profit. Like any company we require a profit to stay in business. But it is not the reason we are in business. The thing that has not changed from day one is the desire to make people think about the world we live in. This is, and always will be, why we are in business.

Earth Tax

We pledge to give 1% of our turnover or 10% of pre-tax profits (whichever is greater) to grass-root environmental and social projects. To find out more about our donations, please visit the website. It is only a small amount but as our company grows we will be able to give more. Which gives us a nice reason to want to grow.

Fun

We are trying to get the balance right between work and play. Whenever a real nice day comes along, it'd be a shame to waste it. So if you phone up and no-one answers, don't worry. We are out there doing what we love. So leave a message and we'll get back to you in a while.

The rocking chair test

Every product we make has passed the 'rocking chair test'. This is something we use to guide us along the path we are taking. So when we are old and grey and sitting in our rocking chairs, we can look back on the company we created with a smile. That's why we go to the trouble of using the best quality materials to make sure our clothing lasts longer. The longer our products last the less impact they will have on the environment, and the bigger our smile will be.



Why not order yourself a copy of the fabulous howies catalogue here?

OK so back to the rugs below I include various pictures of WIPs (Works in Progress) for your eyes to feast upon. As many of you will know I’m passionate about recycling and I would say up cycling but that concept just grates. I like make do and mend, I love the idea that everything has a possibility of a new life beyond our restricted beliefs of faddy consumerism. Don’t throw it away, don’t bin it and don’t jam up our land with landfill.
Look at things differently, see the possibilities, go create. Repair, reuse, donate don’t dump. So why would you put all you old clothes and fabrics in the bin ? when you could create enduring, and I believe, beautiful pieces that are functional and good to look at, just like my rugs. I’m pleased to be working with howies fabrics and it’s brings further reinforcement to the howies ethos and range of howies Hand-Me-Down.
We live in times of limited resources but unlimited desire to consume them. The answer though is real simple: to consume less as a consumer; to make a better designed product as a manufacturer.
Going forward we will have to take more responsibility for our consumption. The manufacturer and the consumer will both have to share that responsibility.
We live in interesting times.
From where we stand as a manufacturer, a product that keeps working for longer uses less-resources in the end. The key ingredients to this are quality and good design.
To make something well, you know, the best you can do, means going that extra mile. Every stitch, every zip, every little feature considered. The weakest points made strong. Then, and only then, can we say that we have fully understood the responsibility of making something.
This product is guaranteed for a minimum of 10 years from the date of original purchase. The chances are it will last a good deal longer than that. So now you have to decide whom you’d like to hand this product down to? Err??


 



 

And just in case you hadn’t quite got it yet – the reasons why I love howies…

They are genuine

They are authentic

They share a lots of my values

They like to have fun

They walk the walk not just talk in’ the talk

They believe in fun (just like the Cat in the Hat)

My Howies football – 100% recycled for a good kick about.

They have a really fabulous catalogue that is about people, beliefs, ethos and fun – not just trying to sell product.

They listen to their customers

They actively encourage you to think check out brainfood

Oh and they have some great clothes especially popular at our house are t-shirts. The most coveted, faded, worn- almost-to-death or hidden are:-

Life For a Limited Period Only

Brand New Logo Same Shit Company

Pick up your guitar and play

Check their site out howies co uk