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Knitting Mag February
A pretty impressive ‘Knitting’ magazine this month (February’s edition) it’s gone all vintage, using the land girls as its inspiration and including an article by vintage knitting champion Susan Crawford (one of her lovely patterns also features).
Patterns include a great 40s-inspired fair isle tank top, a gents military-style cardigan (which Mr Skiff has got his eye on) and cool satchel-style bag. Must admit, not many knitting magazines inspire me to pick up my needles but this one’s making my fingers itch …
My Knit a Poppy Effort (any likeness between me and the model purely coincidental)
It’s not too late to show your respect in knitted form for those who fell in the great wars (and continue to fall in more recent wars). This wonderful poppy brooch pattern costs £2 to download from Knit On The Net, all proceeds go to the Poppy Appeal (the pattern is only available until midnight on 12th November 2009 so not long to go now).
I think it’s a rather apt way to express your remembrance, particularly appropriate as the ‘Make Do & Mend’ ethos from the WWII era is so relevant and popular today (fortunately for us for different reasons). Knit on the Net have raised over £500 so far - help them push it up to £1000.
P.S. 2 days on and the total is up to £1980 - keep going!
Elsa Schiaparelli's Bowknot Sweater
Ever since I saw a sketch of Elsa Schiaparelli’s beautiful trompe l’oeil bowknot sweater in a 1930s Stitchcraft, I’ve been trying to work out how to recreate it for myself but couldn’t get my head around the unusual looking texture … should’ve known the pattern was already out there. Not only that, you can download it for free from Schoolhouse Press. It was adapted by Lisa Stockebrand from the Philadelphia Museum of Art (prior to an exhibition in 2003) to accommodate a more modern fit, and suggests you use Jamieson & Smith 2-ply.
I like a challenge which is lucky as it doesn’t look easy - La Schiap used a special double layered stitch created by Armenian refugees whereby you hold the main color in your right hand and knit with it as in “American” style knitting, then carry the contrasting color in left hand as in “Continental” style knitting (and that’s only part of it). Inevitably and thankfully there’s a specific Ravelry ‘Schiaparelli Bowknot Group’ to help you through the tough spots.
Italian Schiaparelli was heavily influenced by the surrealist and Dadaist art, counting Cocteau, Dali and Giacometti amongst her collaborators. This sweater, along with her shoe hat, is one of her most influential pieces.
As ever, I want to get started on it immediately. There’s just the small matter of two other jumpers I’ve been extremely close to finishing for a while now, another one I’ve just started and a nasty case of knitter’s elbow to overcome dammit. Still, I’ve waited this long, what’s another couple of weeks/months/years?
Fragrant Theatre Characters
I’m writing this feature with a certain amount of jealousy. The subject is the incredibly gifted and prolific Maker/Artist Ana-Luisa de Cavilla Scrutton who goes under the name of Running Hare. We’ve been selling some of her gorgeous hand-sewn items and gifts in the shop since she introduced herself with a box full of one-off Christmas decorations … needless to say we quickly sold out. She has this way with a needle which makes each item look like it’s been sketched in thread by an artist with an impressionist’s eye, and each one is completely unique. The use of sustainable, natural, organic materials combined with vintage fabrics and trimmings add to that individual feel.
I think what really makes her stand out is her choice of subjects … Punch & Judy and ‘Noah and his family’ sit alongside gardeners and shepherds at work, without a hint of rural tweeness.
Favourites? I’m spoilt for choice, but I love the ‘fragrant theatre characters’ series (main picture) and the linen hare buttons.
Did I mention she also paints and sketches? Some people are just born with it … if you’re stuck for gifts, chances are you’ll find something special on the Running Hare website.
Toy Car Launcher
Yes that’s right, it launches cars. Go on, the weekend’s not over yet, this would really make you feel like you’d done something cool with your time instead of wasting it spending time outdoors having fun with your family and friends, building happy memories. All that stuff’s over-rated.
You know you want to … instructions to make one here.
Robson & Mason's basket of needles
Browsing through the wonderful Made in England site on a recommendation from Mr W (being geeky and admiring the animated icon) and came across a link to a great haberdashery site I’d forgotten about - Robson & Mason. Great site, easy to use, lovely trimmings missus.
Check out the vintage basket needles & threader.
Laura's Left Hook
There aren’t many things that make me want to pick up a hooked needle, but this is one of them - what a cool way to crochet. I’d like to experiment with these, doing them in different fonts, maybe even some joined up handwriting, but then I am a rotten geek.
Alright I know I said no more trying to be clever with the titles, but it made me laugh. Sock … Rock? Oh forget it, it was tenuous anyway. A friend recommended this wonderful site, Cardigan in Brighton. Seems to be getting a good deal of recognition now - good on ‘em. Check out these gorgeous butterflies - ties in this Wunderkammer stuff occupying a small drawer in my head at the mo.
Off to France on holiday for a couple of weeks - knackered but reinspired at the mo, hope to come back refreshed and raring to craft.
I keep seeing all these lovely retro fabrics crop up on ebay in the American ‘Fat Quarter’ measurements so I decided to search them out for myself straight from the source. They are, of course, from America and the variety is dazzling. Quilting is so huge over there and I’m warming up to the idea. Not a huge fan of the traditional patchwork stuff as I think I’ve mentioned before, but I like the idea of some tastefully put together fabrics with a beautiful sewn design.
Hugely envious of their choice in the US, so with the dollar so weak against the pound right now I ordered a selection myself from the fabulous eQuilter. My order came through the other day and although I had to pay duty on it, it still worked out pretty reasonable so I think I’ll try it again soon. Haven’t used the fabric for anything yet, but keep getting it down from the shelf and cooing over it. Must get out more.
![Sirdar \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-363.jpg "Sirdar \")
![Easily Made \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-362.jpg "Easily Made \")
![Emu \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-361.jpg "Emu \")
![Greenock \](http://www.skiffvintageknittingpatterns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thumbnails/thumb-360.jpg "Greenock \")