Keep Warm

It's getting really cold in London now, we even had a tiny bit of snow yesterday! The other day I was heading home from a trip to Covent Garden, when I spotted this post-it someone had stuck to a shop window. Made me smile.

Knitted Wallpaper

I really didn't expect that I would like knitted wallpaper, but there is something so very nice about this...
I read about it here

Crocheted Bracelet

I'm getting into crocheting with this special French cotton thread, I bought a while ago. It can get a little fiddly, but I think the end result is worth the effort. The buttons are from my local haberdashery (my favourite English word) shop, they have the most beautiful selection of buttons.

This bracelet will go up on Etsy this week, along with a few other similar and the wrist warmers.

I'm off to see the Gauguin exhibition at the Tate Modern now.

Moxy Crochet

I've just discovered this inspiring project from South Africa, where a group of seven crocheters each make granny squares, which are then sewn together by Laura Summs and sold on their website. Because the individual pieces can be made at home, it means that the crocheters save on transport and are able to be with their families while still earning some money.

There is something very special about a blanket that has been made for you by someone else, and this is even more special as the money goes to a good cause.

I wish I had known about this before my trip to SA in October, I would definitely have contacted Laura. It would be great to somehow do a collaboration project with them here in the UK...

I found it here.

Caro Baubles

My friend Carolyn inspired me to make these, hence the name! It took me ages to work out the perfect pattern, I nearly gave up as I wasn't in a very patient mood this weekend - I'm glad I persevered though, they're really fun to make.

I got the pattern from here. The invisible decreasing she uses is really great.

To make them smaller or bigger, simply make less or more increasing and decreasing rounds - also, reduce the rounds in the middle; so for the small bauble I made the initial six stitches, increased for two rounds, then made three rounds of single crochet, then decreased for three rounds.

Knitted Butterflies

Kate Jenkins is a Brighton based artist who makes almost anything out of wool. I love these knitted butterflies from her shop cardigan.

Knit, Stitch & Hook

I'll be running crochet classes during November and December, please contact me on knitstitchandhook@gmail.com, or comment on this post for more information. You can also learn more on the Facebook page and here.

Mini Granny Square

I've been doing a bit of crochet with this beautiful embroidery thread I bought in Luxembourg. This brooch is one of the things I made.

Crocheted Up-Cycling

I made this last night by crocheting a cylinder to fit around an old glass jar. I'm thinking of a few ways to make this into storage jars - maybe with some embroidery or some "windows" in the crochet to let you know what's inside. Or maybe even some Christmas inspired ones, that can be used for table decorations and vases.

For the moment it will just be used to store my crochet hooks.

Flat Envy

Seeing this flat really made me miss living in Berlin. These Altbau apartments are just so beautiful, I love the ceilings, the floor, the doors and everything else about them. You can see more photos here.

When I was living in Berlin, I had an Altbau and I loved the sounds the floor made when you walked on it, the way the door closed and it just had this amazing feeling/atmosphere about it.

I ♥ Crochet

This year, my parents and sister are coming to London to celebrate Christmas in my flat. It's the first time ever that we have celebrated Christmas in London and I'm really looking forward to it. Since I've never hosted Christmas before, I don't have any decorations so I've started making some. My only rules are that they must be made from recycling, materials I already have or can get for free, ideally they also have to flat-pack, as I really want to avoid having a box of stuff lying around for 11 months of the year.

I'm quite happy with these hearts. They're so quick to make and a good way to use left-over yarn. The pattern can be found here.

Wrist Warmers

I made these wrist warmers over the weekend. I enjoy making them as it doesn't require much attention and I can finish the crocheting part of it, in the time it takes to watch a film. It's best to watch a film that you don't need to look at all the time; like a film you've seen before or a cheesy Rom-Com. This weekend I watched I Am Love - the cinematography is absolutely stunning and it's subtitled, so I definitely can't recommend it as a crochet film.

The motifs are embroidered using cross-stitch and come from traditional Scandinavian knitting patterns.

Nice goodbyes

My friend Andrew has been staying with me for a couple of days. He left this morning to fly back to Australia where he lives. I really hate goodbyes but I found this little note by my desk after he had left - and that's a nice goodbye!

More Norwegian...

The Norwegians are clever people!
I love the concept behind this knitting clock by Norwegian Designer sirene lise wilhelmsen

The 365 knitting clock was made to measure and register time in a three-dimensional form. Every passing of a half hour is marked by the knitting of a mesh, a full day is registered as one round around the clock and a year results in a 2 meter long scarf.

Pouf Pattern

There are just too many things that I would like to make! I found this pattern for a knitted pouf on the Norwegian website Pickles and I had to add it to my list of things I must try to make. It's definitely a lot cheaper than buying one ready-made here - they are very nice though.

Norwegian knits

I love traditional Norwegian knitting patterns, it always reminds me of skiing holidays as a kid and the crisp and cosy Scandinavian winters. It seems I'm not the only one who is fond of the pattern, D&G's recent collections featured lots of variations on the Norwegian pattern (the picture is taken from here)



While I was looking for Norwegian knit inspiration for a new project I'm working on, I also found these beautiful lamps by the Norwegian designer ida noemi vidal . They would look just perfect in the Norwegian cottage I plan on once owning, next to the open fireplace where my dog will be sleeping...

Leafy art

Autumn is my favourite season. I love watching the leaves turn yellow and red from the window of a warm and cosy flat or walking through piles of leaves in the park wearing holding a warm cup of coffee, wearing woolly gloves and hat.

I missed the beginning of Autumn, as I spent two beautiful weeks in South Africa last month. While there, I came across some beautiful jewelery made by local artist Nic Wells who casts flowers and leaves in silver. I also came across some leaf cut-outs by Mitsuru Koga here - so pretty.

The Big Knit

I just found out about this through my friend Elle. All through winter the Innocent drinks can be bought with a woolen knitted hat, if you buy one 25p will go to the Age Concern charity. The hats have been knitted by people all over the country, many of them by people who are connected to Age Concern. Lovely idea to get people knitting for a good cause.

Dead Drops

Street art has always fascinated me and when I came across this on www.swiss-miss.com I instantly loved it! Aram Bartholl has been installing USB drives into walls in New York City to encourage people to share files offline. Anyone is invited to go to these places, plug your laptop into the wall post or pick up files.

If you're in NYC you'll find a USB drive at these five places:
87 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (Makerbot)
Empire Fulton Ferry Park, Brooklyn, NY (Dumbo)
235 Bowery, NY (New Museum)
Union Square, NY (Subway Station 14th St)
540 West 21st Street, NY (Eyebeam)

Crayon Rings

I never wear any jewelery on my hands, haven't for years, but I could definitely be tempted to wear one of these rings by Timothy Liles.

They are made by casting ordinary crayons into rings.

Knitted Dog

Two of my favourite things!!

There are lots more here.

P.S. Thanks again Rodrigo!

Stitch Lamp

The knitted lamp, I posted over the weekend, got me thinking, so I've been doing a bit of research and found a lampshade that you can embroider with your own design. Lovely! I've been thinking a bit about kids and craft lately and this would be such a nice way to get kids into crafts; designing and embroidering a lamp for their room.

Found it here.