Hooked

In February of 2010, Lesley and I did an interview for the UK handmade blog and the final question we were both asked was 'If you had time to learn a new skill, what would it be?'. Lesley answered 'Tatting' and my answer was : 'crocheting – using vintage thread of course. Also bookkeeping, I need all the help I can get with that one!'

The brain splinter I had the whole time was to be able to make vintage looking five petalled flowers in faded old threads to include in Medieval/Victorian workbox inspired accessories. I think I'd got the idea from these lace samples I'd bought at a vintage fair.

Well this Christmas I'd asked for 'The Happy Hooker' book and I bought a set of hooks from ebay but still to no avail, I just couldn't wrap my yarn around it! Once again the crochet got shelved and I resigned myself to a skill unmastered. Until my lovely friend Sharon stepped in. Almost immedietely on our arrival for tea at her house, she put a hook, some sparkly yarn and a glass of white in my hand and informed me quite bluntly that I was not leaving until I had made a granny square. She knew all along that she could teach me but I was a little resistant, I'd tried and tried after all and my loops were still tight and my yarn was still split. But with a quiet, smiling certainty Sharon insisted that if I followed her instructions I could do it - anyone can.

She firmly corrected me when I screwed it up, when I got it right she encouraged me in a 'Of course that's right - it's that simple' kind of a way and one glass later I had a 3" piece of very wobbly double crochet in sparkly teal wool. OK then, moving on - straight headlong into the granny square, guess what - it's easy! My friend's approach is that she is 'sharing' rather than teaching, she has discovered something joyful and firmly insists to the most unsuspecting people that they share in the joy. The yarn and hook is presented as both a gift and as a  binding contract between giver and receiver and you feel unable to fail. And she is right, we DO need crochet like we need those new boots or NY vanilla cheesecake, we will forgo sleep for it and work on a blanket in public unashamed.

As you can see I have now completed my first project with the balls of James C Brett Twinkle as bequeathed by my tutor, mentor and possibly my religious leader! My knee rug is 120cm square and used up more or less every scrap of Twinkle Yarn I had. I have since met some amazing crochetists and discovered some wonderful online resources. I'm never going to be in their league I don't think, I will always be a fabric and thread kind of a girl at heart, but what about my vintage flowers? Well using this wonderful tutorial from Applehead, they too are becoming a reality! I am definitely needing some even smaller hooks than the 2mm one I have used so far and I may also need a magnifier if I'm honest, but my first attempts are encouraging and I am looking forward to combining them with some old pearl beads and bronze findings to combine my new skill with some Wychbury style!

Happy Hooking!
Paula x

Many thanks to Sharon Lambert, Chrissie Freeth at The Yorkshire Craft Co. , Christine Harvey of Rose Cottage Crafts, and the Attic 24 blog which is amazing!

Is it Spring yet?

It's nearly still light at tea time, my table is covered in spring flowers...still feels like Winter though! I'm making hair clips like the clappers this week while I wait for supplies to come in for other stuff, it's nice to be working with the flowers again but blimey it's still freezation! 

Paula x

New Design Pincushion Rings

I've made a series of these rings with single image designs of animals and birds. They are taken from a gorgeous linen mix fabric from Japan by Etsuko Furuya - the design is called 'Ornament'. Each image is surrounded by a wreath of stylised flowers and fits perfectly to the size of my ring designs. So far I have made hares and gulls but ponies and squirrels will also be available soon! Sadly there is a fair bit of fabric waste of the blank ground between the design elements so I will need to find a way of using them up in other designs.

The fabric itself is a more open weave to the patchwork cotton I normally use so there is a gorgeous tactile quality to the sticking in of the pins. The cushions are packed tight with quilting wadding so have a really happy level of resist to the pin points.

I've also had loads of fun creating new ornamental pins for the rings. As usual I am hooked on the idea of the mini hatpin and was delighted to discover those lovely aluminium roses and filigree beads in a perfect 6mm size.

A customer has recently requested a brooch version of the pincushion rings and I am delighted to reveal that this will soon be a reality - several designs of brooches and pendants will soon be available.

Happy pinning!
Paula x

Comfort Sewing.

Autumnal poppy fascinator bands., originally uploaded by Wychbury.

My loft studio is often cold in winter and I drive my entire family batty by gradually migrating downstairs through the course of the season! What I have noticed in recent weeks is that my style of working has altered to accomodate this, right down to the type of pieces I am designing and producing. My Remembrance Poppies involve only handstitching and no machine so can be produced curled up on the sofa with a blanket and a cuppa!
The Poppy range went mad this year and all I seemed to do for weeks was to sew black seed beads onto deep red flowers. What was suprising to me was that rather than being bored I was actually rather comforted by continuously repeating the processes of making such a familiar and well loved design.
Designing and making individual pieces, although inspiring is sometimes daunting to me too. What if no one likes it? What was I thinking? That was really hard to make - is it worth it? The poppies though, no such worries. The are beautifully tactile, richly coloured, tried and tested and honestly - a delight to make. I'd already dipped my toe in the idea of producing other versions of the Poppy design through the Ghost Poppy/Grey Lady Fascinator band I made around Halloween time so when Goose and the Moose Gallery at Malton asked for more fascinators in other colours, it seemed a good time to make some more. I love the big faceted bead on the the 2011 Remembrance Poppies so ordered some other colours with a view to making some rich, Autumnal combinations. I've also used bugle beads instead of seed beads on some designs to add to the opulance of the design for the Christmas season.
These fascinators have gone off to Malton now but I feel I have a new reason to stay by the fire and am producing corsages in these designs. These will be available shortly on Folksy and Etsy as well as our fantastic stockists all over Yorkshire.
Keep warm this winter, grab your work box, put the kettle on and get comfy!

Paula x