Spitalfields market

A quick post to say that I'm going to have a stand a next Saturday's Designer/Maker market at Spitalfields market.
I will be selling a variety of items - the samples mentioned in the previous post, some new pieces made specifically for the market (photos to follow when they're finished!) and also A Handknit Romance and some kits - just in case there are any knitters around.

The market is open from 11a.m. and there will be lots of other lovely stalls there (I thought this flyer was going to be bigger! For more info best to go to their website )

Some more news......... now that I have the Etsy shop I've decided to have a clearout of my knit-related stuff! I'm starting with some of the samples that I have made for magazines. I've been hanging onto some of them for a while, as they represent a lot of hard work - but now I think they'd be better off being worn by someone and hopefully giving them pleasure.
I'm going to be adding one sample a day - these are the 2 that are on Etsy so far -

Snowflurry from The Knitter magazine 2012

I was particularly proud of this design - it took ages to work out how to get the snowflake pattern to 'fade' towards the shoulder. It is knitted using Rowan 4 ply pure wool and Fine Tweed and can be found here on Etsy

Garland from The Knitter magazine

The second jumper is a rather more glamorous affair - with a plunging back neckline and some pretty beaded embroidery.

This can be found here on Etsy I'm not mad about the styling - I think they've put shoulder pads in! - as I think it could look really nice worn in a more 'casual' way. But at least the photos are on a model, and show the shape.

Finally - a sneak preview of some of the other samples that I'll be putting on this week................. (P.S. I don't choose the colours!)

  

Okay, so I haven't written a post for a while, and a little gremlin (French!) separated my blog from my website - I didn't realise the blog was still online!
A friend ( Kate Jones fabulous, luxury knitwear pieces) encouraged me to start the blog again. So here it is!
I have news too - I've finally managed to open an Etsy shop, JennieAtkinsonKnits, where I can sell the knitting kits that have been so popular at the shows.
Here are some examples:-

Beaded Scarf - photo: Ane Guerra

Beaded Scarf kit

Lavender Heart Kit

Lavender Hearts - photo: Nick Sargeant

Lace-edged Camisole kit

Lace-edged Camisole - photo: Nick Sargeant

Beaded Purse kit

As readers of this blog will by now know, I like to include a photo especially if it involves colour. So this was taken in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago - but more about that below.
Firstly, some news about upcoming events. I'm teaching a workshop at Stag & Bow, 'purveyors of craft, history and haberdashery' in Forest Hill, south London on Sunday 7th October from 10am - 2.30 and there are still places available. The workshop will include demonstrations of the finishing techniques used in A Handknit Romance, such as knit and crochet edgings, beading and embroidery on knit. I will have samples from the book with me. See here for more information.

Then, from October 11th - 14th I will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, London on the Tall Yarns stand - selling copies of A Handknit Romance. I will have samples from the book and am happy to chat about them and the book. I will also have the Persuasion cardigan (see previous post) and pattern.
AND I will have some new designs which I am working on at the moment! More about them nearer the time -  but think 'colour'!
The above photo was taken at Blakeney Point a National Nature Reserve in Norfolk.
'Wide open spaces and uninterrupted views of the natural and dynamic coastline make for an inspiring visit to Blakeney, at any time of the year.The moving tides, covering pristine saltmarsh or exposing the harbour, combined with the varying light of Norfolk's big skies, create an ever-changing scene.Blakeney Point, a 3-mile-long sand and shingle spit, is a paradise for all kinds of wildlife.'(from the website)

It was a friend's birthday and his wife rented The Watch House (seen here) for a surprise party. The Watch House is a remote building on the saltmarshes of Blakeney and has been used by coastguards, smugglers (maybe), the army and the Girl Guides over it's 190 year history. It's a small, very basic building, with a great upstairs room accessible only by ladder which can be used for bird-watching. As you can see from the photo (taken as we were leaving at dusk to walk 45 mins along the beach in the dark to the nearest car-park. The small dot of colour next to the house is the barbecue - the only source of light for the people staying there, as there is no electricity!) An absolutely beautiful spot, you really get a sense of what is meant by the 'big skies' of Norfolk.

Finally managed to finish writing the pattern for my new cardigan design! So let me introduce you to Persuasion Cardigan (named after the Jane Austen novel - which I happen to be reading - and suggested by a  Ravelry group member who thought the shape very 'Regency') it is now available to buy from Ravelry, and it will be available from the website too, when I have time to sort it all out. These things take an awfully long time to do - if you want everything to look good, and if - like me- it takes ages to switch your brain from one thing (writing patterns) to another ( using photoshop)!
Anyway, here are a couple of images of the cardi modelled by my gorgeous niece Kayleigh. More to follow soon (and on the Ravelry page)

Well, Fibre East - like Woolfest - turned out to be a success, despite horrible weather! It was mainly mud this time, inside as well as outside the tents. However, this didn't put anybody off - it was just dirty feet after all - and it was again lovely to meet everyone who visited the stand, (especially those who bought the book!).

This is my small corner of the Tall Yarns stand, with the Lace Blouse reknitted in Juno (see Support page), but with swatches of Tall Yarns Cash lace fine and Cash/silk lace pinned to it, as either of these could be used too.
Meanwhile Linda at Tall Yarns has some lovely shades in the Soliloquy Sock Lace, with which I've knitted my new cardigan.

For everyone who's waiting for the cardigan pattern to be put on here, many apologies, but I'm still waiting for it to come back from the pattern grader. I will give more news next week.And for those who haven't yet seen it - here is a preview.

Meanwhile, here are my feet at Fibre East. I'm wearing the shoes that I bought for the model to wear in the photoshoot for A Handknit Romance. I wanted to tone down the overwhelming prettiness of the garments with some funky shoes. I bought the shoes in my size (UK 7) thinking that the model would have similar sized feet - but it turns out she had size 5's (I think it does show!)

Fibre East

Just a very quick post to say that I will be at the Fibre East show in Bedford this Saturday and Sunday(14th and 15th June) on the Tall Yarns stand, selling copies of A Handknit Romance. I will have some of the items from the book with me and will be glad to recommend yarns from the stand that can be used as substitutes to knit them.