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

Truly Scrumptious - Chococo, Swanage, Dorset

I've made regular pilgrimages to Chococo in Swanage over the years and miss it greatly now I've moved to Wales.  I know I can order online (and I do!) but it's not quite the same as browsing the chocs in all their sinful glory.

Now I don’t want you thinking that I’m deviating from my quest for things that will allow you lot to indulge in your creativity.  A workshop for example and here's one where you can pretend is educational (and we promise not to shatter the myth!) 

And if you'd like to have a go, but can't get down to Dorset, why not buy their book?  And don't forget you can always send us some of your efforts.  We're happy to review!

But if you can't get there go online and find something that will tickle your fancy (quite literally in the case of their chilli tickles - amazing chocs, with bite!)

One of my favourite selections has to be this box and although I know it's not the right season, surely this has to be the ultimate Advent calendar.  24 delicious choccies.  No kids allowed!

But worry not, February will soon be with us and I can hint heavily for something like this!

And we've got great hampers too.  You can see them here ....

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Meet the Photographer - Karen Wiltshire

I'm ashamed to admit that although I've known about Karen Wiltshire for some time because she's based in Poole, Dorset, I'm sorry to say our paths didn't cross much.  However, following her successful nomination for Baby Photographer of the Year in the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers, it's no surprise that she's been in the press recently with her amazing images of new-born babies.  

The images suggest that it may be easy to capture babies looking so tranquil but Karen has an amazing knack for getting them to sleep including soothing them to sleep by stroking their eyelids. She has also been credited with using the sound of a hairdryer as babies are used to the sound from mums drying their hair.  But admits that this was a throwaway comment and she wishes it were that simple.  

However it is true that she is often handed meaningful props by parents including guitars, footballs and tennis rackets for their babies to pose with.  It's difficult to imagine where they found a racket this tiny though.

Although Karen had been photographing for several years it was only recently that she turned to newborn photography, she has already been rewarded with some prestigious gold and silver awards for her efforts. 

Not so long ago she was attending workshops to hone the specialist skills required for newborn photography but now she helps to run them.  If you check out her Facebook page, you'll be able to find out more.

You can also see more of her work on her website www.kw-photography.co.uk

And if you want to see some of our other favourite photographers, check out our website 

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Surf's Up - World's Best Dad

When I happened upon this website, I just had to share.  

I have a lovely relationship with lots of photographers who specialise in baby photography, but I'm sure that none of them dare match this guy!

He swears (with a heavy wink, wink) that he doesn't use Photoshop for which we are truly grateful.

This is a selection of just some of his images

For more, visit this website   www.chicquero.com/2012/09/24/worlds-best-father

And if you would like to see some more orthodox images, check out our professsionals' photo gallery.

Trivial Pursuits - why not make it yourself?

You know I like to blog about other artists because of our shared passion for creating things.  But I know that within most of us there is a creative person that needs to express themselves.

And the owners of the Makery in Bath shared the same view.  They realised that not everyone had the resources to indulge their artistic bent so they set up a creative hub, where people could come and learn countless new skills as well as have lots of fun in a relaxed and welcoming space.

I’ll let them continue in their own words:

We’ve always enjoyed the sense of fulfilment from making things ourselves ... so we decided to give our comfortable, safe jobs and follow our hearts.  We spent months researching and planning and were committed to helping anyone who wants to be creative, learn to live more resourcefully and have thoroughly good fun! We believe that if you can make it yourself, you don’t need to buy it and if it’s broken you can mend it and you won’t need to replace it.  If it’s old you can reinvent it.

 As well as two fantastic shops which are akin to Aladdin’s cave and where you will lose yourself in their buttons, trimmings, fabrics, ribbons and crafting essentials, they run amazing workshops and parties.   

 So if you want something different for a hen do, kids’ party or baby shower, look no further.

 And having moved recently I’m intrigued by their courses where I can make my own roman blinds, print my own wallpaper or learn how to pipe cushions.  Where do I sign?

For more information about their shop and courses, visit their website

www.themakeryonline.co.uk

And don't forget we have our own knitting kits that you can buy too.  Click here to order one.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk 

Meet the Maker - Seasick Joe

I love the fact that my passion for knitting turned into a career and enjoy discovering others for whom the same has happened.

Seasick Joe (not her real name, which is Nicky) is one such artist.  I’ll let her explain in her own words.

'When I grow up I want to be an artist'.....seasick joe aged 8.5

These were my words, oooh <cough> 30 something years ago. I was always very creative as a child, but as I grew up somehow life got in the way and I never got to fulfil my childhood ambition, I took a totally different path and after a degree in Computer Technology behind me and a job in IT I was as far away from creative as you can get!

    

In 2010 I moved from a big city to a tiny village in South Lakes, Cumbria, one of the most beautiful places on earth, breathtaking mountains and stunning coastlines...I was inspired by its beauty, and the creative girl inside me woke up....

Whether at work (yes I still work in IT) or at home I am never more than 10 mins away from the beach, I started collecting driftwood and seeing shapes in the pieces I found, I set up a workshop in my kitchen and got crafty, making anything I could out of this beautiful strange, ocean whipped, sun bleached wood.  

This was my new hobby.....but I never thought it would be more than that, just a hobby, my way of unleashing the 8 year old artist inside of me..... but somehow my hobby turned into a small business, crazy as it seemed to me, people wanted to buy the things I made, they made people smile, which made me smile and thus...... Seasick Joe was born P-)

Her seven year old son is also a source of inspiration and his love of pirates is plain to see when you look at her fantastic boats.

You can find out more about Seasick Joe and find out how to buy her products by visiting her Facebook page ... www.facebook.com/SeasickJoe

Find out more about Su's products here ... www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Book Worm - Where the Wild Things Are

Google has commemorated the much-loved, though sometimes controversial, American children's author and book illustrator, Maurice Sendak, best know for Where The Wild Things Are.

Sendak, who would have celebrated his 85th birthday today, was a superb artist who created some of the most original children's books every published. Some had his own text and pictures, such as In The Night Kitchen, Outside Over There and Higglety Pigglety Pop! while others, including Mr Rabbit and The Lovely Present andA Hole is to Dig, matched his illustrations to others' words.

  

All images (c) Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are, with its anarchic hero in the form of wolf suit-wearing Max, caused controversy on its publication in 1963, when some teachers and librarians thought it could be a bad influence on children, or otherwise be too frightening or disturbing for them. However, it went on to unprecedented success, selling over 19 million copies worldwide, and was later both turned into an opera and adapted for the cinema.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk