The Beautiful Buttonbag Learn to Knit Kit
We are recovering after a pretty exhausting but exciting few days at Autumn Fair where, among other things, we finally launched our knitting kit for children.
This is the culmination of six months of design and research and we are really thrilled with the kit we have produced.
Eagle-Eye and friends model Autumn/winter 2010
We have been working hard on our big project for autumn; the Buttonbag Knitting Kit. Mittens, hats, purses and bags are all included in the instructions, but someone thought it would be fun to use up all the left-over bits of wool making dolls clothes – afterall – that’s what we were doing 30 odd years ago. So Sara’s Sindy and my Sasha and my sister’s Action Man were resecued from various attics and cajoled and poked into these fetching little knitted numbers. We were going to put them on the back page of the Knitting Book but Dan the photographer was so disturbed by them – particularly Eagle-Eyes, whose posable rubber hands have disintegrated into stumps (that’s why he’s standing like that! ) – and said they were far too scary for children!
Craft in Hackney
Have you noticed how many new funky craft, sewing and knitting shops are opening up? Loop in Islington has long been a top destination for wool and Fabrications on Broadway Market – a stone’s throw across the park from Buttonbag HQ – specialises incontemporary textiles and really beautiful handmade crafts and runs fantastic sewing and quilting courses too.
Our Patterned Hand, 49 Broadway Market, E8
Make your own Sock Puppets - cute ideas for children's puppets from odd socks
So it’s 8.35 on a Wednesday morning, five out of six shoes found, swimming things dragged from under the bed, homework rescued from recycling and weetabix (mostly) scraped off school jumpers. And then the eldest says, “Mum, I need to make a sock puppet for class.” And I say, while tying youngest to scooter, “Great, when’s that for, darling?” And he says “Today!” and I say, calmly, “That’s a little bit short notice,” and he shouts, ” But I can’t go in without one.” And I say, less calmly, “Well you should have told me sooner, ” and he wails, ” But they’ll behead me,” and I yell, “Of course they won’t, now get your shoes on.” …does this sound at all familiar?
sewing the pockets on our new advent calendar
We’ve been putting the finishing touches to our new advent calendar kit this week ready for a photoshoot on Tuesday. We’re getting quite excited about Christmas – even though its seven months away and we’re off camping in the lovely sunshine this weekend.