| Forever knitting |
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| Wouldn't it be lovely if... |
...once a week (though I'm.jpg) sure many of you would settle for once a month) you could just sit and knit for a day interruption-free. Acceptable interruptions would only be a cup of tea, or delivery of a light lunch!
I have had a great show season: now, August has allowed me time to knit and design, and continue to play with my Birds design. I decided to take the Desert Flower A-line coat (right) and add birds! It's coming along nicely so I'm very happy with my needles! |
The Desert Flower is a long A-line style with ease into the hip and is fitted to the shoulder. I started playing with the birds a couple of years ago, ranging in knitting fairly real looking birds to stylized feathered friends.
Since I want to have fun with colour I went with the stylized birds. I have a customer in mind for this sample garment, so I have worked with her strong pastel colour palate.
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| Just add love and needles |
| Below is a new version of the knitted sign (top of this newsletter) since several people wanted to 'buy-to-wear' my sign! So, that's more play time on the needles. On the reverse of the sign I have the words Signatur Handknits and Knitting kits - so instead, I'm looking for other images to use - maybe the Poetic Sheep below? |
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| This is my first experiment with a garment version of my knitted sign. I chose to knit this from the top down, so I can add length if required. The slash neck allows this to be worn as either the front or the back. I think my favourite image below is the cluster of sheep below right - maybe adding some more colour to my colourful sheep? |
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 I created the Poetic Sheep design for fashion parades, using Australian verses from I Love A Sunburnt Country, Click Go The Shears and Once A Jolly Swagman. I do love knitting words and pictures as it brings together intarsia picture work and stranded/ fairisle behind words!
Of course when we think about sheep there is the classic sweater Lady Diana wore with the one black sheep amongst the white sheep! I'll follow up as I progress. |
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| A small side-note: I was telling girlfriends that I knit in my time off. They all laughed as they tried to imagine working in their time off! Never! |
Looking forward to my
last two shows of the year |
Fibrefest at Wyong (NSW) Race Course
Sunday 28th September
Run by the NSW knitters Guild, this show really is a yarn fest of so many yarns for knitting, crochet, weaving and fibre for spinning and felting. There's fashion parades and knit classes and its next to Wyong railway station with plenty of parking.
Tasmanian Craft Fair in Deloraine
Fri 31st Oct - Sun 2nd Nov
This is the largest Australian-made show in Australia, with six venues over the township.
The show attracts many international visitors.
If you ever plan a visit to Tassie at this time of year, put Deloraine on the schedule. Images below.
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Handmade Gifts 10% off Accessory kits
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| USA - the new duty requires the shipper (me) to pay the duty at the time of shipping. This will be collected by Australian postal services, unfortunately there is no system to process the funds, therefore postage of commercial goods over AUS $140 cannot be shipped! |
| Hats on to early carols and early starts to xmas knitting! |
.jpg) Don't you hate it when they start playing Christmas tunes in October! On the other needle, how many hats could you knit before Christmas?
10% off Accessories & Verve 12ply until the end of October.
Overseas customers - the exchange rate to Australian dollars is very good, mailing in October will arrive well before Christmas.
USA $100 - AUS $140 or less only for parcels/kits.
letters are exempt = knitting patterns
I don't sell at Christmas markets but it's awesome when we all support local artisans & creators. Local markets are the place to find amazing, original gifts - and to meet the makers too! |
Tasmanian Craft Fair
Fri 31 Oct to Sun 2nd November |
| 2023 will be the 42nd Tasmanian Craft Fair with over 260 exhibitors. |
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 I started Signatur Handknits at Sydney Paddington Bazaar where the stallholder had to be the designer and maker. We are all now very aware of Australian or locally-made, and I endeavour myself to purchase locally-made and aim to buy directly from the maker.
The Tasmanian Craft Fair was established by Deloraine Rotary Club to support an influx of artists and makers in the 1980's, bringing together the community and providing a showcase for local makers.
The first event had 35 exhibitors and, as the show grew over 42 years, venues sprang up around the Deloraine township. Hop on hop off buses ran between the venues, which ranged from sports halls to galleries.
Within my social group of Australian makers, now regulars at The Coal Loaders in Sydney and Handmade Market Canberra, it’s pretty cool to be judged and offered space at the Tasmanian Craft Fair.
The organisers at Deloraine Rotary events raise funds for communities both local and overseas. The Metal work Kangaroo left was awarded a prize in 2019 when I last exhibitied. Prizes to exhibitiors totalled $10,000 and were given to first time exhibitors and as awards of excellence. |
| A natural choice: wood & wool |
I am pretty taken with woodworking - I guess it's a craft with natural materials like wool, but at the opposite spectrum of mould ability than knitting! The desk top mirror with jewellery box below is pretty cool, and also making musical instruments is way cool too.
The Tasmanian Craft Show encourages demonstrations, centre is preparation work for printing. |
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| The Tasmanian Craft Show is an annual event, with exhibitors from NSW, VIC, WA and TAS, plus international feature artist. See more Tasmanian Craft Show |
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| Nothing quite as special as a handmade gift |
My 12ply Verve & accessory kits are currently all at 10% off
Already have a pattern? No probs - purchase yarn only. Or if you want a kit see accessories on Spotify. If you want to knit the same hat twice simply order one kit and then buy balls of yarn for the second kit.
Do this with 10% off on Shopify |
| Hats, wraps & accessories |
| Perfect small projects, whether they're single colour, flecked yarn or multi-colour combinations |
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Verve 12 ply is 70% Wool & 30% Acrylic with 90m to 50g. Available in four colours the long drifts of colour are showcased beautifully in the Wave Wrap kit above.
Read about short rows in Jane's Dec 2022 newsletter Short rows |
Verve is also available as kits for hats, with the patterns written for both 8ply and 12ply yarn. Hats require 100g ( 2 x 50g) of yarn.
During October get 10% off all Hats, Wraps and Accessories, kitted in either Verve or Wool Fleck. The Muffin Top & Wicked Hats are two sepeaate patterns, though the fundamentals are similar.
Hat patterns can be knitted circular or on striaght needles.
Wool Fleck Mustard Wicked Hat &
Wool Fleck Stone Muffin Top below.
Also 2 shades of Denim are available. |
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Stories and Videos on Facebook and Instagram...
...altering a favourite garment's shape or size |
 The Madras Jacket was part of my winter collection in 2001. It's still one of my favourite designs, as Fairisle is all about playing with colours.
I am often asked about altering garments as there's nothing sadder than the one you love looking stunning but being too big or small, too long/short.
It's not always possible to alter a garment too much. However Jennifer brought her Madras Jacket to me (purchased before marriage and her now 18-year old daughter) it was in the pinks and oranges shown left & my favourite colourways and she said she'd be happy to have it really jazzed up, so I couldn't resist. |
 It came up fabulously, with new button bands (adding to chest) plus some new flashy buttons.
I added length, as I am a horder, and still had some of the original lengths of the different colourways, and it worked brilliantly.
I added a little surface decoration, which you can see better below. Then I used the original buttons as a trim to the cuffs and hemline. |
Left shows some of the many colourways of Madras. This was 20 years ago & many colours have changed slightly.
Below left shows the added length using bands of different colourways. I brought these additional colours into the front bands and used them as surface embellishment.
Below right the triangle buttons help create a cuff detail and surface embellishment on the neck edge. I am always very careful when adding surface embellishment.
Here's the link for the video
Facebook.com/signaturhandknits
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| Jennifer promised to take some great photos of her being 'back in love with my' Madras Jacket |
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| Above centre shows the original Blue colour combination |
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| If you'd like to discuss anything about knitting, please email Jane. Thanks for your support: Laura, Petra, Philippa, Helen, Cathryn, Stephanie, Dodie, Anne, Kelly & I look forward to seeing you in the knitting circle! |
