A truly beautiful Minxy mix of charm, inspiration, practical advice, and pretty projects to simplify and beautify your life and home. - Jane Brocket, The Gentle Art of Domesticity
Gimme skills
Completed: one headband for Ruby's birthday, modelled by Olive
I have just had the most inspiring weekend. Which, considering I’m in the throes of a full-blown chest infection, was not expected. Conversations with creative people which resonated and made so much sense, from the Books & Nooks event yesterday with Pia Jane Bijkerk to a five year old’s birthday party next door.
Case in point: I was chatting to Maja, co-0wner and jewellery designer from Polli on Sunday. Maja’s gone mad for knitting; making jumpers and scarves and beanies and all sorts of complicated things lately. Because she runs a business and is a mother and no longer actually makes much jewellery anymore (like Dinosaur Designs, Polli started at Paddington Markets before growing massively both here and internationally, while retaining their Made in Australia, by hand ethos), Maja needed to find a new hobby, and knitting is it.
I can’t tell you how much satisfaction I’ve had in learning to crochet this week at Calico & Ivy. With sewing my job now – what with the books and workshops, etc. – it feels like a wholly indulgent, relaxing pastime again to be making for the pure pleasure of it. And it’s given me the confidence to think, what new dizzying heights of craftiness could I be scaling? I have a view to mastering knitting myself. The first project? A beautiful, bold-shouldered cardigan, taken from an original 1940s pattern. Wish me luck.
My hexagon blanket takes shape
The rosette cushion I long to make, at Calico & Ivy
And the mohair scarf I will try next, Calico & Ivy
Kelly the crocheting looks fabulous! I’m a big fan of it as well and have always wanted to make a jacket/cardigan. Blankets for newborns is as far as I have gotten so far! Would love to see how yours turns out
Thanks for sharing
Sara
Your headband is beautiful! Congrats on learning to Crochet! It’s one of my goals for this year too!
… Oh and knitting!
Wow! I can’t believe you’ve only just learned to crochet and your projects look so polished and professional. You put my shabby learner attempts to shame. I have just finished all my crochet squares for a blanket and it is very amusing seeing the progression from ‘haphazard collection of holes’ to ‘square shaped hurrah!’.
Knitting I can do, but crochet? Looks too scary! :p
So sorry to hear you’ve been sick – hope you’re feeling better soon! Your blanket is taking shape beautifully – no doubt it will be stunning! I love the sound of the cardigan and can’t wait to see pics. The headband is SOOOO cute too! Thanks Kelly xx
I love that headband!
Thanks for all your lovely comments! Believe me, there were a few misshapen ones to begin with, but I became a tad obsessed with getting them right. The headband’s actually made with one of those first attempts where the tension was all wrong. I unravelled the rest and started again! I’m convinced knitting must be much harder
I’m so impressed that I could inspire you Kelly! As the nights get cooler I’m enjoying my knitting even more, I just hope my current project is finished before it gets warm again… Love the crochet blanket, I can see that lying over your knees as you start your next project! xx
Perhaps you might like Jo Sharp’s hexagon crochet skirt – Knit Issue #9
http://www.k2tog.com.au/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=64_41_50&products_id=568