Knitting

Knitwear AW15 trends

| beth

Making something by hand takes time, patience and on occasion a bit of investment. If you’re going to spend 60+ hours knitting a sweater, you better make sure you’re gonna want to wear it at the end, and what’s more – it better stand the test of time.

I’m not the firmest follower of fashion. I tend to pick out my favourite ‘trends’ as the seasons and years go by, keeping them with me normally until they’ve passed out of fashion and back in again! When it comes to making my own knitwear, I tend to pick modern classic patterns. Not too off the wall, but with enough interest to not look like something I could’ve picked up from the highstreet. This way, I can pair my knits with loads of things in my wardrobe, to ensure I get the most flexibility and wear out of a garment. No one wants to spend £££’s on a handmade garment only to then have to spend even more £££’s buying stuff to go with it!

AW trends are my favourite, because it’s socially acceptable to wear chunky knits with arm-swamping sleeves! I’ve been taking a look at what’s in, and what I’m going to be taking forward to pair with my handmade knitwear. Bring on the winter! Continue reading →

A Q&A with Baa Baa Brighouse

| beth

This week’s Q&A comes from a company that embodies everything that we should be striving for in knitting – supporting local.

Baa Baa Brighouse was set up by Elaine Jinks-Turner in early 2014, and supplies a beautiful range of British dyed and spun yarns via an online shop. From the moment you click onto the homepage Baa Baa Brighouse’s main focus is abundantly clear – supporting and upholding the traditions of Yorkshire farmers, crafters, spinners and dyers alike.

The majority of the yarns on sale are from Yorkshire based spinners and dyers including Laura’s Loom and West Yorkshire Spinners. What’s more, with local Knit and Natter events and a monthly yarn club, Baa Baa Brighouse is greatly involved in sustaining Yorkshire’s rich textile heritage. Here, among other things, Elaine talks about how and why she set up her own creative business, the importance of supporting local indie traders and explains about the monthly yarn subscription Yan Tan Tethera Yarn Club!A Q&A with Baa Baa Brighouse - Jan 2015 Yarn Club - Shortrounds Knitwear Continue reading →

London – a photo diary

| beth

This weekend, me and Mr Shortrounds took a little day trip to the big smoke. Firstly to visit the Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an icon exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery (a must see – available until 18th October). Secondly for afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason!

With half a day planned out, and half a day left to our whim, we were left with six hours of sunny, Londonian time to fill. So we headed to Notting Hill and Portobello road, where we saw antiques a plenty – if you need to revamp your kitchen drawer knobs I’d recommend heading down this bustling high street. We then skipped over to Camden Passage to visit none other than Loop knitting shop, where I think I died and went to heaven!

All in all, I learned two things from our little trip-ette. Number one, the best days are left unplanned. Number two, ‘Knitting on a train’ is a much less exciting movie title compared to ‘Snakes on a plane’.

Happy knitting! x
Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Tea Continue reading →

A Q&A with Stitch & Story

| beth

Knitting’s been around for centuries. Literally AGES. It began with the Ancient Egyptians in the eleventh century, then burst onto the European scene in the twelfth and thirteenth century via France, Germany and Britain! So with such a long-standing, rich and varied tradition, how do you breathe new life into a craft that was at one time synonymous with ‘archaic’ and ‘old-fashioned’?!

That’s just what Jennifer Chan and Jen Hoang, Co-founders of Stitch & Story set out to do. Fed up with having to trawl the internet for a decent knitting pattern (we’ve all been there), both Jens set up shop – providing modern and fashionable knitting kits, top-quality 100% merino wool, as well as hosting their increasingly popular knitting workshops!DIY Knit Kits - Stitch & StoryAnd I’ve had the pleasure of asking Jennifer Chan a few questions this week! I’m a massive fan of this wonderful independent knitting company, whose sole mission is to bring stress-free knitting to both the ultimate beginner through to the most seasoned of experienced knitters. You can check out Stitch & Story’s amazing offering on their website, as well as follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Continue reading →