Circular Knitting: Attempt no. 1

So, Easter bank holiday, four sunny days ahead of me, I decided it was time to bite the bullet and have a bash at knitting a top in the round.

I found a dead easy (and free!) pattern on Ravelry, for a minimalist mohair top (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mohair-minimalist-top) thanks very much to Anna Kuduja for sharing!

Being in the current state of working through my yarn stash, I dived in, grabbed yarn at random as each ball got knitted up and this was the end result:

Remind you of something a little girl would wear? Yes. Me too. Never mind though, at least it fits a grown one! I even increased stitches as the top reached my hips, so it stays with my shape perfectly. It's just a bit of a shame about the colour choice, still, that's what you get for being too eager sometimes and I have since unraveled the top and am currently re-knitting into something a little more 'my age'.... well, maybe....

Backyard Market

~A few slighty more recent pics of my market stall, as I don't think I have posted some since those first wobbly days a year ago!

I am there every Sunday, in the Backyard Market on Brick Lance (opposite the Vibe Bar and next to 93 Feet East) 10am - 5pm.

After a year of permanent trading, it was so rewarding to have more than the one customer come and see me on Sunday, having purchased/admired my creations a year ago, for some more of the same!

I'm meeting more and more repeat customers as the weeks tick by and it really does make it worth it. Usually sat by my stall with a spot of knitting and sometimes even a cup of tea, I welcome a little chat from the punters so come and say hi, there's lots of other fantastic stalls to be seen too!

Simple (knitting) pleasures

It's always a nice welcome home to walk through the door and find the new knitting mag awaiting you! I have been subscribed to this magazine since I won a year's free subscription from the Student Textile Awards 2008.

Kettle on, pages flicked through, free tape measure admired and getting my head around their feature on 'steeks' (no, I'd never heard of it either!).

Roll on shiny summer days and more knitting in the garden, or, as I chose to last bank holiday, knitting on the roof!

Recycled Newspaper Bunting

Spring cleaning already? Kind of want to get rid of all those old magazines but can't seem to say goodbye? How about some recycled bunting to brighten up your garden this spring!

It can provide you with a few additional activities in case of boredom:

Even the cats like it...
I made this from one copy of an old Evening Standard I had lying around and a ball of unwanted garden string, which I chain stitched as a joining string for the triangles.

If you enoyed this then please visit www.laurabaxendale.co.uk for more reycled creations!

Good Things Come To Those Who Knit

There are a couple of things I would like to mention in this post, the first of which being how I spent my Friday:

As some of you may be aware, this weekend is the Stitch & Craft Show, going on from Thurs 17th - Sun 19th.

I spent a fantastic day there on Friday, doing my best to help out at the Knit One, Pass It On stand. We were on hand to teach beginners to knit, answer technical questions and generally chat knitting!

Please visit their website http://www.craftclub.org.uk/ to find out more about their campaign to get knitting back into schools, find crafty things near you and register as a volunteer (like moi!).

I met some lovely new people, discovered a few local knitting groups to me, caught up with some familiar faces and passed on a few of my sock knitting techniques!

All of this is co-run/organised by the UK Hand Knitting Association. It really is worth going onto their website http://www.ukhandknitting.com/ as they are a fantastic organisation!

I first became aware of the UK Hand Knittng Association when I became a finalist (and then a little winner, too!) of the UK Textile Award in 2008, which they were organising.

I spoke to many people over the course of these shows, so it can be an impossible task to recall individual conversions. However, last month I recieved a very lovely e-mail, from an even lovelier lady Pam, whom I spoke to a the Harrogate show.

It started with the usual knitting banter (can't get enough of it!) and turned out we both came from the same town. A few years down the line.... She has moved back there and very kindly offered her Brother KH-881 knitting machine, with an ambundance of accessories, absolutely free!

I cannot put into words how touched I was by this, not only had she held onto my business card (I would have misplaced it a few months down the line!) but all she asked is that I make use of it... Oh, I can certainly manage that! Pictures will follow soon; it has been in my possession for almost a week now and today is knitting machine set up day!

You really do meet the best characters and some genuinely lovely people at these shows. It never ceases to amaze me what a small world it is - very cliche I know, but so true.

So, many thanks to Pam, the UK Hand Knitting Association, Craft Club, Fred Knitty and all the people I spoke to at the show yesterday!

Enough typing from me, I've got some knitting to do!

From Paris, With (some knitted) Love

Hand knitted heart, in beautiful shades of maroon, purple and lilac, hanging from a hand sewn bow; created using second hand Parisien lace I personally bought back to London and gave a home, to save it from the fate of a bin. All of this on a luxurious & natural cord, hand knitted from a mixture of hemp & bamboo.

Currently priced at only £15

E-mail me now at info@laurabaxendale.co.uk to purchase or find out more.

Custom colours available.

A few words on new knits and bits

It has been a small while now since my last blog; not to mention any major website update. I have been busy with many things; include a change of residence and set up of a new creative studio space.

Most importantly, however, is that I have been busy working on many new creations; knitting has taken the reigns on my work and the variety of textile surfaces are beginning to form a satisfying mix. Obviously I am still working with recycled materials and have revisted past techniques to include wire, linens, hemp, bamboo, acyrlic and natural wool and even a flast of recycled French lace.

A sneak of a these will be posted shortly, then during the next few months will begin to appear on my website.

Keep peaking back!