hello and welcome...

Hello and welcome to my blog, where I love to share a little of my life with you...I am so lucky to be a textile artist and maker...inspired by the beautiful countryside around me and by all sorts of things in my life....if you fancy a creative WORKSHOP take a look here or taking a peep at what's in my ETSY shop click here...thank you for paying me a visit today!



Tuesday 15 January 2013

studio tidying and a little knitting project...

it's such a joy after what seems forever to be back in my studio...my lovely WARM studio...out of the cold and icy weather which is so welcome as it bring sunshine...and beautiful wintry shapes...full of inspiration...


it may be a total mess in here...a creeative mess but it's all a pleasure to sort out...so much nicer than tidying the house somehow as I can play with fabrics as I go... and hatch plots of such great creativity and craftyness...designing here...artwork there...the only thing is not to get so diverted no tidying actually happens!


  


outside today is bright and sunny so a chance to sit out in a deck chair...swathed in hats, gloves and many fleeces...just bathing in the golden rays and feelng happy in the moment...Basil sleek and handsome cat that he is... joins me for a while... 

I take the opportunity for some playing in my sketchbook... I so want to just play around and see what comes, so I'm trying to do a little something each day... 



and here comes Emilia the cheeky chicken...my favourite but don't tell the others...



and here's a little knitting project you might like...I love to knit simple bags...bung them in the washing machine and ta da!


these are so simple to knit, choose a nice 100% wool and knit a biggish oblong, I cast on about 38-42 stitches with a nice thickish yarn say a chunky or Icelandic, and make about 30cm of i-cord for handles which I sew on...you can look on u-tube here if you don't know how to do that... I cast on 6 or 7 stitches and keep the tail ends for sewing on...knit the i-cord first and use the rest of the ball to knit the bag...just remember the knitting will shrink so make everything bigger than you think!

why not have a go...


I love felting in the washing machine as you never quite know how things will turn out...here's a lovely cardi all felted up and ready to turn into a bag...seem a shame somethime to cut them up but often they are sad and neglected and I can give one jumper a new life as bags, brooches, maybe put in a picture...ooh I do love it!


hope this inspires you to get making and playing...or just enjoying the moment you're in, have a great week...
love Emmax

4 comments:

Down by the sea said...

You have inspired me to have a go at one of these lovely bags. How do you do felting in the washing machine?

I smiled at you enjoying the sunshine all wrapped up with the company of Basil and Emilia.

Sarah x

...Nina Nixon... said...

What a gorgeous ginger tom you have - he does look mighty proud.

Nina x

Emma Wigginton said...

Hi Nina thanks for dropping by and admiring our Basil cat...he thinks he's pretty handsome and we do too!He gives you a a good staring too till you pick him up! Just been to look at your blog...what stunning photos of the snow, love all the detail and close ups Emmax

Emma Wigginton said...

Hi Sarah and anyone else who may be interested!

Simply put the finished bag in your washing machine, maybe with an old towel to help the felting. you can put it inside an old pillowcase if you like, Add a little clothes washing liquid, not powder. I would wash at 40 and see what happens, you can do it again as I did with these as they weren't as felted as I liked. Such fun to do! Let me know how you get on Emmax