Style

Rachel Bag – New Design for Debbie Bliss

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Oh my word my friends, our moment has come. You know what is trending this Autumn? The ‘Granny Square’. (Which is fortunate, as I have a book on the very subject, coming out in the next month – say nothing). I digress. You and I know that the humble crochet granny square has been reclaimed now for about a decade. But fashion has taken a while to catch up. That eminent fashion house Moschino focused on granny square chic for their Resort Wear 2017 collection. Now Zara have a lovely range of jumpers in their Autumn range. Bright, bold and beautiful, but also very easy to make.

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Colour Pop

The gorgeous Debbie Bliss asked me to design a granny square themed bag for her Autumn/Winter range and I was delighted to oblige. I chose zingy and fashionable colours from the Rialto DK range and then brought the whole look together by using a lovely dark gray to link each square together.

This bag is fairly easy to make if you have mastered the basic square. I also made a base working in the round. For the finished sample, I really went to town with lining the bag and using metal eyelets to thread the bag handles through. Attention to detail, don’t you know. I adore working with Debbie, mostly because she is such a kind, funny and glorious person, but professionally she has such a keen eye for colour and a fabulous sense of fashion. Take a look at all her new designs for autumn. If you can knit or crochet, you will be able to find your ‘trending’ item which you can get ready for the next season and won’t have to leave the comfort of your arm chair.

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Stealing Chic – Arabian Nights Scarf

arabian night - emma varnamAs I get older, I want to do ‘getting-older’ better. I think the answer to this conundrum is to watch, spot and celebrate. Watch out for and spot older women who do style and colour with aplomb. Take a mental note of what they wear, how they wear it and store up the ideas in your mind and quite frankly pin on Pinterest for your future reference.

arabian night - emma varnamStylistically nosy

I am a huge fan of being stylistically nosy. I will quite happily go up to a stranger in the supermarket and say, ‘You look fabulous! Where did you get that…?’. I once went up to a woman in her 80’s at the check out. She has the most glorious up-do and I thought it was so pretty. I said to her, ‘You look amazing! How do you do your hair?’ She told me that she has it washed a set once a week and sleeps in silk scarf. The style holds until she needs to have it done a week later. Who knew?

steeking-juliet-bernard-workshop-knittingBlack Sheep Wools

Back in the Autumn I went to a fabulous workshop at Black Sheep Wools with ace tutor Juliet Bernard. I met some fabulous women during the day and picked up some stunning hints and tips. All the ladies I met seem to be avid Ravelry users. They knew all the ‘in’ patterns. Super chic Pat showed me a photo of a gorgeous scarf she had made from Ravelry. It is the Arabian Nights scarf pattern by Drops Design. Pat had made it using West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply sock yarn, alternate rows of Butterscotch and Bluetit. I thought about combining the variegated yarn with a denim solid. Pat said, ‘You will regret it – go with the yellow. It will make the other colours pop’. She was right and I immediately went out into the shop at Black Sheep Wools and picked up a ball in each shade.

The scarf has been my ‘slow-burn’ project. A little garter stitch break amongst the crochet madness. Though it looks complex, it is really very, very easy.

arabian night - emma varnamInspiration everywhere

Since finishing the scarf a couple of weeks ago I have happily worn this little beauty many times. It goes particularly well with navy and has a zesty spring-time feel which I know will brighten the dark days of the winter post Christmas. I am not sure I have many great tips on style, but what I do know is that great inspiration can be found everywhere you look. Look to the young and to the old and have no shame in saying, ‘You look fabulous – where did you get that?’ It will make someone’s day to have their style spotted and they will walk away as if skipping on clouds. Steal the Chic!

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Shop the Wardrobe – Festive Solutions

edwardian-lady-scarf-emma-varnamIt is difficult sometimes to know what to wear during the Christmas period. Adverts and magazines project a cosy ideal which seems to combine luxurious cashmere with a sprinkling of sequins. Well I like a well placed sequin as much as anyone, but they are not always practical in front of blazing oven. Probably the best idea would be to wear a combination of comfy outdoor clothes and some wellies and get out for a good old stomp in the open air.

edwardian-lady-scarf-emma-varnamAt work I have not found it that easy to combine the need to look ‘serious’ and ‘professional’ with the desire to be just a little bit festive. But I had a little nugget of inspiration and rootled around in my drawers. I shopped my wardrobe and combined this bohemian inspired supermarket cardigan with an old design sample.

edwardian-lady-scarf-emma-varnamI made this Edwardian Lady scarf for Inside Crochet Magazine back in 2013. You can have a look at the design process in this post. Botanical designs had just started to appear on the catwalk and since then, have not lost their popularity. The scarf itself is a very basic design, but all the details are crocheted and embroidered. I do like the idea of adding beads and sequins to my work. On this scarf they add just enough festive glitter.

I must say that these images are utterly gorgeous. I know the model is by the Thames, but doesn’t the styling look ever so Parisian? Gorgeous!

edwardian-lady-scarf-emma-varnamThe other side of Christmas I know I will crave the colours of Spring. So in the next few weeks I will wearing this outfit combo repetitively. I wonder if you have discovered an old make in your wardrobe recently? I think my resolution for next year should be re-using old handmade samples more – they are original bespoke designs after all!

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The Christmas Jumper – a rogue one

christmas-jumper-four-yearsThe Annual Jumper

I have no idea, no idea I tell you why I take exception to shop bought Christmas Jumpers. A couple of years ago the quality of the knit/yarn was so bad that I could not face parting with pennies to buy one. It was four years ago that we started making our own make-do jumpers. You can follow the story of our designs here 2013, 2014, and finally 2015. You can see that penguins loom large in our lives. Last year was a particular triumph as it had a front and a back. We were very tickled with that idea.

Little B has tended to be very much involved in the commissioning process. This year the sketch did not appear but the request was that we put a Christmas Pudding on the front of a sweatshirt to match his crochet beanie hat.

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I had no idea how I was going to get this little project completed before the school Christmas Jumper Day. This year, more than ever I feel like I have run out of time. But a good friend of mine, Gemma, came to the rescue. She was selling beautiful felt potholders at our local Christmas Market. ‘Ah-ha!’, I thought ‘Time to cheat!’.

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Appliqué

So after a quick fifteen minutes on the sewing machine, this beautiful Christmas pudding adorned a festive pullover. It has survived many more outings over the weekend and might even last in a very delicate wash. But really next year I think I should either go the full hog and knit a bespoke design, or give into the commercial offering. The choice is so much more adorable and humourous then it was four years ago. I really don’t see this fun tradition going away any time soon.

Commissioning Kids

Both Gemma and I suffer from ‘commissioning-kids’, but as we both acknowledge we created that particular delight/monster. I think of my own mother who made me the most wonderful dresses and crepe paper bonnets for fancy dress competitions. To have that magic of imagining an idea then making it real is a priceless creative gift. If I can give the idea of the possible to my son and encourage him to pass it onto his children then there will always be delighted, amused giggles in our family.

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Mid-week Sneaky Peek – Stylecraft Carnival Poncho

stylecraft-poncho.4When I went to visit the Stylecraft studios back in August, one Autumn pattern caught my eye – a beautiful chunky poncho. I started to caress and fondle the sample pattern and then without warning popped it over my head. ‘Ah’, I declared, ‘this will do!’

stylecraft-poncho.2In the round

A deceptively simple pattern, this poncho is reversible as it uses a knitted broken rib pattern. Worked from the bottom up on circular needles it has no seam. If you haven’t used this technique at all, this would be a great beginners pattern. I must say that the final texture of this yarn is gorgeous. This yarn reminds me of other colourful yarns which have an artisan look but at a fraction of the price. I used just 5 balls. My poncho was knitted to the medium size instructions, but I think I could have gone for the small size in the end .

 

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Do to my crochet schedule, I do very little knitting at the moment, so this project felt very indulgent. I worked my poncho in New Orleans, because it very much suits my palette. But there are new shades available in the Carnival Chunky range.

stylecraft-poncho.1What to wear?

I know that I am not a very good model for this look, but I will probably live in this poncho in the colder weather. In the deepest of the chills I could wear it over my warm woolen coat for extra cosiness. The poncho will probably be a stalwart of the weekend wardrobe, worn over a denim jacket with dark trousers or dungarees. When my knitwear has texture and colour, I try to ensure that the rest of my outfit is slightly more toned down. The key of course is to enjoy wearing something you have made yourself.

What will your must make item be for your Autumn/Fall wardrobe?

I am lucky enough to be a Stylecraft Blogstar – you can see other Blogstars here

 

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Batik Cowl – a mosaic in Stylecraft

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When I first saw Stylecraft’s yarn Batik, I knew immediately what I was going to make; a beautiful cowl for wearing during Autumn weekend. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a usual occurrence, however there are times when a Pinterest image sticks firmly in your mind. You know that one day, a concept, a colourway or a garment will manifest itself into a design.

The colour of the yarn, which is subtly variegated reminds me of a watercolour painting. The hues change in their intensity. I had in my mind two specific images which I love; a cardigan and a scarf which use a gingham garter stitch technique to give a vintage up-cycle vibe. This is a look of effortless cool, a laid back make-do-and-mend.

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Since beginning Little B’s Barcelona blanket, (still not finished), I have wanted to have a go at making a something which uses the diagonal corner-to-corner technique. The design uses a subtle rainbow palette interchanged with alternate rows of Cream. I started with Cherry, followed by Coral, Old Gold, Sage and then Storm

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I know the Batik Cowl will be a staple of the Autumn wardrobe. Ideally worn to brighten dark polo neck jumpers – but most of all it looks fabulous with denim. Today I have got it on with a Cream roll-neck, far too warm, but I am enjoying having a new accessory in my repertoire.

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If you think it would be helpful to write up this pattern, will you leave a comment below. It is a fairly quick and easy make – but I never know where it would be popular or not. Do also check into the blogs of my other Stylecraft Blogstars and see how they have used the Batik yarn. Check out the beautiful blanket by Heather at Patchwork Heart – utterly gorgeous.

 

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Weekend Project – Pom Pom Bag Charm

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I have a cute little weekend crafting project for you which is very much on-trend; he pom-pom bag charm has an additional bonus of being lots of fun to make.  Pom-poms and tassels are adorning lots of summer bags and baskets in the shops.

Here are some very cute examples from Boden, Accessorize and Anthropologie. Inspired by the look I decided to create a bag-charm for my new beach bag. It is so easy to do.

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Firstly the materials

A keyring fob or clasp – (you do not need this and can simply tie your charm to the handles of your bag)

3 different colours of wool – (I used aran weight for extra fluffiness)

2 different cotton weight yarns

1 lurex yarn

A pom-pom maker

3.5mm crochet hook

A small piece of card (mine was 8 x 7cm)

Some sharp scissors and a tapestry needle

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Firstly I made a cord on which to sew my pom-poms and tassels. I took some blue yarn and combined it with some lurex yarn for extra bling. I made 28 chain stitches, then I double crocheted into the 2nd ch and every chain to the end. I left a long tail of yarn at the end. Using this tail I sewed the end of the cord to the keyring/lanyard fob and made sure I secured it.

Then I made 3 pom-poms. I used a pom-pom maker and I have a blog post about that here. But you can also make pom-poms using a fork so don’t think you need any special equipment at home. The yarn I used to tie up my pom-pom was the same as the yarn I chose to create my charm cord. I then sewed each pom pom to the cord quite near the end.

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I then made two tassels. I find it looked better using a cotton yarn for this. The tassels don’t fluff up so much and look sleek.

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I cut a small amount of lurex which I would use to tie the top of the tassel and placed it along the top of the card. I then used the cotton and wrapped the yarn over the card, ensuring the lurex was captured. I wrapped the cotton around about 30 times.

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I then knotted the lurex yarn on the top of the tassel. Using sharp scissors I cut the bottom of the tassel which is at an opposite end to the lurex.

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I then cut a small length of lurex and made a slip-knot in one end. I placed the loop of the slip-knot over the top of the tassel and pulled the slip-knot tight. Using the long end I wrapped the lurex round the yarn tassel several times and pulled it tight. I used a tapestry needle to make some small stitches in this lurex wrap to secure the yarn.

 

On both the pom-poms and the tassels I used my scissors to neaten up the edges and get rid of any stray strands.

Finally I wrapped the end of the cord around one bag handle and secured with the keyring/lanyard fob.

We are good to go and strut our stuff on the beach or the high street! Happy Weekend.

If you have a go at this project and have fun – please do send me some photos I would love to see them.

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Hey Baby! – spring inspiration for a new arrival

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Whether you are a seasoned knitter or a novice with a baby bundle on the way, new born handknits never have to be old fashioned. It was the designs of Debbie Bliss that inspired me to pick up my needles over a decade ago. Debbie has always managed to combine classic lines with fresh colours to create a covetable modern vibe.

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I am convinced that the high street designers have been inspired by Debbie’s work. There are two key books by Debbie that would never leave my pattern library. Firstly get hold of the original Baby Cashmerino book. Here you will find the go-to round neck baby cardigan. I must have knitted 3 or 4 version of this design for my son. They are perfect over a baby-grow for early morning play and will look super cute with a liberty print dress or dungerees in the summer.

Both Bonpoint and Boden have been attracted to Acid Yellow and Coral tones this summer. You can make your own handknit version using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I think I might be tempted to look to the Baby Cashmerino Tonal Collection and make a cardigan in Storm. This soft denim look will be fabulous matched with a pure white dress and matching knickers.

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My second recommendation is Baby Knits for beginners. There are loads of great designs in this book from blankets to jumpers and scarves. Every new Mum loves cute hats for her new born. So many get flung out of the buggy that you can never make enough. I feel like I have made hundreds of these cute beanies over the years. They are a quick and welcome gift that attract admiring glances on the high street. If the flavour of the baby is unknown at this stage I think that duck egg, denim and navy go down a treat for a boy or girl. Once knitted you might just attain favourite aunty or uncle status.

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Outdoor Living – a summer of crochet

summerparty15.4Two things last summer changed my view of our outdoor life. Firstly we were fortunate enough to re-landscape our garden. Not much changed really in terms of the layout, but we had new beautiful paths, two fine seating areas and finally, finally I felt we could invest our time, plans (and money) in plants that we wanted to grow.

summerparty15.3My parents have been hugely generous with their advice and plants and have helped us develop the beds in a very short space of time. I have also begged and borrowed specimens from our neighbours and friends. This summer I have become increasingly distracted and enchanted by our garden. It does my soul good. In the evening Big B and I sit late at night down at the bottom of the garden and chat, catching up on the day or the week.

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I was also inspired by the Selina Lake’s book Outdoor Living and have chatted about this on the blog before. (I will have to buy her Winter Living book very soon). This Spring I started my outdoor projects in earnest. I made a list of things I wanted to make for entertaining and relaxing in the garden. In between commissioned work I made my way through the list. Last weekend we had a few of our friends round to enjoy a summer barbecue. This was the time to pull out all the creations and enjoy a fiesta of fun.

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Crochet is perfect for summer outdoor projects. I used our granny square blankets and cushions for comfortable seating areas on the lawn. New patchwork cushion covers got a new airing and we used the food covers. The napkin weight, the new edged tablecloths and tablecloth weights were all used.

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We also made a little fairy glade down the bottom of the garden using the paper garlands I made the other week and the Breton peg-doll fairies. It was lots of fun. In the evening we lit tea-lights in the up-cycled Bonne Maman jars. Some of these quick and easy creations made great take-home pressies for guests. After months of gradually building up our crochet items stash, it was lovely to use so many of our items.

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But the real thing about entertaining is not the food, crochet, drink or the sunshine (although it does help) it is the laughter. That is worth its weight in gold and yarn.

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The Debbie Bliss Fan Club week #1 – Debbie Bliss Home

deb14home7 If you follow me on twitter and facebook you will have an inkling of why this week is a big Debbie Bliss celebration on the blog. But later this week I am going to show you some exciting patterns that I have been developing with Debbie and Team Bliss. Exciting times!

deb14home2I have kept of meaning to blog about my fabulous trip just before Christmas to London and the opening of Debbie’s new shop, Debbie Bliss Home. Being able to spend a day on the train and visiting gorgeous Debbie and her family was a huge treat and I was fortunate that we could work it around family commitments. Above is my beloved Harris Tweed Debbie Bliss project bag….you see you must always stay on message and loyal with your accessories!

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Debbie and Nell have opened a new shop in the heart of the old village of Walthamstow in the East of London (Orford Road, E17). This area of London is becoming increasingly trendy and there was a very cool vibe.

deb14home4 deb14home5 deb14home6 deb14home8It reminded me very much of the cool areas of South Manchester. As you can imagine the look and the product choice within the shop is exquisite. A great mix of affordable gifts, classic designs and homewares from Debbie’s own range.

deb14home1I spent a blissful (pub intended) day sipping a vast amount of Prosecco, catching up with yarn heroes including Sarah Hatton and meeting old friends (Debbie, Teresa and Nell). I also got a tour of Walthamstow village with the dashing Mr Barry Bliss.

DBHome4If you are in the area, go – it is a lovely haven of style and serenity. But if you live far to far away then pop by the on-line shop. I continue to love me Debbie Bliss mugs and tea towels and they are the perfect pressie for yarn fans.

Debbie is now over in India at the moment on a Knit for Peace tour – pop over to her blog to see her adventures.

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