If you go down to the woods today ....

..... you're in for a big surprise.  

There's a great project going on at the moment called the Woollen Woods, lead by Cumbria-based arts organisation Eden Arts. Launched last year, Canopy is a visual art project showcasing artwork in the area's trees and woodlands.  Their plans culminated in a giant art exhibition in the woodland of the Lake District's Acorn Bank - a beautiful National Trust property - using decorations created and donated by knitters, crocheters, felters and other craft lovers.

This year the plan is to create an installation in the grounds of Sizergh Castle, another stunning National Trust property. 

And you can get involved.  Work shops are popping up all over the place in Cumbria so beginners can learn how to wet-felt and make their own acorns.  And you can find out more about the project and download patterns and an entry form.  Click here for more details.

And of course, if you want your little 'un to be among the trendsetters you can't go wrong with one of our acorn hats - perfect for woodlands and tying in perfectly with the National Trust emblem.  Click here to buy.

Or perhaps you'd prefer something for yourself.  A tea-cosy perhaps?  More details can be found on our website.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Surf's Up - Phillip Island Penguin appeal

A conservation group in Australia is calling on knitting enthusiasts to donate small woolly jumpers for sick penguins.  Phillip Island’s Penguin Foundation uses the jumpers to help rehabilitate birds that have been affected by oil spills or similar leaks from fishing boats.

Knits for Nature, a program run by the foundation, has created up to 300 different designs over the years thanks to its team of dedicated volunteers but is always in need of more. And in fact they even run a competition for the best.

The winning entry : 'Underwater with Octopus' by Chantal Cordey. 

‘There’s a lot of hidden creativity out there,’ explained Lyn Blom, an employee of the foundation.

   

'Penguin Books' by Denise Franklin.                'Super Penguin' by Monica Novak

The jumpers help to keep the penguins warm and also prevent them trying to clean the toxic oil away with their beaks.  ‘If somebody puts oil into the sea… a little penguin swimming along pops up to the surface and finds out he’s come up in a circle of yukky stuff,’ Blom told ABC News.  

         

                      'Tropical Beach' by Sylvia van der Peet.                 'Fishbone' by Sue Arnold

‘The first thing he wants to do is get to shore because he loses all of his waterproofness.’  Oil mats and separates penguins’ feathers which damages their natural insulation and waterproofing systems.

I was fortunate enough to visit Phillip Island near Melbourne when I was teaching out there many years ago and have seen these adorable ‘little’ penguins, also known as korora or fairy penguins, at first hand.

And if you fancy getting involved and donating a jumper, you can find out more from the island’s Penguin Foundation website where you can also find their pattern.  We've included a link here too. 

And if you need some help with learning how to knit, this project is perfect. We've got tutorials on how to knit on our website. Click here to get started.

Additional reporting Evan Bartlett, the Metro

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Trivial Pursuits - Winter Olympics and the Ravellenic Games 2014

Don't know about you, but although I've tried my hand at skiing and skating, that's about it when it comes to Winter Sports.  But I will be watching the Olympics and enjoying the spectacle that comes with it.

If, like me, you're more of a spectator fan and a knitter you can combine your pastimes by entering the Ravellenic Games.  Run by the website Ravelry, it challenges knitters to start and finish a project during the Winter Olympics, using a new technique, attempting a massive project, something delicate or anything else that will expand your knitting or crocheting horizons.

There will be a mass cast-on during the opening ceremonies and you past the finish line dependent on which event you have chosen to follow. 

There are even medals you can post on your blog or ravelry profile. 

You can find out more from their website and the following links.  Events 2014   And if you've got any questions about the events, you can check out their FAQ!

Personally, I'll probably be busy with my own projects - making up stripy hats for my niece and nephew to take with them skiing.  If you want to stay warm this winter, why not invest in one of our stripy hats too.  Check them out here 

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Meet the Maker - Anna Hrachovec

My passion for all things knitted continues and I just love these amazing characters that inhabit Mochimochi Land.  Launched in 2007 as a place where knitted toys and people can live together in a spirit of tolerance, the original designs are by Anna Hrachovec, a knitter who lives in Chicago.

Her kits are available on-line, as are books and downloadable patterns and you can even buy them ready-made if knitting is beyond you, although she offers some easy to follow tutorials on-line which might get you motivated to have a go yourself.

 I’ll let Anna continue in her own words;

   

When I made these guys, I didn’t instantly think “THIS will be my new job,” but I did think “This is awesome and I can’t wait to design all sorts of toys!” I had a new passion,  I decided to take a few months just to knit toys and blog about them, and see where that might lead,

The first place I shared photos of my toys was Flickr and before long I was seeing comments from people asking for a pattern.

    

I still remember trying to come up with a website name.  Why “mochi”? Because it was one of my favourite Japanese foods; it’s soft and squishy, like a toy; and because I wanted to make toys inspired by minimalist Japanese character design, so a fun Japanese word seemed fitting to me. Mochi.com and mochimochi.com were taken, so the “land” in Mochimochi Land was just a matter of URL necessity at first, but as my designs grew in number, it seemed natural that they should exist in their own imaginary land.

Flickr, some online press and Ravelry, helped bring people to my website and it dawned on me that there was actually a market for digital patterns.  At this point you’ve probably figured out that I never wrote a business plan. My plan was just to start really small, publishing a few patterns as I went, and see what happened. It helped that there is little overhead in basic pattern making: I just needed the knitting supplies, a camera, and a computer. Now I teach and have been commissioned to create art installations too.  And although these projects didn’t fit anywhere into a profit-making plan, the business side has grown too.  Primarily it was as a self-employed, self-directed person, that I wanted to continue to challenge my creativity, keeping my curiosity alive while I turned my hobby into my job.

     

We may not have them quite this small, but if it's a radish or pumpkin 

you're after to keep your little 'un warm you can find them all here.

 If there’s something to take away from my “how I got started” story, I think it’s that there’s no secret formula to starting a small business, and it’s OK not to have it all figured out right at the beginning. But it does help to have a close-to-obsessive passion about something, an inclination for working independently, and the willingness and resources to invest a few years in it before you can make it your main income.

                 

Some posts to Flickr by amateur knitters inspired by Anna's work.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Trivial Pursuits - Building Blocks, Cornwall

If only every town had a place like this. If you fancy trying out a new craft, then surely this is the place for you.

Based in St Austell, Building Blocks caters for all ages and tastes. With such a diverse variety of workshops on offer there's bound to be something to suit everyone.

Applique, basic cross-stitch, T-shirt printing, felting, button bouquets, Waldorf story dolls and 'Getting to know your sewing machine' have all been on offer.

The venue is the brainchild of Jeni Carson and Gill Birchall whose aim is to bring beautiful handcrafted Work at Home products to the high street and provide somewhere for mums to share and build their creative skills.

The Kids' and Afternoon Craft Clubs are proving popular and it's easy to see why.  I hope the idea spreads throughout Britain.

Do you have somewhere like this near you? Let us know about it.

Boutique and Unique - crafters' heaven in Dorset

A visit to Sturminster Newton is not complete for any crafter without a trip to Hansons.

Don't be fooled by the warehouse exterior.  Inside is an Aladdin's cave of every type of button, bow, ribbon, yarn, fabric, scrap booking accessory or needle you could possibly wish for.

  

And the staff couldn't be more helpful.  Efficient, knowledgeable and friendly, they can answer any questions you may have and are obviously keen crafters themselves. 

   

They run workshops throughout the year.  As well as lots of embroidery, needlecraft and knitting demonstrations, they do book binding, jewellery and felt making.  You can even make your own lingerie.