I’ve been interviewed!
A couple of weeks ago Craft Business magazine emailed me and asked if I would give my views on the ‘world of crochet’. Me, I know, had they heard how opinionated I can be?!?
So I happily answered their questions as best I could and emailed it back. But now I’m a little worried, who am I to speak for all the crocheters of Britain? What if I’ve left out something really important? And, do I sound a complete berk?
Embarrassingly I’d never heard of this publication, though it is obvious to anyone who reads this blog ‘business’ is not one of my fortes. However I had a good look at it and it actually seems a good read, its not stale that I’d assumed (in my opinionated way…) but actually quite varied and useful, so I have subscribed to the free online edition and I can highly recommend it, especially the bit by the opinionated crocheter on the One Voice section…
I have cut and pasted the article below, but if you follow this link it’ll take you to the proper page, with my usual embarrassing I’m not looking at the camera your not really there, pose.
The economy is obviously affecting everything at the minute and that includes crochet. People are generally being much more careful with their money and are now less willing to pay for a scarf that has been handmade, despite it often being of better quality and design, and the fact that it won’t be seen on every high street in the UK.
Having said that, the economy has also had a positive effect on the industry and there are currently a lot of knit and crochet garments in the shops right now for the winter 2010/11 season, which many people simply can’t afford to buy and are learning to recreate from scratch.
Have you noticed more people taking up the pastime?
There is definitely more interest in crochet and we now have several UK magazines entirely dedicated to the pastime, as well as a range of more general ones featuring articles on it.
One of the biggest problems for consumers in the past has been the lack of decent patterns available over here, which has meant many people have had to get their magazines and patterns from America. But now, albeit very slowly, some of the big pattern designers are producing small selections of fashionable patterns. There are also an increasing number of groups being formed, such as the Stitch and Bitch ones, that are helping boost its profile all over the world!
What are the most popular things people are making?
Amigurumi – Japanese crocheted dolls – are definitely still very popular and a good project for introducing consumers to the pastime as they are so small, meaning the only limit imposed on crafters is their own creativity.
What are the biggest factors influencing trends?
Crochet fits in perfectly with the whole lifestyle being portrayed at the moment. For instance, vintage is huge right now – something the pastime fits right into – and all the leading shops, books and home magazines seem to be highlighting the benefits of baking and the pleasure of creating things with your own hands. What’s more, prestigious fashion designers, such as Dior and Julien Macdonald, are also featuring many knit and crochet pieces in their winter collections, generating further interest in the sector, and popular blogs and sites like Etsy and Folksy are also helping keep up the momentum.
What would you say are the biggest trends in the market at the moment?
Accessories are definitely very much in vogue, as are big scarves and bags, and anything that is easy to make.
What do you think is going to be the next big thing?
I’d like to think the crochet world is going to continue to grow and, with that popularity, there will be better quality patterns written. There are so many benefits to the pastime; it has even been introduced into prisons as a way of calming and focusing the male prisoners!
Not much crocheting – too much rain!
Not much crocheting going on around here lately, or indeed on holiday actually and my fingers are starting to itch. Not much on holiday as we borrowed a friends kayak for the week so instead of sitting on the beach while they surfed and snorkeled, I don’t like being ‘in’ the water, I kayaked around and loved it. I just need to get a waterproof bag and I can take my crocheting while I bob about on the waves…
We also visited Skomer Island which is stunning and gorgeous and well worth a visit if you’re ever in that part of Wales. A 10 minute boat trip and your’re left there for 4 hours to explore, birds, seals and rabbits and beautiful scenery.
Unfortunately there was also a lot of the other sort of wet by the end of the holiday
abley demonstrated by the monsters. We had just been paddling in the monsoon like weather, well, it was warm at least, though the husband refused to join in the singing and skipping! So we gave in and came home a day early. But since then we have had lots of friends staying over so still no more crocheting!
The last visitors though have been the eldest’s friends for a sleepover and while noisy/messy/smelly they have entertained themselves so I have been having a sort out. What with all these people sleeping in MY room I’ve had to be a bit magic in shoving wool and paper in all sorts of places. However tidying is not always good, you see all your bits and the ideas start flowing and the colours distract you. I decided to sort out my bits of wool as they are getting in a mess again and gathered all the little bits together:
and look what I came up with
how pretty! Now, what can I do with it…
And don’t forget, you’ve still got time to enter my first givaway!
Crocheted Amethyst Jewellery
Well, we’re back from our latest camping trip, soggy and damp but happy and exhausted! I’ll post some pictures when I find the camera under the HUGE pile of washing!
Waiting in the post for me was the latest issue of Beads and Beyond Magazine, which has my tutorial for using amethyst chips to make a necklace and brooch. I’ve had these for absolutely ages, and when I bought some new thicker wire I knew what to do!
Speak soon x
A giveaway to celebrate my win!
I’m going to apologise now for the following excessive use of exclamation marks.
I won the makers-online competition with my upcycled morrisons plastic carrier bag crocheted necklace!!!!!
Really, honestly, still can’t believe it but its true!!
Rachelle Strauss of myzerowaste choose the winner and said:
Some of the entries were really stunning so I am unbelievably flattered to have won!
So, I thought in honour of this great occasion I would host my first giveaway! If you would like to win this necklace all you have to do is leave a comment with an email address so I can let you know if your the winner, and pop by occasionally to read my ramblings, see what I’m working on and leave the odd comment as they are so, so important. As much as I love my boys and OH, how can I put it, your comments are more, informative and welcome!
I’ll leave it open till Monday 6th September, the last day before the boys go back to school and they can pick the winner! Well, thats all I think, I’m off to do a bit more screaming…
Jane x
A sneaky peek at my new Winter 2010 Collection
You may have guessed from previous posts that I am loving crochet cable at the minute, it is so effective and just plain gorgeous!
Ignoring my stash busting 2010 promise (its only the second time – honest, and I have good reason too!) I mean, I can’t create a whole new range from my poor selection of odd balls of acrylic can I?
So, I’ve bought some gorgeous aran, among other gorgeous wool that I’ll show you soon, and have been playing with some new ideas for scarflettes, cowls and gloves. They were quite a good seller last winter so I wanted to improve on my designs a bit more.
Its still in the early stages, (2 sport mad boys off school FOREVER are not conducive to creativity of the crochet sort) but I am really pleased with how its going so far, what do you think?
I’m working on a couple of different designs and I need to get a friend round so I can photograph her wearing them, not me twisting my arm in the mirror – but hopefully they should be in my shops in around a month!
Crocheted boots – honestly
Before I show you, let me state first that I am well aware that these are a contender for the what not to crochetblog, but I was intrigued and honouring my 2010 stash busting promise. I mean what else was I going to do with 3 odd balls of chunky acrylic?
It began on Friday night, I was browsing my favourites while waiting for the boys to come back from lifeguards, when I saw the link to drops designs, ‘I haven’t been there for a while I thought’. Yes I know – I opened Pandora’s wool box…
I saw this pattern and though it cute, practical, I need some new slippers and also if it was a good pattern it might do for xmas pressies (ha ha, now I’ve got you scared family members who read this!!!!).
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=123&d_id=24&lang=en
So I turned this lovely, though slightly confusing, though easy, though it may not be right, pattern…
into these.
I’m going with ‘ironically funky’.
crocheted cable
You know I said I took that little detour to Hobbycraft on holiday, well here is a pic of my cable, the wool (though rather pink in this pic?) is a lovely blend of wool, alpaca and silk
It did take a while to figure out, the instructions are not that clear and there was a mistake printed too but I will persever with it. I love the chunkyness of it and that fact it looks like knit. I’m think i’m going to make this into a bag, but this has definitely taken over the top of my list of new projects, especially with winter coming!
Update: I’ve finished my bag! I’m quite pleased with it, if I was to do more I need to tweek it a bit. The handles are off an old favourite bag that wore out last year, It was perfect in size and I wasn’t happy when I really couldn’t repair it any more, but it lives on! I’ve lined it with some thick denim left over from some curtains, which give it a bit more structure and I put a little pocket in side for my phone.
my new bag Ta-darrr!
Bessie and Violet
These aren’t ordinary sock monkeys, oh no. Theyare sporty, well read and most of all – adventurous sock monkeys.
Meet Bessie
who is the sporty one. She can be a little too boisterous on occasions and has been know to break the odd tennis racket in her time, but she has a loving heart and looks after her sister well. Her favourite treat is strawberries dipped in chocolate with a mocha latte after a rousing game of football.
And Violet
Violet is the quiet of the two sisters, she much prefers reading a good book (she is half way through The Far Away Tree at the minute and Moonface is her favourite character) and dislikes getting dirty, unlike Bessie. Her favourite treat is pink lemonade and cucumber sandwiches, though she is partial to the odd chocolate dipped strawberry too!
When they received the letter regarding Isabel’s birthday they were relaxing by the pool in Cairo, Egypt after several days visiting the pyramids at Giza on camels.
Realising they didn’t have to set sail immediately as Isabel’s birthday wasn’t for another 4 weeks they decided to see a bit of Africa while in the area, so to speak. So with no time to waste they packed the trunks and boarded the bus for Botswana.
After 13 days of travel via The democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa they arrived at Okavango Delta in Botswana with the aim of going on safari around the Chobe National Park (where Aunt Irene conducts most of her research), and is renowned for its herds of Kalahari elephants, the largest in the world apparently!
Luckily Violet keeps a travel journal (Bessie takes the pictures)
and has documented all their adventures, for example
So last week they were packed up and ready for their new destination – Lincolnshire!
Happy Birthday Isabel, hope you have lots of adventures together!
Crocheted Shawl
But first a bit of eye candy! Have you heard of Gudrun Sjoden clothing? Its gorgeous, as are the catologues. I’ve been getting them for a couple of years now and I love their clothing and photography and colours and shapes…
The latest one came in the post today and it is just beautiful, I can look at the pages for hours. I think this is my favourite
Obviously even if I could afford it, I would look a complete muppet, not an ethereal beauty gliding round the streets of Barry like I’d imagine, but I can dream!
How fabulous is this too!
And now the finished shawl, it’s not my friends birthday till October so I’m going to have to put it somewhere safe and I have a new project to add to my list, I want one in turquoise! The pattern was quite easy and the gorgeous lace weight wool I got from fyberspates was an absolute dream. When I saw how fine it was I was initially terrified, but you soon get used to it and it is definatly worth persevering as it is so soft and light on your shoulders.
(as with all my pictures if you hold your mouse over it you can enlarge them)
Jane
Holidays!
If it’s possible, I love the Forest of Dean more now than before. We have been quite a few times but this time staying a week enabled us to really see it properly. The site we stayed on was gorgeous, Bracelands, right in the middle of the forest, surrounded by tree’s and the absolute best thing about the whole week, barring the weekend of course was the fact that the English schools hadn’t broken up yet so nowhere was busy, which is really useful when you have a couple of fearless nutters riding at top speed through the forest…
It really made a nice change, all our holidays are beach themed as our boys are complete water babies (as is the big boy too actually) so it was nice to not have sand everywhere and to be surrounded by gorgeous, beautiful green everywhere.
So as well as a couple of days cycling we had a wonderful afternoon doing this:
and this view is from above where we were kyaking:
and we only had one afternoon of this:
Which turned out to be very fortuitous as we went to the cinema in Gloucester and guess what was next door, yes, would you believe it, a Hobbycraft! The gods were obviously smiling down on me as the night before I had finished the lace shawl (pictures in a couple of days when I have blocked it) and had nothing to do and I know I’m on this 2010 Crafts neutral challenge, but I couldn’t not crochet for 3 more days! So I bought a pamphlet on cable and some wool (in the sale!). But I’ll leave that for another post!
