Elamanpuu Cardigan

This cardigan is one of those knitting projects that I just wanted to do, because the pattern inspired me. When I was knitting it, I decided that it will not be for sale. I wanted to knit something for myself, but also thought if it wasn't to look right on me, I would give it to somebody that would love it right. Luckily it does fit me. I walk around in my garden with my wellies on, this cardigan on, dreaming that one day I will clean the pond and put goldfish in it.

The pattern is from this beautiful book that I got from my auntie as a Christmas present few years ago. Hence the book is a Finnish translation of an English book, therefore it is available in both languages. In Finnish the books is called "Kauniit Neuleklassikot" and in English it's called "Country Weekend Knits" and it is by Madeline Weston. If you are an intermediate to experienced knitter, I really do recommend this book. It is so inspiring and beautiful, well photographed,  lovely complicated patterns that does not patronise the knitter, but gives you the classic British patterns to you as they were meant to be. It did take me some time to understand how the pockets go on, and cable patterns do always require careful counting and attention, but once the pattern starts flowing and you see what you are doing, it is an absolute joy. This pattern was called Elaman Puu (the tree of life). It is an Aran pattern, where I used 5mm needles, plus cable needle, and 30 % wool, 80 % acrylic aran yarn.

I finished this cardigan last year, in time for our most recent official photo shoot with Cats of Manchester. So I am glad there is some good quality photos of it too.

Photo by Gareth Hacking

Model: Daryl Hooper

Cat Face Wallpaper

A wonderful thing called SpoonFlower on the internet (USA) is a website where you can submit your own design and they print it for you on fabric or wall paper. I am in a process of decorating a room in our house to become my office, but with this thought I am having so many specific ideas how I want it to be, that it so far it has just been a room with some boxes (full of knitting magazines) as I have gone so far that I want to decorate the walls as well.

I am in the lookout for a British version of the Spoonflower, as even though I think it is a very reasonable priced, the import tax stamp in the UK end threw me a little. On top of paying about $20.00 for postage (which is pretty standard for US orders to overseas), there was another £20.00 that I had to pay to be able to get these out of the post office. The rolls were very light, so I assume the tax is determined by the value of the postal order.

However it is here now in my house and I am hoping there will be a free weekend sometime soon ahead that I can actually get messy with the wallpaper paste. You will be sure to be updated on that.

http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome

Left over yarns cushion

This is a project that I completed in January. When I started it, I was itching to do some hand knitting for the house and I had seen a lovely square intarsia style pattern for a dress from a Vogue knitting magazine, so I thought it would be a great way to practise the intarsia pattern to make it in to a cushion case. There it is, sitting in my living room. It's very bright. And my cat likes it.

On the other side of the cushion I think I got bored of doing the same pattern so I just started doing some random fair isle patterns. They are from different books, which ever I liked the look of. Just was carrying on with pretty much the same colours and on the other side.

Underneath the cushion there is a blanket that I have started to crochet ages ago. It is an ongoing project that might deserve it's own blog post somewhere along the line. Now all this blogging about knitting is making me want to do the actual knitting! So that's what I am going to do!

V

Back

Wow, it has been a long time since I have updated this blog. I have started doing knitting more professionally and put a lot of emphasis on doing just a fashion blog with my and Katie's label called the Cats of Manchester. Which you can view here:

http://thecatsofmanchester.tumblr.com/

I am at the same time getting up to all sorts of crafty and domestic things outside of our label such as knitting by hand, decorating the house, adventures of our cat, travelling, cooking and feeding birds. For a while I have been wanting to have journal about these to channel out, and I just thought, why not use the blog that I have already got! The older posts in this blog is a lot about my time studying art at the university, but I think this blog now is going to take a little bit more personal, perhaps a bit less self-aware (read: I try not to be afraid that it may make me look a bit twee) domestic direction. Maybe there isn't many of you out there that are even going to be reading it, but if you do, I hope you enjoy it.

One blog that has inspired me lately is my friend's Anki's blog, where she talks about knitting, crafts, yarn trips to Estonia, her dogs and some recipes. You can view Anki's blog from this link:

http://wellshitatleastyoutried.wordpress.com/

So. Now just starting to find inspiration on home, knitting, travel and other things on the web and the real world and will have time to keep this blog going!

Thanks for reading and hopefully I can keep this up!

V

Manchester Architecture Festival

Hi All!

I haven't used this blog address for a while!
I have been busy with my knitting business and new job, but I have also had little time to do an art project for the Manchester Architecture Festival. Me and an Architect called Jane Leach have been collaborating with a project called Jumper City. Here is more about Jane:

http://www.i-architect.co.uk/

http://twitter.com/#!/architectjane

If you read some blog posts from this blog from 2009 there was a project where I was collecting old unwanted jumpers and sewing them together. Here is a link to the posts:

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/jump-in-to-jumper-i-mean-in-4-all-4-of.html

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/development-with-jumper-project.html

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/jumpers-in-cavendish-gallery.html

 In February Jane contacted me and asked if I was interested collaborating with her and after having a meeting and discussing ideas, Jumper City concept was created. Jane wanted to do a project for the Manchester Architecture Festival combining knitting and architecture. The plan became to collect Jumpers and then sewing them together into a big piece that will cover a bus stop.

We have been collecting jumpers from family members and friends, gone through charity shops and clothes swaps. Clothes swaps were organised by a group called Stitched Up, and they are doing all sorts of exciting workshops and fairs. Go and check: https://www.facebook.com/stitched.up.12

We have been working together with the Greater Manchester Transport (http://www.tfgm.com/) and got a permission in using a bus stop at the Piccadilly Gardens.

We have been sessions at Jane's house sewing the jumpers together into panels and planning the visual outcome and practicality of the piece. Jumpers have been taking over Jane's house and a big part of our lives.

Yesterday (Saturday the 16th June), we delivered the workshop at the Cube Gallery (http://www.cube.org.uk/), to finish of the piece and here is some pictures of the event:

Tomorrow we will face our final challenge (with the extra excitement of 6 a.m. start) that is to actually set up the installation in the Public Space. Monday will be a busy commuters day and we are hoping that we will gain a good amount attention. The installation will be on the Bus stop at Piccadilly Gardens, next to Krobar. We will be there until 8 p.m. and are looking forward to meeting all you pass-byers, commuters, lunch-breakers and everyone who is interested in seeing and interacting with our Jumper City piece!

Until Then !

Valpuri and Jane

links in this post:

http://www.i-architect.co.uk/

http://twitter.com/#!/architectjane

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/jump-in-to-jumper-i-mean-in-4-all-4-of.html

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/development-with-jumper-project.html

http://www.purlpuri.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/jumpers-in-cavendish-gallery.html

https://www.facebook.com/stitched.up.12

http://www.tfgm.com/

http://www.cube.org.uk/

Photos by Irina Adam

http://thecatsofmanchester.tumblr.com/

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