Home inspiration 4

I first fell in love with the so-called ‘Urchin Poufs’ in the Netherlands. They look so soft and cuddly. I knew then and there that they would be the perfect addition to my home.

Netherlands-based designer Christien Meindertsma, who works under the brand name Flocks, created the poufs by knitting on enormous needles, using her own hand-felted wool. The Urchin Poufs exist in different colours and different sizes. Poufs are very versatile as they can be used as extra seating, foot rests or even coffee tables. Imagine all these bright colours scattered around a room. You can also store them in a corner of a room.

I have not yet talked about the price tag... Let’s say it may explain why I don’t have one (yet) in my living room. However if you are a keen knitter, Pickles in Norway offer you the chance to knit your own Puff Daddy pouf with a free pattern. I may have a go at extreme knitting... Has anyone tried?

Project on a smaller scale

Here in England, it was a long weekend and which meant having time for soft furnishing projects around the house, and trying new patterns. I have already talked about my crochet blanket. It is going to turn out great, but many hours will have gone into it.

I also need to change the cushion covers of our sofa. They are dark grey at the moment. The new colour scheme is going to be similar to that of the blanket. I think I found the pattern for the covers. It is called cathedral window and I stumbled across it on the A la Mode blog. How could I not fall in love with it? I did a little bit more research and the other bloggers who used the pattern really inspired me.

Heather from A la Mode tells you she has an 'easy peasy' tutorial.. I needed to check that for myself before choosing the fabric and making a serious commitment. I had some fabric left after my needle case, and decided to make a pin cushion.

Turned out well, didn't it? I love the diamond shape in the middle. I had more of the patterned fabric, but I may have worked better with the pattern in the diamond and the solid as background. Then again I do not like that yellow fabric really, it is a bit old-fashioned, but totally useful for these little projects. Not sure I would do such a big pin cushion in the end, or even for one of the diamond on my cushion cover.

M agreed as well, this is going to be the pattern for the covers, only need to find some nice fabric for it now.

Home Inspiration 3

I have been follwoing this printmaker for a while (signing up to her newsletter, going to her exhibition in London etc). I really like her work, it is a blend of retro chic natural elements. her colours are also stunning.

On her website Angie Lewin says that she is inspired by both the clifftops and saltmarshes of the North Norfolk coast and the Scottish Highlands. She depicts these contrasting environments and their native flora in wood engraving, linocut, silkscreen, lithograph and collage. These landscapes are often glimpsed through intricately detailed plantforms -as you can see below.

I have been asking for a print for a while... Maybe a new house, a new kitchen will prompt M to finally give in and buy me one for Christmas.

When ceramics meet crochet

I am so proud of myself! This turned out so nicely... I go to a ceramics class, not as often as I would like, but I try to go every other week . Katie, my teacher, was happy to go along with my vision of combining crochet with ceramics. I only have pictures of the salad bowl I made, but there are also two bowls and two coasters with the same sort of theme. And yesterday, we did a knitting device... More on this to come soon.

Anyway I am rambling a bit, so let me show you how it all turned out.

On the right is the inside of the bol. I must confess that I did not use a doily I made, but one that Mum gave me ages ago (at the time I was going to make lavender pouches).

Here it is in full!

I cannot stop looking at, feeling this inside of the bowl. I just LOVE it!

Work in progress

I am progressing.. just so slowly!

Here are the two of the projects I take in turn in the evenings after work.

The scarf, nothing fancy as M wants something simple, nothing funny. I added a bit of colour, with the Opal HundertWasser which is combined with some classy grey wool. Will get him to model the finished scarf!

And here is a project that will require a LOT more work, but which I am loving. The tutorial has been written by Attic 24, and the colour scheme was inspired by rosa.p. and my own home colour scheme.

Better get back to it!

Home Inspiration 2

I am sure you have seen some of her creations in your favourite interior design magazines, or even in crafts magazines... Jan Constantine does deserve an entry in my blog. I am into vintage - British style for the new house (the old flat was yuppie-financial district, black/red/silver, and this is not 'homely' enough for a certain husband of mine, only problem he cannot define what is homely for him!). Here is one of her famous cushion cover.

Jan’s designs are hand worked on natural cottons linens and wools. The felted wool work is perfect for some Christmas decorations. Needless to say the price is a bit above my budget. But do not fear, she has also published a book, that I bought and is very user-friendly with lovely designs, and you can now make your own Jan Constantine's cushion covers, or blanket, or bag or... well whatever you fancy really (there are some cool Christmas projects).

Apart from drooling over other people's designs, I have some projects on the go... but sadly no picture at the moment. There is crochet blanket, a scarf for M (that is manly enough for him to approve of - he is SO difficult) and a quilt I started 10 years ago (at least) and that I intend to finish soon.... All coming soon.

New home inspiration

Not sure I mentioned this but a week after we came from our honeymoon we put an offer on a house that was accepted. We are nearing (I hope) the lengthy legal process and should be able to get the keys at the end of the month, unless the structural survey says there is something really wrong with the house... We are planning quite extensive work on the house (make it an open plan kitchen/living room, changing the heating system, maybe adding a conservatory...). So needless to say we will not have a lot of money left (as in none) to actually buy any new furniture.


So we are looking for inspiration for decoration, soft furnishings etc. So I thought I could share with you what is inspiring me for decorating the new house - and hopefully I will be able to show you how it translates when I am trying to copy their style.

This week (well it has been a while now) I got really inspired by Anna Carrington. Who would have thought of sewing thousands of pearl buttons to make up the Queen's head in 'psychedelic disco colours'? Anna did. Surely, this is a girl after our own hearts. She uses unusual material (safety pins, knives, forks) making sure that 'objects have got more than one life'.

I love her choice of materials, these objects we all use everyday to make beautiful pieces of art. I am sure all of you will be inspired too.