Country Style Magazine Collaboration

Country Style Magazine has released a CRAFT Issue out this month.  They commissioned me to design the Chunky Cable Chair Cover, which is knitted in my Bespoke Wool, on page 52 is the pattern, and on page 54 is the Cable Cup Cosy.

Construction No. 4 & Melbourne Workshops

Announcing Construction No. 4 and Melbourne Workshops.  Construction No 4 is a new pattern in the Construction Knitting Project series, and is a Triangle Construction.  It will be available to purchase in the first week of June on our online store.  Coming up in August, are 2 x 2 day workshops held at Harvest Textiles in Melbourne.  I will be artist in residence at Harvest in the month of August, and the workshop dates are 18/19 August, and 24/25 August.  Details of the Harvest Workshop and how to register are here.  There will be only 10 people per class, and the workshop covers 'how to knit' and 'how to create your own knitting construction'.  So using the Construction Patterns as a visual aid, in the workshop you will be able to design and construct garments using my adaptation of a construction technique.  You get involved in the design process by following a logical progression of design and construction solutions in using graphic shapes.  You get a Workshp Kit, which includes big knitting needles, and my new bespoke Wooli yarn, and a pattern, and over the 2 days I promise you will be able to whip a garment range.  This workshop requires only basic knitting skills, and absolute beginners are also encouraged to register.  This workshop is also perfect as a follow-on from one of my previous workshops as it develops on the knowledge gained from following a construction pattern.

Melbourne Winter

That chilly Melbourne Winter must be coming on by now because the re-orders for Wooli, patterns and needles are coming faster than I can pack them up.  Another shipment for Est is leaving for Melbourne today.

Our Gather Bird

I found this wrecked old mannequin at an auction house with a revamp in mind.  I had to call on a friend who's a bit of a master wood turner to construct a bird head like our Gather logo.  He sent me these pics of the process, I think to make me aware of how much work was actually involved.  Thanks Rog - you're a star!!  Then my multi-talented husband, who's a super star!, fitted the head, cleaned her up, resprayed it, and now she's finished and holding a space nicely in the shop.  Wearing the Triangle Construction Knit jumper for Cleckheaton and merino scarf knitted up in all the MillaMia colours.  The comments I've received so far; the Surrealists Exquisite Corpse, Anthropomorphic Creature, but nobody seems to be freaked out by it, well of course not - she's gorgeous!.

Viva Magazine Mother's Day Special

The NZ Herald newspaper magazine Viva, has published in their Mother's Day Special edition that they Love the Merchant&Mills Sewing Box.  Available online at the Gather shop, or instore.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Our Gather shop is a haven for Mother's Day Gifts.  Here are some suggestions. A Gather Gift Voucher, or 1.Sewing Notions Gift Box from English Draper, Merchant & Mills.  2.Botanical Dyed Hand-Spun Silk.  3.Angora/Wool Gloves.  4.Book: with Bold Needle & Thread, Adventures in Vintage Needlecraft. 5.Needle Threader from Merchant & Mills. 6. Angora/Wool Gloves in a selection of hand-dyed colours   7.String Bags from the Omie Artist group in Papua New Guinea. 8.Hand-woven flax Kete. 9. The world's finest merino wool from MilaMia Sweden.