Saturday 31 December 2011

Wishing you all a...........



Hope you all have a happy, healthy 2012. 

I shall be back soon with pictures of lovely green, bakelite and vintage things :o)

Monday 19 December 2011

Christmas crafting!

Last December, I began what was meant to become a Christmas garland.  However, due to a rotten bout of flu that put pay to any knitting let alone personal crafting for a whole 6 weeks, (thank you to the patient customers who had to wait a little longer!) I had to admit defeat and pack the beginnings of the garland in my work box, where it has remained………until now!!

Taking advantage of some peace while we’re in Cornwall for a few days, I am determined to give it another go and get it hanging before Christmas Day!

So far, I’ve completed the stockings with my girls’ names on and one, nearly two, trees…….



Still to go are two more stockings and 1 more tree!  Armed with my paper templates, saved from last years failed attempt, a whole heap of felt, buttons and, a new addition to my craft collection, some little bells.......



I’m making it my mission to get it completed, even if it isn’t hung until 11.59pm of the 24th December!!

To all those waiting for their orders, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you and I’m still knitting, but sometimes you’ve got to give your hands a break ;o) 

Friday 9 December 2011

1940's Wartime Brooches

Inspired by a photograph in a post on Vintage Knitters blog, I thought I’d show you some of my wartime brooches. 



I’ve been collecting them for the past 4 years and although I only wear a very few of my most loved ones, I simply can't part with any of the others!  Most were given to me as gifts and I was surprised to find that I’ve amassed a collection of 50! 

My favourite one, the green one with the multi coloured spray, was picked up for just 50p at a car boot sale 3 years ago, I couldn’t believe it!!  However, they have recently become more popular and for the really decorative ones, I’ve seen dealers asking over £20 at antiques fairs – I’ve walked away empty handed from said stalls! 

I’ve never found any two to be exactly the same, but as you can see from the photographs below, a lot of them have the same central button or are of similar design.


Not my most favourite ones......

Argh! Couldn't believe someone painted the bottom central one silver! 


Like these ones a lot.....


Love these ones a lot - especially the little scottie who I've just noticed needs a good clean! :o)

My 50p bargain green one.....

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The one on the bottom centre has seen better days really :o(

Although they are defintely wartime brooches, their exact origins are questionable.  I’ve seen them described as being made by factory girls using the old bits of electrical wire ( I’m not convinced on this one given the array of shades used in their creation), being made by prisoners of war (again, I’m not so sure) and as having been available to buy as a kit to “make your own”.  But however they were made and whoever took the time to make them, one thing for certain is that I shall go on enjoying collecting them and I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing them :o) 

Friday 2 December 2011

We have labels!!

We have labels!!!! 


650 labels - that's a lot of knitting to do!!

After 2 weeks of designing and going back and forth to get just the “right” green, the labels are here and we’re more than a little chuffed with them!! 

What do you think?

We’ve been making our custom knitwear for 5 years now and have dithered as to whether we should put labels in or not.  Since putting images of our knitwear on Flickr and receiving an unbelievably positive response, we felt we really better get our name in our knitting!

It took a while to decide what we wanted but in the end we went for a 1940’s font and a little design on the bottom, hand drawn by yours truly J  The first one has just gone into a jumper which will shortly be heading to Canada – I’m very pleased with how it looks.

The first one is in........649 to go :-)

Work is ongoing on more orders than I dare look at, but I can’t wait to get some more finished to sew the new labels into!

Better get knitting! x