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Posts tagged ‘trends’

Oct 2

Cross Stitcher 257: The Wooly Stitch One

Cross Stitcher 257 landed on my desk this weekend..  and my trend column this month is all about Wooly Stitches.  Whilst cross stitch and needlepoint crafts are as old as the hills, traditional tapestry and crewel threads getting make overs by chic stitchers all over the place.  There are lots of new books like Jane Brockett’s Gentle Art of Stitching and of course my Supersize Stitches.  I also noticed Cath Kidston has reprinted her paperback STITCH book with the wooly stitched tapestry on the cover, instead of her more traditional looking cotton cross stitch.  Then there are all the contemporary needlepoint kits out there like those from Felicity Hall (who did a fab Scandi Horse in this issue) and a new collaboration by American Anna Maria Horner and Coats.  All exciting stuff for those of us who prefer a wooly stitch, and its good to see lots of cross stitch lovers moving to try the wooly side of the fence.

So for my design project in this issue – I have released the next in my set of ‘cross over stitch crafts’ – after the success of my ‘Crochet Look’ cross stitch Granny Square, I have created an extended collection of Crochet and Knit look patterns.  Including this ‘Knitted’ Stitched Stocking in the mag.

Jacqui P (my stitching label) is having a bit of a make over in the next few weeks, and all the new kits / patterns will be available on Pearl and Earl as well as the Jacqui P site.  We needed to have a revamp after feedback from customers, and also problems we have been having with components.  It is taking a lot of time behind the scenes, but think it will be worth it in the end.  It is just taking a lot longer to complete than anticipated.

Happy Stitching x

Jun 22

Cross Stitcher 254 – Trends Jungle

In Cross Stitcher this month – my column is was entitled WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, as not content with owls and cute folksy fowls, designers are looking to the Jungle Greats for their latest inspirations

WHO
I love Markus Lupfers animal sequinned jumpers this season, whilst Stella Macartney has also added a bit of roar with her tiger prints

Stella Macartney Tiger Jumper £575 Liberty

WHAT
The influence of mid century needlepoint is all around.. like this vintage lion cushion chart found on Etsy,by illkniterate, which you could use as a counted cross stitch pattern.

HOW
I love the alternative work of Susan from Red Gate Stitchery – and this cute PDF patchwork elephant is the perfect mix of pattern and silhouette.
Happy stitching x

May 17

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Cross Stitcher 253 – Supersize Trends

Cross Stitcher issue 253 is out this week.. and my column this month is all about SUPERSIZE TREATS… (with a little nod to my new SUPERSIZE STITCHING BOOK)

There is something quintessentially British about a cup of tea and a biscuit.  I have a lot of love for nostalgic munchies.. and it appears that lots of designers seem to feel the same, making supersize versions of our favourite teatime treats.

Lucy Sparrow is an artist who creates supersize felt stitched pieces – which she calls “feltism” she has created all sorts of things but I especially love her Bourbon Biscuit.

One of my very favourite nibbles are Tunnocks Teacakes and I adore this oversized screen printed cushion by Nikki Williams, who has also done a Caramel Bar… yum!
You can create your own sweet stitching using one of the cute mini biscuit patterns from The Making Spot .. or you could stitch up one of my Giant British Biscuit Collection, like this Custard Cream Kit.


Also in this issue is an interview with the delectable Mr X Stitch Jamie Chalmers … with his blokes view on stitching crafts.

Happy Stitching JP x

>>SUBSCRIBE HERE AND SAVE UP TO 45%

Apr 2

Latest Nike / Liberty Shoes out today

What’s not to love?  The latest Nike / Liberty collection is out today – and like their predecessors I am a lot in love!  As a Liberty print addict, I ummed and ahhed for an age before deciding on the Nike airs

Grab ‘em while they are hot folks!

>>>SHOP LIBERTY NIKE 2012

Nov 10

Crayon Christmas Wreath

 

 

 

 

 

LOVE this Crayon Christmas Wreath by  EcoChicNYC.  Completely mad fab alternative to the standard holly…

Oct 5

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Neon Weddings

We are delighted to let you know that our super fun new GIANT BALLOONS are hitting Pearl and Earl next week – and whilst seeking inspirational uses for them to share with you, we discovered this fabulous blog post by Brooklyn Bride – Modern Wedding Blog about neon colours and weddings.

It could not be more up my street and we love the super bright simplicity… oh and the giant white balloon of course!

>>SHOP DECORATIONS

Sep 6

Christmas Crochet

More cute hats and crochet .. this time with a Christmassy feel ..you can hook up your own with this PDF pattern by JTeasycrochet on Etsy…

I may just leave one for Santa …

Aug 30

Porcelain Lace

I love the work by forestclearing on Etsy.  She works out of Brooklyn in porcelain and most of her work is based on knitted / crocheted form.  She knits or crochets the work first and then dips it in liquid porcelain and fires them, leaving a hollow shell of porcelain.

What a delightful alternative to a wall of vintage plates on that spare wall…

Aug 30

Porcelain Lace

I love the work by forestclearing on Etsy.  She works out of Brooklyn in porcelain and most of her work is based on knitted / crocheted form.  She knits or crochets the work first and then dips it in liquid porcelain and fires them, leaving a hollow shell of porcelain.

What a delightful alternative to a wall of vintage plates on that spare wall…

Aug 29

Bunny Ear Hat

Always a sucker for a cute hat.. this delightful knitted Homespun Bunny Rabbit Hat by LittleBirdLucy is SO cute and comes in sizes from baby up to adult. As the Autumn days are looming, I think it is the perfect antidote to the frightening thought that Summer is over and Winter is on its way!

Aug 29

Star Wars Geek Chic Japanese Towels

Tenugui star warsI am a little bit of a geek at heart as you know – and a fan of lots of things Japanese.  So I was delighted to discover these traditional Strapya World : Star Wars TENUGUI Towels.

Each Tenugui is made with authentic and traditional dyeing method called NASEN. Normally the cloths are used for all manner of things from dish cloths to ninja headbands – and usually are printed in muted blues.  But this mixture of  Star Wars characters and the unique and very Japanese-like design make these towels worthy of any Jedi!

Plus they are only US$15 (£10) to ship to UK

My favourite?  Darth Vadar looking contemplatively into a lake.. or perhaps C3PO and R2D2 under a traditional pink cherry blossom.


Aug 29

Poppylicious

How delicious are these mini hand embroidered poppies by  Sidereal on Etsy.? Her tiny embroidered hoops come in a variety of colours and are a mini wall delight.

Perfect pressie we think.. Poppylicious

 

 

Aug 26

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Crafty Geek Iphone Cross Stitch Cover

I discovered this fabulously crafty geeky cross stitch Iphone cover from Leese design  based in Korea a couple of months ago..  genius I cried!.. and one paypal click  and quite a long airmail journey later and it arrived… !

The little case made from silicone does not disappoint and it comes beautifully packaged with a little needle, 3 threads and instructions and a few mini designs.

I am quite up for the retro Apple Sign using threads from my stash .. but I have also been playing around with a mini phone design.  Now I am off to continue my stitching marathons with a summer drink in the evening sun

Aug 26

Yarn Inspiration

I am a very lucky girl – as I had a delivery this week from DMC with lots of new yarns to play with.  So today I was busy sorting out my new hoard and grouping them in themes for new projects that I am working on..  as little quick stitches for gifts.

First up were these super neons – the white one is glow in the dark, and I am loving the hot pink and lime combo.  I am going to use these I think for embellishing a few things for some of the girls in the family.

Next were these fab metallics – which I have been sketching around all afternoon.  I am a little partial to a bit of bling, especially at Christmas, and think these are rather fun

I will of course share what I come up with and cant wait to get started!

Aug 15

My Old Lego VW Campervan Kit

Found it! This is the pic I took of our original 1961 kit that I found in a local car boot sale in 2000.  50p later and it was MINE.  Moth eaten but fabulous non the less.

Not quite as cool as this new one (launching October 2011) but I still love it.

Aug 15

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Lego VW Camper Van launch

vw camper lego

How  cool is this! Just launched an update of the old lego VW CAMPER VAN set. According to the Brothers Brick LEGO Blog this new $120 kit launches in October 2011. These lego enthusiasts even have a video of it on their site!

It contains over 1300 pieces and is filled with techno lego geek gems – personally I love this little pop top! Check out the pictures of the interior… this will be a labour of love for sure. I am sure buying a kit and keeping in its wrapper will be a cracking investment (Stinky Pete style) but get it out and play we say!

We are actually the proud owners of an original 1960′s VW lego kit – and I did a graphic artwork of the box cover in supersize format for our home. It is always a talking point about how cool it would be to launch it again – and whilst the modern version is more intricate – I still actually love the charm of the original – but hey thats what makes me a nostalgic chick!

 

Aug 15

Fruity Crochet Coasters

I am on a little bit of a crochet tip at the moment (as you may well gather from the posts) – and I was delighted to find these little gems of coasters, crocheted from cotton yarn and sold  by MariMartin from Madrid on Etsy.

I have a similar pattern I made for some apple coasters – but it is the zesty lime of these that catches my fancy.  Yum

Jun 27

Retro Biscuit Love continued…

I have already discussed at length my ‘Love of the Custard Cream‘ and indeed my families addiction to retro biscuits… and I have been working on some Cross Stitch Kits which pay tribute to these classics.. Whilst browsing Etsy the other day Mr H discovered someone else who obviously was partial to these teatime delights too.  WHATNIKKIMADE  creates screen printed super sized cushions of her favourite tea time treats…
We love them A LOT and are trying to find space on our ever full sofas to justify purchasing a couple for our collection!

Jun 23

Patchwork Obsessions

 As you know I am partial to colour…  like a magpie I collect vintage quilts and fabrics, my stash of which is almost to the point of ridiculous.
We recently had a vote on Facebook as to your favourite crafts for us to do next and Patchwork / Quilting came up tops.  So spurred on by Mr H (who is tired of the full armoire and endless shelves of the stuff) I decided to seek inspiration on my quest to introduce PATCHWORK to the Granny Knits portfolio.
Within moments I stumbled across COUCH GB, a UK company who make vintage inspired patchwork sofas, chairs and stools from Designers Guild Fabrics.  They also have excellant eco credentials, with over 80% of their materials being sourced within a 3 mile radius!  For me it is all about the colour.. and with 30% off their whole collection until 30th June, I am tempted to buy that stool I have been yearning for!
Also on the theme this week I was sent an Autumn Book Preview list from the lovely ladies at Quadrille Publishing… and Ms Kidston (Cath to you and me) has added this craft to her portfolio of book, due out in October PATCH is set to be another sure fire hit.  We dont get to see the book until later this Summer – but the previews can been seen and purchased HERE.   We will of course let you know as soon as it is in our hands…
So we have added a new PATCHWORK SECTION to our CRAFTY CHIC bookshelf, including our favourite read of the week MINI QUILTS, which has some inspirational mini projects, which can be wall hangings as well as quilted.  My son is especially in love with the PIRATE TREASURE MAP.. and as one of my many works in progress, I will let you know how I get on!
So I am off to raid the stash and experiment… keeping my hands very busy, so as to avoid the temptations of the Couch GB Sale!

>>SHOP PATCHWORK BOOKS

Jun 10

Laduree Obsessions

 For those of you who are regular readers… you will know that I am a fan of baking – and have had an obsession with Laduree Macarons since I first went to Paris aged 12 and thought they were the most glamorous things I had ever seen…  The wonderful story of Ladurée began in 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée opened a bakery in the very heart of Paris at 16, rue Royale… starting the trend for the Parisienne Salon du The.  Their website today is gloriously fabulous and a joy to visit.
The counters are like apothecaries and jewellers at the same time – and this school girl visit started my obsession with patisserie and I love that recently (like many old school crafts) the modern Parisienne Patisserie has a seen new breed of modern twists on old classics…
Laduree however still cannot be touched for their simple delights and the way that they over package them is not one for the eco-chic among you!  But for me – I have kept every single box and upcycled it into a new use reminding me of their perma pleasure..
For my birthday my husband bought me their new cook book – which after many years they have disclosed a number of their until now super secret recipes!  The book itself with its gold leaf pages is a delight – wrapped in glassine paper and boxed as if the most precious of jewels..
My first attempt at delicate orange flower and rose macarons however was not of the standard (see bottom pic) but they looked pretty enough and tasted divine.
I have a long way to go as a patisserie chef .. but am certainly enjoying the journey!
Laduree Sucre can be purchased here

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