Vert

vert neckwarmer, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

Vert- apparently this means green in French, though Rowan reckons this cowl is vert. Oh well...

This is my new favourite colour. I am declaring it my colour for 2009.

Unique Boutique & Two and Fro Boutique

Its been a while so here's a little update with what I have been doing. Its winter time in many parts of the world so I have been quite busy. I have mainly been making cowls and scarves, chunky and merino wool as usual. Here are two funky boutiques that stock Urbanknit cowls, neckwarmers and scarves, in two different continents!

Unique Boutique is based in Manchester (which is such a cool city!), I digress... Its is run by a lovely lady called Maria Mcgreevy. So if you are ever round that way, stop by and check it out. The clothes and accessories in there are indeed unique and always changing. They are all made by independent designers both from the UK and further afield.

www.unique-boutique.co.uk
Ground Floor, The Triangle Manchester
M4 3TR United Kingdom

Two and Fro boutique is in Florida, yup... Florida! I was contacted by another lovely lady called Erin Battle who runs the boutique. So if you are in the area please go check it out. There is currently a sale starting this weekend so even more reason to go and visit!

www.twoandfro.net

1748 Silver Street corner of 8th Street

in historic Springfield Jacksonville
Florida
USA

Have a lovely weekend!

Twitter

Do you twitter?

www.twitter.com/urbanknit

Stylistic On Clutch Magazine

I could get used to this! I did an interview with Clutch Magazine a short while ago and it went up yesterday. Thank you Clutch! I am now and avid reader. Well, when I say avid, I mean I check it everyday and even read through people's comments. I like the fact that online magazines are interactive and you can comment and all that. It's fab.

Clutch is pretty cool because its not just about one thing. Its got news, fashion, books, interviews with interesting people and a lot more. I have found some great designers and authors that I would never have heard about otherwise. Check it out!

Rare Bird Finds- Cool Guy Things

Rara Avis (Latin) n. rare bird; a rare or unique person or thing.

Rare Bird Finds is your source for unique gift ideas.

I was very excited when I got a Google Alert that said one of my neckwarmers had been featured on Rare Bird Finds. I am very very very flattered, excited and appreciative. It is really nice when people see my work and like it enough to feature it so, Thank You!

It is tagged as 'Cool Guy Finds' How cool is that! Even better is the actual description of who the wearer may be! I couldn't have written it better myself. Check it out with the link below.

Grey Wool Neckwarmer

Posted using ShareThis

Quincy Jones

.... and others. Great song.



Also thanks to TimbuktuChronicles for the feature (follow the link below) which brought loads of hits to my website. Thank You!

UrbanKnit

Posted using ShareThis

Have a great weekend!

Paul Smith

I love these Paul Smith bags. Especially the fact that the imagery used is so quintessentially English. (We'll ignore the fact that the mini is now manufactured by BMW). Even the word quintessential sounds so English! Maybe because it is, but you know what I mean. I''ll stop rambling now. Even the luggage tag is shaped as a mini mini!

I remember a few seasons ago, there were similar Paul Smith bags which had pictures of rugby balls which were equally impressive. I do like the simplicity and freshness of his designs, so yeah I am a fan.

Okayplayer

If you like or listen to the Roots, Erykah Badu, Common, Mos Def, D'Angelo, Maxwell, Talib Kweli, J Dilla, Little Brother, Jill Scott, K-os, Jaguar Wright and so on and so on. Okayplayer is where it is at. News, reviews, releases, pictures. This site is super, really!

For F1 followers, a little aside. Well done Lewis Hamilton. That was a very tricky 2 minutes. I nearly stopped breathing!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Neckwarmer

Ginger neckwarmer, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

Neckwarmer, snood, cowl, cuff, scarflette. Goes by so many names but is a really simple idea. Something that keeps your neck warm without getting in the way, falling off or getting lost.

I like to make them in chunky 100% merino wool. I have been experimenting with varying the stitching to give added texture. More here and here

Maroon

Maroon chucks

Isn't this so cool? Colours and textures are so rich. Have a look at more interesting photography by Shelagh Duffett of Broomhill Pictures

Liberty

This store in London is one of favourites. The Liberty store stands out in London's west end mainly because it is the only Tudor building for miles! It has a fabric, haberdashery and yarn section which I aways go straight to. It also has a great collection of fashion accessories by both established and upcoming designers which are always fresh and interesting. Of course there are many many other departments but these are my favourite.

The history of the store and the building are quite interesting. One of the things I found most fascinating was that the timbers used in the building where salvaged from two ships HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan. Imagine that! Talk about recycling.

The store was the creation of Arthur Liberty started in 1875 and stands where it has always stood. Definately worth a visit if you are in London.

Kylie

'I believe in you'

I don't know if I should admit this publically but I love this Kylie song. Enjoy!




By the way, if anyone is in Manchester this weekend you should go to Urbis and check out all the fantastic fashion on display and for sale at the Manchester Fashion Weekend. Be sure to check out Unique Boutique who stock yours truly!

James Burleigh

This is the Waldo 45 by James Burleigh a London based furniture company.

I saw this set at the 100% Design exhibition last year and love the simplicity as well as the fact that the colour is so 'catchy'. They are available in quite a wide range of colours and edge finishes. I think I'd love one in slightly rusty dark orange.

Not that I have anywhere to put it! It's okay to dream.

Indigo

Adire is a tie and dye fabric made in southern Nigeria mainly by the Yoruba tribe. It uses the natural indigo dye from plant extracts to achieve the blue colour. Interestingly blue is not a colour that is occurs often naturally.

Indigo dye was also used in the production of denim for jeans so I thought it would be interesting to bring these two fabrics together in one item. One is quite modern and the other traditional and both are from very different parts of the world.

The dyeing techniques are quite interesting as they involve threading, stitching and tying the fabric similar to the Japanese Shibori methods of tie and dye.

A Northern Japanese Indigo Dyed Shibori Juban, originally uploaded by Sri Threads.

Looking through books and images, there are so many similarities between some of the traditional Japanese fabrics and the Nigerian ones I grew up wearing. I really like the patterns and colours of traditional Japanese fabrics and their design ethos in general come to think of it. I will be looking more into their traditional design culture in future posts.

Are you a fan of blue or indigo? If so, please share some links. Thanks!

Ice Blue neckwarmer

Blue neckwarmer, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

This is one of many. All of which are in a chunky knit. I love chunky and textured knitting, its the instant gratification I think.

I've been experimenting with new stitches and textures for this season. I have so many colour combinations and more stitches I want to try. The list is endless but its all fun.

Again, the neckwarmer like the scarflette is for those that do not want a long scarf that gets in the way but stays firmly put round your neck and keeps it warm and cosy. I've been wearing my sage green one everywhere (even when it does not match my clothes!)

It's September. I'ts London. It's cold!

Hello!....London

THE URBAN CRAFT STARS

FLOCK & ROCK AT LONDON’S CARNABY STREET

The ‘Nu-Craft’ movement hits London’s West End for the first time. Kingly Court, Carnaby Street will be hosting a showcase of British designer-makers who will be displaying and selling their own, hand-crafted and vintage-inspired designs in the ‘Urban Craft Stars’ pop-up shop.

The craft look is definitely back in fashion and in the current credit crunch many consumers are moving from mass-produced and ikea to a locally created and hand-made aesthetic when it comes to interiors and original gift items.

The Urban Craft Stars will be ‘popping up’ for a limited period only (till 31^st August) but all the designers are also available through online craft hub etsy - where they met and the idea was first seeded by organiser and littlechook founder Karin Duguid - or through their own websites.

Everything from furniture recycled from old tube maps to organic printed kid’s tee shirts, funky hand-knitted scarves, photography and pretty leather purses will be available to buy at competitive prices.

Carnaby Street is best known for swinging sixties fashion but Kingly Court just off the main thoroughfare has been cultivating smaller labels and vintage boutiques for over 10 years and now hosts some of the best original design talent in London.

Urban Craft Stars, 1.4 Kingly Court, Carnaby, London W1

The shop is open daily from 11am – 7pm, Monday to Sunday

See www.carnaby.co.uk for further directions

And the ‘stars’ are:

Littlechook
www.littlechook.co.uk

Urbanknit
www.urbanknit.com

Peppermint Twist
www.pepperminttwist.co.uk

My mum’s a hippie
www.myspace.com/mymumsahippie

Bombus
www.bombus.co.uk

Ryokan Art
tel: 07974 319 488
e-mail: tim@morue.co.uk

Gidan Nodza

Please please please have a look at this lady's shop. You can just see the amount of time and care and passion that goes into each of her pieces. She is based in Lagos, Nigeria and I am a fan for many obvious reasons.

Need I say more, take a look for your self!

Gidan Nodza

House of Nodza

Fatboy

I have got a Fatboy and I think everyone needs one in their life. They are basically huge bean bags designed by a Finnish designer called Jukka Setala. You can sit, lie, sleep on them and they are surprisingly very comfortable and so much fun too. You squeeze a 'you' shaped space in them and enjoy the cosyness that is formed all around you.

It was love at first site and I have got a white one as I wanted everything in my flat to be white. It was..... and then I moved but that is a different story.

The name couldn't be any better too. Just imagine my conversation when I ordered it over the phone at work (during my lunch break of course).

me: 'Hi, I am calling about the Fatboy I want to order.... I saw it on your website. Do you have them in white?'... thats great..... how long does shipping take, can I pay over the phone?

work colleague: errmmm, I couldn't but over hear your converstaion on the phone.... is that legal?

Ha!

Have a great week

www.fatboy.nl

erinzam

'I See You'- by erinzam


Erin is a graphic designer who also enjoys illustration, painting and making books. For more of her work- www.erinzam.etsy.com

She also has a beautiful and very informative blog

D day at Dragon Hall

Wemakelondon finally came around. Check out the flickr group for more photos of the day

Got there late.... oops. Had to set up in record time but just about managed to. (Thanks Fran and Anna-Marie!)

Met the etsy uk stars and talked and talked and talked. Can't help myself sometimes.

All in all, I had a lot of fun.... oh yeah, I also sold a few things!

Camper

I seriously covet Camper shoes and would but 10 pairs if I was able. These are my current crush.

Bee bag

The Bee bag, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

So summer is finally here. In London we are getting some sunshine and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

To suit the season, I am introducing the Bee Bag. It can be used for everyday running around, as a shopping tote or even better for carrying your bits and pieces to the beach or park.

This is the first made out of Ankara and lined internally in bright orange cotton. There are more fabric and colour combinations to come.

Do you have anything fun planned for the summer? If so let us know what it is!

Thanks for stopping by.

Alakija

Often images speak volumes or capture a moment that may never be repeated. I won't go overboard on this but photography and imagery can be so powerful or subtle or both. I can spend hours looking at photographs of almost anything!

A friend of mine, Jide Alakija has a very interesting photoblog. There is a great variety of moments, smiles, colours, textures. Warning!!! it is very addictive but please have a look at Jide's photoblog and let me know what you think. I have so many favourites from his work but then thought I'd ask him to choose one of his favourite images and tell me why he had chosen it.

Here it is and his reason for his choice.



This is a shot of two very good friends who you may know but are very special to me. Adebola Okelarin and Segun Okelarin (nee Garuba). This was a shot during a video footage where my friend, Charlie Goring was filming for their wedding. I not only like the pure expression of love in the photo but also how the elements around the photo all seem to smother them as Ade expresses his love. I also think it represents how much he loves her in the public eye, as you can see this photo was taken in an open/public space. This shot means a lot to me in light of the ups and downs they have both had coming up to their wedding. As an artist capturing a moment like is more than just skill but honour, as they have shared one of their lovely times with me.

www.alakija.com

Thank you for stopping by!

Zipper Pouch

Ankara Zipper, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

The humble zipper pouch. Make it do whatever you want it to. Some reasons why you need one (or more!):

1. Keep those wayward receipts together in one place.
2. A cosy place for your ipod.
3. A mini make-up bag for the essentials. Fits nicely into a bigger bag.
4. Keys coins and a few cards all in one place, works well as a little clutch
5. They come in bright prints and batiks making them easy to spot in your bag
6. Best of all- BUY ONE GET ONE FREE till the 30th of April.

Check out the collection here- zipper pouches

Yesterday's New Quintet

Yesterday's New Quintet:

Joe McDuphrey
Ahmad Miller
Monk Hughes
Malik Flavors
Otis Jackson

The album 'Angles without edges' is one of my all time favourites. Produced by Madlib under Stones Throw records. Its a jazzy, cool, soulful feel. Hard to put into words. You just have to listen.

Love it. Now I have to get all their individual releases

Xenya

I came across Xenya on etsy, this shop is that of Julie Shiel's. In particular I like her photography of abandoned, found spaces. I share this interest in old and weathered buildings and spaces. I enjoy the way they seem to tell a story of a past life and whisper memories.

Julie's work is particulalry rich in textures and colours and are right up my street! Here is a quote about her work.

My photos are often taken in abandoned or forgotten urban settings and I hope give you a glimpse of things few people see. I believe old buildings have a soul of sorts, and my hope is to record a piece of that soul before these places are demolished for strip malls or developments.

As an architect I do get to see a lot of buildings in various stages of disrepair and they are indeed very interesting. There is, as Julie says, forgotten beauty in these spaces and places.

Do visit Julie's store www.xenya.etsy.com

We Make London

Join us on the 22nd of June this summer for a chance to lay your hands on some handmade art, accessories, jewellery and a lot more.

Date: Sunday 22nd June 2008
Time: 11.00am – 17.00pm
Where: Dragon Hall, 17 Stukeley Street, London, WC2B 5LT
Entrance: free
Nearest tube: Holborn, Covent Garden

Check out the We Make London blog for more details.

I'll be taking part so see you there!

Viaducts

I have this fascination with viaducts, especially old ones with brick arches below. I don't know why. I just do.

It probably has something to do with the texture of weathered brick or the unique and unusual spaces formed within and beneath them.

It is always very interesting to uses the spaces beneath have been put to. From flower shops in paris, to mechanic workshops, night club, art galleries.

If I ever have a camera handy I like to take a picture. The one below forms part of the Kingsland Viaduct in East London.

Cargo which offer club nights and live music is part of the same viaduct. Want to see what it looks like? Click cargo1 and cargo2. Just one of the many examples.

On a completely different note, one of the Etsy teams I belong to is having a competition. Do you fancy winning a selection of goodies, completely free? All you have to do is put letters together to form a word. Read below for the details.

Etsy Artists of Color Scavenger Hunt

Come play this week to win wonderful handcrafted items in a variety of media. Discover some great new artists and have fun along the way! You must be an Etsy member to win, both buyers and sellers are welcome! No purchase is necessary to win. Members of the Artists of Color Team are not eligible to win.

How to play?
Visit each of the participating EAOC shops below and look through the pictures in their shop listings (recent sold items included). Some shops will contain one picture of a "letter" hiding in one of their shop listings. Search through the participating shops and jot down the "letter" and the name of the shop you have found the letter in.
After you have found all of the letters (15 total), then unscramble them to complete a word. When you think you have solved the puzzle, please convo me (www.callidora.etsy.com) with your entry and your name, if you are correct your name will go into a drawing to win the prize basket. (Only one entry per member.)

What's the prize?
Everything has been handcrafted by member artists. From the top going clockwise:

Reversible headband by Callidora
Golden crocheted earrings by Bklyn MOMOs
Kiwi magnolia soap and satin cream by The Ivory Magnolia
Four occasion greeting cards by Handcrafted by LaMar
Earrings and heart pendant by Marcia Palmer
Spring poker chip magnet by Ginger Lime
Coin earrings in a tin by Satin Doll Co.
Mother of pearl coin earrings by Jamilary
Snap clutch by Urbanknit
Small mosaic votive by Mosaics by AH

Contest ends at 12 midnight EST, March 31st. All correct entries will be entered into a drawing and the winner will be selected at random and announced on Tuesday, April 1st. The lucky winner will be contacted by ‘convo’ on Etsy and the results will be posted in the forums and on our team blog.

Good Luck!

List of participating shops:

mosiacsbyah
brefour
wsirarts
ayanacreations
theivorymagnolia
satindollco
jamilary
lamarlynch
marciapalmer
springcartdesigns
origamicentral
bklynmomos
callidora
thehandoffatima
tyramade
reign
urbanknit
gingerlime
feille
stormeejean
anaaya
raghousenternational
liviastreasures
cassowaryjewelry
africanfashions
beadsinthebelfry
ladiestheytalkabout
precioust
soleilrouge
hilari
takeyceart
marcuskwame

Let me know if you think you've worked it out. Thanks for stopping by!

Urbanstax

So I set up a new etsy store where I stock 'remixed' items. It is called Urbanstax. I enjoy making new things out of old so this will feature paper goods made out of 'repurposed' paper, shopper bags made out of old plastic bags, and so on. Hopefully the shop will evolve as I go on. Just my version of doing the green thing.

Etsy Buy Handmade Urbanstax

I have started off with a collection of envelopes featuring Danish urban design strategy. They are fun because the are maps/plans on the outside and text on the inside. Some of the text talks about water strategy, conservation of old buildings, developing of green parks and so on. I like that each one is of the same place but slightly different because it is talking about another strategy.

They are mainly in a bold but simple graphic style in blue, white, blue and grey. A few of them are brighter colours.

Have a look, give me your thoughts. http://www.urbanstax.etsy.com

A big thank you to Rekindled for doing a feature on Urbanstax and the envelopes. Do stop by her blog and say hello.

Oh yeah, have a great easter weekend too!

Tigers

white tiger, originally uploaded by Jornic.

Tiger-Pantheras Tigris

I think Tigers are amazingly beautiful creatures. Even more amazing are white tigers which I first saw when I went to Las Vegas when I was much younger. I was happy to just sit there and stare at them all day (Not that I was allowed to!)

Without a doubt when I am asked what my favourite animal is, I don't even have to think. Unfortunately, like so may others, it is an endangered species.

A few facts:

* India has the largest population of Tigers
* There are 5000 to 7000 left in the wild
* Tigers are the largest of the cat family
* Weight 500 pounds (226kg), Length 9ft (274cm), approximately.
* Tigers eat anything, nothing eats Tigers (not in the wild anyway)
* Like fingerprints, no two tigers have the same stripe pattern
* The 9 subspecies are Malayan, Bengal, Indochinese, Sumatran, Siberian, South China, Balinese, Java and Caspian.

The white tigers are not a separate species, just simply a different colour. They are also distinct in that they often have blue eyes and pink noses. awwwww

I know they are probably not cute when you are close-up and there is nothing but air between you and them but they are gorgeous creatures all the same!

Read the Tiger study done by the WWF: www.worldwildlife.org/tigers

A big thank you to Joris for letting me use the fantastic image of the white tiger he took. You must check out his flickr page Jornic for more beautiful photography.

Would like to know what animal/creature you think is special. Thanks for stopping by!

Scarflette

ginger scarflette, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

The scarflette is a take on a normal scarf. It is a mini scarf and is ideal if you are like me and want somehting that doesn't get in the way while you are out and about.

You can wear a scarflette in many different configurations just by buttoning it anywhere in the scarf. There are lots of holes to choose from due to the stitch used.

I have many more SCARFLETTE versions and colour combinations and as always, no two are the same! Thanks for stopping by.

Rainbow Country

another one of my favourite tracks of all time. Listening to it right now.

Qwerty

Old Typewriter, originally uploaded by Marimoo.

QWERTY- the keyboard of a typewriter or computer of the ordinary sort, whose top line begins with the letters Q, W E R T and Y.

I bet you just looked down at your keyboard! The lovely lovely image above is by Marimoo, check out her blog. She also is a fellow etsyian and has allowed me to use her photograph which completely captures what I think is interesting and quirky about typewriters.

I have always wondered why the keyboard doesn't just read from A through to Z. The origins as to why they are as they are can be traced back to old typewriters. If you are interested, click qwerty.

I love old typewriters. I have no idea why but there are quite impressive. There seemed to be a certain art to the way they were made, they appear almost sculptural. I also really like way they produce imperfect type on paper although in this day and computer age that would be a little bit annoying! no backspace, cut, paste.... i don't think so!

image courtesy of Suzanne Clements

I also came across this beautiful print by Suzanne Clements another etsyian, check out her store too. This piece is beautifully titled 'Long Forgotten Memories'. I think that sums it up perfectly. Love it!

Anyone have any old, interesting, quirky objects they like?

Before I sign off for the weeknd, thought I'd mention a magazine I was featured in, Mimi magazine. A long and detailed piece thanks to Belinda Otas. It is called 'What is Urban about African couture?' Have a read! Have a lovely weekend too!

Q

I am sooo stuck on Q, I'll have to come back to this one.

'Pencil' Clutch

Red, black and white 'pencil' clutch, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

It is called the pencil clutch for so many reasons but the obvious one is that it is reminiscent of the simple regular pencil case that holds stationary.

The pencil clutch is a minimalist yet funky clutch because sometimes you want something that is simple and functional but that still says a little something.

This one is made out of 'aso-oke' which is a heavy hand-woven fabric from southern Nigeria. Aso-oke is usually worn by Yoruba people during special occasions; festivals, weddings and most celebrations.

More colour and fabric combinations to come in this style but the first few have been in a red, black and white combination as its Valentines day soon.

Do you have anything in red, black or white that you absolutely love? If so please leave a comment and a link.

Thanks for reading.

Orange

etsy frontpage 20th Dec, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

So this is a bit of laziness on my part. Just didn't have anything for 'O' so I dug into the archives and retrieved an Etsy Frontpage that I made it onto last December thanks to riyzedesignz.

You can guess the theme was.......Orange! It was great publicity and the scarflette got sold shortly after.

I am not even sure I am that great a fan of the colour but once in a while, it just works for me. I prefer the derivatives; burnt orange, rust etc. Are you a fan of Orange? Would love to hear your comments.

On another note, Urbanknit now has a facebook group so if you would like to be kept informed about events, new items, exciting news or are just a fan then do join urbanknit on facebook

thanks for reading!

Not On The High Street

For UK shoppers who had become a bit bored of Urbanknit being available only in Dollars, worry no more! Urbanknit is now sold on 'Not On The High Street'.

NOTH was started in 2006 by Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish out of a passion and interest in supporting small creative businesses who may not survive in the cut-throat world of the high street retail.

There are a lot of interesting and unique finds available on Not On The High Street and you definately see the passion and care that has gone into the various creations from a broad range of NOTH sellers.

You can find jewellery, lighting, cushions, cards and plentymore.

So if you are based in the UK, go on and have a look or even if you are not, go and have a look anyway! www.notonthehighstreet.com

Maxwell

where art thou?

Something amazing started with Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite.

With tracks like Ascension (Don't ever wonder) and Sumthin' Sumthin', some say it was the birth of neo-soul.

Click on the links to listen and watch the videos.

That was all the way in 1996, wow. Anyways, we are waiting expectantly for a return, well.... I am.

Looks like maybe we'll hear something, sometime soon....

Black Summers' Night.....

Any other Maxwell fans out there?

London

My current abode... There is so much to say about London, so I won't! Not enough space really. Plus there is so much on the internet and better still, you can visit it to get the real flavour.

There is one thing I do find interesting, and that is how a graphic representation can contain so much information and at the same time be so simple yet iconic.

The London tube (equivalent of a subway) map captures this idea. With each colour representing a line and the circles showing where lines meet, and the interesting station names which in themselves have so much history.

Whats your favourite stop? No you can't chose Notting Hill.... just joking. Or is there anything in the city or country that you live in that captures the spirit? Please share!