Thoughts from the Bus Stop

A Close-Knit Couple

Look at who's come to live with me - aren't they cute? They are Russian originally, but came to me from California, via Etsy seller Glamourama. They make me smile.
 

A kaleidoscope of colourful knitwear: Jóhanna av Steinum

Browsing the website of the NICE Festival of Nordic Art and Culture, I came across this amazing knitwear by Jóhanna av Steinum, which is being exhibted at The Bluecoat in Liverpool.

Johanna is a fashion knitwear designer from the Faroe Islands – a small group of islands in the North Atlantic Sea, famous for having twice as many sheep as people and a strong tradition for knitting. Her garments are made by women from the Faroes and the Ukraine, where knitting is also an important part of the heritage.

Just look at the unihibted use of colour and pattern - great styling on this shoot, too. It makes me want to go and raid my cupboards for an outfit full of clashing colours and textures - or maybe chop up three patterned jumpers from the charity shop to make myself a new sweater dress... mmmmmmm!!!

All images (c) Steinum.net

 

64-knit colour: Biggan Yarns

At last, I've stumbled across a high-quality DK yarn with comes in loads of bright colours! Normally if I want bright colours I have to use 100% acrylic yarns, which are nice and cheap - great for making toys but not nice enough to use for clothing.

Biggan yarns come in 64 (!) colours and are a machine-washable 100% merino wool which is soft enough to wear against the skin. Biggan Design was founded by Swedish designer Biggan Dups. It's based in Australia, but you can buy Biggan yarn in the UK via Woolaballoo, for about £5 per 50g. I am sooo tempted to order two dozen different colours and crochet myself a beautiful shawl!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Terry Hall & Damon Albarn - Chasing A Rainbow *

Both images (c) Biggan Design 2009

The Hesitant Hooker

I've finally done it. I've learnt to crochet!!! I'd tried learning from a book and ended up with a right mess, so I figured I'd be better off learning from a real person and booked up for a 2-hour 'Learn To Crochet'' workshop at Hove Museum. And here is My First Granny Square!

Our tutor was Jan Eaton, who has written loads of books about crochet. She was great, and explained the mysteries of foundation rings and turning chains, making them much less scary. I made another square when I got home, but I went wrong - didn't put enough stitches in the corners - see?

But the good thing was that using the pattern and diagrams Jan had given us, I could identify the mistake and correct it! It was so great to have learned a new skill - obviously I'm doing the crochet equivalent of playing 'Chopsticks' on the piano, but it's still exciting seeing a granny square take shape!

I'm hoping to crochet myself a granny square blanket to put over my sofa (if only if came out like Lucy at Attic 24's!). And I've got Debbie Stoller's book Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker to move me on to (slightly) more complex projects - it's got a lovely light-hearted feel to it which helps to make learning the various stitches seem far less daunting. Look Mum, I'm a hooker!!!

Knitted Christmas post box

Finally got round to finishing my Christmas postbox! So it will spend a few weeks on top of my wardrobe with my other Christmas decs and then reappear in December. I love postboxes, couldn't resist this pattern. If you want to make your own, it's 'Clarence the Christmas Postbox' from Jean Greenhowe's Celebration Clowns booklet, which is out of print but easy to find on eBay.
 

Queen Victoria doll for Mum

 

Mum's really interested in Queen Victoria, so for her birthday I knitted her this doll of old Victoria in her mourning clothes. Once again I based the doll on Jean Greenhowe's Little Gift Dolls pattern, using the skirt from the Christmas Tree Fairy and the cuffs from Miss Valentine. The widow's cap I made using the veil pattern from the Summer Mouse in the Knitted Animals booklet.

I made Victoria necklaces of pearls and crystals, and pearl earrings, and a mourning brooch with Albert's cameo on it. The crown was knitted in silver crochet thread, using Jean Greenhowe's 'picot hem' pattern, and I sewed on crystal beads. Does her face look amused?
 

All images in this post (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

New knitting booklet from Jean Greenhowe!

Queen of knitted toys, Jean Greenhowe, has a new booklet out this week. Dolly Mixtures is a collection of 9 inch dolls, including a snowman, a pirate boy, a flower seller girl and a Christmas elf.

It's been ages since she's had new stuff out so I was excited to see this, but I must admit I'm a wee bit disappointed that it's another book of large dolls - they're cute but a quite similar to dolls already included in previous JG booklets. But I am a JG addict so will still be buying it!

All images in this post (c) Jean Greenhowe 2009

Shelter's House of Cards (and... vote for me!)

Duck House (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter is running a campaign called House of Cards, to highlight the plight of thousands of people whose homes have been repossessed, and the lack of sufficient social housing.

A TV ad (below) has been produced to promote the campaign and Shelter has asked 52 artists and designers to created artwork for each card of a deck of playing cards. Their designs will be exhibited at the Haunch of Venison art gallery, and auctioned in aid of Shelter.

Shelter has run a competition to design the deck's Eight of Clubs, and this (above) is my entry. I've made the eights 'clubs' into trees, around a figure-of-eight pond, with ducks and a duck house, as a nod to the recent 'MP's expenses' furore. It's paper collage on a handknitted background. All entries are being put to a public vote online from 21 to 29 August - so if you like my design, I'd really appreciate it if you'd vote 'Love It'! :)

* SONG OF THE DAY: Orbital - I Wish I Had Duck Feet *

Knit a Poem

Poet Ian McMillan (3rd from left) with Poetry Society staff (c) Poetry Society

The Poetry Society are celebrating their centenary by creating a knitted poem! They haven't yet revealed which poem it will be, but they have over 700 people at work creating the individual letter squares which will make up the 40-foot poem. It will be displayed in October.

They're still looking for volunteers to knit or crochet the blank squares between the letters and the edging of the poem - to receive your knitting or crochet pack, email Rebecka Mustajarvi: officeassistant AT poetrysociety.org.uk

Photos: Alison Friday, Hazel Buchan Cameron, Bob Coe, Tracy Farr and Megan Fernandes

6th September - EDITED TO ADD: And here's my square - a lovely soft pink blank (Rowan Pure DK in Tea Rose). They ask you to put your name, town and favourite poem on the back. - wonder if I'll be able to spot it from the front in the finished article?

 

Casting Off: A Coat for a Boat

Via the Simply Knitting newsletter: A traditional wooden boat in an unusual knitted coat will be on display at The Customs House, South Shields, from 12 Jun - 21 Jul 2009. Artist Ingrid Wagner worked with Esen Kaya, visual arts development officer at the Custom House and lots of knitters to create the fabric to cover the boat.

School children, college kids and knitters of all ages and abilities have been busy working on all sorts of accessories for the boat. Over 300 knitters have been involved with the project, both locally and from around the world. The boat was built by the Northeast Maritime Trust. On 12 July it will be launched into the Tyne!  More...

What Is Knitting Really?

Excerpt from 'Soft Options: The Knitting Kaleidoscope' - created in 1985 for The Knitting Craft Group of the British Handknitting Association; now in The Knitting & Crochet Guild Collection.

I've seen Coraline!!

Sarah (here giving you her 'button eyes'), Mister Sarah and I went to an advance screening of Coraline on Saturday, and it was fab - colourful and creepy and full of amazing handmade details, including Althea Crome's unbelievably tiny knitting (see below).

We hadn't realised it was in 3D - we got given the glasses on the way in - and it made the film even more of an adventure. There's a bit in the opening sequence where a needle passes through a piece of fabric and comes straight out of the screen at you - we actually ducked! It's quite scary in parts too - a couple of smaller kids were taken out by their parents when the Other Mother started turning nasty.

For all things Coraline, check out the official Coraline website, and fanblog Evil Buttons. Book-wise, there's a Coraline: A Visual Companion, all about the production of the movie, and of course the original novel and graphic novel.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Johnny Tillotson - Poetry In Motion *

Also:
Empire: Interviews Coraline author Neil Gaiman
Empire: Interviews Coraline director Henry Selick
Movies.Ie: Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French talk about their voice work on Coraline
Village Voice: Stephin Merritt and David Greenspan Conjure an Unusual Tuner for Coraline

Obama knitted doll

 
Image (c) Kristen Bailey 2009 

This yarn-based homage to US's 44th president was a special request for my friend's sister, who is a big fan (most of us are!) and will be giving him a good home in Cardiff (ooh, maybe he'll bump into Jack Harkness!).

He's based on Jean Greenhowe's Little Gift Doll pattern. Caffaknitted's fab Obama doll is a better likeness, but I've not yet tried knitting in the round and didn't want my first attempt to be on someone's birthday pressie!

The Mysterious Yarn Daisy Maker

  

I pulled this little paper bag - 'FREE Daisy Maker with the compliments of Woman's Own' - out of a basket of haberdashery stuff in the charity shop, looked inside and thought, "What the heck is this?!" I bought it and came home to get online and do some detective work.

It came as a 'flat pack' - you fold the pegs back so they stand up, then push the disc down so it fits between the outer and inner pegs. And that's a Daisy Maker!

But what do I do with it?! I found these 'instructions for crazy daisy yarm winders', and a 1948 crazy daisy winder pattern book, which might help but I think refer to a slightly different device.

Then I started getting somewhere - I found my daisy maker included in this fantastic list of yarn daisy makers and looms (mine is a '1000 flowers loom'). It's the work of Sarah Bradberry, whose extensive Knitting-and website is just fabulous - a real labour of love. She's also assembled a Daisy Looms and Winders set on Flickr.

Cathy of California's blog is packed with yarn daisy info and colourful photos, and her Etsy shop sells vintage yarn flower looms. There are other vintage looms popping up on Etsy and Ebay from time to time, or there is a loom currently available called the Knit-Wit.

OK, enough natter - I need to go and try this daisymaking lark myself... watch this space.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Daisy, Daisy... *

Knitting for UK charity: Teddies for Tragedies

I've just finished knitting my first Teddies for Tragedies bear. He'll be given to a child who needs comfort or something to love. Each bear is knitted to the same basic pattern so that no bear is 'better' than any other - as the website says:

"Don't deviate from the pattern, all teddies are different but none should be superior (no skirts or hats, stripes are OK in moderation, especially if you're using up duller colours). Think of it this way - we all want our teddy to be the best but do we want the child who doesn't get our teddy to be disappointed?"

The legs, body and head are knitted in one long piece (see below) and the arms are knitted onto this main piece. This is fairly quick to knit up - just follow the instructions carefully so the bears are well-made, safe and durable - you can send a sample bear to be checked for suitability if you're unsure. You'll also need to run up a simple drawing bag for the bear to live in - again, follow the instructions.

I've made a Teddies for Tragedies group on Flickr to collect photos of finished bears, and hopefully of the bears with their new owners!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Roachford - Cuddly Toy *

Bus gets yarnbombed!

The Knitta Please bus in Mexico City

In probably my favourite yarnbombing incident so far, guerilla knitting heroes Knitta Please have covered an old Japanese bus in knitting and parked in Mexico City. I feel some Brighton 'n' Hove-based mischief coming on... ;)

Also:
The Yarnbombing Blog
The Telegraph, 21 Jan 2009: Knitters turn to graffiti artists with 'yarnbombing'
Flickr: Yarnbombing groups

Coraline: Her Handmade World

Trailer for 'Coraline', via YouTube

I hadn't heard of Neil Gaiman's children's book Coraline before, but now a movie version has been made I'm getting up to speed. I got the book out of the library and can't wait for the film's UK release (not til May!).

The story is a sort of sinister Alice In Wonderland - Coraline finds a door in her house which leads to a parallel world the same as her own, but seemingly better - she even has 'other' parents... who have buttons for eyes and may not be as friendly as they first seem...

There's a lot of buzz about the film in the crafting community, as it's a stop-motion animation with sets and characters all created by hand, including a cherry orchard made from pieces of popcorn sprayed pink!

The most gobsmacking creations are the pieces of miniature knitting by Althea Crome - see her in action here.

Coraline is directed by stop-motion supremo Henry Selick, (who did The Nightmare Before Christmas, and James And The Giant Peach) and has the most fantastic companion website where you can spend hours exploring Coraline's world(s). 

Watch the behind-the-scenes films in the Theatre, Create A Flower, Have Your Tea Leaves Read, or  - if you dare - Button Your Eyes!

Also:
Mouse Circus, the offical Neil Gaiman website for younger readers.

The Great British PicKnit with Shaun the Sheep

 

Sarah and I spent this afternoon at the Creative Stitches show at the Brighton Centre, and got to see the finished Great British PicKnit. 

The project is supported by Aardman Animations (together with the UK Hand Knitting Association, Simply Knitting magazine and ICHF exhibitions) and the star of the piece is Aardman's own ovine knitter, Shaun the Sheep.

The longer we looked, the more details we spotted - the robin in the tree, the pop bottle knitted from clear plastic, the chicks fighting over a worm, Shaun's iPod! It was fantastic - a real labour of love by hundreds of knitters.

It continues its tour in March and April, visiting Glasgow, Birmingham and Liverpool.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Henry Hall & His Orchestra - The Teddy Bears' Picnic *

 

 

All images (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

Windowsill snowman

Windowsill snowman. All images (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

I can't remember the last time we had proper snow in Brighton - it must be years ago. Usually we get a dusting which is gone by midday, but today we have real proper snow! So I decided to build a snowman.

I live on the second floor, so the only place I could build was on one of my snow-covered windowsills. He's only small (7 inches high) but perfectly turned out, in a mini hat and scarf set I had made to go on an unfinished Christmas toy.

I gave him button eyes, beads for his mouth, more buttons down his front, and used some rotten bits of windowframe wood for his arms. Cute huh?

* SONG OF THE DAY: Low - Just Like Christmas *

 

Knitted sofa covers by Nicki Trench

Nicki Trench's sofa, from the Dec 2008 issue of Good Homes

This lovely sofa, entirely covered in candy-striped knitting, belongs to craft tutor and author Nicki Trench, whose home was featured in December's Good Homes magazine. Gorgeous eh? Must have involved some seriously dedicated needle-wielding...

* SONG OF THE DAY: James - Sit Down *

Psychiatrist knits anatomically correct woolly brain

Photo: BARCROFT MEDIA

The Telegraph: Psychiatrist knits anatomically correct woolly brain
"The two sides of the nine inch brain - one and a half times life size - are joined together by a zip with the cerebellum knitted in blue and spinal cord trailing off in white strands of wool..."

* SONG OF THE DAY: Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science *

Pensioner knits over 100 woolly breasts

Audrey and daughter Rhona producing their knitted breasts (photo Terry Applin)

Lovely story this, from our local paper The Argus (thanks, The Blonde):

"WHEN it comes to knitting most people would settle for a pair of gloves, socks or possibly a jumper. But Audrey Horncastle prefers to spend her time on something a little more exotic. For more than three years the industrious 84-year-old has churned out more than 100 knitted breasts... "

The crafting community has been knitting these boobs for a while now - they are to help teach new mothers how to breastfeed, as knitted 'breasts' are far cheaper than the synthetic models which surgeries have to buy... and less scary-looking! 

You can get the 'breast' knitting pattern on the website of the Lactation Consultants of Great Britain (pdf).

Machine-knitted music video

Video for 'Les peaux de lièvres' by Tricot Machine, via YouTube

Via I Knit: I can't imagine how long it must have taken to design, knit and animate the 700+ pieces of machine knitting which make up this promo video for French-Canadian band Tricot Machine (knitting machine).

The knitting was done by done by Lysanne Latulippe, a Montreal designer who has her own label, Majolie - slinky knitwear with gorgeous graphic patterns.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Weezer - Undone: The Sweater Song *

Superpig!

(c) Kristen Bailey, 2009

By day. this little piggy is a shy retiring chap, but by night, he is...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
(work with me)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

 
(c) Kristen Bailey, 2009

....SUPERPIG!!!!! This porcine superhero is off to live with my friend's son Ben. And use his powers for good. (And support West Ham?)

RAF Airman knitted doll for Dad

Knitted RAF sergeant (c) Kristen Bailey, 2008

Let me introduce to Sergeant Bailey of the Royal Air Force - aka Dad. I knitted him for Dad's Christmas present using Jean Greenhowe's Little Gift Doll pattern as a starting point, then poring at old photos and Googling for info about RAF badges.

Dad went into the RAF as a teenager, and served for 22 years. He left when I was eight years' old, and I still remember him going off for his shift in his scratchy blue jumper with his sergeant's stripes buttoned onto the shoulders. I've knitted him in his dress uniform, which he got married in and wore for posh 'mess' dinners. I embroidered him a set of chevrons (indicating rank) for his sleeves, and sewed on a tiny printed and laminated cap badge, and another showing his 'trade' badge for Signals, a fist grasping bolts of lightning. Dad loved it. He was speechless at first - usually a good sign! Then he took his Mini-Me off to church for the show-and-tell at the Christmas service!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane *

P-p-p-pick up a penguin!*

 
Wintery Penguin (c) Kristen Bailey, 2008

I made this little fella for The Blonde's Christmas present. As I have noted before, she's a little penguin crazy. She's also into Hello Kitty, and had spotted that HK sequin in a mixed bag I bought from CrinolineStash on Etsy. She'd been trying to get me to give to her ever since!

(S)he's another take on Jean Greenhowe's Christmas Penguin, with earmuffs knitted from the snowman in Little Gift Dolls. I could do with earmuffs meself, it's been perishing in this flat for days now. Have taken to wearing a beret indoors. If only I could wear my electric blanket all day...

* http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fI0Fa66h6Qo

Knitting for UK Charity: World's Biggest Tea Cosy

 

"Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation are attempting to set a world record for the biggest ever hand knitted Tea Cosy and we need your help.

We are asking you to knit a 6” width strip, as long as you like of any colour or pattern you like and send to our friends at 'I knit London' who will make your knitted strip part of the world’s biggest tea cosy. The wool can be any colour you like and you make your strip as long as you can manage, all we ask is that it is 6” in width (approx 28 stitches), double knit yarn, and 4mm needles."

Details on the Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation website.

Anne Boleyn doll - with detachable head!

 
Anne Boleyn doll (c) Katie Park 2008

I'll be off to watch The Tudors in a mo', but thought it fitting to warmly applaud the work of caffaknitted (aka Katie Park), who has made a fab Anne Boleyn doll complete (or incomplete?!) with a detachable head.

Katie has also made wonderful dolls of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves... so keep your eyes peeled for Katherine Howard (the other one who lost her head) and Catherine Parr!

Knitting for UK Charity: jumpers and blankets for Feed The Children

(L-R) Babies at FTC's Abandoned Baby Centre, Kenya | Children at an orphanage in Moldova, eastern Europe (c) Feed The Children

Feed The Children (FTC) works with vulnerable children and their families in communities across the world, in situations of poverty, conflict and famine. There are loads of ways that knitters can help!

FTC need colourful jumpers for babies and children, jumpers in 'uniform' colours for school kids (free pattern here), and blankets of various sizes for babies and children. Find out more, and download the latest Knitting Knews, on the Feed The Children website.

The dinky dozen

These cuties are off to Save The Children, with their message to the Prime Minister. Next up is knitting a square or two for Oxfam's knitted petition. I've been meaning to learn how to knit with two colours (intarsia) and knit vertical stripes, so I'll teach myself as I go along.

Knitting for UK charity: make a square for Oxfam's knitted petition

Oxfam are calling on knitters everywhere to turn their knitting needles into poverty fighting needles by creating a 9-inch square for their giant baby blanket - a 'visual petition' they're handing in to world leaders in September 2008, demanding that they honour their promises to make sure mums in poor countries get the maternal health care they need. They're aiming for 250,000 patches - one for every mum who should have survived pregnancy in the last six months.

"For every mum, the day her child is born should be the happiest of her life. Yet, in the world's poorest countries, many mums don't survive to look after their babies. In the next minute, lack of access to health care will claim the life of another mum. In a year, half a million mums die because of poorly equipped hospitals, or because they can't afford to pay health care fees. World leaders have promised to end this travesty by providing enough aid to deliver the medical services needed, but as things stand they're falling well short."

Enter your details on Oxfam's website, and they'll email you a copy of their foolproof knitting guide, which you can download to find out how to take part. After the giant blanket has been presented, it will be dismantled into smaller blankets and sold in Oxfam shops and at festivals. All money raised will go towards Oxfam's work to fight poverty, such as urgently needed midwife training in Yemen.

Get your squares to Oxfam's Leeds office by 31 August 2008. Check out the squares they've received so far on Flickr.

Knitting for UK charity: Save The Children's Knit One, Save One campaign

Save The Children are asking knitters to knit a hat for a newborn baby, and attach a message for Gordon Brown, telling him why he must act now to save newborn lives around the world. Details of the campaign, including a free baby hat pattern and a card for your message to the Prime Minister, are available on the Save The Children website.

Save The Children will ensure the card reaches Mr Brown, and the hat will go directly on to the head of a newborn baby; a baby in places that suffer high numbers of newborn deaths, like Kenya, Sierra Leone or Tibet:

"Parents do everything they can to protect their babies from cold. But the most important thing, putting a hat on the baby's head, is neglected – that’s like leaving a thermos bottle filled with hot water but without a lid."
Tashi Tsering, Save the Children’s Health Project Manager in Tibet

Captain Jack Sparrow knitted doll

Captain Jack Sparrow knitted doll (c) Kristen Bailey, 2008

It was The Blonde's 30th birthday, so I thought I'd better whip up (that's 'whip' with the emphasis on the 'h', Family Guy fans) something special. So here he is - a Captain Jack Sparrow doll, based on Jean Greenhowe's 'Pirate' doll pattern, from her Storybook Dolls booklet.

I ran out of time to knit a bandana, waistcoat and sash, so they're made of remnants from my fabric stash. His hair was done by French knitting (on a Clover Wonder Knitter), and then beads were sewn in. Yarrrr!!!!!!!

Two Princesses

Two princesses, adapted from a Jean Greenhowe pattern

It is my great honour to introduce to you Princess Isabel and Princess Roxanne of Lewes. They are going to go and live with two very special young friends of mine who just happen to be obsessed with princesses!

These dolls were knitted from the wonderful Jean Greenhowe's Christmas Tree Fairy pattern, taken from her Little Gift Dolls booklet. I then added felt and beaded flowers to the skirts, and felt crowns with sew-on jewels.

I'm such a big fan of Jean Greenhowe's toy patterns. They're colourful, simple and fun to knit - perfect for the amateur knitter who has a short attention span and is easily confused! If you've knitted one of her designs, why not join my Jean Greenhowe knitted toys group on Flickr?

Pirate Penguin for The Blonde

Pirate Penguin doll (c) Kristen Bailey 2008

This little fella was knitted for my pirate- and penguin-obsessed sister. He's adapted from Jean Greenhowe's Christmas Penguin pattern (from her Knitted Animals booklet).

I added a bandana in 'skull and crossbones' fabric, a gold hoop earring and a cutlass and eyepatch stitched from felt. Click on the pic for a closer look. Yaaaarrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!

The Queen's Progress: Knitting Elizabeth I

Knitted Elizabeth I doll in progress, next to the 'Pelican Portrait' of Elizabeth I, c1574

When my M.E. forced me to jack my job in, my beloved colleagues at 24 Hour Museum threw me a party and presented me with my very own spoof homepage, which included personalised links to (made-up, sadly) sites such as BuildABaptistBoyfriend.com and KnitYourOwnTudor.com. It's the latter which has spurred me into action!

Using Jean Greenhowe's Pedlar Doll as a base, along with the wig from her Cinderella doll, I have started to create a likeness of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I - in knitting. (It's already been done but I wanted to have a go myself.)

For inspiration, I consulted my gorgeous glossy catalogue from the Elizabeth I exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in 2003.

I'm concentrating on two portraits in particular, both from the 1570s and both depicting the Queen wearing deep red - Nicholas Hilliard's 'Pelican Portrait' of Elizabeth I, c1574, which is in the collection of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and the 'Plimpton Sieve Portrait' of 1579, by George Gower.

I'm also looking at portraits of Elizabeth I in the National Portrait Gallery's collection, concentrating on those from the 1570s, and researching fashion in hairstyles and clothing in the 1570s.

As you can see she's taking shape. Now for the fun part - beading, braiding and embroidery-a-go-go!

See also:
ElizabethI.org.uk: Elizabeth I - Appearance
Elizabethan Geek: Elizabethan Costume Review
Extreme Costuming: Two Elizabethan Hairstyles
Elizabethan-Era.org.uk: Elizabethan Hairstyles
themakeupgallery: Queen Elizabeth I
Semptress: Elizabethan Costuming
ElizabethanCostume.net: Elizabethan Hairnets, Cauls & Muffin Caps

Fifty Tiny Bobble Hats

Fifty bobble hats for Innocent smoothie bottles (c) Kristen Bailey 2007

Well, they've gone off in the post - only managed to contribute fifty hats towards the target of 400,000, but it was fun playing just a small part in it.

Look out for Innocent Smoothie bottles wearing hats in branches of Sainsburys from 7th November - and buy one, it's in aid of Age Concern!

The Big Knit: Hats for Smoothies!

Well, this looks like just the sort of knitting project someone with a limited concentration span, who tires easily, needs: knitting tiny hats for Innocent Smoothies, in aid of Age Concern's Fight The Freeze campaign. Each hat knitted and sent to Innocent by 22nd October will adorn a bottle of smoothie in Sainsbury's stores from 7th to 21st November, and for each bottle sold, Innocent and Sainsbury's will donate 50p to Age Concern. For inspiration, see the Big Knit group on Flickr, or browse through the Hat of the Week archive. Innocent's target is for 400,000 hats this year, which would mean £200,000 for Age Concern. They will use the money raised to provide support to older people in winter including hot meals, blankets and advice on how to keep their houses warm. So get knitting - and if you can't knit, buy a behatted smoothie!

Take a look at this movie about last year's Big Knit:

"Eat up... we'll knit more!"

'Knitted by Nanas' ad for Shreddies

I love the new ad for Shreddies cereal, where Shreddie are seen being knitted by an industrious band of old ladies (far less scary than the one on The Mighty Boosh).

A great, daft idea, and a fab slogan by McCann Erikson for CPUK.

Knitted Pink Rabbits - LARGE and small

(L-R) Knitted rabbit (c) Gelitin | Knitted rabbit (c) Heartstrings Fiber Arts

LARGE: This humungous knitted bunny was placed on a mountainside in the Italian Alps in 2005 and will stay there until 2025. Knitted in 'toilet paper pink' yarn over 5 years, it is the brainchild of art collective Gelitin. Its (knitted) heart, liver and intestines spill out of a wound in its side. It's even been visible on Google Maps. Take a look at the photos which visitors to the rabbit have already sent in... including one of the rabbit snowbound and one showing grass starting to grow on it.

small: This tiny bunny is made from a square of knitting - folded, stitched and stuffed. You can get hold of the free pattern courtesy of Heartstrings Fiber Arts.

The Last Knit (Kutoja)

The Last Knit (2005) via YouTube

Props to me dear old Dad for flagging up this lovely, witty animated short. It's directed by Finnish director Laura Neuvonen and stars a clifftop knitter whose obsession gets her into some tricky situations. Fab.

Traditional knitting: Ganseys

(L-R) Lowestoft fisherman (c) University of St. Andrews's Library Photographic Archive; Robert Robinson in his Gansey (c) www.twmuseums.org.uk/fishtales

I first heard about ganseys - knitted jumpers (usually navy blue) traditionally worn by fisherman - when I was looking through a book of photographs of Whitby in Yorkshire, taken by Frank Meadow Sutcliffe a century ago. A little Googling threw up the website of Flamborough Marine, who still handknit ganseys to order, as well as patterns and yarns to enable you to knit your own gansey.

Ganseys (or guernseys) were knitted in the round, so they were seamless and more durable, and had distinctive patterns knitted into them:

"Many of the stitch motifs used to decorate the ganseys were inspired by the everyday objects in the lives of fishing families. Some of the best-known designs represent ropes, nets, anchors and herringbone. Other patterns are based on the weather, echoing the shapes made by waves, hail or flashes of lighting. Some patterns had more complex symbolic meanings. One of the traditional Filey patterns, for example, is a zigzag design called 'marriage lines' which represents the ups and downs of married life.

It was even possible for fishing families to recognize from the pattern of a gansey, which fishing village, or even which family, the wearer came from. At a time when the loss of a boat was a frequent occurrence, deliberate mistakes or the wearer’s initials were often incorporated into the design in order to help to identify a body recovered from the sea. As the gansey was was traditionally worn tight-fitting and close to the skin, and with no seams to come apart, it could not be washed off in the water."
Flamborough Marine: Gansey History

I found more info and some wonderful photographs of gansey knitters and wearers in the online archives of UK museums:

*The David Morgan Rees collection at Sheffield Hallam University: Mrs Ethel Richardson of Old Whitby, a fisherman's wife, using the traditional four needles to knit a 'gansey'
* University of St. Andrews's Library Photographic Archive:
- Cox[swain] David Fenton, RNLI, St Andrews (larger version)
- Lowestoft fisherman (larger version)
- Fisher Lad (larger version)
* Tyne & Wear Museums - Memorynet: Dave Graham talks about his gansey
* Tyne & Wear Museums - Fish Tales: The Fishermen's Ganseys
* Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service: Ganseys
* National Museum of Photography, Film and Television: Frank Meadow Sutcliffe (image gallery)

See also:
BBC Norfolk: A-Z of Norfolk - G: Gansey
BBC Radio 4 - Women's Hour: The gansey
Eastern Daily Press: Fishermen of Sheringham

Ball of Wool Deckchair by Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey with his Pink Ball of Wool deckchair (c) adnamsflyingegg.co.uk

The Adnam's Flying Egg competition is an annual event run by the Suffolk brewery and held in Southwold.

Last year, entrants were asked to design an Alternative Deckchair, and Robert Bailey's Pink Ball of Wool chair won first prize (extra points for the lilac mohair jumper too, I dare say).

This year, competitors have to design an Alternative Clock and entries can be viewed along Southwold High Street on Sunday 23 July.

Erika's Tree Sweater

Tree sweater, Seattle (c) Erika

Back in January, Seattle resident Erika knitted a sweater for a tree in her neighbourhood. Since then it has been shown some respect by someone pruning the tree, got a little ragged and grubby, made a surprise appearance on the front cover of a local listings mag and been stolen... and replaced by Tree Sweater #2, which now has been joined by Tree Denim Miniskirt. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

You can dress your local trees using the free tree sweater pattern Erika's provided.

Other knitters trying to brighten up their neighbourhoods include Knitta ('Warming the world, one car antenna at a time...") who knit graffiti (take a look at some of their tags here), and British textile artist Freddie Robins, who has knitted tree cosies.

Donna Wilson cupcakes

Cupcakes (c) Donna Wilson

Especially for my lovely friend S, here are some knitted lambswool cupcakes by the marvellous Donna Wilson. Perfect for the lady who is watching her waistline. £12 each but they never go stale. I like the choccy one best.

S - you'll also love Heidi's plush patisserie @ My Paper Crane.

Green Wing: Knitted Finger Puppets

 

Knitted Green Wing finger puppets (c) green-knit-wing.livejournal.com

It had to happen (and I'm very glad it has): knitted finger puppets of the main characters from Green Wing - starring in exclusive episodes! By Rose @ Hullfire.

Gory Knitting #2: The Knitted Digestive System

Knitted digestive system (c) Matie Trewe

Also via Cabinet, a link to Strange But Trewe's knitted digestive system - there's even a pattern for it if you fancy having a go at it yourself.

Matie Trewe has also produced many other knitted delights for you to try, including the Lacy Skull Shrug, the DoKnit and the Slit Throat Choker ("For when you want to keep a specific 1/2" of your neck warm, AND look like you've just been murdered..."). Fan-bluddy-tastic.

Gory Knitting

Accident 3: Shark (c) Patricia Waller, 2003

"Roald Dahl would have loved these!", notes a perceptive Cabinet Magazine's link to a bunch of amusingly gory knitted sculptures labelled 'Beutiful Art Made with Kintting'.

Among them is a shark with a severed leg in its mouth, conjoined teddy bears, a rabbit who has been stabbed through the heart with a carrot, some fluffy pink bondage gear and a roadkill cat with guts and blood spilling out of its stomach. Artist unknown. Enjoy!

Later that same day... A-ha! Further Googling (props to 1percent - and I didn't pinch that post title, honest) reveals that the artist in question is Patricia Waller. There are dozens more works for your delight in her online photo gallery.

Knitted Wonder Woman bracelets and headband

Knitted Wonder Woman bracelets and headband (c) Janice Stanborough

Via Craftster, these fab Wonder Woman bracelets and headband are by Jan-On-Ice.

Spun Magazine: Twiggy Bobble Hat

Twiggy Bobble Hat by Andrea Tung. Photography: Molly Crealock

Here's a pattern from Spun Magazine's third issue which looks easy enough even for me to try (limited skills and gets bored easily): the Twiggy Bobble Hat.