Yarn bombing

Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, yarnstorming, guerrilla knitting, or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. (wikipedia).

[photo - courtesy of - http://www.spearmintdecor.com]

Method and motivation

While yarn installations – called yarn bombs or yarnstorms – may last for years, they are considered non-permanent, and, unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. Nonetheless, the practice is still technically illegal, though it is not often prosecuted vigorously.^[1]
While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing was initially almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.  It has since developed with groups graffiti knitting worldwide each with their own agendas.

[photo - courtesy of - http://www.spearmintdecor.com]

History

The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide.  The start of this movement has been attributed to Magda Sayeg, 37, from Houston, who says she first got the idea in 2005 when she covered the door handle of her boutique with a custom made cozy.
The movement has been said to be "changing the face of craft" as stitchers are more and more frequently being viewed as fibre artists rather than amateurs or vandals.

[photo - courtesy of - http://www.spearmintdecor.com]

Yarnbombing Day

Joann Matvichuk of Lethbridge, Alberta invented International Yarnbombing Day, which was first observed on June 11, 2011. (wikipedia).  Unfortunately we've just missed it for this year but this gives everyone all the more time to prepare for next year's annual event....

[photo - courtesy of - http://www.spearmintdecor.com]


See http://www.spearmintdecor.com/2011/06/yarnbombing/ for original photos.

necklace with wooden beaded tassel

Gorgeous colours (this one's kingfisher shade), lightweight to wear (and post as a gift!).  No fiddly catch - stretches over your head.  Original - you'll not have seen many of these before.  £7 (excl P&P)

Head over to www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree to find out more.  Commssions welcome.

Tales from the Shop Floor

Every handcrafted item is made with love.  Some items also have their own stories to tell, either linked to how and why they were created or to the customer who buys it.  I recently created a newborn hat that is going to have a working life in a photographic studio.  I love the idea of this – Mosaic Tree’s baby hat taking pride of place on baby’s head in treasured photo albums.

Two crafters with on line shops on Folksy (affectionately known as Folksters) have shared their experiences with Mosaic Tree.

Elissa at Not Just Handbags hand makes handbags, accessories and homeware.  She loves working with all kinds of fabric and loves getting custom orders to design and create.  She’s just done a commission  for a customer who needed some clutch bags making and she used the excess trim off her bridesmaids dresses to make them. 

Not Just Handbags can be found at

Folksy - http://www.folksy.com/shops/NotJustHandbags

Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/NotJustHandbags

Blog - http://www.notjusthandbags.blogspot.com/

Facebook – www.facebook.com/notjusthandbags

Sally-jo is the crafter behind The Bead Bounty.  This is her ‘tale from the shop floor’:

“I was commissioned to make jewellery for a local museum, to accompany an exhibit that has just opened of Saxon jewellery, found in a dig just up the road from where I live.  They called me 2 weeks before the exhibition opened.  Having had the Saxon jewellery doing the rounds for at least 4 years and many jewellery makers wanting to be involved, I felt enormously privileged  that they asked me to contribute.   The Saxon jewellery is the most significant find of it's kind in the U.K. as there was a Princesses grave discovered in the dig and people from all over the world will come to see it.  I have called my jewellery the "Princess Collection" as my name actually means Princess."

To see Sally-jo’s creations and buy your own piece, visit Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar, Teesside,

which is open from 10am Tuesday to Sunday.

Keep in touch with The Bead Bounty:

www.thebeadbounty.co.uk and www.thebeadbounty.com

www.folksy.com/shops/thebeadbounty

Facebook – search for Sally-jo Drinkel

To keep in touch with Mosaic Tree, www.facebook.com/MosaicTree, follow this blog www.mosaictree.blogspot.com, Twitter - www.twitter.com/#!/MosaicTree

Mosaic Tree blog interview by Its Darling Vintage & Artisan Fair

Just blogging here about a Mosaic Tree blog interview on....well....another blog!  It all makes perfect sense - Its Darling Vintage & Artisan Fair is promoting the stall holders at their next event in Bath - Sat 16th July 9.30am onwards at The Guild Hall. 

And here it is in all its fine glory....

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Meet the summer stallholders….coffee break with Mosaic Tree

There's not long to go until our Summer Fair on July 16th which is why we thought you'd better start meeting the stallholders, so you can work out what you are going to save up for! First up is Mosaic Tree who make handcrafted accessories including mobile phone covers.

Hello, what is your name & business name?

Hi there. I’m Annie Connold and, together with Maggie Reilly, we are Mosaic Tree!

Dress up your mobile with Mosaic Tree's hand-knitted covers

What do you make/sell and why do you do it/what is your inspiration?

We make a selection of handcrafted accessories – the range currently includes mobile, Blackberry and iPod covers, baby hats and jewellery. We mainly use cotton rich wool with accents in sari silk yarn (some recycled) – this comes in incredible colours and these never ending combinations are the inspiration.

We love designing and creating and Mosaic Tree is the outlet for this. Mosaic Tree is growing and we are enjoying every moment of it.

Handknitted spiral necklace with tassel

Where are you based?

Somerset – we get to enjoy the best of both worlds, looking out on both the Levels and the Mendips.

Handknitted spiral broach with bead

What is the favourite thing that you sell and why?

My favourite items are the baby hats. I photograph teddy modelling them and he looks so cute that I can’t wait for a customer to buy it for the real thing!

Baby hat

What would you say your most value-for-money item is and how much is it?

Value for money items are definitely the mobile/blackberry/iPod covers, retailing at £6-£8. Each one is different, they’re fun and perform the important function of protecting your gadget – as well as making it look gorgeous too!

Purple mobile phone cover with spiral detail

Have you traded at “It’s darling!” before? If not how did you hear about “It’s darling!”? Have you ever been as a customer?

I first heard about Its Darling through the Folksy forums (this is the site hosting the Mosaic Tree on line shop). I got it touch and its gone from there. This will be my first time at It’s Darling Fair; however I’ve kept in touch through the “It’s Darling!” Facebook page and following the blog.

Rainbow Stripe baby hat

What's your favourite memory of Bath?

Having birthday brunch at the Pump Rooms in Bath with the string quartet playing in the background.

What would you say is “darling” in your life.

Our life in Somerset.

For more information about Mosaic Tree go to:

www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree

www.facebook.com/MosaicTree

www.mosaictree.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/@MosaicTree

email – mosaic_tree@yahoo.co.uk

 

To see the original, visit http://itsdarlingfair.blogspot.com/2011/06/meet-summer-stallholderscoffee-break.html

Saturday 16th July - Its Darling Vintage and Handmade Fair at The Guild Hall Bath

Come along and meet Mosaic Tree!

Blue mobile phone cover with heart detail - just relisted!

The heart says it all - who wouldn't fall in love with this handknitted mobile phone cover?  Mid blue with pink heart and button fastening.

Check out this link http://www.folksy.com/items/1902989-knitted-blue-mobile-phone-cover-with-pink-heart-detail?shop=yes to see more.  Happy to take commissions for mobile phones, blackberry and iPod (1st - 4th generation).

photographers, props and crafters - get networking!

The fabulous Dawitchi, of Folksy fame (www.folksy.com/shops/Dawitchi with shop called Eccentric Ella) has come up with a great facebook page to put photographers and crafters in touch with each other to find props for photoshoots.  Click on to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photography-props-and-vendors-UK/234880583193188 to find out more and to become a fan.

Dawitchi says:

"I have started a page on Facebook to connect photographers with crafters that make all sorts of things that might be used in shoots. It is up to you to get yourselves on there and promote yourself. The deals you make with the photographers is entirely between the 2 of you. I generally give photographers better prices on my items in exchange for advertising and product prints."

To see the original thread, pop over to http://forums.folksy.com/forums/6/topics/298997.

Thanks Dawitchi for making this possible!

ipod cover with spiral - just listed!

Turquoise iPod cover with lime spiral detail, to fit 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation iPods, just listed in Mosaic Tree online shop (www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree).

It can be posted anywhere in the world (so long as there is a mail service!).

Check out this link for more information (http://www.folksy.com/items/1894017-knitted-iPod-turquoise-cover-with-spiral-detail?shop=yes).  Commissions welcome for iPod, mobile and blackberry covers - various designs available - please get in touch via www.facebook.com/MosaicTree.

Wee Willy Winky Hat for Newborns

Wee Willy Winky is back - in this gorgeous stripey hat and not his nightgown as the nursery rhyme goes!  This new design came into being when a customer asked me if I could do one of my rainbow hats in this style.  Cue for me to start a pattern search.  One kind knitter on www.knittingforumhelp.com made the helpful suggestion of basing it on a santa hat.  I found a pattern, knitted the prototype (odd looking for santa hat patterns in June but they're out there on the internet all year round!) and then adapted the pattern for mark two - the genuine article!

Naturally, I'm delighted with the result.  The only challenge was the pom pom to finish it off.  Now I've made many poms in my time - but not since my school days.  I thought I'd try the new fangled method of doing it just using my hands - no cardboard cutout circles.  Hmm, that was less successful - so I reverted to the cardbord circles which have stood the test of time.

Happy to take custom orders for these - please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
www.facebook.com/MosaicTree
mosaic_tree@yahoo.co.uk

Pink fireworks display! New wooden beaded tassel necklace - just listed.

Imagine that you've been invited for a night out and you watch a stunning fireworks display....  This signature Mosaic Tree necklace offers you some of gorgeous colour combinations and, unlike a fireworks display, they're here to stay!

This aptly named 'pink fireworks' wooden beaded tassel necklace has just been listed on Mosaic Tree's online shop (www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree).  Its lightweight to wear and will go with all those lovely outfits that you've got lined up.  There's no fiddly catch - it stretches easily over your head.  Perfect as a pressie too - and ideal to post as a surprise gift to a loved one.

Visit http://www.folksy.com/items/1819289-wooden-beaded-tassel-necklace?shop=yes for more showstopping pics and the full story.

Come and visit Mosaic Tree's stall - 16th July 2011 - read all about it!

Come and see all our gorgeous wares when the Mosaic Tree stall will be open for business at the Its Darling Craft Fair on 16th July.

Take your chance on a second glance

More discerning than a car boot sale, cheaper than an antique showroom and guaranteed to be naff bric-a-brac free, the first Bath Vintage and Antiques Fair (the ‘Bath V&A’, don’cha know) is set to dominate Green Park Station on Sunday 26 June. Around three weeks later (Saturday 16 July, to be precise), the glorious medley of all things vintage and artisan that is the It’s Darling! shebang – described by the organisers as “an exciting hybrid of vintage fair and handmade expo showcasing the best in vintage dealers and independent designer-makers in the South West” – floats stylishly into the Brunswick Room at the Guildhall. The high street? Who needs it!

www.vintageandantiques.co.uk, www.itsdarlingfair.co.uk

 

Here's the link - please spread the good news!

http://www.thepigguide.com/going_out/take-your-chance-on-a-second-glance/

Courtesy of thepigguide.com.