Emma Varnam’s blog – Page 85 – Knitting, nattering, crochet and craft

Stealth Geography

I went to a department store this week, to buy a replacement vinyl tablecloth for the kitchen. Curries and lily pollen had killed our previous one. I was going to choose an exact replica and then this map pattern caught my eye. ‘Hurrah’, I thought ‘Stealth Geography over the breakfast table!’ Among a number of regrets, I always wish I had kept studying Geography at school, well at least spent more time with an atlas.

In our last home, we had a large world map wallpapered to the bathroom wall. I loved it. But being short and a slave to picture hanging, all I really ended up looking at was Antarctica, the Falklands and the lower parts of South America.

So I was thrilled to come across this table cloth. There are just two small snags. Firstly, the print direction does mean that little people feel the need to sit in the middle of the table to get a perfect view. Not helpful in engendering good table manners. Secondly, being a printed textile, the pattern repeats makes the geography of this map rather interesting. Pleased as I was, Big B leaned over with a rye smile and said ‘When do you think Iceland moved to coast of Brazil?’

Good point…Hmm…A globe for Christmas me thinks!

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Collections – Buttons

Collections are funny things. We have so many random bits and pieces in our lives, many things we have forgotten about, others are saved for a rainy day or ‘just in case’. It is a strange phenomenon that a collection of little left things like buttons can look like ‘nothing’ or ‘junk’ when left in an old tin. But lay them out, lovingly place them, then they become like jewels. I took these photos recently for a small publication. the buttons are not particularly valuable but as I picked each one up I was transported to that child-like place where every button is like treasure. Maybe I should start collecting again.

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Flower Memories

I have very fond memories of visiting the house of a school friend. Throughout my childhood this family visited Scotland for the summer holidays. Every year, on their return they brought back huge bundles of heather which decorated little corners of their house. Luckily when I was 16 I joined them on holiday in the Highlands. I was exhausted by the exams we had just taken and it was a power antidote to just read, have fun and eat the most wonderful ‘haggis burgers’ and carrot cake for lunch. On my return home I brought a little bit of the Highlands back with me and this small bunch of heather reminded me for many months of the fanstatic holiday.

Now a few weeks ago my dear school friend and her family came to stay on their return from Scotland. I recalled to her the powerful memory of the heather. I know really that it was not my story that prompted her to return to her car. She had already read my mind and strode into the kitchen clutching a little posy. Lucky me.

Now when I glance at it in the kitchen, it reminds me of her, of our youth and care-free holidays. Lovely.

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Christmas idea and the trash can pin cushion…

My goodness it has been a busy week! But firstly ‘thank you’ to all of you who have been so supportive, I am really grateful. I wanted to show you this most wonderful biscuit tin which spoke to me from the shelves of my local M & S. The British Shopping Institution which is Marks & Spenser have done some wonderful packaging in the last few years. They trawled their archive and re-used many of their vintage labels and have also been commissioning up and coming graphic artists to produce ‘new classics’. I so adore this telephone box and think it is a great Christmas gift. Little B has already commandeered one that I bought for a friend. They have also produced a wonderful double decker bus. If you have a pal who loves their vintage finds or is a graphic maven, then this is a perfect pressie!

Secondly, you might have thought I have gone a bit quiet on the crochet front. Well rest assured little secret projects have been evolving, I just can’t share them with you yet. But if I use the word ‘festive’ you will understand my meaning.

I was chatting with a friend of mine, who is a wonderful cross stitcher and I glanced across her desk. There, like a little jewel was a ‘biscornu’ pin cushion. Like a magpie, I picked it up and had to inspect it in full detail. I think the biscornu had been hugely popular in the stitching world for a couple of years. Good examples are found here.

It got the old grey cells working, and I wondered if you could use the same principle to make a crochet floor cushion…. Well let’s just say, not all my little schemes go to plan and my first example was thrown with quite severe force into the bin. On Tuesday, my friend Ems came and sat in my crochet chair and glanced over to the bin. She fished it out and said ‘What’s this? You can’t throw that away! That makes me feel very sad, will you finish it?. So I did.

I am not totally finished with the concept yet, but it is such an intriguing shape that something must be done. If you find better examples I would love to see them. Hope you have the most wonderful weekend.

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Going Local – Crafty Fun

I wanted to focus on the local today. Over the past week I realised there were a number or really fantastic crafty events going on that I didn’t want to not mention them.

Firstly a friend pointed out that the Manchester Science Festival was holding a really great event – Knit a Galaxy – I think this will be great fun and I might take Little B along to see what he thinks about it. Looking at the programme there appears to be lots of crafty events, and I just love the tie between art and science. So if this intrigues you or your little ones, please do have a look at the website.

Next up the utterly awesome Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, put this in your diary… the most wonderful opportunity to get inspired, buy original work and chat the really talented makers. The fair runs in the very trendy Spinningfields area from 20 – 23 October 2011

My lovely friend Katie K is a wonderful vintage fashion connoisseur and she is orgainsing a Vintage fashion and Craft Fair, I am valiently trying to work on a few trinkets to sell. But if you are in the area it is worth popping in to browse stalls, try on outfits and meet with friends over a cup of tea, slice of cake and a chin-wag. The fair takes place at Emmanuel Hall, behind Didsbury Library on Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury Village on Saturday 29 October from 10 am – 4 pm. Entrance is £2 per person and children under 12 go free. Excellent Fun.

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Autumn Colour – Pumpkin

Ok, so I have a bit of a pumpkin vibe going on at the moment…

Often there are little projects which float about in my head, they don’t even get written down in a list or drawn on the back of an envelope. After making the pumpkin teacosy, this little chap was a natural extension. Firstly it began as a pin cushion and then I realised that it would make a lovely place setting for a Harvest/Thanksgiving supper.

If you wanted to give the pumpkin more character then the addition of some beads and a little embroidered mouth would be pretty easy. The pattern is pretty simple and a really good starter for any amigurumi fan. Feel free to download the pattern here for free

I must however mention that my friend Jonathan pointed out very gracefully that I had declared my teacosy pumpkin to be a vegetable. But alas my friends it is a fruit… because of the seeds! He made me laugh out loud sending me this….

“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is leaving it out of the fruit salad!”

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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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Autumn Colour – Pumpkin Cosy

Isn’t it funny that although many people don’t work in academic years, the start of a new school/college term has a sense of new beginnings. It makes me want to get new stationary, buy new tights and think about wonderful autumn knitting.

So it was the on-set of the Autumn term that made me think of little fun autumn projects. I was also inspired by the blog of Emma Lamb to get involved in the Celebrate Color blog event. The idea is about celebrating all things autumnal through crafting. If you would like to get involved and share what you have made which has an autumn feel, please have a look at Emma Lamb’s blog or visit the really inspiring Celebrate Color page.

Now a couple for a couple of months I have been happily making some teacosies using the Ruth Cross design from Purls of Wisdom. All the time there has been a nagging feeling in my head, ‘this would make a fabulous…..’ Then it came to me, Pumpkin! So a few hours later, with some zesty orange and a little green I-cord, the Pumpkin Cosy appeared. The most fun is making those little tendrils on the top. They are easy to do with a crochet hook and they certainly make finish off the chubby vegetable. Yummy! Now I am thinking of pumpkin soup and evenings by the fire – Oh and something warm and snuggly cast on the needles.

So many of you ask me for the pattern for this cosy – but I am afraid I don’t feel able to write this one for you. The basic pattern is taken from the Book by Jenny Lord, Purls of Wisdom. As a designer myself I feel strongly that it is important that the originator of the design should get the credit. I just made an icord top in green and a crochet spiral which you can find easily how to make on the web – sorry to disappoint.

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Sweet Blog Award

I think Bloggers are generally generous people, they love to read blogs and they invariably like to share good links to other people’s musings.

The lovely Tracy from I Made It was really kind to pass on the Blog Award. In accepting this award, there are a couple of conditions, that you should say 7 things about yourself and pass on 7 blog sites for others to visit. You kind of pass on the love.

So here goes:

My favourite name is ‘Bernard’ (it’s a Blackadder thing).
I am a marmalade person, not a marmite person.
In a different world I would own a very fast sports car.
I aspire to be tidy, I am not.
I am DREADFUL with names.
I am even more dreadful at washing up.
I like nothing better than a ride on a carousel – which I actually did this weekend, but side saddle due to inappropriate clothing. ‘Such fun!’

So there are some quite well known things about me and some that are not.

Below are some blogs which I really like visiting – many are well known but they all bring a smile to my face!

Chaos, Kids, Crochet and Cake

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