Waves of wool-flavoured anticipation are sweeping through the fibre-flinging world as a brand-new shiny knitting show prepares to turn London knitwise.
Knit Nation is the knit-scented brainchild of Alice Yu and Cookie A. It promises to bring the finest in yarn, stitchmakers accessories, workshops and knitting mayhem to London in an all-bleating, all-knitting explosion.
From the 29th to the 31st of July Imperial College London will become Knit Nation central with classes on the Thursday and all manner of marketplace goodies for the other two days.
There's also an exclusive talk on Ravelry by Jess and Casey, the Posh and Becks of Knitting Social Networking.
With names like The Bothered Owl, Ysolda, Purlescence and Rohrspatz & Wollmeise it promises to be one hell of a knitting event.
Find out more on the website or read Stitch London's All About Knit Nation if you're still confused.
See you there.
Sport shoe giants Nike are challenging creatives to turn the humble trainer into something crafty and arty in a global project which will hit London's Design Festival this year.
Some amazing interpretations of the shoe have already begun appearing on the Nike78 Project site to prove that artists and crafters really can make something inspiring from anything.
78 pairs of plain white trainers have been sent out to creatives worldwide, in a project thought up by graduate Paul Jenkins. Each of them has been asked to "use sport as inspiration to challenge their function"
The results are fish tank shoes from Japan (watch the video to see how they did it), remote control shoes from the UK, shoe masks from a Finnish artist, and cake and knitted versions too.
The finished shoes can all be seen at the London Design Festival in September.
Some of my earliest craft memories spring from falling in love with characters from Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine and making gluey, scribbly plasticine-flavoured attempts at creating them myself. On the tiny TV screen craft came alive and it was magic to watch.
Last night London's Cartoon Museum held a private view of their brilliant Toy Tales exhibition and I was lucky enough to snag an invite. The exhibition features some of Britain's most cherished kid's TV characters, from saggy Bagpuss to cheesy Wallace and Gromit to the perky Peppa Pig.
What fascinated me about the exhibition is seeing how the magic was made. I was even luckier to meet Peter Firmin (co-creator of the likes of The Clangers, Bagpuss and Noggin the Nog with Oliver Postgate) who talked us through some of the untold stories behind the handmade beasts.
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"As the evening drew in on the 30th of June at around 6.30pm a pattering of tiny stitched feet could be heard echoing through the innards of London's Science Museum." So begins the grand finale of Stitch London's Stitch Yourself Project with one of the city's most famous museums.
For one night only 259 knitted, sewn or crocheted Stitched Selves from all over the world (from London to Israel to Australia) found their way to the Science Museum and packed themselves into a display case in the main Energy Hall.
You can see Stitch London's many photos from the night here. Featuring hoards of Stitched Selves all trying to make the most of their moment in the limelight.
Was your Stitched Self the in their fibre-filled ranks?
Also featured are two knitted chromosomes that will be part of the Who Am I? gallery's permanent exhibit.
Craft and science in perfect harmony.
BUST Magazine are pretty much up there in the environs of craft royalty since their feisty, fibre-filled, cutting edge craft wonder appeared on the scene back in 1993. Since then crafty celebrations where you can buy, make and mingle with crafty-minded folks, Craftaculars, have popped up all over and this weekend you're invited to one in lovely London.
The BUST Summer Craftacular takes place on the 10th of July at York Hall, near Bethnal Green tube station. It's going to be an indie shopping marvel with some smooth tunes from DJs with swing dancing classes on offer, 60 stalls selling all manner of handmade heaven, workshops from the likes of the lovely Make Lounge and Tatty Devine, and a food court of tasty treats.
Admission is a meagre £2 and goodie bags will be available to the first 100 eager crafters on the door. So sharpen those elbows to make sure you bag one.
Tiny stitched people taking over one of London's most famous museums? Why not? Craft seems to be getting everywhere these days and as proof that science and creative craft do mix Stitch London's Stitch Yourself project storms the Science Museum for one night only this week.
On Wednesday the 30th at the Science Museum's Late event the Stitch Yourself Exhibit will take place. Stitch London have been collecting entries to the project, which helps promote the re-opening of the museum's Who Am I? Gallery by showing individuality through stitching, since April this year.
So far they've had over 200 entries from all over with stitchers for Iceland, Israel and Australia getting in on the self stitching action. People have knit, sewn and crochted every part of themselves from eyeballs to iPhones.
You can see the event at the Science Museum here.
If you can't make it along follow it live on Stitch London's Twitter account or catch up on the blog.
Loop has been one of London's favourite yarn shops for some time now. I took a fabulous class with the awe-inspiring Julie Arkell there last year and loved it.
The shop is a far cry from your run of the mill mix of yarn and accessories. It has a personality to go with it and has always offered knitting goodies to die for.
Things are looking up for Loop as this weekend they move from their smaller shop to a three-floored yarn palace in Islington's Camden Passage. The launch party takes place on the 19th of June from 11am with promises of free knitting and crochet demos, a raffle, goodie bags and that all important wonder of cake.
You're all invited to go along and celebrate a new knitting sanctuary in lovely London so get down there and get your knit on.
If you can't make it along you can stalk them on their blog for their yarn shops news too.
Good luck with the launch, Loop!
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