Moving house

We will move into our new house on the 4th of June. So this week I shall not be doing anything except packing boxes and knitting the two projects I will not pack. One small so I can still knit on the train to work and one big, but that shall be it. And next week I hope to be so much occupied with the new house as not even to think about blogging. So it might be a while.

Amy Butler Fabrics and Patterns

I’ve discovered Amy Butler. I bought one of her fabrics by accident at Liberty in London a few weeks back. At the edge it said: Amy Butler. So I typed in the name online and hey presto a whole site with colourfull fabrics and... (free) patterns. And that is something I don’t have. No fabric, no patterns, just a lonely sewing machine.


Amy Butler Patterns

So I went to shop on ebay and am now the proud owner of three Amy Butler patterns and several pieces of fabric. Please admire them! I shall post pictures of the projects I make, although it might take a little time as we are about to move house. Finally after many years I want to get behind my sewing machine again, but now it has to be packed away for the move. Typical.


Amy Butler Fabric

I learned how to sew when quite young. My mom made lots of clothes and at one point I wanted to try it too. I don’t think I made anything myself, but always helped her with projects. At the age of 13 or there abouts I made my own winter coat. It was an A-line coat of a very good quality wool in dark blue with lining in the same colour. I used big round buttons on it. It was lovely and I wore it with great pleasure. But that must have been one of the last projects. After that I got more and more exams in school and started working. This left little time for sewing. At 17 I moved out of the house and left the sewing machine behind.

I did borrow my moms new sewing machine at a later time, but never produced anything due to lack of time. Study and three jobs filled most of it. After that my mothers old and much beloved machine broke down and she required the new one back from me. Note that she kept using her favorite old machine even when she bought a new one, until it broke down completely. I guess many sewers would do this.

Now I inherited an old Singer from my grandmothers sister. She passed away and my mother asked if she could have the sewing machine for me. A nicer thing I could not have asked for. And now all I have to do is wait a little longer to use it. And I’ve never been patient, although I hope I can claim I’ve improved and can now wait until I can use it again.

Zakka-Mania

I finished the red scarf, but unfortunatly don't have any pictures of it at the moment. The batteries of the camera are dead and I'm about to move house, so I don't have any batteries at hand.

Besides all the packing and planning I've been gripped by a Zakka-mania. I can't remember where I first read about Zakka. It must have been on a blog. However now I'm quite into the subject. So I decided to write a piece about it for my fellow crafters.



from Wikipedia
"Zakka (from the Japanese 'zak-ka' or 'many things') is a fashion and design phenomenon that has spread from Japan throughout Asia. The term refers to everything and anything that improves your home, life and outlook. It is primarily based on household items from the West that are regarded as kitsch in their countries of origin.
Zakka has also been described as "the art of seeing the savvy in the ordinary and mundane". The zakka boom could be recognized as merely another in a series of consumer fads, but it also touches issues of self-expression and spirituality. Cute, corny and kitschy is not enough. To qualify as a zakka, a product must be attractive, sensitive, and laden with subtext."

Ofcourse Zakka means zip unless you have a look. A very good guide on this has been made by Julie Anderson. Have a listen to episode five of her podcast Stitch-Cast it's all about Japanese Craft Books. If you click that link you will get to she show notes with links to usefull sites and there is also a button to listen to the podcast.

And then there is this great blog called Crafting Japanese. This blog shows Zakka books with pictures of what people made from the books. This way you will know what kind of projects are in the book before you buy it. Because as we all know: It's hard to judge a book by it's cover!

Finaly a few projects that have a Zakka feel:


Cute little owls

Go to this Owl Pattern Thread and scroll down to the post of Sewing Stars, here you will find the pattern. For a number of example please visit the Crafting Japanese site. You will find more free patterns on this page as well.

Felted Brooch by Betz White

You might have seen this creative woman on Martha Stewart showing how to make your own cute little teacup pincushions (which you can also buy from her). But Betz has a fabulous blog with all sort of crafty info. One of the most fun is this tutorial to make a great Felted Brooch. She makes it look so easy!!


Strawberries

I soo love strawberries. They are fantastic to eat, but also cute to look at. Like these pincushions on Martha Stewart. Aren't they cute??


Talk about cute what about these knitted strawberries designed by Pezdiva?? She kindly included the pattern in the comments to her picture.

I might do more of these tutorial overviews if you like. :) These should keep you busy a while.

Fair clothes and Portobello Road Market

It's been a very social week for me. Finally after being in the U.K. for almost a year I'm beginning to not only FEEL at home, but also BE at home in this new country. For many months I've been dealing with my affairs back in Holland. And now it’s all moving along. I still have to be carefull financially, but there is a bit more breathing space and I’ve got more time. So, I’ve been busy. As you can read below, Sarah and I went to the Renoir Landscape exhibition at the National Gallery on wednesday.

Then on Friday, my new friend Lisa and I went shopping to get me my summer clothes. I’ve bought an awefull, shamefull, lot of clothes for little money as we went to a store called Primark which is a cheap store with fashionable clothes for very little money. I went and bought and am very happy with the booty. But and yes there is a but. But I still stuggle with the idea of cheap clothes. Not because I feel I’m too good to wear them. Not at all. I struggle with the idea that I can buy a pair of jeans for £6 ($13 / € 9.50). That is not normal. I know the effort that goes into making your own clothes. The fact that it’s so cheap means several things.
1. It has been made in vast quantities. The fabrics can only be so cheap because they bought an awefull lot of it.
2. It has been made in a conveyor belt style. In a factory.
3. By someone who didn’t get a lot of pay.

Now I’m not saying this garment was made in a sweat shop by children somewhere. It might have been, but I can’t find evidence it has. I’ve looked up information about Primark and they seem to make a lot of their stuff in Spain. Some of the items I’ve bought even mentioned this. And there is also no garantee that if you spend £60 ($130 / €95,00) for a pair of jeans, that it’s been made in a better or fair way. Anyhow I didn’t have the choice this time due to financial circumstances. But in the future I hope to find the budget to buy fair trade clothes. And I also hope they will become more available.


Fabric brooches and very cool door nobs or are they for wardrobes? I like them anyway..

After this shrink-sofa-moment. It’s time to discuss one of life’s greatest pleasures: markets. Sarah and I went to Portobello Road Market on Saturday. This is one of London’s most famoust markets. It’s consists of three parts: an antique section, a fruit and veg (food) section and a clothes section. We met up near Notting Hill Gate tube station and set out. The antiques section was very cool. We saw countless items we really wouldn’t mind buying at all... if it wasn’t for out budget and cramped living spaces. I really liked the old victorian prints that where for sale. Especially the botanic ones. I would love some of those. Sarah saw some her dad might like with old motorcycles. This obviously where prints from the early 20th century. I bought a brooch with a cat on it. It’s from Fish a sixties designer the lady told me. The cat called to me and I handed over the £5 she asked with no trouble. Great buy. Sarah bought a pair of very nice silver and mother of pearl earrings.


Cat's where everywhere as where these cute little pouches


On we went and a lot of stalls and some time later we had bought a few more nice things. Best of which was a fab skirt that Sarah bought for £15. It’s green, white and yellow and very very very nice. She found matching earrings and a bracelet. Great day so far. Then we went to a haberdashery. It was a little corner shop filled to the ceiling with ribbons, tassles, and other bits and bobs. It was like a treasure trove! Luxurious trims everywhere. How I did it I have no idea. But whilst waiting to pay for ribbons I spotted a roll of Laura Ashley fabric in the corner. It was wrapped in plasic and labeled ‘reject’. It was half price so I payed £15 ($32 / €24) per meter. I got two meters and am still fondling the fabric. I’ve got it on ‘display’ at home. Ofcouse I will post whatever I will make of it. I’ve got some idea’s but these are depended on other factors. More later...


Cakes at Bossa Nova! Yum Yum!
After this gorgeous find we sat down at a cute little tearoom, Cafe Bossanova. If you go to Portobello Road market and walk it through to the last, continue a little bit futher and plunk down in this super cute little eatery. Sarah and I had a cup of tea outside untill it started to rain so hard they asked us to come in and shelter inside. Such care for customers aaaahhh.


Kimono style clothes very hot in London this year. Me like!!

Renoir Landscapes

I and my-soon-to-be-ex-colleague-and-rapidly-becoming-a-very-good-friend Sarah went to see the Renoir Landscapes Exhibition at the National Gallery in London. It was a great succes. We got there and the audio devices where two for one. So we got them and I must say that it's well worth it. I've never used an audio device before in a museum, but now that I have I can report that it is fantastic. Extra info and background stories about the paintings are always welcome. However the greatest plus of having such a thing on your head is that whilst you hear about the painting you can actually look at it. When there is info next to it or if you have a booklet you are reading and not seeing. This tiny difference changes the whole dynamic of visiting a museum.


La Yole

I looked at La Yole and heard about the colours and unusualness of the painting and SAW it. It does help that I have a vivid imagination and I could just see the two ladies gliding over the water, laughing as the sun sparkled on the surface. Sigh. I decided to buy the postcard of this painting. But like the picture here and the postcard I got on my desk, the colours are faint compaired to the painting. When you stand in front of it, you are in awe. The colours are vibrant and the details fantastic. Then you get the postcard and it's just a vague representation. Ah well at least I saw it for real.

Details:
Exhibition: Renoir Landscapes 1865 - 1883
Museum: The National Gallery
Price: £6 on half price night
Date Visited: May 9th, 2007
Various: hired two audiodevices for £3,50 (2 for 1 deal)
Verdict: Superb

Craft Fair and Sewing Frenzy

I've had a very cool Bank Holiday this weekend. On Friday I went shopping, see previous post, and bought lots of goodies. On Saturday I started working with these materials to make Baby Booties and a Zippered Pouch. I will post pictures at a later date with more sewing. They are first attempts you see so not at the level I hope to get to.

Saturday night me and my boyfriend went to have dinner with Mark and Julie and it was very nice indeed. They have two beautiful daughters, Katie and Alexandra, who where lovely and funny. The food was good as was the wine, but the company was the best.
My boyfriend Kevin hasn’t always had the best opinion of Julie, mostly because as Marks best friend he heard about the squabbles. Ofcourse the making up and good times were discussed to a far less extent. This coloured his view of Julie. Now he’s finally getting to know her personally and finding her a completley different person from what he had imagined.
I don’t know her too well. I only came to the U.K. less than a year ago and she has always been very kind to me. I admire her taste and knowledge of what is ‘in’. She is also a very good mum. The best I’ve seen in London so far. And the way she goes about raising her children I wonder if I’ll meet a better one soon. If you can even say such things about people. What also speaks in her favour is that she never refused Kevin to enter her home. She’s always been kind and nice to him. I bet that her persistence not to enter into the ordeal was her biggest strenght. Anyway that’s enough about that subject. I had a great time and so did everyone else I dare say. My bf is the best ever!! Julie mentioned going to a handmade crafts fair and he said he was sure I would like to go too. Before I knew it he had arranged for us to go with them the next day.

So we went to the Weald of Kent Craft Show at Weald of Kent Craft Show. I played the tourist on the way over there. Comming from an country that is as flat as a pancake I’m thrilled to see hills. To me they are a source of endless admiration. So foreign to my mind that I constantly went ooooeeehh and aaaahhh. Kent is indeed very lovely in spring. When we got there I was happy as can be. On these nice grounds of a country estate several large tents where raised filled with handcrafted materials. As I’m still on a tight budget and I already bought a lot I only bought one thing: a basket to get flowers and/or veg from the garden. One of those old English style ones. It was handmade on the spot (mine was already made, they where working on the next one). I’ve always wanted one of these. It reminds me of Pride and Prejudice the BBC series. Where Lizzy and Jane are in the garden picking flowers. Jane leaves and their mother comes to Lizzy and asks if she knows how Jane is. In the meantime she attacks the flower bush with a pair of secateurs. Great scene.

Some photo’s of the Weald of Kent Craft Show


Handcrafted wooden earring holders. I didn't buy one and I still reget it. Brilliant solution in my opinion. Found the dealer though: David Stanley, Woodturner, phone: 01707 331964.

The cutest little wooden cats ever. Look at them such cute little things! Made by: Jim Hunter, 01622 719558, Woodcarvings of British wildlife (and cats)

A handcrafted Chess set made from old coins, they even find coins from years matching events in your families history. It did cost a lot. Circa 700 pounds, but if I had it i might be tempted as it's such beautiful handwork! Really stunning to see up close.

Craft-shopping-spree

I went two seperate shopping sprees into London. I was looking for fabrics and beads to make these fantastic baby booties and maybe some stichmarkers and some (zippered) pouches. Also I wanted to buy some small goodies for my International Scarf Exchange 4 pall. I'm knitting a scarf for her and would like to spoil her a little bit more (as far as my finances stretch) with small gifts.

First I went to John Lewis in Oxford Street where I spent about an hour and a half browsing yarn and fabrics. I bought one ball of Cashsoft Baby DK in Blue Boy to make the cute Jelly Beanie hat (from the Classic Bambino Book) for the newborn son of a coleague. I will post a picture of the hat at a later date.

I also bought some fabrics which I will use to make small items from. I got my grandmothers sister's sewing machine. It's an old one (my guess it's from the 70's), but it's an Anker. This is a very good Dutch brand. Still I've not sewn a lot this last decade. My last big project was ages ago. So I need to brush up.


John Lewis booty

Last Friday I could leave work at four (normally I work till six) because of the Bank Holiday. So I used these two hours to go to Covent Garden and Jubilee Market. I picked up some nice little gifts for my ISE pal. Which I will post later when I've finished the scarf and are ready to send the whole fun pack. Anyway after the Covent Garden shop I went to Kingly Court. I had read on Flibbertygibbet (try saying that quickly three times) that there was a nice little yarn shop. So off I went.


Kingly Court

There I found the All the Fun of the Fair shop. The lady working in the shop that day, Rose, was very nice. She greeted me and let me browse, but also answered all my questions. In short it was a very lovely shop with nice yarn and also very nice ribbon I bougth for my fabric projects. Top buy is probably the shell flower buttons.


All the Fun of the Fair

You can not see them very well in the picture, but the shop has very nice wooden (i'm guessing here) letters covered with nice fabrics. They would be fab in a childrens bedroom or something similar. After this little heavenly shop I poped into the bead shop opposite. This is called Buffy's Beads. Quite posh, but the girls where nice. In the end I picked up for stings of beads.


The Bead shop: Buffy's Beads

Last that day I went to Liberty just off Regent Street. They have lovely fabrics, but you pay for it. So in the end I was tempted only by this 'egg'-pattern designed by Amy Butler (check out her fab website, she's also got super cool free patterns) for Rowan Fabrics.


Part of the new stash

In short it was an uber good shop... mmmmm :D