Grey/Gray Cowl

Grey/Gray Cowl, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

oh yes, the XL cowl is now available in grey. Or as the americans say gray... Been available for a while but my mannequin was just so busy! haha.

Free Worldwide Shipping

Free shipping anywhere in the world all weekend and tomorrow. In my etsy shop www.urbanknit.etsy.com

Happy Shopping!

Cool Tees Thursday- Zulu Rose

I have been a fan of Zulu Rose from the moment I peeped their website. Its clean and shiny and just pops at you. Nice and simple. Very much after my heart.

This thursdays cool tee from Zulu Rose .

So funky and fresh.

What do you think?

Site Watch: Scarf it up

Site Watch: Scarf it up

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The Bailey Jacket

Not that one needs an excuse but the autoum/winter is perfect reason to get extra stylish.

Check out this jacket by Nike Akinola. The Bailey Jacket is availabe on myasho.com.

Its looks so warm and snuggly yet stylish at the same time. You also get two for the price of one as its reversible. How cool!

Stuntin' with her Ray Aviators on!

Stuntin' with her Ray Aviators on!, originally uploaded by muse1nspired.


"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary." -Sir Cecil Beaton

This was taken from the photoblog of a very very talented Sefa Nkansa

Oh my days..... you know when you buy an album and you love every single track on the cd.

It doesn't happen often, off the top of my head I know two albums that I loved Peven Everett's 'Studio Confessions' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going on'

There are others but I digress.

My new flickr friend muse1insired's photoblog does just exactly the same. Very varied subject material but all stunning and interesting and beautiful in their own individual ways.

Sefa Nkansa also has a facebook fanpage.

Feast your eyes and soul!

XL cowl Giveaway

I am giving away one of my favourite items in my shop, the popular XL cowl in this lovely teal-torqouise-green-blue type colour. It is usually sold for £30 in by bigcartel shop or $60 in my etsy shop.

HOW TO WIN:

• Blog about this linking to this post or to Urbanknit
• Link this giveaway on your facebook page, stumble upon, twitter or wherever else you like and leave a comment on this post to let me know.
• Click on the “Share” at the bottom of this post
• Browse Urbanknit , and leave a comment telling me what urbanknit accessory you like if any, doesnt matter if its been sold.

WHO CAN WIN:

Anyone can enter and you can do so as many times as you like.

The giveaway will run for 10 days so will end at midnight GMT on the 13th of November when a winner will be picked at random and announced, then I'll bug them for their address so I can post it to them!

Thanks and please spread the word.

THE RESULTS ARE IN:

First I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone that tweeted, commented and generally helped to spread the word for the first giveway I have ever organised. Thank you for taking part, it was a lot of fun for me. Look back for another giveaway pretty soon. Next time it will be a clutch handbag.

I used random.org to pick the winning number and it was 39. Natalie!

Natalie! hope you are having a great weekend. Please email me so I can post you your new neckwarmer.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Cool Tees Thursday

So I got lazy and just looked in the etsy gift guide 'the perfect t-shirt' for this 'selection of a cool tee.

There is something so lovely about the colour and the leaves.

Its called golden blossom and is by freeflightclothing

Check it out!

Flickr Fav

, originally uploaded by Caviardage.

This is one of my favourites from flickr. I think its the layering of colour and the stillness but I really like this shot.

From Caviardage's collcetion. Check it out

Music: Rick James- Glow

This is currently on repeat, love Rick James and love this track called 'Glow'

Have a good weekend!

Cool Tees Thursday- Funkrush

Here's another cool tee installation and I love love love this one.

Its is titled DJ Rocky and Lil Rascal designed by Philip Tseng. Too too cool. I wish I had a bigger image of the tee shirt but anyway...this works on so many levels! I mean you can't really go wrong with a name like Funkrush, canya?



















I like it so much, I may well get one for myself, they are available for guys and gals.

Check out funkrush. They have an interesting mix and collection. Definitely worth a look! Think I am going to go and check out Philip Tseng, seems like my kinda guy. Here is his online portfolio.
Great stuff.

See ya!

Cool Tees Thursday- Rosie Music

This weeks cool tee is from Rosie Music on etsy. I like it because its kind of soft and feminine but still bright and interesting.

Its called 'Home Sweet Home' and you can find it here.

WEEKEND SALE

We are having a sale at Urbanknit in our etsy store. Free shipping all weekend on all items.

www.urbanknit.etsy.com

Scarves, cowls, clutches, totes, everything.

Please have a look and share with anyone you know might be interested. Its easy, just use the share button at the bottom of this post.

Thank you.

Cool Tees Thursday- Glenn Jones

Another helping of cool tee shirts. Its named 'Calling Home'. No need to explain this one!

Spotted on Threadless by a designer by the name of Glenn Jones a freelance graphic designer and illustrator from Auckland, New Zealand. I am fast becoming a fan.

Check it out his website

Bouf : Ant Army from StickyUps

Bouf | Inspiring Homeware: Ant Army from StickyUps

These are quite fun!

Cool Tees Thursday- Critter Jitters

I have a weakness for tee shirts. I know I should dress smarter but they are just so comfy and cool. You can have almost any kind of t-shirt. Really, the possibilities are endless!

So just for the fun of it, I am going to be doing a regular COOL TEES THURSDAYS. I'll do a feature of a cool t shirt I have discovered. If you know any cool t-shirt designers then please point them my way.

I am starting off with this one from Critter Jitters a fellow etsyisan. Its giving a nod to the 80's. There are some things that were kinda cool about that era!

Check out http://www.critterjitters.etsy.com for more funky tees.

Mega Snap- purple and grey Aso-oke

Mega Snap- purple and grey Aso-oke, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

This is the Mega Snap. It is the same idea as the previous Snap clutches but this one is as big as it gets. It is 12 inches wide at the top. This is definately a statement making clutch.

It was all about experimentation as I used Aso-oke which is by no means easy to work with. Aso-oke is a hand loom woven fabric from Nigeria so sometimes tricky to cut without unravelling the whole lot.

This is modern Aso-oke as, the older more traditional types usually have more lines and colour variations. I have made some clutches using some vintage Aso-oke from Ondo which I will feature soon.

This colour combination just made sense to me. The colours are all completely contrasting and that is sometimes how I dress. I don't bother to match the colours!

The yellow buttons are there to cheer things up, never want things getting to dull.

Thanks for stopping by, see you next time.

XL cowl- Army Green

XL cowl- Army Green, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

Rare self portrait

Pink diagonal

Pink diagonal, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

My darling Imani modelled this for me and she is such a natural. This scarf is big and chunky. There is no cold getting past you in this!

I am starting to stock up for the winter season. Never too early to start, I have missed knitting so getting back to it. Its so relaxing after a long day at work.

Have a good weekend!

Trunkt

Started a portfolio on Trunkt. Thinking I might actually upgrade to a Premium portfolio. I'll see how it goes.

http://www.trunkt.org/urban_knit

Africa Fashion- Sika Designs

...need I say more

Designer: Sika Designs

Location: SCC, JHB, Gauteng, South Africa

Credit: Simon Deiner/SDR Photo

Arise Africa Fashion Week

Starfish + Cuttlefish + ?

Starfish + Cuttlefish + ?, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

This was earlier this month at the New England aquarium in Boston which I fell in love with. I was like a big kid and didn't want to leave. There was so much to see and all beautiful in their own way. I am trying to learn more about my camera and trying to get the best use out of it. I love Canon's and had a manual SLR before I got a digital one. What is great is that the lenses are all compatible so I use my old ones.

I can't remember what the creature in the middle of the shot is. Any clues?

Aso-oke

Aso-oke is a hand loom woven fabric from Nigeria. This is made and worn mainly in South Western Nigeria. It can be tricky to work with because of its construction. Cutting it means the interwoven threads become loose and can be quite tricky to sew. I have decided to focus on tackling the difficulties of working with Aso-oke!

It is such a beautiful medium and it offers so many possibilities and textures that are not always present in printed fabrics so I am going to give it a go!

These are two examples of the Snap clutches I made using Aso-oke. The blue one is a more traditional looking pattern and colour combination and the woven thread is cotton. The pink one is a more modern take on Aso-oke and the thread is silk in a metallic finish.

Now what should I make next?

My Asho

My Asho is an online fashion concept developed to celebrate and promote the talent of African designers based throughout the world. We aspire to become a one-stop-shop for the best in authentic African inspired designs.

We work closely with all our designers and stylists, choosing beautiful pieces from their collections to offer to a savvy fashion-forward international audience. In addition, we work with local markets throughout Africa to bring you distinctive, one-off pieces which you can check out daily in the My Asho Market.

Most of the products on myasho.com are ethically handcrafted and produced in limited quantities, which means our customer can always be assured to find high-quality, inspired boutique style pieces at very affordable prices.

The designers: Aimas, Fosuism, Jewels by Lisa, Zebra, Uhuru clothing, Toju Foyeh and yours truly!

Need I say more!!!! Check it out http://www.myasho.com/

Mini Snap Give away

This Mini snap clutch in Adire is up for grabs. Checkout out the giveaway at sandierpastures.com/giveaway

I am also having free worldwide shipping all weekend so if you fancy treating yourself then do come along www.urbanknit.etsy.com

Have a great weekend.

Street Art at the Tate

This was taken sometime last year, I think it was in the summer when Tate Modern was taking a look at what Street art is. I am sold on anything that is colourful and bold.

The Mega Snap...experimenting

Been experimenting with different fabrics for the snap clutch. This one is denim with cut Ankara flowers. The inside is lined with the main Ankara fabric. The clutch also has a metal chain as a strap. Oh yeah, it is also HUGE!

hello..

So I got myself a model..... my fab bro. Bye bye mannequin. tee hee. Only problem is unlike the mannequin, this one talks back!

Brompton

This is by far one of the coolest things I have ever owned. Some say cycling in London is crazy but it is actually a lot of fun and the freedom it gives especially during rush hour traffic is unbelievable.

The appeal of the Brompton has many parts. The fact that it is foldable and very easy to carry around has to be one of the most important. Its like having your own personal transformer! It just looks soooooo cool, folded or unfolded.

I went for the classic black although initially I wanted a lime green one but came round to the idea of having a black one (like almost everyone else).

I think Brompton is a very cool brand. The product, the marketing, the website, the idea are all super. What else can I say, this is a beautifully made object, that works so well. To see more about what Bromptons are about check out their website www.brompton.co.uk

On another note Follow my blog with bloglovin´

WOOLY SALE! 20% off

Forest and Lichen cowl, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

Spring has either sprung or is springing so I am putting all wool pieces on sale for a week. So pop along to urbanknit.etsy if you are interested.

For shoppers in the UK, go to urbanknit and enter W2S at checkout to get your discount.

Valentina C

'Armchair with steel rod structure painted in glossy white, red or black, padded polyurethane seat, cover in technical fabric and hand-made flower decoration designed by Maurizio Galante in the same colour of the structure'

I really really really want this chair, although I would not know which colour to go for. They are all so beautiful.

I came across it when it was featured recently on designmilk. It is the Valentina C chair designed by Maurizio Galante for Cerruti Baleri. I think it is absolutely gorgeous. Its almost like a couture dress. Check out his (the designer's) website and you will understand why. Very interesting 'collaboration'. Reinforces my opinion that a lot of design disciplines and skills are interchangeable. What do you think?

Working 5 to 9

If like me you have a passion/hobby/skill that you interested in developing into a business alongside your full time job then check out Enterprise Nation which offers advice and a specifically written Working 5 to 9 guide to assist you along the way.

I am very honoured to be featured in the guide and even did a very short interview on BBC London Radio this morning on the Breakfast Show where Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation was being interviewed by Paul and Jo. My voice sounded weird to me but hey.... it was fun!

Skip to the last ten minutes (except of course you really want to listen to the whole show)

Le Petit Marche

LE PETIT MARCHE

Where Lagos Meets Lagos

The small market is back, and this time it features even more exciting stalls.

From Vintage to highstreet clothes.

Art

Independent designers

Jewelry and Acessories

Shoes

Bags

And lots more

Venue : Lagos Toast. 12 A TBS (Next to long tennis club). Onikan Lagos.

Date: 28^th March 2009

Time : 12noon till 7pm

For more information contact: Wonu , 0806 551 3536 or wonuola.odunsi@gmail.com

So get your Flip-flops on!! And get ready to bargain hunt!!!

Shopping in Lagos just got interesting….

Free Your Soul- Free art project

I really like the idea of this project. Free Art. Cool right? The idea is simple, you can download a pdf of a piece of art for free. You can print it out at home and put it on your desk, fridge, wall. Anywhere really. Artists can get in touch with Jen Wallace of IndieFixx to have their work as part of the project. New artists are featured monthly.

This piece is my current favourite and is by K.Smith who has a very eye-catching store on etsy called Unconventional Ida. You can find so many more of her interesting characters there. I may be wrong but I believe the original would have been painted on wood.

Please go to Free Your Soul for some interesting art or if you want more information about the project.

Super Snap clutch- Poppies

Super Snap clutch- Poppies, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

I don't know if I will ever get bored of prints. I use mainly African print fabrics for my bags but sometimes I see one which I cannot resist buying like this one. As soon as I saw it I knew it was coming home with me.

At the time I didn't know what I was going to do with it. I have been getting together a collection of clutches to put in my bigcartel shop and this is one of the 3 I made over the weekend. It photographs well.

I am very tempted to keep it for myself!

Calder and Bourgeois

I was in complete heaven when I walked into the Tate late last year and saw two of my favourite art pieces together in the same space, the contrast and the scale where just so interesting. I actually went back another day armed with my camera. I know they are replicas but these is something very fascinating about them being in the space.

Alexander Calder's bright and abstract Flamingo next to Louise Bourgeois's Maman which is more wirely and textured. Loved it! The original Flamingo which is 53 feet high is in the Federal Center Plaza in Chicago surrounded by tall, grey office buildings. The colour is actually know as 'Calder red'. Its is made out of stainless steel.

On the other hand there are many Maman spiders which have been photographed in locations all over the world. They seem to crop up everywhere and in my opinion they never look out of place, in the grounds of the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, both outside and inside the Tate, in a park, a museum (these are just a few of the places I have seen them).

Apparently, the original work is 30ft tall and is also maid out of stainless steel. The others are replicas and are bronze casts. I like these pieces so much that I will look further into other works by these artists in later posts.

Enterprise Nation

Enterprise Nation is a great website if you are looking to start or develop your business from home. I like it because the information is presented in a simple and concise way that makes it easy to read and digest. There is a lot of very useful information to pick and choose from.

I also did a interesting Q & A a few weeks ago so check it here

X....

Who is your favourite in the X men? Wolverine right? I think mine is Beast, don't ask me why.

Okay, I'll admit it..... I am stuck on X. I always knew it would be difficult to be strict with the idea of choosing topics that followed alphabetically. I am tempted to 'give in' and blog as I feel. Its a new year and all that and then I won't have an excuse not to blog simply because the letter is difficult.

There are many new and exciting things I am working on and I think I am going to just jump straight into them!

See you soon.....

Wristlet

owena clutch, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

I guess this qualifies as a 'wristlet' because the metal loop allows you to slip your hand through and carry the clutch just hanging off your wrist. The loop is split so can actually come off the leather side tab if you wish to alter the look slightly.

Still experimenting but his one is made out of aso-oke and lined in Ankara.