I am so pleased to announce that I am launching my new website for information on dyeing, colour, fabrics and yarns. If you love patchwork, quilting, knitting or textiles, I know you will love this new website. We’re working hard on the website at present and it should be up and running within days, certainly by the end of July 2011.

I have been so busy hand dyeing fabrics, threads and yarns and having lots of fun. I can’t wait to share all this with you. The colours in hand dyeing are amazing, I am just in love with what I’m doing. When I pull those fabrics and so on out of the dye bath and rinse them, I never cease to be amazed by the beautiful colours. The hand dyed fabrics and threads are all colour co-ordinated. I am in love with all the threads and fabrics too – cottons, silks, linens, jute, scrim and more in fabulous textures to make your work look that little bit special, personal and unique. Why settle for what everyone else has, when you can have something different? I’m here to help you create. Make sure you join me on

www.yarnsandfabrics.co.uk

Images copyright Karen Platt 2011

I have been using some fantastic fabrics from Camelot in Canada. They have beautiful patchwork and quilting cottons of a very high standard. Camelot cottons stand out in the market because they really give some thought to patterns that match and go together so well. Often when I look at collections of patchwork and quilting fabric, I find that some of the patterns within a collection look random and do not blend well. Camelot make it easy for quilters to make perfect quilts with fabric that is harmonious and well designed. The collection shown here is Madison. I shall be using more of their fabrics in future. All photos are copyright Karen Platt.

I started the shibori last autumn but the weather got the better of me and there was nowhere to hang out the dyed material to dry. So that got put on hold and I turned to hand and machine quilting. I am trying out new ideas. I just love the fact that a basic sewing machine, or sometimes even better a needle and thread and a piece of fabric and you can start to create.

Easy projects to take with you are accessories such as scarves and socks. My favourite is scarves – you can never have enough, it’s usually easy to remember your pattern too as the rows are short and usually uncomplicated. I seem to have scarf fever at the moment.

It’s really fun to choose a different yarn for each scarf and also to choose a different stitch and style. Vary the length and width. These are great projects for beginners.

Here are some of my favourites I have created for the shop, patterns coming soon. All original designs copyright 2010 Karen Platt.

Enjoy!

At last a new book to set the knitting market alight. I have often wondered at the number of people who complain about not being able to knit a pattern because the yarn stated in the pattern is not available. Yarn substitution is made easy with this book. Knit any pattern in a wide variety of different yarns from any manufacturer.

This exciting new book will be launched in 2011, when two other Karen Platt knitting books will also be launched. The books will be available direct and through selected knitting shops and stores. Email me now to reserve your copy of the book.

Being me, I started with perhaps the messiest of dyes – indigo. I loved it – mixed it in a bucket. It wasn’t even that messy but I am looking for bigger premises to dye on a larger scale. Indigo is a little bit smelly, but I love blue.

I dyed two different yarns and a canvas bag. I was surprised how little time the yarn needs to be in the dye. It’s minutes not hours and the results are something even a beginner can achieve. The whole process takes some time and you need to wear protective gloves and a mask. Here are the yarns, these will be going up for sale in the shop soon.

It’s important to me to use plant dyes and natural dyes where possible. I love the possibility of all those different shades of one colour. Here’s to dyeing. Photos copyright Karen Platt 2010.

Like most people my age, I learned to sew and knit at school. I dropped sewing in favour of knitting at the age of 13. The latter was not a great success at first – my school dishcloth had more holes than the rest of the class put together. It was more like a colander than a dishcloth. I was regularly sent back to my seat to start again. I used to sit and pinch the holes together in the hope that the teacher did not notice them. She must have thought I would never get it. Having knitted that same dishcloth for nigh on a year, she relented and let me cast off, complete with holes. Yet, no-one could fault my knitting these days.

It was not a promising start. My mother, able lady that she was, also tried to teach me knitting – alas, to no avail either. I ended up with more and more stitches on my needle.

The break came at the age of 11 when I saw a pattern I wanted to knit. A sleeveless top that I thought so trendy. I remember my Mum saying ‘But you can’t knit yet’. Being the angel that she was, she relented and let me have the pattern and yarn. I knitted that top. For the next few years I got up at 5am and knitted before I went to school and I could not wait to get home to get out my needles again when I got home.

Several years later in my late 20′s and early 30′s I ran my own knitwear design company and lectured in machine knitting at a local College. I hated the machines and lovingly returned to my knitting needles.

Phase 3 in my knitting life is just beginning as I begin to design once more. Look out for the kits in the shop (first ones going up next week) and for knitteds to buy if you cannot knit or simply don’t have the time but are looking for something hand-made.

Hand-made is what this blog is all about. I’ll be dyeing, sewing, knitting as well as embroidery and so much more. Apart from textiles, I shall also be painting (mainly watercolours and acrylics) as well as ceramics. Don’t forget to drop in on the arts and crafts book and product reviews and to check out my own garden books in the shop as well as the garden blog.