New in my Etsy Shop- Fair Isle Brooches

I'm just stopping by today to tell you that I've just added some new pieces to my Etsy Shop! I had a great photo shoot last week with the always fab Hammonds Photography Studio and I'm gradually adding the pieces to my shop. I hope you like them!

The first pieces I have added are these three Fair Isle triangle brooches. They are hand knitted in Shetland wool to my own Fair Isle design and they are finished with a pom pom. I love making these, they are so much fun to create! I have made Fair Isle brooches and necklaces in a lot of different colour combinations but these are my favourite so far. I'd love to know what you think!

New Fair Isle Necklaces Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek at some new Fair Isle necklaces I've been working on! They are all hand knitted to my own designs in Shetland wool and the lightweight Fair Isle triangles hang at 11" on a 22" silver plated chain. I love making them as much as wearing them- they are very versatile dressed up or down. I'll be adding them to my Etsy shop very soon and I'll also be holding a competition to win one- I'll keep you posted!

New Etsy Shop Products #WIP

Here is a sneak peek at some new work in progress jewellery pieces that I'm working on at the moment, coming soon to my Etsy Shop!

Working on new hand knitted Fair Isle Necklaces, hand knitted in Shetland wool and knitted to my own designs. I really need to stock up as my Fair Isle jewellery was popular over Christmas time- thank you if you bought a piece from my shop, it makes me so happy to think that there are people out there wearing my designs

A custom order I made for a lovely customer using her choice of colours. I love receiving custom orders- if you'd like me to make something just for you, visit my Etsy Shop, click "Request Custom Order" and I'd be very happy to design something for you

Something a little different... I have an obsession with Swarovski Crystals and I love making jewellery with them just as much as I enjoy wearing them. I'm working on some Swarovski necklaces and rings that I'd like to add to my Etsy Shop as occasion wear. Watch this space!

I've also been making what I call "Half Moon Necklaces," embellished with Swarovski Crystals, Freshwater Pearls, Mother of Pearl and glass beads upcycled from broken jewellery, but they've never made it to my Etsy Shop, so this new year I'm determined to change that! They would make lovely occasion wear-  I can make them in most colours so they are ideal for accessorizing your wedding/party outfit, but look just as lovely worn with your favourite jumper (how I can often be found wearing mine!) Watch this space on this one!

Are there any pieces you'd like to see me stock in my Etsy Shop? I'm always open to suggestions and I'd love to know what you think, leave a comment below and I'll see what I can do!

Wool Week Work In Progress- Fair Isle Brooches

Today sees the start of Wool Week in the UK so I thought this would be the ideal time to share some of my latest work... These are new square hand knitted Fair Isle brooches, made in beautiful British wool. I'm loving making these and transforming them from initial Fair Isle designs into wearable pieces and the Fenella 2ply wool I'm using to knit them is a joy to use and British grown and produced too. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be revealing more new jewellery work that I'll be adding to my Etsy shop soon. Watch this space!

What are you knitting at the moment and do you enjoy using British wool too?

New Work- Hand Knitted Fair Isle Necklaces

I've been busy working on some new pieces for my Fair Isle jewellery range and I'm excited to share the first of my new Fair Isle necklaces! I hand knitted the necklace to my own Fair Isle design in beautiful British wool and the knit encapsulates light wooden beads that tie with ribbon. This is my first prototype of Fair Isle necklace in this style and I am going to experiment with other colours and designs to add to my Etsy and Folksy shops soon. I'll keep you posted! 

I find the Fair Isle process very therapeutic and very rewarding. One of the reasons I love knitting so much is because you are creating your own fabric. Maybe one day I'll go one step further and try spinning my own yarn!

This is a real statement piece that can be dressed up or down and is a great way to wear wool every day! 

I've been following the Fair Isle tradition by using a maximum of 5 colours per design

The nature of the design means the necklace is reversible, so you have two looks in one!

You can check out my other Fair Isle necklaces and brooches here. Watch this space for more new designs!

Life Lately

I just wanted to share with you a little look behind the scenes at what I've been up to. Life lately has been very hectic as I'm working lots at the day job, but I'm still beavering away working on a new Fair Isle jewellery collection for the Winter and I hope to be able to share some finished pieces with you soon.

 The weather here has been lovely too so I'm trying to go on regular walks and work out in the garden when I can too. After the bank holiday weekend I will have more time and I'm looking forward to getting back to the blog as normal- I've got lots of ideas to share with you! Until then, here's some pics of life lately...

I'm working on a larger Fair Isle piece which I'm quite excited about- I'm hoping that my idea will work and I can share it with you soon if it all comes together!

Made In Colchester have their first collective exhibition in the Slice cafe in Colchester and it runs until 12th September. There is a lovely selection of work from collective members on display including artwork, jewellery, prints, photography and paintings, all made in the Colchester area. I'm very proud to be a part of it! If you're local, Slice cafe is on Culver Street West in Colchester- a good excuse to go out for lunch!

Regular readers will know that I've been trying to get out for more walks lately and it's certainly helping at the moment- although things are crazily busy, getting out in the fresh area is a great stress buster! I took this pic whilst walking along the canal, daydreaming about what it might be like to live on a boat

I can't take credit for these beautiful flowers, these are all pics I snapped in Mr Writer's parents' garden. Such amazing colours!

Hope you are all enjoying a lovely August!

WIP- New Fair Isle Jewellery #2

The Fair Isle practice continues here at Louise Dawson Design! As you may know, I have previously hand knitted a fair isle jewellery collection in Shetland wool. I loved using the Jaimesons 4ply to make these, but I'd like to make more complex designs and I've now chosen to make a new range using Susan Crawford Fenella 2ply.  In this post I shared with you the start of some Fair Isle brooch designs in this beautiful 2ply British wool

I used one of the knitted samples to make a round brooch using a cover button but I thought that this hid the fair isle design too much, so I've knitted the same design and made it up as a small square brooch. I'm much happier with this, I think there is more scope for trying out different designs within this shape.

I'm so enjoying making up my own fair isle designs using knitter's graph paper and coloured pencils!

I'm trying out lots of colour ways to find out what works too. I've just ordered a few more colours in the Fenella to add in too- it's such a beautiful yarn, I find it hard to resist!

I'll continue to share my fair isle progress- I'm aiming to create a whole new fair isle collection

WIP- New Fair Isle Jewellery

I thought I'd show you a little look behind the scenes at what I'm working on at the moment! I'm already thinking of Winter designs and adding to my Fair Isle Jewellery range that you can find in my Etsy Shop. I made these pieces using 4ply Shetland wool, which is beautiful and is traditionally used for Fair Isle Designs. However, due to the small scale of the jewellery pieces I felt I couldn't knit as detailed pieces as I would have liked, so for the new designs I'm using a 2ply yarn!

Working out some new designs on knitters graph paper

A friend told me about Susan Crawford Vintage yarns and the Fenella two ply. The colours are inspired by a vintage colour pallette and it's a British grown, spun and dyed yarn too- soo lovely! I've just got a small selection of colours to use at the moment but I'm sure I'll be investing in more of the range!

At the moment I'm just experimenting to see what works. It's more tricky than I thought to select colours that work together in the pattern and It's quite a challenge to fit lots of Fair Isle detail into such a tiny piece. As you can see, once I've used the knitted rectangle to cover the button some of the Fair Isle detail is lost, so I will be working on this!

It's fascinating to see the stitches on the page come to life in knitted form and I'm really enjoying the experimentation. I'll share more as this project progresses!

Check Out My Etsy Shop Celebrating British Materials. Take 20% off too!

Have you seen my Etsy shop? It's stocked with textile jewellery made with British and recycled materials, all handmade by me in Essex, England. From Harris Tweed Button Brooches and rings embellished with pretty recycled fabric "blooms" to Fair Isle brooches and necklaces hand knitted in Shetland wool. I'm working hard to create a shop that is a celebration of British and recycled materials, using traditional techniques re-invented with a modern twist. 

I'm offering 20% off in my Etsy shop until Sunday 5th April- just use the code BRITISHMADE20 at the checkout and treat yourself or a loved one to a handmade gift this Easter! Have a browse here

My Harris Tweed Button Brooches and rings are all made from offcuts of Harris Tweed, embellished with pieces of pretty recycled fabrics

I hand knit pieces for my Fair Isle jewellery collection using beautiful Shetland Wool, which is traditionally used for Fair Isle knitting

Louise Dawson Design featured in the Blog and Buy Sale Christmas Wish List!

I'm so happy that some of my Fair Isle jewellery pieces have been included in the Blog and Buy Sale Christmas Wish List! There are some beautiful products featured on the list from a great selection of Designer/Makers. Check out the list here and find some beautifully unique Christmas gifts

On Instagram in October

Here's a look behind the scenes at what I got up to in October, as told through my Instagram photos... 

I made a giant felt dice for Mr Writer for his Dungeons and Dragons games!

Friends of ours had a baby and I finished this Attic24 Neat Ripple Pattern crochet blanket for him. Read more about the pattern here

Walking around the Marks Hall estate in Coggeshall, Essex and enjoying the Autumn colours. I shared more photos of the estate here

I broke out the winter coat and walking boots but for one blustery day  only! It's been unseasonably warm for the time of year, so for the time being, even as we head into November, my winter coat stays in the wardrobe!

October 2014 marked six years since graduating from my Fashion and Textiles degree. Here we are, the class of '08! 

This is how lunch times at the day job look for me! I like to make the most of any time I have to craft, so after a bite to eat I get crafting! I work in a creative place so everyone crafts around the kitchen table at lunch times. My boss describes the work kitchen as "A hive of industry!"

I've started making some Christmas cards!

We visited Saffron Walden, a really pretty little town

For Mr Writer's birthday we made carrot cake to take to his work. Nom nom nom...

Nelson chilling out, enjoying a cosy Sunday evening. The nights started drawing in!

I finalised the Fair Isle jewellery collection I've been working on and had a great photo shoot!

Busy working on new pieces for The Renegade Craft Fair in London at the end of November!

Rounding off October with a mini Halloween party for my niece! (Pumpkin carving by my sister!)

Here's to a great November!

What have been your October highlights?