My Books – Page 12 – Emma Varnam’s blog

Book Review – Stitch by Stitch by Jane Bull

I had to show you this wonderful book by Jane Bull. Jane Bull creates the most wonderful craft and cooking books for young people. I think if you have a young person in your life who is showing some crafty interest, they will be inspired by the majority of the projects.

I particularly think the knitting and crochet pages are very good. I think you could probably leave a little person to look at how it is done and allow them to work it out themselves. Brilliant. So utterly gorgeous and the designs are very ‘of the moment’.

I actually want to make these Little Dude dolls. So I can give now higher recommendation than that.

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A Little Paris Inspiration

Last night I was missing my chap, who has been in fabulous Paris. So be ‘in spirit’ with him I sat down and watched back to back episodes of the BBC series, The Little Paris Kitchen, with Rachel Khoo. It was so delightful. The scenery, the score, the fashion… oh yes and the recipes. If you get a chance to catch it on the BBC website, I think it is lots of fun. Watching the programme it did amaze me how small Rachel’s kitchen actually is. On several occasions I have been relaying this to friends and actually trying to pace the space out to demonstrate its tiny size. So this evening I thought ‘Ah ha I will make a Varnam Signature dish to welcome the weary traveller home!’. I slapped on some scarlet lipstick and grabbed some things from the fridge and cupboard (that normally doesn’t happen – I never have things usually in stock) and made ‘Passion Pudding’. Equal parts: whipped double cream and yoghurt, some frozen berries and muscovado sugar sprinkled on top! You could almost hear the accordion playing in the background. Thank you for the inspiration Rachel x

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Re-using the old

I think I am getting into the ‘shabby chic’ vibe more and more. After reading Sarah Moore’s book; Homemade Gifts Vintage Style I really loved the look of candles in tea-cups, but haven’t had time to make one. At the weekend at a local craft fair, a lovely stall holder had some for sale, so I was able to buy one without having to learn how to make it. Lucky me.

I want to do a proper review of Sarah’s book when she launches her shop. So I will promise you I will do that.

Now for a while I been getting a bit frustrated with my hook/needle organisation. Big B bought be a fantastic circular needle case for my birthday, (Yes you should feel sorry for him! – he is very long-suffering). But the hooks were still a problem. I kept looking and different mugs and jars in the house, thinking of requisitioning them, but I put those thoughts aside because they were actually quite useful for their original purpose. It wasn’t until a marathon porridge eating breakfast that we finished a tin of golden syrup. As it sat their in the recycling pile I remembered all those chic pictures in magazines which use the old iconic syrup tin. Genius! Just the job. Golden hooks in a golden tin.

If you have any fiendishly good ideas of how to organise hooks/needles/circular needles please tell me and I’ll try them out.

Addition – Wow how cool are you all for getting back to me. Have a look at CraftGirl’s blog on the cutlery roll made to keep her hooks in, beautiful. If you have amazing ideas please do keep them coming I am going to write an article about it for Inside Crochet Magazine – so any Etsy fav suggestions for even things you have bought in your LYS will be much appreciated.

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Inspired By…Scrappy flags and the patchwork tablecloth

I just love the blogging world for those little seeds of inspiration which just pop into your head and then germinate when you least expect them. This week I had a group of lovely ladies visit for dinner. I wanted to do something for the table which was unashamedly girly. My little mind took me back to the wonderful blog by Alicia Paulson. She had created a wonderful birthday cake with little flag decorations made out of scraps of material and lace. I tried valiantly to find kebab sticks in the middle of the British winter. But to no avail. So I used chopsticks instead and it took about two minutes with some remnants of fabric and ribbon.

Even though I have way too many things on my ‘to do’ list, I really wanted to make a floral print table-cloth inspired by Joanna Gosling. But I didn’t have enough material in ‘stock’ to cover the kitchen table. Luckily there is an article from the current issue of Selvedge Magazine inspired me to cobble together bits and remnants to make a patchwork tablelcoth – which actually looks more girly than if I had gone with one pattern. I have to say that the ‘finishing’ was not good. I watched in embarrassed horror as a friend wound a stray thread around her finger during dinner. But the fact it is something instant and spontaneous that make me think we will use it more and not be quite so precious about this rather hotchpotch creation.

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Book Review – Simply Wonderwoman – Joanna Gosling

Now I promised you that I would share a little book review so some of the nice books I got for Christmas/birthday. Ok, first a small confession. I have a lot of books on household tips/how to clean your house better/the ancient art of housekeeping. So many that when we needed to do some historical research on this subject at my work, we used my book collection. Visitors to our home would not call it minimal. I am not particularly good at the ol’ housekeeping thing, but oh, do I like to read a book on ‘tips and tricks’? If you don’t and in fact such publications drive you mad – don’t read on.

I read about this book in a magazine and really felt Joanna Gosling sounded like a great woman – a pragmatic busy woman – a woman who just liked sharing all the really helpful things she had learned about running her household. Father Christmas was listening to my silent gift list and I cannot be more grateful. I have literally read this hard backed book from cover to cover.

Some of the tips and hints in the household section I already knew, but reading them again spurred me on in ‘New Year’ zeal to get a couple of nagging jobs done in the house. Sadly on New Years day I knelt in the doorway a cleaned our letter box with her brass cleaning formula. It is lucky I have a very patient family…

The book is divided into two sections, The Basics which include; getting organised, keeping house and DIY and The Nice Stuff, which has tips on making things and homemade presents. If it is any indication I have already put into action about 6 of her hints and tips, mostly in the getting organised section and keeping house. The whole vibe is not preachy, it is not ‘aren’t I clever’ but it is – ‘I can’t believe this works, and it changed my life and made it less stressful, so in the spirit of generosity, I’m going to share it with you’.

Of particular note was her recipe for stain removal, which uses things in your baking cupboard (obviously for copyright reasons I can’t tell you what it is). I wasn’t totally convinced but in a rather desperate attempt to clean up very persistent marks on our carpets, one from a un-set jelly spilling incident (ooooh messy) and another from a 3am Calpol mercy dash. These are marks which you are unaware are there, lurking waiting to gather more sticky dirt until they become more of a feature than a household stain. Well I gave the carpets the Simply Wonderwoman stain removal treatment and quite shockingly it worked! ‘Hurrah’ for you Joanna Gosling – You seem like a jolly nice lady and you are right, it’s good to share. I love this book!

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Book and Broach Birthday Loveliness

How I love books for Christmas/birthdays. I was a very lucky girl with some very perceptive friends and family who were kind enough to give me exactly the kind of tome I want to read. Are you sensing a theme? The Vintage Chic book by Christina Strutt is a classic which I have always wanted to own, but never asked anyone to buy it for me. My father must have sensed this and kindly bought it for my birthday. It is a beautiful read and a real inspiration. Big B bought by the Simply Wonderwoman book by Joanna Gosling. I will do a separate post on that book because I have already put into practice at least 3 suggestions!!!

Homemade Gifts Vintage Style by Sarah Moore has received a lot of coverage in magazines in this country, and rightfully so. It is a beautiful book with really lovely photography and has some very simple but attainable craft projects which just ‘sing’ British Vintage style. My two school friends were darlings and bought The New Artisans by Oliver Dupon when we visited the V&A together as part of my VERY extended birthday celebrations. They had watched me in the shop pick up this book and put it down. I felt I couldn’t justify purchasing it for myself. Clever pals, it is a perfect gift for this old lady. A good ‘new’ friend of mine was kind enough to think of me and bought me the beautiful Cath Kidston scrapbook. I am going to endeavour to record 2012 on its pages and see how it turns out. I’ll keep you posted.

Finally I just wanted to share this lovely birthday broach with you. It is very beautiful, but actually its real beauty derives from the fact that it was bought with such thought and kindness by the people who work with me. When I opened the little box, it made me cry – funny how the unexpected and the fact that people know you so well takes us unawares and speaks to our very heart. Books and broaches – one happy happy birthday.

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My heart wanders – A beautiful book

Sometimes avid magazine reading leads me on a little treasure hunt. Luckily I often find gold. Today a little piece of gold arrived on my doorstep. Having viewed some beautiful images of Pia Jane Bijkerk’s book My Heart Wanders in Mollie Makes Magazine. I then went on a wonderful visual journey through her blog. Immediately I felt that I must see this wonderful book for myself. Since ordering it I have waited nearly 3 months to arrive. But oh it doesn’t disappoint. (Have a look at her blog to see more details of the book)

Pia is a celebrated photographer and stylist. If you googled her you would find she has published a number of beautiful books. This particular book is such as visual and romantic treat. A cross between interior inspiration, private journal and poetry, it charts her journey of discovery. A discovery of Europe, of herself and the journey which she takes to follow her heart.

If I sound a bit lyrical, well that is the effect which it has upon you. If nothing more it reminds you of some of the quiet romantic thoughts you have and have had. It might even tempt you to send a text message to a loved one, ‘just because’.

I shall be leaving my copy around the living room, the ultimate beautiful coffee table book. But any visitor picking it up couldn’t possibly just flick through it. They will become absorbed within a second, and start reading.

Utterly beautiful, utterly uplifting, pure inspiration.

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In the presense of royalty – knitting royalty

I had the most fantastic day today! The sun was shining on another glorious balmy autumn day and I set off with a good friend to meet the wonderful Debbie Bliss. If you are not a yarnster then you might not get the significance of this, but Debbie Bliss is British Knitting Royalty.

She probably is one of the reasons why I returned to knitting about fifteen years ago. Her patterns always look fresh, comfortable and achievable. Her aesthetic is modern classic British, a hint of Cath Kidston, with a pinch of Toast, a dash of Muji – well actually 100% Debbie Bliss. If you knit a Debbie Bliss pattern then you can bet your bottom dollar that people will remark on the hat/jumper/cushion. It is Debbie Bliss patterns which people secretly want you to knit for their new born baby.

I went to one of my local yarn stores and spotted her coming down the stairs, for a knitter it was a bit like Madonna brushing past you in Harvey Nicks. Anyway I glanced at the wonderful sales assistant and we did that knowing look of ‘THAT’S HER!’

Later I plucked up the courage to speak to her. My friends, this lady is the most kind, generous, self effacing person you could ever meet. She spent time talking to people, showing them tips and tricks on her needles and had endless patience we me asking her endless questions. Perhaps the most accessible and enthusiastic professional I have met for such a long time.

I bought a number of books and her magazine, which I will share with you in the next week. But I have to say that if you are thinking of picking up those needles again, then I would turn to one of her patterns to start with. I have knitted this cable beanie from her book Baby Cashmerino, about 7 or 8 times. I have sized it up several times for Little B. It is an enduring classic. Obviously there are more simple patterns to get your hands on, but the yarn choices are just glorious.

If you think I sound a bit gushingly star-struck – you’re right I am – and you know what sometimes we might fear to meet our heroes, but sometimes they surpass our expectation and encourage us to keep going – Thank you Debbie x

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Autumn Colour – Baby Hat

Well when I said in my previous post that the on-set of autumn did have a new term feeling about it, my next little project is definitely for something new. In the new year I will have a new niece or nephew. So the knitting/crochet creations have started in earnest.

I always love a 40’s colour palette, and have often made a hat or beret reminiscent of the movie ‘The Railway Children’. This little bobble hat definately has that vibe and a small hint of autumnal colours. So much so, Little B took a liking to it. He immediately commisisoned his own version – but as usual has a little tweak to make it his own. If I manage to finish the Little B version I will post a photo for you.

This pattern is Doodie from Woolwormhead’s book Wee Woolly Toppers– really nice to knit and cute too. Check out her website – really lovely.

Don’t forget that if you have made something for autumn/fall to add it to the Celebrate Color site

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