Unravel 2014 - A Festival of Knitting

UNRAVEL - A FESTIVAL OF KNITTING

 

 

 

Did anyone go to Unravel 2014 in Farnham,Surrey,last weekend?

 

I am pleased to say that I did!!! whoopee

 

I was lucky enough to be taken their by my lovely friend, Josie, who I met at my spinning classes. We had a great day looking at all the lovely products for sale on the numerous stands and seeing some new techniques.

 

 

If you haven't had the chance to attend, it is an annual knitting and fibre related festival at the

Farnham Maltings in Surrey.

It is a smaller, more intimate, exhibition than some of the larger stitching and knitting shows in London so quite manageable if you find the bigger shows a little too much.

 

Here are some of my favourite exhibitors which you might like to check out online ......

 

SINCERELY LOUISE

a hand knitter, pattern designer, prop and toy maker

www.sincerelylouise.co.uk

 

I love this display of Louise's work -

stuffed taxidermy animals

displayed near the entrance to the exhibition!

 

 

 

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Jenny Barnett

 - Needle felted Sculptures,

Handmade dolls, kits and workshops

www.jennymade.coriandr.com

 

 

 

 

Jenny's work was stunning and took my breath away!

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Ingrid Wagner

Rug and Art Creation

www.ingridwagner.com



 

for extreme knitting with BIG knitting needles and even BIGGER yarns

 

 

 

 

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Here are some the exhibits from the 'Best in Show' entrants

this little cardi was a beginners work 

This was a beginners work and a rug

 

 

 

These are hand puppets

 





 





This was based on a dog kennels

 

 

if you get a chance to attend next year,

it is well worth the effort. 

 

There were many yarn companies selling their hand dyed and artisan fine yarns as well. 

 

Lots of alpaca, silk, cashmere and more unusual yarns, such as yak.

 

It gave me a lot of food for thought and was very inspiring.

 

If you wish to check out the Unravel website

http://craft.farnhammaltings.com/portfolio/unravel-festival/

 

NEXT WEEK

 

I have a another great Spinning Yarn book

to review so pop back soon

 

Bee x

 

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Weekend Reading

I hope you enjoyed last week's 'reading' post.  Here is my new list of a few things I have found 'of note' on the web this week which you might like .........

 

 

 

1.  I love this beautiful DIY 'Pom Pom' makeover idea for jazzing up a plain jumper

2.  I found this really interesting, 'Knitting Behind Bars' where two ladies in Maryland USA set up a scheme whereby prisoners are learning to knit. They have a blog too. 

3. There are some great artworks on here.

4. If you loved the Gangnan song, you love this free crochet pattern.

5.  Futuristic knitting could help arthritis!


Have a lovely weekend!

Bee x

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Weekend Reading - Yarn Related

NEW FOR 2013

thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the image

As we have all welcomed in the New Year,

I thought I would try something new and blog about some of the items I have found this week on the web. 

 

I have compiled a reading list of things you might like to read or view (isn't this just like being back at school?  I can hear you all groaning!). 

 

How often I get around to doing this, I don't know! 
I am a bit of random blogger but
I am aiming high and promise to 'do my best' - Guides Honour!

 

So we might not see this every Friday!!

 

But Here Goes:

 

1. Knitting is the new YOGA - so I ask, 'can we think of it as exercise now?' that would be handy!

2. Crochet is trendier than Knitting at the mo!
I've always done both and will continue to do so. I love the flexibility of crochet but I love the feel of knitting too.

3.  This is a bit geeky and funny

4. A lovely free Crochet pattern for a headband!

5. A creative month of moments - I love these words they are so inspiring.

I hope you find them interesting and fun

bee x

thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the image


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Hats for a family of four & a little mouse

 

 

I have been busy knitting 'warm wooly' hats for my brother's family of four, for presents for Christmas, in my desire to avoid the maddening crowds and the busy shops, which I just can't stand at this time of year.....

 

 

 

So I decided to make them each a beanie hat in varying sizes from age child, teenage, and adult female and adult male

and of course, a little mouse ... for Emily, my 7 year old niece. 

 

 

 

I chose to knit them in a stripy pattern in different colour ways  for easy identification.  

They didn't take long to knit. 

I used a pattern I found in a book I had taken out of the library

called 

Made in France Knitting by Hikaru Noguchi

called Stocking-Stitch beanies for the whole family.

I adapted the pattern with increasing the number of stitches to get the right sizing.   

 

 

 

 

 

The little mouse pattern was taken from

Laura Long's Knitted Toy Tales 

book that has sat on my bookcase for a while waiting for a moment to make one of her lovely animals from her book.

 

 

 

 

I love the little mouse, he is so cute, no doubt I will make more!

 

bee x

 

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Free Debbie Bliss Egg Cosy Patterns

Debbie Bliss Christmas Jumper Egg Cosies Pattern Image

 

 

As promised in my previous post regarding

the Save the Children / Debbie Bliss

Knitterati evening, I attended recently,

in aid of the Christmas Jumper Day

on the 14th December,

I mentioned I would be knitting the egg cosies and posting the pattern so everyone can have a go too.....

 

Here's a link to the lovely patterns Debbie Bliss designed for the evening

 

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/DB_Egg_Cosy_Patterns.pdf

 

 

Here are my two that I have finished this week

 

 

 

I think they are really cute.  I need to refresh my memory again on how to do bobbles and try to do the Aran one as well. 

 

I think I will be giving them to my Mum and Dad with some egg cups for a little Christmas Pressie.

 

Crafty tips!

 

Knit a few and hang them on string and make mini

washing line garland.

I love those mini pegs you can buy these days, they would look great pinned to the line.

OR

Make mini wire hanger and dangle them on the Christmas Tree.

Or use my favourite mini pegs and peg them on the tree!!

 

 

 

Have fun anyway.

 

They would make great Christmas gifts or stocking fillers.

 

 

 

 

Bee x

 

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Knitterati Evening

A hand knitted Blanket with the Save the Children

emblem on the wall of the shop

What a wonderful evening I had last Thursday, at the

Mary Portas Save the Children, 

Giving and Living Shop,

in Primrose Hill, London.
 

It is a stunning charity shop, unlike any other.  It is full of shabby chic and vintage finds, it is definitely worth a visit.  Primrose Hill itself is stunning and an oasis in the midst of London.  Definitely worth a visit just for a walk around the place. 

 

If you read last week's post, you will know I was invited to attend a knitting event by

 

Save the Children, 

with

Debbie Bliss
and
special guest Trisha Malcolm, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Knitting

 

all in aid of their superb 'Christmas Jumper Day' fund raising campaign on 14th December, 2012. 

 

They decided that as the theme was Christmas Jumpers, that we 'knitters' could help with spreading the word and help with knitting jumpers.

 

 

internal view of shop

 

It was fantastic to meet Debbie Bliss in person.  I have been a fan of her beautiful books, patterns and her stunning yarn collection for a long while so it was a real treat to meet her.  She is such a lovely lady.

 

Debbie Bliss & Me!

 

 

Along with 14 other top UK knitting bloggers, we were given a lovely Christmas gift bag of 3 beautiful balls of Debbie Bliss yarn, Ralto DK and Cashmerino DK, and a cute pattern for 3 egg cosy jumpers, a brilliant idea, as the event was in aid of The Save the Children 'Christmas Jumper Day' appeal.

 

The Knitterati

 

I managed to complete the front of one and nearly the reverse in between the chatting whilst getting to know the other bloggers and the wonderful Save the Children Staff and volunteers. 

 

One of the egg cosies complete

 

So my knitting task for the week is to complete the egg cosies, so pop back later in the week for a peek at my efforts and a chance to get the pattern too.

please note all of the above photos are provided with kind permission of Magda Rakita/Save the Children  

 

For those of you are unaware of what

Christmas Jumper Day

14th December 2012

is

 

follow the link below

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day
 

 

Lots of celebrities are now supporting the event

 

Jon Snow, Lisa Snowden, Mylene Klass, Mark Wright to name a few
and over 300,000 others

 Mark Wright

Mylene Klass


 

 

All the lovely goodies we had to eat and the all important symbol of why we took part in the event!


Bee x

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Save the Children & Debbie Bliss Free Knitting Pattern

 

I am so excited, I've been invited to attend a knitting event in London this week,

 

hosted by Save the Children,

and

Debbie Bliss,

Knitting Designer extraordinaire.

 

 

It is to launch Save the Children's new charity event 

on 14th December

called the

 

 

It's a day where you can get away with wearing the silliest, most hideous, or funniest Christmas jumper to work ....

and all you have to do is donate £1.00 to do so. 

It sounds like a great fun idea to me!!

 

To take part, you need to register at

 

https://secure.savethechildren.org.uk/events/unpaid/jumpers

 

and Save the Children will send you some 'GReAt Free STuFf' for you to advertise the event in your workplace.

 

Debbie Bliss has also designed a FREE special knitting pattern to launch the event as well which can be found here for all of us keen knitters out there

 

 

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/knitting-patterns

 

there are also 2 other FREE knitting Patterns by TS Ramsden to get 'clicking away on'.

 

I am looking forward to meeting Debbie and the team from

Save the Children on Thursday.

 

I will let you know how I get on and tell you all about the event on my return.

 

Bee x

 

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Knitting keeps me Sane!!!

I apologise for not being around much last week. 

The 'coughes and sneezes' season has started already as I picked up a cold and I feel that I haven't caught up with myself yet! However, I think I am on the mend now.

I also have been dealing with my neighbour's landlord as her shower has been leaking into  my flat into my kitchen cupboards causing damp and mold to grow as I can't use my kitchen cupboards.  It is not pleasant, and after many phone calls I have to get the work done myself and claim on my insurance.  Nothing seems to go straight forward anymore. 

Anyway, enough about boring stuff and annoyances, I have been knitting a lovely slip over top from a pattern by Debbie Bliss from her Fall/Winter 2008 Magazine.

as shown on the cover

I am using a chunky yarn, in a dark grey in a wool/acrylic mix. 

I would love to be able to knit with pure wool and use the top designer yarns

but my purse doesn't allow. 

So we will have to wait and see if it is a good substitute. I did do a tension swatch and adjusted needle size so all being well ........

Back

 It consists of moss stitch which is one of my favourite stitches since I mastered the art of it and the front has a lovely big cable to do.

I don't knit many items for myself so this will be a treat and I think it will suit me.

I also whipped up a little tea cosy when I was away last week which is here

and added some crochet edging and a crochet flower.

I love knitting these, as they are very quick projects to do and I used up some of the yarn leftover from the 'cute little knitted dress'.

Have a lovely week

bee x

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Hand knitted little girl's dress

You might remember me telling you I was hand knitting a cute little dress for my other's half's great niece for a present for her Christening ....

well I am pleased to say that I have finally finished it.

 

 

I decided to omit the pink velvet ribbon I bought to go around the waist as I couldn't tie a good enough bow and crocheted two little flowers for embellishments which work really well I think.

She is being Christened on Sunday so it's finished just in time. 

Now I have to think of the wrapping paper and a card.

I enjoyed knitting again, just got to find something else that I want to knit now too!

bee x

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Knitting a cute little dress

I've been knitting again ....

 I had forgotten how much I like to knit as I have been crocheting like mad recently. 

picture of finished dress in Claire Montgomerie's book

I started this 'ittle dress'in April and

knitted away until my wrist started hurting and put is down until the weekend,

when I decided I really needed to get my needles clicking again.

It is a present for my other half's great niece

 as she is being christened in a few weeks.

I think I work better under a bit of pressure as I need a deadline,

otherwise, I tend to take my time and I put things off. 

I am using Sirdar Supersoft Aran in Apple Green and Raspberry as I thought these were a lovely fun combination, on size 5mm needles.

The pattern comes from Claire Montgomerie's Easy Baby Knits book which is full of easy, very beautiful knits for babies, suitable for beginner knitters (or those who like straight forward patterns like me and love baby knits).

so far I have finished the front ......

and have started the back so I am well on my way now!

I will keep you posted on the finished dress.

bee x

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And the Winner is ...........................

Today's the day I picked the winners of the 'Great Tutorial Giveaway' .......

I had five entries which was not bad for my little blog  and as I couldn't choose a winner as all the entries were equally lovely and great in their content, I decided to put the names in my little vintage Pyrex bowl and pick the winners this way.

so here goes

drum roll please .................

 

1st Prize goes to

 Sam over at Knitting Adventures

who  is the proud winner of the hand knitted tea cosy

For Sam's tutorial entry
http://aprettylifeinthesuburbs.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-wreath-obsession-continuesspring.html

And 2nd Prize goes to

 Madeline over at Meeni

who is now the proud winner of a hand knitted pumpkin pin cushion

For Madeline's tutorial entries
http://www.meeni.co.uk/2011/04/making-rabbit-finger-puppets
 http://www.purlbee.com/emilys-memory-game

My thanks goes to the other entrants for their lovely contributions to the great tutorial section which I will be adding to my blog soon.

bee x

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Weekend Wanderings

A bench along Southsea seafront

On a lovely weekend walk by the sea, I spotted this bench along the Southsea seafront.  It is a touching tribute to a little girl who died.  The bench has been wrapped in hand knitted fabric in red and blue wool of various textures, as if encasing the love lost, in comfort and love, never to be forgotten,  I thought it is a beautiful tribute to this young life.

A knitting Tribute

I wonder how many people sit there or just stare in wonder at this loving work?

bee x

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