Tag Archives: granny knits

Granny Square Stitching

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Really excited today to share with you one of my latest projects I have been squirreled away working on.  It is my Granny Square Stitching…

Regular readers amongst you will know of my love of crochet – and I have stitched up quite a few little blankets in my time – hooking up mini squares when I have a spare moment to experiment on new patterns.

So I thought why not try it in cross stitch – and low and behold here it is -

I have worked this on a 40 cm square (each square 10 cm) and the pattern will be available in full kit format – which you can obviously then adapt at your leisure. I used this prototype to cover an old chair seat with – and photographed it next to one of the kids crochet monster crochet granny squares that I made in the past from scraps of old yarn

I am a little bit in love with this one – and hope you like it too…

Festival Homage

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This weekend it was Glastonbury…  those who follow on twitter will have had my minute by minute posts of what was a truly nostalgic musical feast it was – before the fallow year next year.
The summer solstice start to the festival season was surely one of the greats?  With us all shaking our booty to the gold jacketed glory of Beyonce and her rock solid thighs on Sunday… Ceelo Greens mammouth shoulder pads, The Kaiser Chiefs, Coldplay and Gwenyth, Mumford and Sons and even U2 finally doing a festival…  let alone the sideline shows of Morrisey, Kool and the Gang et al….
They even have a whole Craft Field these days…. and built a whole tower block out of polystyrene!
Craft blogger PERRI LEWIS has a full crafty low down from her adventures.

For me the festival always reminds me of my youth – when it meant that Uni exams were over, we rocked and then had 3 months off!  Now I feel lucky to get a mere 3 minutes off…  but hey.
Me and Mr H will keep on rocking …  and in homage I made up this YOU ROCK quick cross stitch mini pattern for Granny Knits .. and have reframed 2 of our best selling 100 secrets to life to hang in my office

No067 Get Wellies Muddy
No075 Rock at a Festival 

Think my blog may take on more of this 100 secrets feel to make sure I am living up to my own standards!

Right Royal Badge

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Today my daughters school was having a Royal Wedding party…  and the kids had to make hats and dress up in Red White and Blue…
Libby is only 6 but is starting to cross stitch and blanket stitch – so I helped her use this months Granny Knits FREE CRAFT PROJECT Union Jack mini cross stitch to make into this badge for her jacket.
We added a couple of mini pom poms and a poppy made from felt scraps.  I will be posting INSTRUCTIONS on the badge making later…
I know it’s a little mad – but we loved it!
Let us know about any British / Royal stitching you are making on our facebook page and we will give prizes to the best.

..  oh and dont forget you can get 15% off online on GRANNY KNITS today with the code ROYAL OFFER

Our crafty side heads to Liberty

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 Today Granny Knits shipped our super order to Liberty in London…  this is thrilling for me on so many levels, but mainly because I LOVE THE SHOP.  I cherish my Loyalty card, queue at sample sales for designer handbags and as I used to work round the corner, spent most lunch times in there.
The haberdashery / uber craft department is filled with their collaborations, Liberty prints, wools, buttons, fabrics, VV rouleux ribbons and now our kits…
I am off up to the big smoke next week to sit and stare at our goodies and take lots of pictures for my personal ‘did that ambition’ tick box.  Thank you to Julie and the team for working with us – and I am very excited about the things we have in the pipeline.!
PS: if you have a lovely shop and would like to stock our kits too – then let us know!

Royal Wedding Samplers (and some for us too)

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I was asked a lot last year by various folk, if I could design an ‘up to date’ wedding sampler …  well seeing as it is the Royal Wedding this year (one of 2 no less) I thought that I would finally have a go – and work on my own take on the Big Royal Day!!.. 
When I finish stitching it, I will give you a peek… but I have designed it with a full alphabet and calendar so you can adapt it for your own date!
Stitching for this will include metallic gold on the crown!  I have also done a version with a heart in replacement of the crown (for us commoners!)
I have also worked a cushion version (which you can use for rings or as a gift depending on the size chosen)  – which you can stitch up in wools or stranded cotton.  Patterns will be on Granny Knits for purchase soon.
Hope you like it … x

Mini Cushion Version for Us Commoners

Pom Poms and Butterflies

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6 Bright Butterflies – No 1
In November we launched a LOT of new designs on Granny Knits ready for the Christmas season… and the response was fantastic.  Thank you!
The Bright Butterflies have been particularly popular – and the jewel colours and organic shapes have been a bit of hit and one of my personal favourites.  Available as 12 Butterflies (crewel wool 10hpi) and 6 Butterflies x 2 (super sized tapestry wool 7hpi) .. Aunty Ann has just finished stitching up the super long version for me, and it looks AMAZING!  We have whipped it off to our super framer David for framing in an over sized gold frame to finish it off – and it will adorn the space above our bed (after it has been photographed for our new catalogue SIGN UP FOR YOUR COPY HERE)…
A mini version of these butterflies to be stitched in stranded cotton will be in the MARCH issue of Cross Stitcher, along side my Pom Pom flower design.  
I came up with the pom pom idea when working with some old stranded cotton on our mini pom pom makers and thought I would try stitching it into a design to add a little texture.  I think the 3D result is fabulous and it has a real 50′s feel to the whole thing – which is why I designed the apron.  I really hope you enjoy stitching it!  I also think they would look great stitched onto some clothing – or a 50′s full skirt for a little girl..  my 5 year old is pestering me to make her one and I will share the result when I get round to it!
Why not post your finished piece on our Face Book Page – where we choose a prize winner every month from our favourites.
Issue 236 is out at the end of this month.
12 Bright Butterflies – Long
6 Bright Butterflies – No 2

Retro Hot Ones!

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Been a bit slack on the blogging front of late – simply because we have been overwhelmed with deliveries from both Pearl and Earl and Granny Knits…. 
On top of all that we still need to make sure that come Spring we have lots of lovely new things to tempt you, and I am working on some really lovely editorial projects… so the days have been long working late into the night!
The 50′s and 70′s are both hot trend topics for next year..  both favourite eras of mine, from a kitsch, humourous and colour and pattern point of view for starters!  So when Cross Stitcher asked me to work on some ideas for their April Mag – I came up with a super cheeky 50′s housewife which will be quick to stitch with highlighted key 50′s colours of red, pistacio, and sky blue… 
Then I have been working on some colourful cutlery for a while…  as I want a large bench cushion for our kitchen!  These will be available as monster cushion patterns on our site… stitched in my signature rainbow pallette or 2 versions (including ones in frames) will be included in the April Cross Stitcher.  Issue available from 1st March.

Cross Stitcher Feature out today!

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Those of you who regularly read this blog will know that from January 2011 I am going to be contributing regularly to the fabulous Cross Stitcher Magazine … in the form of a column and bespoke designed pieces…
This morning the first of those new editions hit my mat – and I could not have been more excited.  The new look mag is going from strength to strength, and I was super chuffed with how the team had photographed my LOVE FLORAL CUSHION  which was a joy to design.
In addition there is a 3 page ‘introductory article’ on Granny Knits and Me which gives a little insight into our crazy creative world.
The magazine this month also features some fantastic pieces from other designers – including a gorgeous monogram alphabet chart (in 2 different sizes) by Lesley Teare, which we think is perfect for personalising a little Christmas Present… like a towel or hanky.
Plus there is a little butterfly hand bag charm by the contemporary designer Felicity Hall, which my daughter has fallen in love with – and which complements beautifully some of the future pieces we have done in collaboration with the magazine…
Next month is our Swirly Stripey Tree and Bird designs… so keep an eye out for the latest pics….
You can buy the magazine at all good newsagents from tomorrow for £3.99 which is a bargain for all these charts…  We have also done a Wool Version of the Kit on our site (the original is in evenweave and stranded cotton).
I am currently working on May… and cant wait to share all the exciting new things with everyone

Sci Fi Geeky Scarves

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 Those of you who know me will know that I am a bit of a sci fi geek … I blame my lovely dad!  SO my youth was filled with Blakes Seven (starring another Jacqui Pearce) , Dr Who, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Logans Run (30 seemed ANCIENT in those days) , and various others…
I was always begging my someone to knit me a scarf like Dr Whos – but my sensible mum thought it would simply be a hazard!…
So imagine my delight when I happened upon the WITTY LITTLE KNITTER - named after a line from the programme when The Doctor is discussing his scarf  “Madam Nostradamus made it for me .. a witty little knitter.  Never get another one like it…”
This lady is a BIG FAN and has studied and patterned all the knitwear from the history of the programme. … Genius!
I particularly love the ‘compare the length’ chart, and her tardis socks … plus she even has the pattern for this nifty little tank top …
Only problem now is that I just cant decide which series to knit!  LOVE IT

compare the patterns and sizes from the series!

Mini Bags in the Making

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We have just received our new stash of Bag and Purse clasps for our new kit trials… and the girlies in the house have gone mad for them… especially the big red ones which are for our LOVE tapestry purse.

We will have the mini tapestries online soon to make up … and I will post up the samples once they are finished…

Let us know what you think… j