kioskiosk launch

Yesterday was just too hot to work, so it was handy that I had the kioskiosk launch to go to on the Southbank. I met Wayne Hemmingway, the mastermind behind the idea, who gave me a tour of the kiosk and I was surprised at just how Tardis-like it is; big enough to fit a changing room and loads of shelving in and it was also really cool in there, which was fantastic on one of the hottest days in London this year. It was exciting to see the kiosk in the flesh and I begun planning how I will kit it out and also what a lovely 'tea party' feel I will be giving the workshops.

I have just confirmed that the free knitting and crochet clinic and workshops I will be running on the 26th July will also have some lovely handmade cup cakes by the talented Catherine of CateBakesCakes. She will be also providing the cakes at my launch party for Easy Kids Knits, and I cannot wait, they are the lightest, most yummy cakes I have ever eaten. Here are a few of her inventive and beautiful creations. My favourites are the Russian Dolls; I have never seen anything like them and I have a real weakness for Matryoshka dolls. Catherine is still getting her website ready, so come along and try them at the workshop or launch and meet her in person.

After the launch, I decided to make the most of the weather, convincing myself it was just too warm to pick up the knitting needles and so I finally made it to the Liberty sale, where I bought five bolts of beautiful Liberty print cotton.

The one on the far left was not in the sale but I couldn't resist the print that I had seen in an APC dress, so I bought the same fabric to make a similar dress at a fraction of the cost. However, the rest of the fabrics were a bargain, and now I have enough fabric to make three tops and two dresses. I just hope my excitement for sewing continues long enough for me to make them all, or my bargainous shopping may not seem so thrifty!

My relaxing day in the sun ended at a restaurant I must really recommend for great value, ethics and fabulously fresh food. Wahaca bills itself as Mexican market eating and yet it sources most of its ingredients from the UK, using in season, free range products where possible. This fresh ethos really shines through in the food and I loved it, as you can see!

new/old patterns

Recently I have been trying to tidy up my life. I have far too many things on the go at once to be disorganised, but unfortunately I am. Very. So, I suddenly realised that the exclusive copyright to a few patterns I submitted to some magazines has been finished for a while, meaning I can self publish them.

This is a great practice the magazines are trying to do to help out knit designers, as the compensation in relation to the time put in to this sort of work is generally rather poor. So, I have been busily sorting out layouts for new patterns to sell on Ravelry and have posted two up there today; Violet hat and a Christmas stocking, which you may recall in different guises from earlier posts. The whole process is really rather exciting to me, however, the next step is to get ordered enough to sell them over my own website, too.

(Wow, this pattern seems really incongruous in the middle of a summer heatwave, but I guess if you are well prepared person, now is the time to knit for Christmas...

I'm definitely not that organised!)

young designers

This evening was the Royal College of Art Textiles MA private view. I hadn't managed to get to any other shows this year, but I always try to go to this one, as it is the course I graduated from five years ago (where does the time go?!)

There is some really lovely work this year. I noticed that there was a strong hand drawn theme, with lots of naive illustration type prints and mixed media pieces. I of course enjoyed this, being a lover of a strong line drawing and it also meant that much work had a one-off, obviously non mass-produced quality. Keeping to this theme, my stand out favourite of the whole RCA grad show wasn't a textiles designer but a communications student. Haruka Shinji's work has a strong humourous aspect and truly beautifully executed drawings and cut out pieces.

I also noted that almost every student had a blog or website, almost unheard of in my day all those many moons ago. It is great for the graduates to have such a space to showcase their work, and a true sign of the internet age. It also means I can share my favourite textiles students much more fully with you, as you can check out their sites.

Tiffany Ong entitled her display Entomological Knits, and displayed lots of brightly coloured knitted samples like specimens or moths in wooden frames. This lent a very traditional feel to her contemporary work, a juxtaposition I cannot resist.

Wendy Marchbanks calls herself a printed textiles designer and illustrator, and her love of drawing is shown in her beautiful printed wallpapers (left).

Finally Rebecca Lucraft is a mixed media graduate who had a stunning space filled with golden coated bird cages and fairy tale trees housing laser cut wooden birds and monkeys. Her shapes, colours and drawing are beautifully naive and magical.

The show is on until the 5th July, so if you are in the area get in and see the work, it is free admission and well worth a look. There are some very promising designers of the future here.

easy kids knits

It feels like I have been waiting for bloomin' ages for this book to arrive, but at last it is here! The first preview copy of Easy Kids Knits was delivered today. This time it is being released just in paperback, although you will be glad to hear that it still has the same feel as Easy Kids Knits, with sumptuous photos and simple yet beautiful knits. I tried to also keep the projects really wearable, an important factor when knitting for fussy children who can now decide what they do and do not wear!

The launch date is in the first week of August and I am going to have a big launch party at loop with fizz and birthday cake, as I will also be turning 21 again, so even more of a reason to come along and help me celebrate. I am working on other exciting elements of the launch, which I will let you in on as soon as I have them finalised. Hope you can come along, browse through the book, partake in some of the events and help me drink all those sparkles!

moo!

New moo business cards have arrived and very lovely they are indeed. Also got some mini cards to use as tags at the kiosk.

My favourite is little mr rabbit, what's yours?

kioskiosk

This summer I shall be lugging all my lovely handmade wares down to the Southbank to take part in a collaboratory exhibition with Wayne Hemmingway Design and the Design Museum. They have set up a Kiosk by the Mayor's fab building with a view to supporting young British designers. It is a great idea and I recommend you all head down there at least once over the summer to support the innovative design and participate in some workshops.
I shall be there giving free workshops and knitting advice to all levels of knitter and selling starter kits for the few people left out there who can't yet knit! My workshop day is Sunday 26th July and I will also be around on the 26th and 27th August, till late in the lovely summers evening if the weather permits, so please drop by and say hi, I would love to see you!

illustrations

New sketches up on the website.

Just got the patterns left to upload now...when I have finished writing and checking them!

Then I guess it will be all change again as I still want to have an online shop.

One step at a time...