New on Strikk

I've been lucky in that Strikk Hand Knit Moss Stitch cushions have proven to be quite a hit - I keep meaning to make one for myself, but somehow that never happens.

I have also been looking for colour inspirations - some interior ideas and how to mix up the yarns and colours, and came across this lovely home (excuse the page photograph).

I loved the use of both a very neutral colour, but then different fabrics (the leather cushion looks fabulous) as well as the photograph cushion, all neatly pulled together with the gorgeous knits.

So, having rummaged through my yarn, I found some lovely lavendar and got inspired to knit a rather large (50x50cm this time) moss stitch cushion which would fit absolutely perfectly in such a home.

And there you go.  Wait, there's more inspiration from where that comes from, usually the massive pile of interior magazines in the bathroom......

You find the lavender cushion here .

Ha! We've been featured...

Just in case, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, just moved countries and it all went a bit manic and hectic and stressful and in between still trying to knit orders which probably kept me calm (believe it or not) - but on Tuesday we left London to start a new job (and life?) in Zurich, so expect lots of talk about chocolate, fresh air, neutrality, freezing cold and chocolate.

But before that, was very excited to be on the Big Cartel featured product list.  A very unexpected honour indeed.

Right, best I get back to knitting. 

New on Strikk

For a while I've been toying with the idea of knitting more home-related items (other than cushions) - every time I'm in a room I'm always thinking about what knitted things can be added (I know, I do have a life, I promise) and dining rooms are deifnitely one of them.  

So in celebration of, err, summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, I thought I would play around with a placemat pattern I spotted, but using different yarn (thicker) and obviously bigger needles - and here is the result. 

The aran weight yarn definitely does the trick as it makes for a more substantial mat rather than just a flimsy material feel and of course, it's all machine washable (is there any other way?).

So there, we go, bring on the summer, the alfresco dining, the picnics, or simple everyday living.  Will be adding some more colour combinations soon, although maybe you have some ideas that might work, my colour-combining is lacking a little bit of inspiration at the moment.

And on a different note, keep a lookout during next week, we're starting a little column on all things craft / small business and legal (I know, riveting combination, but someone has to do it) - so drawing from my experience as a small business, crafting type, together with my legal knowledge and hopefully there'll be something for everyone.

Oh, and our placemats are available here, here and here.

Happy weekend :-)

All my best friends are illustrators

One thing I cannot do is draw.  Alas, try as I might, the best I can do is a stick man and loads and loads of palm trees with yachts (I know, not sure where that comes from either), but I have some talented friends who are talented illustrators, one of whom is my dear friend Tanja Wilmot.   Tanja has a gorgeous blog over here with some beautiful, beautiful work.

 In fact, I'm sure Tanja won't mind me saying so, but she recently got married and the below illustration was the one she used for her wedding invitation.  There's a lovely story as to how it all came about here

So we had a little celebration for the newly weds and I thought I would rather give a handmade wedding present - and knowing Tanja's love of all things white, decided on a large, chunky cable knit all in white.

I used the Elle Pure Gold Yarn as I usually do, this time in chunky, although I hear through the grapevine that Elle will no longer be producing their chunky yarn which is a pity as it's a great yarn to knit huge projects with - and the fact that it's completely machine wash, well, can't argue with that.

So in case you wanted one of these cushions for yourself, they're available in the usual spots here, here and here.

New on Strikk

We've been fiddling with our settings and updating the look over at our shop and have to admit we like it.  Always thought that websites should be white and pale, but it seems a kind of gunmetal grey is the online look of the moment, so there we go.  Any comments, ideas, thoughts (good or bad) most welcome.

But back to the post at hand, and I was asked to do a custom order moss stitch cushion with some interesting requirements, the first of which being "we have a big family room which means we need cushions to withstand much family-ness" - challenge indeed.

Those of you who knit know how yarn can "fluff", especially not a good look for a cushion, so after much thought and online trawling, decided on using a lovely silky yarn, but doubling it up.

Not sure how you feel about knitting with two strands, but I've never been a fan.  I know there are some knitters who use three strands and more, but not for me.  But having said all that, the end result was actually very pleasing.  The cushion is definitely a lot heavier though (not used to that), but I think it will withstand a hectic family room.

We've liked it so much, we've put it up in our shop here and here.

Saturday Post

I think my next door neighbour probably heard my squeals of delight on Saturday after the post man arrived with an overseas delivery - you see, I'd been a little cheeky after hearing about the lovely feature in the December Australian Real Living magazine, I thought I would see if I could get my hands on a copy of the magazine.  So, and here's the cheeky bit, I asked a lovely customer and shop owner, Christen of Twirling Betty (think I may have mentioned her before) if possibly (now bare in mind I'm asking this question in January - way after the December issue has been and gone from the stores) she may either have a copy lying around or know where one could get one.  

Well, and this is the clever bit, Christen managed to find one, and even more lovely, she offered to send me a copy and that's the story behind the Saturday squeals of delight.

Not only did I get a lovely magazine, I also got a little surprise too.  

Now all I need to do is make a cake so I can show off my gorgeous cake bunting.

Thank you Christen - so much, truly sweet, fabulous, kind and wonderful of you.  I'm holding you to the gin and tonic, one day! :-) xx

Have a look at Christen's shop - so pretty.  And she has a pretty cool blog too - full of fun inspirational things to do and make.

New on Strikk

We've been raiding our yarn stock (and trust me, there's a lot of yarn in my house....) and came up with a few striped cushions which we rather fancy.  We've used the usual Elle Pure Gold yarn that we always use, although if anyone has any tips on how to weave in yarn ends, that would be most welcome.  End up spending half my time weaving in all the different colours. Surely there must be an easier way.

So from this....

To this....

And then from this.....

To this.....

And there we go. Available here, here and here.
There'll be more striped cushions, there's so much yarn to get through!

Colour of the Year

According to those in the know, tangerine is the 2012 colour of the year, not just tangerine, mind, but Tango Tangerine.  And what with being so "bang on trend" here, we just happened to have some tangerine yarn in our massive stash of yarn.  

Initially wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with the yarn (it can be a difficult colour - it's in between an adult and a kid colour - if that makes sense) - anyway, settled on another version of the cable knot cushion I knitted previously in pepper grey - this time, knitting in a slightly smaller size (50 x 30cm which has now become my new favourite size - perfect really, it's not too big and not too small to get lost amongst the masses of other cushions plonked on the sofa!).

So there we have it, Strikk Handknit's homage to 2012 Colour of the Year available at our online shops here, here and here.

Oh, and remember that mess we had trying to photograph cushions previously - um, here ? Well, we've moved it all inside, ironed the vinyl and made a makeshift studio in the bedroom - now, that's rock 'n roll photography for ya!

Custom Orders

Well, that'll teach me - I cannot find my "before" photograph....I know I filed them somewhere on my computer but no such like - a case of virtually, err, losing your keys.  When I stop looking, I'm sure I'll find it, but in the meantime, a quick post on a custom order I did.  The first time I have been contacted where someone has their own yarn but wants me to knit the order.  Left me scrambling around trying to work out costings (difficult) and then knitting with yarn I'm not used to (a bit trial and error) but there we go.  The end result.  

Loving the colour indeed.  And I don't usually knit with pure wool only because it's not the most user-friendly when it comes to knitting cushions.  But great nonetheless - although I did have to pull out halfway through and start again.....as you do.

happy happy

A little late, I know, but Happy New Year - and here's to a great 2012!

We're currently in Cape Town on a little trip home and enjoying the sunshine whilst trying to knit with kittens around (which is almost impossible), so if we're a little quiet over here, please don't forget us, we'll be back soon.  Really.

quick pic

Have to admit, I've never been that organised enough to post two updates on one day, but what with flying out down south tomorrow for Christams, thought I'd get one more update done.  Spent a lovely day today at the Jolly Hobbies Market in my Crouch End neck of the woods.  First time I have done this market and it's probably one of the nicest markets I've done in a while (and not because it's only a bus ride away...).  

I was sat next to London Clay Birds and The Quiet Revolution who are always entertaining ( ;-) ) - so here the pics instead.....

I know, sorry about the camera angle....can't help myself.

These little textile frames were absolutely beautiful!

Um, there was food....

There were mushrooms.....

And generally really gorgeous things.  There'll be more markets in the New Year.

last fair of the year

It's the last fair of the year for Strikk - we'll be down all local in Crouch End as part of the Jolly Hobbies Market - looking forward to this, have to admit.
If you're around, come down and say "hi" - all our stock is greatly reduced.

down at the fair

It's the big one this weekend - Saturday, 10 December, we're taking our knitted goods off to the We Make London fair over at Battersea Arts Centre.

 

Aaaand, we're verr verr excited to be partnered with Sanna Panda .  Sanna and I will be channelling our Scandi and combining a bit of this

with a bit of that and a reindeer and snowflake thrown in for good measure.

Come on down if you're around and say "hi" - will be divine to see you, but if you can't get down to the Arts Centre, you can still be part of the action by entering the We Make London Christmas Competition - you may spot a familiar hot water bottle as part of the main prize.

But hopefully we'll see you down there, it's going to be fab! x

Winter's covered....so we're giving it away.

In case you are not aware of this (and why should you be) but I am not a huge fan of the winter - not  for me the dark, the cold, the miserableness (ok, bit of overkill going on here, but you get my disdain) .... so, in my quest to pretend winter is not really a season, I might have gone a little overboard with my hotwater bottles this year, but no less, here they are in all their glory, ready for winter.

Aaaaaand, we're giving one away....all you need to do is leave a winter survival tip in the comments section.  The winner will be determined the old fashioned way (all names in a hat) on Friday, 2 December, and you get to choose your style.

In the meantime, my hotties are in my etsy.com shop and also at notonthehighstreet.com.

Market News

This time of year always means fantastic craft markets - lovely sellers selling lovely stuff.  This year is certainly no different and a little bit of shameless craft market promotion, the first of which is a lovely local to home market in Crouch End, Jolly Hobbies Market.

Really looking forward to this market on Saturday, 19 November - it's lovely and close to home and it's my first market in a while.
The second market is an old-time favourite - the Of Cabbages Market down in Stokey - again, close to home and always has lovely sellers.  In fact, this market is a little bit of a sentimental one for me as it was the first craft market I ever did in London. 

We'll be down there on Saturday, 3 December.
If you're in London, hopefully I'll see you at either of them.

behind the scenes......and a little bit of fail!

Can I just start this post with a massive GRRRR......... yes, that's the sound of frustration you hear coming through your computer.  

You see, it's like this, a move to a new house (which is a lovely basement flat, must admit) means that the lovely and constant natural light I had in the old flat has gone.  This of course leaves me to dash outside at any slightest sign of sun (which as winter approaches, is proving to be a bit of a mission).  

So in my quest to recreate a studio setting outside, I have tried various white backgrounds - the first of which was trying to repaint a piece of black plastic, white (yes, you know the paint used to outline crime scenes, that's the one we used) - naturally that did not work.

Which left me with some fabric - I thought I was being very clever by purchasing some white blackout fabric, but unbeknownst to me, it creases.  Terribly!

And this is the studio - lovely if it would actually have worked.

And here is the creased background......which clearly doesn't work.

So, what I'm trying to say, is if you have product shots to take, don't even bother with clever white blackout fabric - does.not.work!