Freddies handmade jewellery

Thursday 15 October 2015

Coats AW 2015 Fashion Show Highlights - With Video

Yes, well.. I guess smart phones certainly are more smart than I'd realised. I've been working a great deal in video with my day job so I'm really thrilled to present to you my very first home filmed and edited video about my favourite subject matter; Autumn/Winter handknitting fashion trends and NEW patterns. *rubs hands together*

Designed by Jennie Atkinson, I'd only ever seen THAT DRESS in white - so what's in the video below was a real surprise!
What a better way to get back into the swing of knitting trends than a trip to the Alexandra Palace Knitting & Stitching Show, making a direct beeline for the Coats fashion show. Below is a very short video, but it contains a few of my total favourites including THAT. DRESS.

Also, excuse the cheesy music!




The models were excellent - not silly skinny which is a real put-off for me and my mum, because we can't tell what garment's really going to work with our body shapes (yes, I took me Mam, she's my personal knitting advisor and comes with me everywhere big knit decisions need to be made).

Although I automatically deflate at the mention of Patons, (as a bit of a yarn snob I feel it's the automatic response to any non-luxury yarn brand) I ought not to. It's an outdated response to a brand that's been given a new lease of life in my eyes. I even designed my Hello Kitty cushion for Woman's Weekly using their plush Merino Aran. A really luxurious yarn.


I loved the Patons collection bar the super-chunky stuff. The rest was wearable and simple, unfussy.

There was a really fab neckline that popped up on one of the lightly textured men's knits. I just can't decide whether or not the fussy men we all knit for will be comfortable in it. It's definitely younger. But I'm leading towards a yes. And I did feel Patons had shaken it up a bit, it all felt younger. More for Freddie. Not so old-fashioned and outdated.
I'm calling it the 'will he, won't he' neckline. I would!
Following that, the Rowan Yarns collections began and they most certainly didn't disappoint.

The styling was understated with a truly classic, timeless edge to it
I particularly enjoyed the style of the Boho Chic collection from Rowan, it was just so easy-to-wear. I generally like to wear knits I can layer up with other colours and you could do that with nearly all of these. It's  more practical way to wearf handknit fibres which can be overly warm indoors.

If you only buy one book this season, Boho Chic's the one to go for in my opinion. There's something for all ages to wear and make with different yarn sizes and styles, and it's a good spread variety of different techniqes and yarn thicknesses (including knits-in-no-time Brushed Fleece which, looks tacky on the ball but knits to a really luxurious fabric. Don't poo poo it!

 
This sleeveless hoodie is a stylish twist on a classic look

I look to the Autumn Winter Rowan Magazines for two things; texture and colourwork. Nobody does either of those things quite like the body of designers that Rowan yarns work with. Unless you coun't y'know, trad fisherman's knits and all knitwear designers of the 1975-1990 knitting era. Not the same though, was it? Er.... no.

That's why we turn to Rowan.

Note the reverse Fair Isle on the man's knit. Better practice my stranding!
I missed what the main yarn on the ladies' sweater was but I was very pleasantly surprised by the ingenious yarn mixing that was happening in the colourwork section of the show - this was a gentle variegated yarn reminiscent of Rowan Tapestry mixed with a deeper shade. There's also a coat which uses a smooth-textured yarn with a Chenille for the contrast colour. Daring!

The super-chunky knits got away with some bold textures without looking or feeling heavy

I did have a very excellent and enjoyable visit to the fashion show and strongly recommend those of you who weren't as lucky to be there take the time to have a wander around the Rowan website. I'll definitely be pursuing the stripy Kim Hargreaves sweater in the above video
 and amseriously considering getting married in THAT DRESS.

I respect Jennie very much for being bold enough to design something showstopping allbeit a high cost to knit. I can't wait to see anyone who gets around to making one. I've got my Kidsilk Haze to knit my wedding dress - just gotta save up for the beads now!

Freddie x

Monday 12 October 2015

Revealed - the things I just couldn't leave at The Knitting & Stitching Show 2015

These really are my top picks of the amazing craft products that I was lucky enough to see on show at Alexandra Palace last Friday. I could not leave these purchases there to go home with anyone else, they were made for me, me, MEEEEE! I'll let you look though (but not touch!!!).
It was a really lovely day on Friday - we were uncomfortably warm after hiking up the hill to the show.

Well I came with my Mum. We both decided to take out a very specific amount of cash to keep to a personal budget. Unsurprisingly, it didn't last. First foot through the door (literally), we dipped into the Colinette stand. Likely rubbing our hands, gleefully. I don't rightly recall.

At last years' show, we started at the very same stand and I spotted the yarn I wanted, an instant attraction. Shade name; Adonis Blue.

I contained my excitement and announced that if the blue was still there waiting when we'd walked the whole show, I'd buy it. Take it as a sign. A dabble in the art of self control.

Having exhausted every inch of the show and with aching feet, we returned to the stand and I was gutted. Lost - my cool blue had clearly gone home with the WRONG person. Although Mum did find this lost yarn for me for Christmas, I learned a lesson from this experience. I realized that self control is not all it's cracked up to be (not if you're a knitter, anyhow). So this year, I started my spree with a cheeky purchase, a pair of skeins of Colinette Point 5 for a chunky snood.

Two skeins of Colinette Point 5 in colourway Mardi Gras. Dyelots don't match but hey, it'll make life more interesting.

Mum had treated herself to a rather large bag of Colinette scraps (on her debit card I might add - budget out the window, and early on!) we moseyed down the centre aisle and stumbled across a stretch of sparkling beads, at a stand called Ilona Biggins.

The staff at this stand really didn't want to sell me anything. It was very disappointing actually.

Everything I touched, they barked at me,'far too expensive for you'. Disheartened, I sheepishly asked for a string of beads for one of my trademark chokers that were less 'Pat Butcher' in size than those on display (not in those words, obviously). That was when they took great pleasure in informing me that 'just because they were smaller wouldn't make them cheaper'.

My string of freshwater pearls. Can't wait to learn how to turn them into a necklace!
After a few more minutes' prickly awkwardness I eventually got it out of them - they didn't have the beads I wanted. Regretfully however, money did change hands as I'd feared they'd be the only place at Ally Pally selling freshwater pearls (they weren't).

I fell in love with a beautiful pearl necklace in Jersey a few months ago (selling for around £80) and refused to believe that I wouldn't be able to string my own (brave words I know, but I'm sure the Twitterverse will support me).

After Ilona, we hit the Coats fashion show - more about that another day. Lots to talk about there.

They weren't the only beads I bought - as beads were my main agenda.

Every time I attend a craft show these days, I manage to squeeze in a casual stop at my favouritest bead designers, The Spellbound Bead Co. This trip was no exception.

I'd dug a real hole in my purse - browsed their website constantly for 2 weeks and called ahead with a thoroughlly considered order for a great many bauble kits. On the day I made an instant beeline for them and didn't even need to browse. It's lazy, I know. But I got want I wanted.

Probably too many bauble kits for any one mortal. Note the smashed one at the front. D'oh!
Well, almost. One of them smashed on the way home. The prettiest one, too. Hopefully Spellbound will take pity on me and send me another bauble. Fingers crossed!

Picture from spellboundbeads.co.uk

The beading madness didn't stop there. Oh no. Next stop was trusty Bead Spider for the choker beads Ilona Biggins' staff had convinced me didn't exist (ahem, they do) and some goldstone beads.

Goldstone is cheesy once you know that it's just glittery glass - but the beads sure do look pretty, and I'm a magpie for sparkle. The ones that caused all the trouble were a string of Lapis Lazuli beads - a delightful naturally occuring royal blue stone peppered with veins of real silver. Gorgeous. Can't wait to string those.

All that glitters - The darker goldstone beads contain synthetic sparkle where the lighter natural Lapis Lazuli beads contain flecks of real silver.

Couple of other knitting buys - I had to try the KnitPro Zings. Why 'have to'? THE COLOURS! Gorgeous.

These colour-coded chrome delights look to be my salvation from their snaggy cousin, the KnitPro Karbonz DPNs. I don't usually go for mustards but actually that golden shine should contrast nicely wth the dingy manly-coloured yarns I knit most often. Here's hoping.

These cost-effective colourful chrome needles are a bright and fun addition to any knitting project.
The final bit of kit I bought, I had to hunt for. And there's a story to explain why.

A few years back, Vicki Walker taught some workshops with the Woman's Weekly team, and made quite an impression on them. Legend has it she was knitting socks (magic loop free) with teeny, tiny circular needles. And making it look very easy.

Tooting my own horn here, but I have taught sock-specialist workshops for over a decade now and swear blind that DPNs are the way to be. Those teensy weensy flimsy 2-inch tips from Hiya Hiya are surely a complete and utter nightmare to work with. They appear distinctly anti-ergonomic.

In the office we've debated the subject a great many times so Woman's Weekly Technical Editor Tina asked me to hunt some down for her to settle it. once and for all. I'll keep you posted. God help me!

I didn't manage to get a pic of those fiddly needles, but instead - here's my haul.

The blue thing is a beading mat that cost 90p. No, you may not have a chocolate. Mine.
I think that's all I got - I think. There is chocolate (you are obliged to buy some snackfood at craft events of this magnitude, it's the law!) and one of the Spellbound kits is most definitely NOT a bauble, but a pretty beaded choker in 'Scarab' oily blue-black hues. That'll be a lovely treat to make!

There is an awful lot to say about my experience of Ally Pally this year so please be aware this is a blog post simply unveiling the contents of my shopping bag. I'll write others about some of the other delights I had the pleasure of seeing while it's still fresh in my mind, in the hope that the invigoration I'm currently feeling can be shared with those that weren't able to be there.

Thanks again for reading, happy knitting everyone! Or urm... beading!

Bye! xx


Thursday 1 October 2015

The 17 crafts that made me who I am today

Growing up, I spent every other weekend at my grandparents' house. My parents had divorced when I was a baby and Mum worked very long hours so it gave her a break, and there was always something fun planned for us to do. My brother was into video games so spent most of his time upstairs with the uncles, I'd mostly stay downstairs and craft or bake with my Nan.

I was thinking about it at Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Exeter a lot; if it wasn't for these craft weekends, I most certainly wouldn't have grown up into the avid crafter I am today. But I'm not sure anyone is still doing most of the crafts I did back then! Here they are.

1. Scraperfoils

A photo posted by Marta Pawelak (@maartit.a) on
These are sheets of firm cardboard covered with a brass or silver coloured foil which is then overlaid with a black waxy substance. You scrape away a printed design with a special scraper tool that comes with them to reveal a shiny design, usually animals. You end up with black scrapings everywhere but they look amazing!

2. Seed Art

Photo from http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.213876759.jpg
This is interesting because I've actually made this above design. We used to send off for kits to a lady who designed them herself, there would be an outline for you to fill in with a certain seed type in an instructed pattern and then when the glue dried we'd varnish over the top with clear nail polish. They looked amazing but kits are incredibly hard to come by now.

3. Quilling

We weren't very good at this one if I remember rightly. Had all the gadgety tools to shape pre-cut paper strips before glueing them side-on to cards. You can create some amazing designs really easily.

4. Hama Beads


A photo posted by Lili (@2doigtsdidee) on
I miss these SO much and tried to use them in my art therapy work a few years back (they transpired to be a huge choke hazard so it didn't last). You arrange coloured plastic beads on a pegboard before melting them all together using an iron over some special greaseproof paper. Unsurprisingly my favourite beads were the clear glittery ones and the glow-in-the-dark beads. Hours of fun.

5. Bead Loom

Image from museumofplay.org

Another one that was a touch too fiddly for me, I wasn't very good at it but definitely had a go at a good few rows of bead looming, a combination of weaving and beading using sewing thread and a very small needle.

6. Flower Loom

 

One of the many knitting kits I ended up with contained one of these cool flower looms. They were great fun to make but did end up looking tatty quite quickly so I don't think I have any left. Surely someone out there is still making these?


7. Fimo


Fimo is one of the best craft inventions ever IMO. I'll still be using it to make my wedding cake topper when the day comes but at age 8 I'm pretty sure my repertoire only included fridge magnets and card toppers.

8. Transfer Foils 

A photo posted by @elisalani on
We found these being demonstrated at a craft show at Syon Park and I remember being really excited about the shiny finish so we picked up a kit and took it home. You use a glue pen to draw out a design which dries sticky but clear, before rubbing a tranfer foil over the top in your chosen colour. When you remove the foil, the design remains. Great stuff. I think you can even still get them.

9. Long Stitch

The good thing with long stitch is that it's easy. It's one stitch, it just involves 'painting by numbers' with your stitches to fill all the painted-on outlines on a mesh fabric until the design is completed. They were OK but I didn't love the finish so I won't be going back to them.

10. Plaster Of Paris


Picture from AngelicaScalliwags.com
I don't physically know how we did this because as I've got older I've developed a huge aversion to touching anything chalky (it could even have come from this, actually). We did this one a LOT when I was reaaaaallly little. I vividly remember filling a noddy mould with plaster of paris mixture, revealing the hardened noddy and painting him in with poster paints. There were some Beatrix Potter characters too, I'm sure.

11. Punch Embroidery

Picture from webstercraft.co.uk
I've never come accross anyone who knew what I was talking about when I talked about this. You use a long pen-like tool with a hollow needle, thread yarn through the middle of the needle and punch holes through to the reverse of the fabric where you leave a loop of yarn behind as you resurface. The finished effect is like a towelling, raised area on the reverse of where you're working which is the side you show everyone when you've finished.

We experimented with different fabrics, including my Uncle's old postman shirts. Thanks, Bob!

12. Glass Painting

I vivdly remember the first of two variations of stained-glass craft I had fun with growing up. I went over to my dad's flat (I couldn't have been older than 5-6) and we did a kit that started as a metal outline of a giraffe. We filled the outline with beads of coloured 'glass' on a baking tray, and then baked it in the oven. The beads then melted to fill the spaces, and we hung them up to catch the light.

Then years later, (more like age 11) Nan gave me a colouring-in style translucent parrott to paint using those Pebeo glass paints, which stink. That was more like the picture you see above and had lovely deep rich blues and greens.

13. Sewing Cards

Picture from imnop.com.au
There definitely weren't any needles involved with this one. I remember doing them using a shoelace with a child minder when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I eremember having a panda shape and I think a dinosaur may also have been involved.

14. French Knitting

I don't really remember what we did with the finished stretches of knitted cord that we made. I think we made some place mats at some point. It used to grow magically after I went to be, and before I got up in the morning. We called it 'the knitting fairy'. I still go on to teach people how to do this now and am always shocked that people haven't tried it before!!

I also tried finger knitting but between you and me, it's rubbish. Just makes long lengths of tangled yarn. Not a fan.

15. Pinflair



This was another one from the Syon House craft shows and shops which are now all gone (I think). I didn't know anyone else ever did this, but they caught my eye in Exeter and I ended up buying 5 kits for Christmas decorations. The kits contain a dense polystyrene shape which you then pin sequins and beads to in the instructed pattern. Over the years Nan and I also made sequinned spider decorations and Fabrege eggs (and both those kits are still available today, much to my joy!).

When Nan underwent a double-amputation some years ago, many of the items we'd crafted together were lost, as she was rapidly forced to move from her family home of many years to a smaller, wheelchair-accessible flat. I bought these kits so I can make her some new ones as we're both very nostalgic about our crafting time and I honestly think she'll love them. Cross fingers!

16. Pom Poms

Pom poms to me as an adult are utterly pointless EXCEPT for use in embellishing handknits including the all-important wardrobe staple, the bobble hat. But we spent many a Saturday morning making the hugest pom poms known to man and they were very pleasing to the touch. We tried stripes, shapes and allsorts. Using only rings of cardboard and oddments of yarn.

OK now comes the big one so drumroll please....

17. KNITTING

A photo posted by Germs!!! (@gilbertbean) on

>Mum taught me to knit in between night shifts so I'd stop playing with her complex 80's Intarsia projects while she was asleep. You can imagine the mess. But Nan translated knitting patterns for me so that I could learn to make toys, and boy did I make toys. I insisted on making toys for everyone I knew. At age 12 I knitted one of the Jean Greenhowe nurses you see above for my grandfather who had, at the time succumbed to Asbestosis. But this was just one of at least 50 other toys (mainly Jean Greenhowe and Woman's Weekly/Alan Dart) I made and gave away, I very rarely kept any for myself. I didn't want them.

They took AGES back then. Where now I can happily whip out a toy in a week or two, back in the day they'd take several trips to Nan and Granddad's which added up to months and months on end. I'd take my knitting bag on long car drives to visit relatives, trips to the Isle of Wight and stays with childminders and aupairs.

Once I knitted so hard on Christmas Eve (10 hours I think it was, solid) to get gifts done that my right hand just ceased to work, and went on strike.

It was all worth it though and now I can call myself a pro knitter, with all of the above random crafts safely stored in my skull for when I want to come back to them. I often do. At the moment I'm big on cross stitch and beading but I'm sure it's not long before I flitter back to one of the others on the list.

Keep crafting, remember it is good for you and a great bonding experience for you and your loved ones. Look at all the memories it's made for me.